As a newbie to this site and having moved to a new area, I was looking forward to joining up on a few group ride outs. It seems to me, however, there are few being organised (at least within a rideable distance before the ride out), not just here but also on two other fora I belong too. Perhaps too North Bucks does not have a large biking contingent. Is biking changing? Are people now doing more solo rides rather than groups? Perhaps people prefer to ride within smaller known groups and rides are not publicised? This is not a moan, but a genuine enquiry. I did post a ride a few weeks ago but after about 55 views, not a single response.
Speaking only for myself, I rarely want to go on a group ride-out these days. I used to love them but ... let's just say, the shine has well & truly been rubbed off of them, for me anyway. Plus of course, my Ducati has done a lot of miles, it hasn't been bling'd up, spends must of its time in "track day trim" (good stuff left at home out of harm's way) and it doesn't get cleaned nearly as often as it gets ridden ... all of which means that I hate to embarrass those folks who look after their bikes so well. I'm sure that the North Bucks area was a hotbed of Ducati activity back before a certain Ducati bike club imploded. I knew a few of the riders back then, I'm sorry if they have all disappeared from the planet.
I like riding in smallish groups. That way you get to know how people ride and how you should ride with them. I find riding with new people a tad intimidating until I see what they're like. And when riding in groups I like to ride behind a "leader" who may know the roads better than I do.
I don't enjoy group ride outs either. I'd prefer to ride with 2 or 3 people who ride in a similar way to me....amateurish!...you know who you are :wink:
I like to ride or meet up and ride with Considerate riders I have also enjoyed in the past some of the SS meets
I didn't say I disliked meeting new friends. I just like to ride in smallish groups till I get to know how they ride.
then thats where we part company...i bleedin hate everybody. im very slowly getting back into riding...my bike is gonna be held hostage for a cpl of weeks as im getting my drive block paved next week...after that, i'll be out with my training wheels on until i, a) get my confidence back after my op and such a long lay off, and b) re-learn how to ride the fekking thing and relax...
large groups are the quickest way to see an accident happening lol. years ago with the tlr. we had a meet in the midlands - 2 accidents in one ride out (not me - others...) people leave their brains at home and the less skilled get sucked along too fast. so now I may well goto a meet. but seldom join a large group on the move for that reason. I have my regular riding pals and we understand each others skill, road positioning and general speed/progress and road eticut.
Couldn't agree more.When I started biking I joined a biking club and did a few ride outs and nine times out of ten there was always one rider who seemed to ride like a lunatic.I ended up volunteering most times to be the tail ender thus keeping out of the way. With a little bit of experience I did some tours in France with some good friends who were all experienced riders.I found that to keep up I was riding way out of my experience and comfort zone and was likely to come a cropper if I carried on.So I took the decision to ride at my own pace,needless to say I always ended up getting to the cafe,petrol station,etc,last.I didn't find this much fun so I didn't tour again. I can only take my bike out now when I am well enough so I do my own rideout,as fast or as slow as I like at my own whim.
eticut - haha its like a t-bone without the bone lol eticut in geordie speak.... 'eeee he cut' (me up.....) 'e----ti--cut' geordie dictionary entry eticut a manoeuvre by a fellow biker who dives up the inside on a left hand bend honest hahaa lol ok ok hands up I speed typed sms style tooooo fast etiquette lol
had a great 70 mile ride out on Sunday with 35 + Monsters - there were some basic rules in place, it was great fun - not a race - and no accidents (apart from a belgium Multi owner who thought he'd lost his keyless key thingy) I prefer small groups of peeps I know and there are some I'd rather not ride with - so dont Always like to meet new freinds - plenty going on in Hampshire and Wiltshire and have enjoyed ride outs with a few forum members this year already
