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| ENDLESS MOUNTAINS HARLEY OWNERS GROUP #2094 MANSFIELD, PA. |
Motorcycle Safety Related Information
QUICK TIPS: MSF’s Guide to Group Riding
Motorcycling is primarily a solo activity, but for many, riding as a group -- whether with friends on a Sunday morning ride
or with an organized motorcycle rally -- is the epitome of the motorcycling experience. Here are some tips to help
ensure a fun and safe group ride:
Arrive prepared. Arrive on time with a full gas tank.
Hold a riders’ meeting. Discuss things like the route, rest and fuel stops, and hand signals (see diagrams on next
page). Assign a lead and sweep (tail) rider. Both should be experienced riders who are well-versed in group riding
procedures. The leader should assess everyone’s riding skills and the group’s riding style.
Keep the group to a manageable size, ideally five to seven riders. If necessary, break the group into smaller sub-
groups, each with a lead and sweep rider.
Ride prepared. At least one rider in each group should pack a cell phone, first-aid kit, and full tool kit, so the group is
prepared for any problem that they might encounter.
Ride in formation. The staggered riding formation (see diagram below) allows a proper space cushion between
motorcycles so that each rider has enough time and space to maneuver and to react to hazards. The leader rides in the
left third of the lane, while the next rider stays at least one second behind in the right third of the lane; the rest of the
group follows the same pattern. A single-file formation is preferred on a curvy road, under conditions of poor visibility or
poor road surfaces, entering/leaving highways, or other situations where an increased space cushion or maneuvering
room is needed.
Avoid side-by-side formations, as they reduce the space cushion. If you suddenly needed to swerve to avoid a hazard,
you would not have room to do so. You don’t want handlebars to get entangled.
Periodically check the riders following in your rear view mirror. If you see a rider falling behind, slow down so they may
catch up. If all the riders in the group use this technique, the group should be able to maintain a fairly steady speed
without pressure to ride too fast to catch up.
If you’re separated from the group, don’t panic. Your group should have a pre-planned procedure in place to regroup.
Don’t break the law or ride beyond your skills to catch up.
For mechanical or medical problems, use a cell phone to call for assistance as the situation warrants.
Motorcycling is primarily a solo activity, but for many, riding as a group -- whether with friends on a Sunday morning ride
or with an organized motorcycle rally -- is the epitome of the motorcycling experience. Here are some tips to help
ensure a fun and safe group ride:
Arrive prepared. Arrive on time with a full gas tank.
Hold a riders’ meeting. Discuss things like the route, rest and fuel stops, and hand signals (see diagrams on next
page). Assign a lead and sweep (tail) rider. Both should be experienced riders who are well-versed in group riding
procedures. The leader should assess everyone’s riding skills and the group’s riding style.
Keep the group to a manageable size, ideally five to seven riders. If necessary, break the group into smaller sub-
groups, each with a lead and sweep rider.
Ride prepared. At least one rider in each group should pack a cell phone, first-aid kit, and full tool kit, so the group is
prepared for any problem that they might encounter.
Ride in formation. The staggered riding formation (see diagram below) allows a proper space cushion between
motorcycles so that each rider has enough time and space to maneuver and to react to hazards. The leader rides in the
left third of the lane, while the next rider stays at least one second behind in the right third of the lane; the rest of the
group follows the same pattern. A single-file formation is preferred on a curvy road, under conditions of poor visibility or
poor road surfaces, entering/leaving highways, or other situations where an increased space cushion or maneuvering
room is needed.
Avoid side-by-side formations, as they reduce the space cushion. If you suddenly needed to swerve to avoid a hazard,
you would not have room to do so. You don’t want handlebars to get entangled.
Periodically check the riders following in your rear view mirror. If you see a rider falling behind, slow down so they may
catch up. If all the riders in the group use this technique, the group should be able to maintain a fairly steady speed
without pressure to ride too fast to catch up.
If you’re separated from the group, don’t panic. Your group should have a pre-planned procedure in place to regroup.
Don’t break the law or ride beyond your skills to catch up.
For mechanical or medical problems, use a cell phone to call for assistance as the situation warrants.
Safety training needed??