We love riding our motorcycles.  For many of us, our bike represents our primary mode of transportation for the majority of the year.  We enjoy the freedom of riding.  We enjoy the sights, sounds and smells that are so different on a motorcycle.

When we ride with others, it allows us to enhance our joy of riding by sharing the experience with other people. Sometimes they are old friends and other times they are new friends we just met as the ride began. New or old, we’re bound by a passion for riding that is unmistakable.

It’s very difficult to describe to non-motorcyclists the camaraderie we share with other riders. As the brash T-shirt proclaims, “If I have to explain, you wouldn’t understand.” When you’re riding with others, no one cares who you are or what you do. All that matters is that you’re on two wheels enjoying the freedom of the road.

Whether we are out with a couple of friends, joined up with a mass of bikes all heading in the same direction, or participating in an organized group ride, there are certain “rules of the road” we must know and understand to ensure our experience is as enjoyable as we want it to be.

There is a night and day difference between group riding and riding alone. Group riding is very disciplined with established rules that everyone must follow to ensure the safety of the group and to make the ride fun for all. One maverick that ignores these rules can spoil everyone’s day. After all, the reason we ride is to have fun. Group rides should be fun, too – for everyone.

Throughout this book, I will focus on the ride from three perspectives: the Ride Organizer, the Ride Leader (or Lead Rider), and the Ride Participant. I differentiate the ride organizer from the lead rider because of their focus.

The ride organizer is focused on planning the ride while the lead rider is most concerned with conducting the ride. Most often they will be the same person, but not always. The participants of the ride may also be involved in planning and conducting the ride. Who is filling which role is not as important as knowing that the responsibilities of each role have been covered.

This book is not intended to be the complete encyclopedia of group riding. Rather its purpose is to provide food for thought as you build your knowledge base about riding with others. It represents my research and my experiences.

The thoughts these pages provoke as you read them are more important than whether or not you agree with everything I’ve said in this book.  My sincere hope is that by compiling this information in a book form, my work will enable you to enhance the pleasure you get from riding together.

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©2005 48 pages