Group Riding

             

DOUBLE FILE

HAZARD LEFT

HAZARD RIGHT

LEFT TURN

     

                                             

                                                         

Position your left hand over your helmet with your index and pinky finger extended upward

 

 

 

Extend your left arm at a 45-degree angle and point towards the hazard

 

 

 

Extend your right leg at a 45-degree angle and point towards the hazard

 

 

 

Raise your left arm horizontal with your elbow fully extended

 

 

 

RIGHT TURN

SINGLE FILE

SLOW DOWN

STOP

  ​

   

         

Raise your left arm horizontal with your elbow bent 90 degrees vertically

 

 

 

Position your left hand over your helmet with your finger extended upward

 

 

 

Extend your left arm at a 45-degree angle and move your hand up and down

 

 

 

Extend your left arm at a 45-degree angle with the palm of your hand facing rearward

 

 

 

 

 

Group Riding

 

Counter Steering Basics

Before you can ride safely in a group, you must be able to ride confidently by yourself. It is beyond the scope of this website to teach you how to ride. If you haven't already taken a Riders Education course it is highly recommended, regardless of how long you have been riding. One of the most over-looked skills seems to be Counter Steering, also known as Push Steering. To make a motorcycle turn to the right, you push on the right handlebar. That's right, you turn the handlebars in the opposite direction that you want to go. This isn't just a skill used for emergency swerving, it's how you ride a motorcycle. You don't steer a motorcycle by leaning, you make it lean by steering! If you veer towards the centerline making a simple right-hand turn, you might want to Google counter-steering and unlock the secret to safer cycling.

 

 

Changing Lanes as a Group:

The way to accomplish a lane change as a group is for the last bike (sweep) to move one lane to the left and hold his position, after the lead RC has indicated a lane change. Each rider should move to the left lane (back to front of group) as the traffic clears. You can then pass the slow car as a group.

The lead RC should move back to the right lane after passing the slow car by a safe distance. Each rider should move back to the right lane one at a time once safely clearing the slow car.

Staggered Formation:

Riding in a group is easy and safe if you know the ground rules and everyone is on the same page. In the St. Charles Chapter, we ride staggered. This means the lead bike is always in the left half of the lane, and the second bike is in the right half-about 1 second back. Bike three is in the left half 1 second back.

While each bike is maintaining only a 1 second following distance, the distance between the bike immediately in front of you is 2 seconds and each bike has full use of the lane should they need it and in curves. Since there is no one riding next to you, avoid crowding the centerline or pavement edge.

 These distances are commonly referred to as the “Two Second Rule” and may need to be increased from time to time but try to avoid huge gaps that may encourage cars to enter or cross your lane. St. Charles HOG has decided that should a gap in staggered formation occur, it would be best to leave the gap and correct it at the next stop sign or red light.

When stopped at intersections it is usually better to pair-up and tighten ranks. Each right-side bike moves up to be beside the left-side bike. If at a stop light, resume the stagger as you move out on the green. If at a stop sign, proceed through as a pair then resume stagger. Take turns as pairs with other traffic. Do not block traffic!

                                                    

 

No Road Is Too Long When You Have Good Company