group riding

[hecoon]

When riding in a group with other kinds of bikes do you require that the spyders and other trikes ride in the rear?

our southern cruisers club has made a decision that all trikes must ride in the rear over safety concerns.

i dont agree that trikes are more unsafe because of the size.

any thoughts about safety.

thanks

[Chief One]

Our Southern Cruisers chapter has the same policy. I believe its a national decision and one I agree with. I dont believe its because the trikes are less safe, I think it has to do with riding in the staggered formation. If something happens in the formation the two wheelers have more room to maneuver with trikes at the back. They can speed up or slow down in their line or go to a sigle file formation when signaled without a trike in the middle blocking them in.
And I like being in the back just to ensure the coolest bike is seen last! :D:D

[ARtraveler]

Its a group thing and call. The group I rode with did not have a specific policy--but most trikes ended up doing the sweep position. I was a road captain, so my Spyder rode up front, the other Spyder rode sweep in my group.

I would not be to concerned about it--just go by what the group policy is.

[Oldmanzues]

This subject can get HOT in a hurry. One arguement is trikes stop faster because of tire area on ground. So trikes in rear. I personally do not think it is a big deal unless you are on really narrow roads, when you should be single file anyway. All kinds of opinios about this. Oldmanzues

[Buttsy]

The back is the best place to be...............:thumbup:

[SPYD1]

Saving the best for last.:clap:

[NancysToy]

The safety issue, has several facets. I don't know how true they are, but this is what has been told to me from time to time. First, a 3-wheeler takes up the entire lane. That puts it out of line with the riders in a staggered formation. That can limit their forward visibility, and cause them to have to open up the space ahead of them. Staggered riders generally keep a safe interval to the rider directly ahead of them (2nd bike), which closes up the group so they aren't cut through or cut into as readily. Second, in some cases a rider will try to crowd a 3-wheeler, and share the lane. That can work with bikes (although I don't recommend it), but it reduces the safe space for both riders, and can easily cause a collision. A good group goes over their rules before the ride. If they say go to the back, don't take it personally. If they don't say, ask. It is better not to mix 2-wheels and 3-wheels in a group.

[Harpo]

I'm new to the Spyder Forum and like what I see. I've had my Spyder less than a week and went on and over night ride this weekend 475 miles total with a bike chapter I belong to. I ridden motorcycles most of my life. We split into 2 groups of about 10 bikes each. I was in front of the tailgunner. With the accordion effect I found myself many times doing 75 an 80 mph to play catch up and felt unsafe. On the return trip I dropped out and fell quickly behind the rest and never saw them again. I think Road Captains forget about what it is like to ride in the back and the how the accordion effects the back of the group. We have another Spyder and she rode near the front and didn't seem to have a problem. I think spend determines everything. The policy of the chapter is about 5 mph over the limit. Just my pennies worth.

[Chupaca]

You put the spyders is probably debatable...front or rear but the best is that they stay together. Much like birds of a feather fly together.. I personally don't care where in the group we end up but I prefer not to have bikes on my sides, they tend to drift allot...!! jmo :ohyea:

[missouriboy]

I ryde in a small informal group every Tuesday, and find it mostly frustrating due to uneven speed.

Yesterday, for the first time, I rode in a real group that was so large I could never see the leader. It was more fun, for the faster and more constant speed, and I enjoyed it more though it was only for 44 miles. (I rode home solo.)

There was one more spYder and some trikes, but I never saw where the trikes rode. We spYders were mid-group together and observed the staggered formation, staying left-right in the lane, and seemed to fit in OK.

Thanks for this thread, it has taught me what to look out for, and to not take it personally when a group already has some rules. Our leader did describe the rules before we started, but never mentioned anything about trikes.

I also learned, and agree with, the idea that trikes should be last due to their superior braking performance. That would be especially true on our roadsters with their amazing ABS stopping ability. I worry about cages behind me (non-group ryding) that would never be able to equal my panic-stop capability in traffic. It would be very hazardous for any two-wheelers behind me, too. Unless they also have ABS.

Good thread!

[Ga Blue Knight]

I think Road Captains forget about what it is like to ride in the back and the how the accordion effects the back of the group. I think spend determines everything. The policy of the chapter is about 5 mph over the limit.

When riding with a group, whether it contains motorcycles, trikes or both it really comes down to the level of experience and the maturity of the road captains. Good communications with the road captains and the sweepers is also a must. I am a member of a Blue Knights Motorcycle Club. For those who don't know of them their members are active and retired Law Enforcement. About half of the 38 members of my Chapter are or were motor officers at one time and have years of experience riding motorcycles in traffic etc. if our regular road captains don't show for a ride or someone did not bring their CB's we also get the dreaded accordion effect!. We ride at the speed limit! At least at the front! What happens is an effect called Hystirysis. I may have the spelling wrong! But what this means is that a very small action by one rider is magnified by the next and then it's magnified again and so forth. This also is a problem in hydrolytic lines and other control systems.

So Putting Spyders in the middle of the pack introduces a different component that reacts differently to the springlike effect. We stop either sooner, we turn better for one thing on loose or wet surfaces and we have less to consider in an emergency (not dropping the bike, downshifting, stalling the motor) so we have a slightly faster reaction time. This means that we are disjointed from the process of the accordion and may either hit some one or be hit if we are in the middle. In my group since I am the Vice President I ride up Front so that the group has a better frontal signature. Anyway that my story and I am sticking to it.

[Pandy]

I totally agree with Scotty, that is how we have done the few group rides that we have been in.
Primary reasons, as stated, Pyder takes the entire lane and stops a whole lot quicker. These days, our group rides consist of a Goldwing trike that follows me almost wherever we go. (not on the Ironbutt though)
Patrick

[joet82]

When ryding with the 2 groups I rode with in San Diego, one being primarily Spyders (SRA - san Diego) and the other being primarily 2wheelers (200 milers). We didn't require the minority, weather 2 or 3 wheels to be regulated to the rear, but it did end up, most of the time working out that we would just group like bikes together.

[RT Driver]

Over half of my riding is done with mixed 2 and 3 wheelers. I always take the tail gunner or sweep spot. I recently took an advanced rider safety course and specifically asked the motor cop who was giving the class where I should ride. He told me to take the back when riding with other two wheelers or mixed company. I asked why and he gave me the following reasons: 1. With the Spyder I could stop faster and straighter than the two wheelers and regular trikes (we actually demoed this in the class later) and 2. That the majority of two wheelers were not used to riding with three wheelers and wouldn't know how to react properly in case of an emergency. I took that class with about 10 of the two wheelers I regularly ride with so we all had a chance to learn what to do in certain situations. Vickie