So I finally went out and met some local riders today.

[GLantern]

Just went for my first group ride ever as well on Saturday, and similarly had a lame experience.

I was headed to an event with a friend of mine a few towns away, and two other riders from his neighborhood were joining, both on GSXR type bikes.

Ride to event was ok, a few instances of feet dragging or other goofy riding (I don't get the feet dragging thing, what's the appeal?) but we took a slightly windy road back and out of nowhere one of the GSXR riders rockets past me over 100 and passing three of us and he's careening downhill towards a blind right hand turn with almost no room left before the corner.

Big surprise, he brakes hard, looses control and goes off road into the 1-2 feet (at most) of big rock and dirt and slams up against the cliff wall. Somehow he manages to not fall over, and the rest of us nearly crash in the resultant dirt storm and almost get nailed by the cars behind us. 

I would have punched him in the face then took his keys and told him to walk his ass home what an asswhipe

[ducpenguin]

I would have punched him in the face then took his keys and told him to walk his ass home what an asswhipe

No kidding...what an ass. 
I have been on several group rides...some good and some not so much.  I have found a decent place to find local riders in your area.  It is www.meetup.com.  The groups have organizers and keep it pretty safe and fun...

[Privateer]

the trick is to just find people who ride like you do and respect each other.  If those groups you found are idiots, then don't ride with them.  Don't completely write off riding with other people.  I got lucky and found a good group on my first try.  They're mostly younger guys (20's, I'm 37) but there are enough older guys that it works very well.  We do everything from canyon runs to beach cruises down PCH.  The variety is there for those who want it.  We pulled about 65 bikes on our group ride yesterday, a once a month thing.  The other rides tend to be 10, 20 at most.  With lots of smaller "private" rides as well.


They're a good group some of who have turned into good friends. 

Regards,
andy

[GLantern]

the trick is to just find people who ride like you do and respect each other.  If those groups you found are idiots, then don't ride with them.  Don't completely write off riding with other people.

I agree with that i did manage to find a good group of riders, through this board actually, that i ride with on a regular basis.  Its just the local douchebags that suck and need their head checked

[DoubleEagle]

I bought my 1st Ducati over a year ago . It is a S4Rs. I mentioned something to the saleguy about whether he rode w/ anybody and he said that a group he rode w/ were riding on Sunday am.

This was Friday afternoon and I rode the bike home which was the 1st time I actually rode the bike.

Sunday morning came and I road about 35 miles into the hills of SouthEastern Ohio and met the salesguy and his friends at a Resturant.

After an hour we were ready to go. It was a beautiful Spring morning and I was looking forward to a nice easy ride through the hills.

When we got to our bikes I asked where we would be going and I was told one guy wanted to go to North Carolina , but we were just going to head out into the back roads towards W.Va.

I said I'd follow and try to keep up because the guy that was going to lead was suppose to be a great rider according to the salesguy.

We headed off down the road and 1/4 of a mile we turned left into the woods and climbed a twisty hill at quite a rapid speed. I thought we were going rather fast considering I was on a brand new bike and 3 days before I had been ridingf a BMW K1200S.

I tried to stay within sight of the tail light in front of me while keeping the RPMs below 5500. I was loosing them.

Then we were riding on top of a ridge going up and down gently and then back into the thick woods and suddenly a 90 degree lefthander sloping away from me w/ coal dust on the mostly one lane road. I was doing about 50 mph and all to soon I was squeezing the front brake and then tumbling in the dirt.

Luckily the dirt was soft and deep , almost like sand . Didn't hurt the bike or myself.

I got the bike up and restarted and headed on down the road . Visibly shaken , I tried to clear my head and get back in the group.

About that time here came 2 of the guys wondering what I was doing. We proceded. I was ok until we got on some more open areas of the road where I reached 80 mph trying to keep up.

At one point we crested a hill shortly after an intersction and there in the road were several young girls on horseback. Luckily we were not up to speed and went around them w/ no incidents.

We continued to play cat and mouse through the woods until we came out on the edge of a town and stopped for gas.

My mind and body was flooded w/ adrealin and I was in a dream like state of mind. So much so that I proceded to park my bike over to the side of the station where the other guys were gathered and the sun was beating down on me and I decided I needed to get in the shade so I got off my bike but I forgot I hadn't put the stand down and the full force of the bike fell on my left leg and twisted ankle.

Besides being embarassed , I broke my clutch lever in half and I did hurt my leg and ankle although I said I was ok.

The guys kept asking me if I wanted to continue and i said I did.

So while I was getting my act together they were off and by the time I got on the street the traffic light was red.

I watched them go about 5 blocks down the street and turn left. I went down the street trying to shift as well as I could and turned left where I thought that they had. I rode for 5 miles and didn't see them anywhere.

I just stopped there in the country and had a drink of water and soon heard bikes heading my way.

It was them . I told them that I wasn't going to beable to keep up , that I was just going to slow them down and it was best I head home.

I found out 2 days later that they went to the Southern part of W.Va. and didn't get home until after midnight.

That was my last group ride. I think I am a better rider but I prefer to ride alone . I know it has it's own dangers but I need to beable to concentrate and have my mind on what I'm doing ...not wondering what another rider in front or in back of me is doing. I'm too competitive, if somebody wants to run 100 mph then I will too. I don't need that temptation anymore.   Dolph

[ODrides]

I have one good riding buddy.  And it took me a while to find him.  I'll still ride occasionally with other people, but there's really something to be said about having at least one person with similar skill level and expectations for the ride.  Keep looking for that match.  It makes the ride so much better.  And in my case, the guy rides a Honda ST1100, so he gets to carry any junk I want to bring along.  It's perfect!

[Le Pirate]

I have one good riding buddy.  And it took me a while to find him.  I'll still ride occasionally with other people, but there's really something to be said about having at least one person with similar skill level and expectations for the ride.  Keep looking for that match.  It makes the ride so much better.  And in my case, the guy rides a Honda ST1100, so he gets to carry any junk I want to bring along.  It's perfect!

Nice...He can carry your rain gear, just incase.

I totally feel your pain pirate.  I metup with some of the local sport bike guys around me a couple times and the last time i did we rode down the expressway to a local hangout spot and sat there for 2 hours chatting about bullshit.  I was there in full leathers sweating my ass off thinking WTF this isnt riding.  I haven't rode with them since......

But now those other NYMMC guys they are some real riders , i have ridden with them on numerous occasions and they rock, seems this forum attracts some great riders.

That was the other crappy part. I think we spent 1 1/2 hours sitting in the parking lot waiting to ride, and about 20 minutes actually riding.

I think I'll just stick to myself for now...and I'll be coming up to ride with you OK boys soon.


BTW---saw a HM in Wichita Falls, TX the other day. The only other ducati I've seen since I've lived here. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

[Raux]

Hey all,

My neighbor told me about a little showoff on Saturday morning here in Lawton at 9am at the Atlanta Bread Company. Apparently people bring out their trick honda cars, etc. and a couple of doctors bring their ferrari's and lambo's. I'm going to represent the Italians this weekend as well.

Anyone want to show up? ABC is at the corner of Sheridan and Gore in Lawton, 9am., Saturday

[SaltLick]

F'in bunch of squids.....

[Big Troubled Bear]

I ride alone, because I get tempted easily