Who's a lone wolf and who's a social butterfly?

[Nastybutler]

Just wanted to see if I'm unusual because I prefer to ride alone. I know a lot of you get together and ride, or have your group rides with friends, but every time I've gone out with a buddy or two I end up getting frustrated. Either they're too slow and I have to wait for them, or they ride like squids and I end up purpously (sp?) letting them "lose" me just so I don't have to deal with that nonsense. So maybe it's not so much me not likeing to ride with others; maybe it's just that I haven't found anyone who goes the same pace I do.

That last sentance reminds me of the saying, "everyone who drives faster than you is a maniac and everyone who drives slower than you is a moron."

Either way, I like being able to just focus on my riding and doing my own thing. Stopping when I need to stop, passing when I want to pass, etc.

What are y'all's thoughts on solo riding?

 

[JonKerr]

I ride alone a lot. I like to ride with a few people sometimes but a lot of the time I don't know where I'm going or when until the morning of so I end up alone a lot. I did the huge group rides for a while and it just got too stressful. Trying to lead or sweep for one group of 35 bikes when there's 3 other groups that big also going to the same place isn't fun. It's stress. Then when I would host smaller rides of 5 or 6, we'd get 10 people we didn't know (therefore don't trust) would just show up. So now I have a handful of friends who I trust that I ride with. Usually just communicate through text or Facebook.

 

[JonKerr]

Let me add to that post that I don't mind taking slower riders out on a ride. Done it many times. But I have to trust you. Trust that if I tell you that I'm going to takeoff through a section you're not going to be dumb and try to keep up.

 

[Bert-Aus]

Go the lone wolf

I enjoy the solo ride, well for me my time on the bike is a period of clarity -clear my head not thinking about anything else in life and just absolute freedom, those moments of taking curves decelerating into, powering through and out -absolutely brilliant.

Yet chasing other riders in front does set a pace that can challenge you, which helps to build skill and confidence

 

[BrueThru]

Solo.

I have misanthropic tendencies.

I don't play well with others.

 

[JonKerr]

I enjoy the solo ride, well for me my time on the bike is a period of clarity -clear my head not thinking about anything else in life and just absolute freedom, those moments of taking curves decelerating into, powering through and out -absolutely brilliant.

Yet chasing other riders in front does set a pace that can challenge you, which helps to build skill and confidence

I learned a ton from riding with faster riders who care about taking newer riders under their wings. Thats why I like to take guys out. But I gotta trust that youre taking things serious. One way I do that is to make sure nobody comes without gear.

 

[RandiZ]

Most of my rides are solo. But, I also belong to a motorcycle club. Every now and then, I like to not have to make decisions and just follow trusting that the gals I'm with are leading me through a fun ride ending in a nice place to eat.

 

[bmw675]

solo. but than again, I am a lone wolf when it comes to most things.

 

[Mr Citrus]

I ride alone most of the time, every once in a while I'll get together with a few riders, but I tend to be in the back as they go way over the speed limit. I'd really like to ride with someone responsible, whenever that happens

 

[wtnotch]

95% lone wolf.

Riding by myself = working on flowing with the bike, technique, etc.

Riding with others (which is typically anything > 1) = a social event.

I much prefer the lack of hassle of riding by myself. If I have time, I go for a ride. Now. I don't particularly like to muck with the logistics of getting a group together where someone will invariably be late, someone will forget something, someone will have to stop an fill with gas even though everyone agreed to meet with a full tank, etc. etc. The more people I go with, the less actual riding time I usually have in relationship to the total time the 'ride' takes.

And as with everything, there's always exceptions. There are a couple of people I ride with where the ride still falls in the 'riding by myself' category

Russ

 

[Detrich]

I usually ride alone cuz i like to sleep in on weekends, and all the other ppl I know go early in the am. Being able to go my own pace is also enjoyable. Just relax and enjoy the sky, the air, the mountains. Anytime a big group gets together there's always someone who crashes or some kind of drama going on.

I do enjoy riding with others too, and Ill sometimes wake up and go with them. But, usually there are too many bikes in general on the road in the am. Pm is less crowded for sure.

 

[Parcho]

I tend to ride solo because most of my friends that still ride are 4+ hours away. And then most of the people I meet locally that ride are douche bag squids.

 

[See red]

I enjoy going alone most of the time. The few times I go out with others it's my wife or dad. I may decide to stop and take a picture or want a coke.... I also change my routes in route. lol! I have tried one group ride, there was apparent issue with me pulling up and asking to stop to pee. Not the pee part but they were all in shock and aw at my audastity of breaking formation.... ??? I politely told them thanks but I will turn here and left their ride of nazi's.


I don't mind the slower ride, but they were insane! I don't like the show off crap, I don't like to be told to speed up (went with a few friends) I am just happy at going and stopping when I want. My wife will pull up and let me know there's something she wants or needs, we will playfully leapfrog each other. Not anyting retarded, just long boring straights are easier when you do little crap like that. We sometimes run side by side..... OOOOoooo..... and chat ( batteries die or we forget the headsets.)



Anyways, yep, mostly alone... lol!

 

[See red]

Another question I would ask is why would you go with a bunch of people? Unless they are on your bike you are still alone...... go and enjoy it your way.

 

[LS6TT]

Hard to answer, depends on my mood. Usually one or two. I see large groups tend to ride unsafe.

 

[Sage]

I choose to go alone most of the time, maybe 2up sometimes if one of my friends (girl of course) wants to tag along and doesn't have her own bike. Then there is a select group of people that if they want to ride I'll go along with them, but if it's a big group I usually break off if they become too squidly

 

[JonKerr]

95% lone wolf.

Riding by myself = working on flowing with the bike, technique, etc.

Riding with others (which is typically anything > 1) = a social event.

I much prefer the lack of hassle of riding by myself. If I have time, I go for a ride. Now. I don't particularly like to muck with the logistics of getting a group together where someone will invariably be late, someone will forget something, someone will have to stop an fill with gas even though everyone agreed to meet with a full tank, etc. etc. The more people I go with, the less actual riding time I usually have in relationship to the total time the 'ride' takes.

And as with everything, there's always exceptions. There are a couple of people I ride with where the ride still falls in the 'riding by myself' category

Russ

This is kind of like how I feel. The guys I like to ride with usually are at the same pace as me, many are faster (yet not the kind of guys who pressure you into riding more than you're comfortable with) But occasionally I'll go out with newer riders who I'm trying to help out. None of us are in a hurry. We're usually planning a long route with no time restrictions so if we want to stop we stop. It's all about enjoying the ride, maybe learn a thing or two, and have fun. In a small group you can still ride and pay attention to things like form and technique where if you're trying to keep 35 bikes in formation, you're too distracted to ride properly.

The draw of big groups to me when I first started riding was to meet new people who had a similar interest. I already had a few friends who rode. But I met a good group of people who I like to ride with through the big group rides on the San Diego Sportbike Meetup Group. We've all pretty much left that group for many of the reasons I mentioned above as well as a lot of other politics and high school drama crap within the group. But it served it's purpose. When I'm with guys who are at my speed or faster, we kind of feed off each other and learn from each other. Believe it or not, the GoPro videos and pictures from the local photogs have helped a lot of us compare form amongst ourselves, speed, and really keep each other in check. More than once I've stopped someone we're riding with in a small group of 3 or 4 of us and told one person to back off as they're pushing too hard. And they thanked me for it every time.

Solo riding can be fun and I do it 90% of the time. But it's not always the safest. My last ride on Superbowl Sunday would have been a disaster if I hadn't been with a fellow forum member (roadrat) I made the major mistake of not replacing the main nut on the front sprocket when I changed my chain and sprocket. (Yes it's supposed to be replaced because it stretches out and no amount of torque will keep it on after a while) We were in the middle of nowhere when that nut backed off and I lost all drive because the sprocket slipped off the output shaft. I had no cell coverage. John (roadrat) barely had any and I was able to use his phone to call my Dad to get my trailer and pick me up. Otherwise I was screwed until someone came by who would be willing to let me try to use their phone.

 

[Jago9]

I ride alone, I have a few friends with bikes but from the way they describe their rides and habits I don't think i want to ride with them.

Love the solitude to just clear my head and pay attention to the road and surroundings.

Plus practicing good riding technique each time I ride.

Don't need the stress of riding with a bunch of showoffs or straightliners who have no real riding skills.

If I can find somebody with better knowledge and experience to take me under their wing that would be awesome, but until then, it will be "Just me, myself and I"

 

[dart1963]

Solo riding can be fun and I do it 90% of the time. But it's not always the safest. My last ride on Superbowl Sunday would have been a disaster if I hadn't been with a fellow forum member (roadrat) I made the major mistake of not replacing the main nut on the front sprocket when I changed my chain and sprocket. (Yes it's supposed to be replaced because it stretches out and no amount of torque will keep it on after a while) We were in the middle of nowhere when that nut backed off and I lost all drive because the sprocket slipped off the output shaft. I had no cell coverage. John (roadrat) barely had any and I was able to use his phone to call my Dad to get my trailer and pick me up. Otherwise I was screwed until someone came by who would be willing to let me try to use their phone.

^^^ exactly why I do not like to ride in this area alone. Commuting is one thing, riding these back roads with the possibility of gravel around every turn, animals, old people, or, yeah, just the mishap of a mechanical break down... I prefer to have help around if something happens....

When I did my OH trip by myself, I called the wife every hour or two, and she new my route, if I didn't call, she was to call a riding buddy of mine to go looking for me. I wasn't out joy riding, I was in touring mode, so I wasn't pushing myself or anything, just sitting back and relaxing, enjoying the views. Still a scary thought to not see another person for hours, and to have no cell service (had plenty of change for pay phone calls)

 

[JonKerr]

Most of my solo rides are in areas where I wouldn't be waiting for long before fellow riders came by as popular as these roads are. Even on Sunday I had a number of people stop to make sure I was OK since I was out there 2 hours waiting for my Dad. I just happened to break down in the most isolated area with pretty much no chance of cell service. Now had this been a night ride or even something in the middle of the week, I could have been out there for hours before another rider or car would come by.