One of the benefits of of our H.O.G. Chapter and its Road Captain program is that the Road Captains introduce our members to roads that they never would have rode on had they not ventured out on a chapter ride. Most people including myself just don’t randomly go riding down strange backroads. Some people who own motorcycles, myself included, wake up on a nice sunny day with no plans and the road is an empty slate. Without a plan, a destination or an idea these people just stay home. Others are spontaneous and throw a leg over and just hit the road without a clue following nothing but their nose. And then there are others who can dream up a route on the spot and hit the road. I imagine there is a huge group who heads to the local biker destination bars thinking they are the quintessential biker.
For those of us in the first category belonging to a good H.O.G. chapter is awesome! We check the calendar to see what’s going on, show up at the meeting site and then a Road Captain will take us somewhere fun! We may be newbies or rubs but we put hundreds if not thousands of miles on those motorcycles thanks to the H.O.G. Road Captains and the online chapter calendar. Regardless of what you call us, we ride em! This is the very process that opened my eyes to the fact that going to Hooters on bike night isn’t what riding is all about.
I did not plan on becoming a Road Captain and I don’t know a million back roads. I do go out of my way to locate, learn and put together ride routes that will please the members of my H.O.G. chapter. Usually a “thank you” or any show of appreciation from riders who go on rides is all that it takes to make it all worthwhile. I was given one of the best compliments by at least two riders and it was said a few times which made me really happy: “I don’t know how you do it. How do you find all those back roads?!”
It’s hard for me to keep a secret and that makes sense because I come to my trusty computer all the time and type everything into it for the good of the Internet audiance. Here is how my process usually goes:
1) I check websites to see if there are any recomended ride routes in the area I am looking to go riding.
2) I use Microsoft Streets & Tips to connect the roads and find other roads.
3) Somehow I manage to schedule several rides to the same area so that we can check the routes out, change them up and fine tune them before the actual chapter ride takes place.
Ride Your Own Ride?!
A phrase that motorcyclists hear quite often in reference to group riding: “Ride Your Own Ride”. What does it mean? How do you do it when you are riding in a group?
Obviously the group dynamic prohibits a rider from completely riding his own ride. If each member of a group were to ride his own pace in his chosen lane position and for that matter to his own destination, there wouldn't be much of a group involved in the ride at all! They’d be scattered all over, some on back roads and some on highways, some cruising merrily along while others attempt to break salt flat records, and they’d probably never even come into contact at all over the course of the day.
OK, let’s suppose that a group has decided on a common route and destination… we still have a disorganized, inconsistent, and I daresay dangerous combination of riding styles, all attempting to share the same roads at the same time. Riders pass each other haphazardly, ride up next to each other in the same lane (whether the person ahead is comfortable with that or not), leave giant gaps in the formation, and even perform stunts (a la “Look ma, no hands!”) in close proximity to other riders. This is the exact scenario I have found at many “open” events. That is not to say that the typical rider lacks riding skills or has reckless disregard for others, but more likely that they’re not experienced in safe group riding practices.
As a new rider I was reminded to ride my own ride during the safety instructions at the beginning of practically every chapter ride. I often wondered what exactly it was supposed to mean. After all, each rider must hold his own position in the pack, follow the pace and directions of the road captain and all other riders in front of him, and pass back signals as directed. While riding sweep and near the back of the group, I have witnessed the beauty of a group of twenty plus bikes cruising along the asphalt in a perfectly harmonious formation… like a symphony of rolling thunder. However, holding the good of the group in high priority certainly does not seem to facilitate any of the individual riders doing their own thing. And yet the near constant reminder to “ride your own ride”.
After tens of thousands of miles in the saddle, the vast majority of it ridden in groups ranging from four to thirty and more motorcycles, I have deduced my own meaning for this seemingly incomprehensible phrase. Even when following strictly regimented practices of group riding, motorcyclists must remember that they are not sheep obliviously following a shepherd; they are ultimately responsible for their own individual bikes. Do not run a red light for fear that the forward part of the group will leave you behind. Stop at intersections and check traffic for yourself instead of just rolling blindly right on through. Watch for pot holes, road kill, and other hazards for yourself instead of relying on a signal to be passed back. If you need more space or perceive it appropriate to go single-file when it has not been designated by the group leader, feel free to signal your intentions to the other riders in the pack and then do it. Do not out-ride your skill level just to keep up with the rest of the group. Trust that the ride leaders and road captains will do their job and make sure that your needs are met by pulling over at a safe location to allow you to catch up, adjusting the group pace to compensate for lesser skill level of newer riders, and so on. Do not assign responsibility to them for your carelessness and naive indifference to your own riding safety.
So does ride your own ride mean you are free to do whatever you feel like? Definitely not! Does it mean to take responsibility for yourself as well as deferring to the safety of the rest of the group? Absolutely! When each rider pays diligent attention to the latter you have the makings of a successful group ride! On the contrary, the former creates nothing but a bunch of individuals riding in a cluster.
Shaving Seconds
When riding a motorcycle, every second counts. Motorcycle safety courses and departments of motor vehicles tell riders to keep a minimum two-second following distance behind the vehicle in front of you. But motorcyclists should constantly scan and anticipate what is coming at them much farther down the road. Cagers often don’t see us, so we need to take the responsibility to see them…the sooner the better.
Besides being aware of approaching vehicles, intersections, obstacles in the roadway, and poor road conditions as you approach them, a good rider will also take actions so as to prepare for these things should they suddenly become hazards. Cruising down the highway with your legs stretched out on the cruise pegs is a welcome relief for stiff or cramping legs, and it’s super cool…but needing to relocate your feet back to the controls to be able to break or shift in an emergency situation adds valuable seconds to your response time.
Whenever approaching an intersection, blind curve, or any other situation where there is an increased likelihood of encountering trouble, it is a good idea to take your feet back off those highway pegs and put them in position where they are ready to brake or shift. Feet are not the only thing that needs to prepare. Cover both brake and clutch levers with your hands so as to eliminate the time needed to reach and grab them, leaving only the time it takes for the actual squeeze.
Besides preparing yourself physically, you can also shave seconds through mental preparation. Having an “escape” pre-planned can cut down on your reaction time because there is no hesitation while you evaluate the situation and decide what to do…you already have! Practice emergency braking and swerve techniques in an empty parking lot on a regular basis, or take rider safety course. These skills keep you in tip-top shape for when you need to use them.
Keeping your motorcycle in good shape will help too. Properly inflated tires and maintained brakes allow your bike to come to a stop more quickly. All of these little things add up. Shaving a few tenths of a second by covering your brakes & clutch, a few more by having your feet in ready position, even more for proper brakes and tires, and more still for mental & skill preparation all combined together can literally shave up to three seconds off of your response time.
Two or three seconds? Big deal, right? Well actually, yeah it is a big deal! Many of us tend to overlook the obvious. Riding at 30 mph actually means that you are moving a distance of approximately 50 feet in a second. A typical intersection is only 50 feet wide. That means that if you even saved just one second off your response time, it could make the difference between your bike stopping before you reach that car suddenly pulling out in front of you or not stopping until you’ve actually slammed into, skidded under, or flown over it…and that’s only one second at 30 mph! Just think of the distance you could save over 2-3 seconds at 60 mph!
Those 2-3 seconds very well might save you – and your Harley – from a bad scrape!
I Did My Job Today - Road Captain
I’m getting renewed enthusiasm for being a Road Captain and trying to get back to just the basics of what our HOG Chapter is about. It’s about riding our motorcycles together and having fun. If we don’t organize rides, people might stay home and their bikes might collect dust. We don’t want that! We need to give our members a reason to get out on their motorcycles. Of course most of the year they don’t always need prompting. A months ago you couldn't keep people home on a sunny day. But now it’s winter and it isn't quite as warm as we like so we need a tiny nudge. I feel really good that I give my friends a reason to get out and ride. Each ride doesn't have to be a mind blower or an all day excursion. A brief lunch ride to get everyone out on their bikes is better than sitting home waiting for the next great adventure. At least when the next great adventure presents itself, we won’t be all dusty.
Chrome vs Skill
Hundreds of motorcyclists own amazing machines but they don’t know how to ride worth a damn! They should have their motorcycles taken away! I am amazed at the lack of riding skill demonstrated by the motorcycle riding public. The majority of bikers need to learn how to maneuver their motorcycles at slow speed. Any novice can ride a motorcycle in a straight line at highway speed. Unfortunately many so called seasoned riders haven’t developed the skill to do much more than that.
My HOG Chapter provided an ERC course. Riders demonstrated poor skills! I would say less than ten percent knew how to handle their bikes properly! Most seemed to be the least able to control the friction zone. The old guys were just plain scary. I don’t know how they have been riding for so long. One old timer told me indigently that his Sportster wasn’t a dirt bike! If you can’t make a tight hairpin turn, swerve or stop your motorcycle in an emergency you should stay home and practice until you can. Your life depends on it! Furthermore you should be able to ride on a variety of terrain such as wet pavement, gravel and soft grass.
The fastest way for you to gain the skills I speak of is to order the Ride Like A Pro V training DVD and practice the skills demonstrated on this fantastic learning tool.
I hope that someday we stop seeing riders wobble in and out of parking lots with their legs and feet all spread out like airplane landing gear. Please take some of that money you plan on using for chrome this year and put it aside for a MSF Rider course or other training tools such as the above mentioned DVD. The Ride Like A Pro DVD costs $29.95 plus $2.95 S&H.
