With my immediate riding friends (usually 4 of us) I some how end up leading the way and deciding on which way we go.

I have organized a few rides for a local car Forums riders. ( one of them is my Signature pic)

Like VP said, i prefer the front as well, can set the ppace and direction to your own liking

 

LG I think that is the proper method for large groups that's the way it has been done every time we rode in group larger than 10 riders I usually got stuck with Recon a new route when I was on the West Coast we had an master gun who rode an HD sportster (not really a sportster custom including a 109 S&S) who rode in the tail enders position most all of the time. He was pretty much capable of keeping up with most of us on the straightaways and didn't mind dragging things in the corner if necessary but would pace himself far enough back not to push a less experienced riders in smaller groups and in large groups would take the lead position of the last group to help sweep everybody forward but not losing his tailender an all around great rider. Leading in small groups is not important riding in groups of six are larger is important maybe the responsibility of the parties involved may not be apparent to some riders those are usually the groups that look dysfunctional and get separated and end up using their cell phone to find out where so-and-so stopped for gas or where they're eating at and may not be important on short rides where a whole tank of fuel is not used but one of the responsibilities of a leader is to find out who has the least amount of range for a tank of fuel and plot appropriate gas stops as well as bathroom and eating breaks and it is important to realize the pace for the whole group is not set by the leader but by the tail ender a good leader will never run off and leave the group and will always keep the tail ender insight and adjust his speed accordingly a good tail ender knows how hard to push new riders without getting them in over their head. Guys I'm talking about rides were you do 400 miles on a Saturday this is pretty much average for the group I ride with we start off the season with a ride to barbers motorcycle Museum early spring it is more of a shakedown ride and gives everybody a chance to catch up who hasn't talked for a little bit now this group by ride with his mostly Marines and family members would do the blood mountain loop in North Georgia several times over the year we do cloud Canyon and North Georgia one time we run raccoon Mountain and Tennessee and take in all the sites in Chattanooga used to run down to 19 dragstrip in South Georgia usually has a really large motorcycle drag events guys coming from as far away as Ohio and South Florida were usually spent the night and ride back the next day just because of the time of the evening the races were over not because of the distance so in small groups it's no biggie on short distances who leads or who is the tail ender long-distance larger or small it poor conduct not to follow the correct protocol on these type of ride


here's some international hand signals


Use this hand signal to help the next rider pass by indicating he has the clear of way (in other words no on-coming traffic) If you are the rider who is being helped you do NOT have to pass the car unless you feel 100% about it. If you are worried about holding up others behind you let them come upfront and drop back. We do not want anyone to feel pressued into passing.



Move out of the way First tell the ride behind you to catch up or get closer, this is also used for any speed up" situation:


If you feel you want the guy behind you infront for any reason or you simply want to drop back, wave him up:



NEVER PASS ON THE RIGHT: The only time is when you have your own lane to do so, DO NOT DO A FLY BY, make the pass easy (5-10mph faster than the other riders).

U-Turn/Turn Around:

Stopping (Fist at 90 Degrees):

Your High Beams are on or turn signal still flashing:

Road Hazard, Debree

Slow Down or Bumpy road:

COP/5-0 (tap on helmet):

I Need Food/Drink:

I Need Gas (Point at tank):

Getting Pulled Over by a Cop:
The Group Gets Pulled

 

^^Thanks HARDCORP
Boy i new some of them but not all.

 

Interesting, the hand signal you give for a 'Bumpy road' for us is 'Slow down cops ahead'. Its also the same signal we give to on coming riders warning them of cops we have just passed. You didn't include the one signal where you point to your helmet = 'Mate you are a total F**k wit'.
I have ridden with small groups & have found no problems, as long as we are all clear on the route, fuel stops & basic rules, such as checking your mirrors to see if the rear riders are still with you. If we all have mobiles, we make sure we all have everyone's contact number, I prefer staying at the back & dictating my own pace.
On the bigger rides (sometimes in excess of 200+ bikes) These are organised by my bike club, about 400 / 500 klms day ride, double that if its an overnighter, we are required to register, so they know how many of us are going, we get printed details of route, stops (for breaks & food & fuel), we are given a run down of the trip by the group organisor. What usually happens because of so many eager bike nuts, we leave in smaller manageable groups & even then after the 100 kays or so, we naturally break up again into smaller groups, with the Speed kings (& queens) at the front.
We have 2 things going for us on these rides 1/ a back up vehicle with a 3 bike trailer & on the Tamworth run, a police car, supposed to be our escort, but travels behind.

 

My buddies and I also use that signal for cops.
Usually i ride with 3 of my buddies. The most I have ridden with is about 12 but thats very rare unless we can get every1 together. I prefer to ride in the back when I am with my buddies because I really just dont like being chased through turns. If I am with a larger group I tend to just stay in between my good buddies.

 

I ride with a group once a week in the summer. I find it fun to hang out, and talk about bikes. The other positive is I learn new routes, and it gives me an excuse to go somewhere I havn't before

 

i ride a lot in groups ranging from 5-50 but im glad i dont have to be in charge lol, thats usally up to one of the my buddies, he does a great job though.

 

i try to jump in on group rides locally all the time.....last year i did my share of "leading" most of the rides i was on.....not always by choice but by request...

i think its fun to jump in on posted rides that nobody knows you......i usually will start towards the back or the middle and move my way forward to where i feel comfortable....i think its the best way to find riders who ride within your comfort level......i tend to like to push things....so it can be hard to find others who like to ride the same way...so the only way to find out is to get out on rides with people you do not know

 

Yep, been there done that - can't say I enjoyed playing 'mother goose' though.
There are generally around 8-14 riders in the group, newbies get a set of rules on road behaviour, before we leave and we phone ahead to book breakfast. New routes are checked out on a bike before the group goes. Noobs who don't follow the rules aren't welcome back. Stupidity tolerance is very low.....................We ride in loose groups of 4 to minimise problems with group size.
I ride tail end Charlie for the most part.........keeps me clear of poor judgement by others.
And I get to evaluate all the pillion riders...........he he

 

I prefer to be in the back. The group I do ride with have some strong riders and I don't feel up to their level. They like it when I am in front, cause I can give it a go and when we get stopped by the local constabulary I can flash the badge and away we go. I'm there to have fun, not give everyone the right to be a hooligan.