Riding in close formation

[ScottRNelson]

For some reason, as part of my new year celebration I've been binge watching RNickeyMouse YouTube videos. In the last two days I've probably watched all of the good crashes as well as a lot of the regular riding along Mulholland Highway in the section that they call The Snake.

I looked up the guy that shoots all of those videos and he said that he only gets a crash every two weeks or so. They're not happening all the time as it appears from his videos.

But one thing that seems strange to me is how often there is a group of riders going through there together in close formation, like one bike length separating each bike. Is that just a Southern California thing, or do riders do that near Alice's or on Mines Road too?

Whenever I've led a group ride I tell everybody before we start that I expect a two second gap between each bike. When you're riding so much closer to each other, as soon as something goes wrong you take the chance of everybody stacking instead of just one bike. I know that riding in close formation with the cruiser crowd is one reason why half a dozen bikes will go down when another vehicle invades their space, instead of just one or two.

So, have any of you observed close formation riding in the Bay Area? Other than Alameda County Sheriff motorcycle officers on Mines Rd, that is... :mm4l

 

[budman]

Yes at times... and I have been a party to it at times with guys I trust a lot. Some old racer buds in particular. I am aware it adds a bit of danger and I accept that as do they.

It adds some excitement too. I will say it is not high speed stuff. More like tighter twisties and slower speeds. As the speed increases so will our distance.

When I am not sure about the riders I provide more space although I have had some close to me from behind. That is worrysome and if it bothers me.. wave 'em by... or blow doors on them :teeth

Less of the door blowing as I age into moto maturity.

 

[dravnx]

I get pretty nervous if the person behind me is following too closely and I don't know their skill level. As Dennis does, I'll change something up to change it. I watch the spacing the rider in front of me is establishing to the rider in front of them to set my following distance.

 

[Marcoose]

This bloke I know has two following distances; lubing your chain or giving you a prostate cancer screening test. If you ask nice, he'll do both. I like a good 2-3-second distance front and back.

 

[NoTraffic]

I'll ride in pretty close formation with those I've ridden with before and trust, also factoring in weather, road conditions, and knowledge of the road (upcoming turns, turnouts, etc).

As budman stated, it adds to the excitement and overall eb and flow of the ride. With more experience, as a rider I feel you're able to slow things down in your head to understand what your options are if something goes bad.

 

[bikeama]

I have a group of four or five I will ride close with. On one ride a new ride was riding way to close to one in our group. He was told at lunch he needed to stop.

 

[WWWobble]

Totally depends on who you ride with.
And speed and conditions to an extent.

 

[flipstyledsm22]

I like chasing friends I trust, into the corners. I will only follow you into corners if I've rode behind you long enough to know how you ride. If you are not consistent in speeds and you keep braking weird, I will pass you on the straights and stay clear of you.

 

[ST Guy]

I won't ride close no matter who I ride with. If something goes wrong, you simply have less room to react and maneuver.

Mostly I see Harley riders riding close.

And remember that the closer you ride to someone, the more attention you have to give to that other persons riding. Amd that means just that much less attention you can give to the rest of your riding.

 

[kuksul08]

I like riding close to about 2 friends of mine. Everyone else, I get sketched out because I don't know their riding style.

But those 2 people... lordy, it's amazing. Riding in perfect harmony, inches away from each other for hours on end. Skill levels have to be very closely matched for this to work.

 

[Maddevill]

I have a few friends that I really trust. With them, we ride fairy close. Being an ex racer it doesn't bother me at all. However, I really get annoyed at people who drop wayyyyyyyy back to the point that I have to keep slowing down and make sure nothing is wrong. I don't need them right on my ass if they're not comfortable with that but I'd like to be able to see them in my mirrors

Mad

 

[GAJ]

I won't ride close no matter who I ride with. If something goes wrong, you simply have less room to react and maneuver.

And remember that the closer you ride to someone, the more attention you have to give to that other persons riding. Amd that means just that much less attention you can give to the rest of your riding.

:thumbup

It is amazing to me that folks do this close riding.

But I'm also amazed by folks who ride/drive in areas where vision is limited at a speed that only someone CERTAIN there was no obstacle around the next bend could possibly go.

Tight corners, small hills, lots of driveways, damp areas under trees?

Nope, gas it.

 

[greenmonster]

Riding in close formation is more suited to the track in my opinion due to less distractions like oncoming cars, blind turns where you can’t see/know what’s there.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

I usually avoid it and I definitely keep my distance in group rides, in fact, I prefer to bring up the rear. I have a few regular riding buddies and there have been times when we've all been on the same page carving up a great road but I think even then we probably have a few bike lengths between us.

 

[Gary856]

They ride in close formation in videos because it looks cool. People do a lot of weird things for videos.

 

[ScottRNelson]

Here's a reference video. I guess a lot of the riders that are close are really two or three bike lengths apart. That gives you a little more room to deal with issues. Still closer than I'm willing to ride though.


youtu.be/VKTXUgRgOhA

 

[flipstyledsm22]

Here's a reference video. I guess a lot of the riders that are close are really two or three bike lengths apart. That gives you a little more room to deal with issues. Still closer than I'm willing to ride though.


youtu.be/VKTXUgRgOhA

Dragging elbows... Wow! Honestly, I thought the only people that drag elbows, were the MotoGP guys. New goals for track day :wow

 

[Wolf]

Major pet peeve of mine.
It's why I'd like to be the backmarker on group rides. If I have to brake quickly I didn't trust the rider behind me to be leaving enough space to be able to stop.

In cars, it's even worse. I see these car clubs doing group drives on 9/35/84 in $200k cars at high speeds leaving less than a car length gap.

Clearly they're trying to convey the message "I'm capable of going faster than you are" and are horribly insecure about their penile prowess, but I wish the sheriff would ticket tailgaters more often.

When I was in driver's ed in high school, we were taught to leave a 3 second following distance. These days, I don't even know WTF people are thinking.

 

[flipstyledsm22]

Major pet peeve of mine.
It's why I'd like to be the backmarker on group rides. If I have to brake quickly I didn't trust the rider behind me to be leaving enough space to be able to stop.

In cars, it's even worse. I see these car clubs doing group drives on 9/35/84 in $200k cars at high speeds leaving less than a car length gap.

Clearly they're trying to convey the message "I'm capable of going faster than you are" and are horribly insecure about their penile prowess, but I wish the sheriff would ticket tailgaters more often.

When I was in driver's ed in high school, we were taught to leave a 3 second following distance. These days, I don't even know WTF people are thinking.

Back when I was street racing (in my teenage years), we would tell the other guys/gals in our group to stay in a tight pack. Mainly, because the LEO's would pick off the slower vehicles and make an example of them. The slower vehicles were usually people at the car meets that we didn't know, but were following us because they didn't know where the next racing spot was going to be.

I don't like people tailgating me if I'm in the slow lane though... That's what passing lanes are for. If you tailgate, just because you like to tailgate F U.

 

[kneedraggeroldy]

We tend to ride with a group we trust close but still a few bike lengths apart....it is kinda cool to have 6-8 of us doing tip in inflow in the twisties but agree with Dennis. If someone not known too close we either wave them by or dust em. We did have a close call with a guy too close and was going to tell him at next stop but he binned it behind us but was cognizant to call right instead of left which would have taken wife and I out. Also several times wife has said on intercom stay away from xxxx I don’t like the way they ride ��