so for a quick story about my area. i live in a somewhat small town and its mostly surrounded by country and more quite areas unless you get about 25miles out south. i started riding last year and it was with my good friend from work that also started riding around the same time. he has a bunch of friends that ride and live in the area. me and him decided to take a ride out into the country after work one day and we were filling up at this gastation at the edge of town when 3 rockets rolled by ( 25mph area ) he waved at them cuz they were his buddy's. they U turned right around and came to a screeching stop by our pumps. i instantly had the feeling we were going to be riding with trouble being that i heard these kids ride out that way all the time. well like i thought they said they were heading out the same way so we were all about to ride together. we're done pumping gas and these kids lead us out of the gas station like a bat out of hell, ( one of them hitting the limiter smoking the tire 100ft through town ). the country roads are only about a mile out of town and instantly these kids picked it up to about 120mph. i was uncromfortable with this riding so me and my friend stayed back only doing about 90 keeping them in site and catching up through the turns. out this way is where all the bikes go for high speeds and twisties cuz its all farm land. the 3 in front of us were non stop on one wheel every chance they had easily 90mph plus. another group of 4 riders where coming the other way and saw us down the straight away and all 4 picked up to one wheel as did the 3 we were with while passing each other showing off. after a while me and my buddy had to get back so we turned back at the next stop sign. we both rode about 65 - 70 the whole way home and i enjoyed it way more then never seeing my numbers go under 90. after getting home and riding my bike from his house alone and started feeling like im not going to have anyone to ride with. i love getting into the bike and starting a little trouble myself here and there but these kids are way beyond what i will ever want to ride. ( they been riding like this for 3 years and im not sure how they're not all dad or without a license ) so my problem ends up being that i dont like riding alone as everyone here can agree. i love the feeling of being in a group or atleast one other guy of my own kind, but i dont want to push my limits that hard every where i go. i would love to go to bike night but they have a group of 15 that ride that same way the whole way there ( 43 miles ). what do you think i should do? im starting to think the only people i would fit in riding with would be guys way older and mature, and there aren't any out here haha.

 

I understand wanting to belong to a group, especially if your in a small town with few choices to consider. but your safety is priority number ONE! the best thing you can do is ride within your abilities and not push yourself to keep up if your not comfortable doing so.

If they arent willing to tone it down even a notch or two, then thats probably not the kind of crown you'd need to be running with anyways.

if your luck is anything like mine, one of the few times you go runnin with them the sherriffs are just around the corner and clock you at 120+. Goodbye motorcycle, hello public transportation. is it worth it? personally i would rather ride my motorcycle alone, than a schwinn with all the pals.

 

Amen brother
If it's any consolation, I'd ride with you anytime

 

Personally, I belong to the under a hundred club, and I kinda plan on staying like that unless I'm on a track or something.

 

I have friends that ride also, but they all like to go fast and do stunts, and thats just not me. I went with them once, and after my speedo went past 85, I slowed down, and they pulled away. I have never went out with them again, I ride alone. Two of them have since lost there license from speeding, and another one has wound up in the hospital for 2 weeks after he lost control on one wheel at 60 mph. Just waiting for something to happen to the last guy. I'd rather ride alone and be safe, than ride with a group who tempts me to do something I don't feel comfortable doing.

 

i cant stand to have idiots around me....I ride alone most of the time and i can set my pace , dont get me wrong, i can beat it like mad , but ridng with kids that have nothin to loose is a recipie for disaster....dont sweat it . enjoy riding yer way and at yer pace , let em all leave on one wheel....

 

Well, in my mind there is no doubt you have to NOT ride with these guys ... they are all accidents waiting to happen and do you really want to witness it, things like that can affect you for life and put you off riding permanently too ... riding with a group can be fun so long as it's a good group but here is my experience ... many years ago when I was a kitten I used to ride with about 7-10 other bikers/friends ... I did like the group feeling and it was a good group but even with that there were problems ... if I was in front I felt pressure to set the pace, you know, am I going too slow etc ... if I was at the rear, you end up working much harder for the overtakes and keeping up that the front guys manage easily ... in the middle I always felt a little cramped and at risk I had no where to go if one came off ... now, many years later I ride totally alone and I love it and would never have it any other way ... solitary riding is now what it is all about for me ... I am only responsible for me ... I set my own pace, stop when I want and not when the group wants, rest as long as I need and just generally enjoy the feeling of just me, the bike and the open road to go where I want and when I want ... I have simply never looked back!! :-)


Jules

 

You been riding one year? Like the others say here, "Ride your own pace". Group riding rules are printed for a reason and every group has their own, bottom line is let them go you will catch up at the next turn or gas station. I've gone from fastest bikes to slow ones several times over the years and have spent too many hours listening to people die slow agonizing deaths along side the highways, it's no fun.

It takes time to find a group or couple folks you are comfortable with, almost 45 years ago my friends Dad told me to make believe I'm invisable, nobody can see me, someone ahead is going to pull out, someone behind is going to run me over, be ready.