Anyone else a loner and not a group rider?

[PeterKelly]

I have attended a few motorcycle events and rallies and participated in some group rides over the years but very much prefer to do my riding solo. The big advantage for me is to be free to choose my route, my riding style, when and where to stop etc without having to account for the wishes and whims of others. I would guess that over my 40 plus years of riding more than 90 percent of it has been solo. My wife has never been comfortable on two wheels and her trike pillion riding is limited to the occasional half day ride.

My absolute favourite activity is a solo 3 or 4 day motorcycle (now trike) tour on curvy roads in good weather. The joy for me is taking in the surroundings and the freedom to adjust and adapt my ride to match my mood or current thinking or interests. I check in to hotels, find a local pub for dinner and spend the evening in my room reading a book or researching my next ride on my iPad. I seldom if ever watch live TV as I have no patience for the constants ads. I usually have a daily quick call or and exchange of texts with my wife but other than that I am truly solo.

I guess I am a loner by nature and don't feel the need to have company around to enjoy myself. I don't get anything out of large gatherings, cocktail parties or "small talk" I love to hike but again most of it is done solo for the same reasons as I avoid group rides. My wife is concerned about my safety on the longer more remote hikes so I have bought a GPS with a satellite communicator to make her feel a bit better about my solo trips. Yesterday I did a 14 mile hike in the mountains which took about 6 hours and only saw a couple of other hikers on the way. It was a beautiful day and and I relished the mountain scenery and peaceful solitude.

Are there others on this forum who feel the same or I am really the "odd man out"? :dontknow:

 

[cruisinTX]

Except for the hiking and pub parts, I'm right there with you. My photography habits make it next to impossible for anyone else to enjoy riding with me. It's just as well though as I prefer not to change those habits. On my last long ride on my BMW R1100RT I took a novel along with me to read when in the B&B at night where I prepared my evening meals from meager groceries picked up a few blocks from the room. If/when I do ride with others, I try limit it to one or two who understand my need to take pictures and don't mind the slower pace to do so.

 

[Navydad]

I have three different folks I will ride with, but I much prefer it with just me and my wife behind me. She loves to ride pillion and after almost 50 years together we make a great team. That extra pair of eyes and ears comes in handy too. My two wheeled travels are solo as she prefers the Spyder these days.

 

[Cobwebs]

Sigma male, have a read and see if this is you Peter.

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=8e20...udHBlcnNvbmFsaXR5LmNvbS9zaWdtYS1tYWxlLw&ntb=1

 

[JKMSPYDER]

I have taken many long trips solo on my Spyder but have also ridden with another Spyder friend. I prefer solo or just one other rider that I get along with and wants to ride with the same pace. On long trips it is also handy to have a fellow rider to split the hotel bill with and be available for any emergencies.

 

[PeterKelly]

Sigma male, have a read and see if this is you Peter.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=8e20...udHBlcnNvbmFsaXR5LmNvbS9zaWdtYS1tYWxlLw&ntb=1

Bingo I think I’m 70-80% a Sigma male...

I miss on a few of the criteria including (unfortunately) “attracts females without trying”…… :gaah:

 

[UtahPete]

We're in the minority probably, but you're not the only one. My wife and I do most day trips just the two of us. All our long trips ( (day and overnight, including camping) are without other bikes joining us (we just don't have any close friends who ride).

 

[hut1]

I only enjoy riding two ways: alone or with others! :roflblack: Actually it depends upon the reason for the ride, and my mood. Sometimes I need and enjoy the solitude. Other times I embrace the purpose of a group ride, or ride with a close friend. As long as you're still riding, it's all good. No wrong answers.

 

[Bangorbob]

I also enjoy riding with really no more than one other person. I tell that once you get more than 2 people together whatever decision is made, 1 won't really like it. If my wife on the back I would really enjoy that, butttt she don't.

 

[SLICE]

In '07, my wife and I found out rather quickly that we're better off traveling alone. 15 of us went to Maggie valley, and after 3 hours of riding we were not out of Mass. (it should have taken 45 minutes) At the 5th rest stop in as many hours, we told the group we would see them at the hotel in Virginia later that night. (It was already 7am) so we hauled @$$ as far as Front Royal Va. Then jumped on Skyline Drive, completed that, & made it to the hotel at 8pm & in time for dinner ect ect.

Next morning and the group was still not there! A few txt's and phone calls and we found out they only made it to Allentown Pa. So we bailed again & told them we'd see them in Maggie valley. We did the BRP all the way to where it intersects 19, then we went to the hotel.

The ''group'' showed up 2 days later.... So, lesson learned, no group rides ever. We'll meet you for lunch/dinner and at a destination, but we travel alone.... maybe with one good wingman/woman.

 

[Captainmal]

Been motorcycling literally all over the world by myself or with the wife riding "bitch". I find it unnerving getting stuck riding with other riders. When that happens, I have to ride my bike and all the others.

With others you have to watch where they are, what they do, and avoid running into them. Then you have to deal with your wants and needs plus those all around you. Riding with others is a stupid joke promoted by insecure people promoting their need for help to sustain their riding security. Just watch "Itchy Boots" on YouTube to learn more on this topic. She is currently in Morocco. Last couple years she went from Patagonia to Prudhoe Bay. ALONE.

Now that does not mean I would never ride with others. For short distances and a short destination, it is tolerable. Just keep them in front. If behind, then you are constantly looking in the mirrors to see where they are and what they are doing. Takes much of the joy of riding away.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Now I do 99.99% of my Spyder riding alone .... Occasionally I ride with a friend , but not often .... Mike :thumbup:

 

[Cobwebs]

Bingo I think I’m 70-80% a Sigma male...

I miss on a few of the criteria including (unfortunately) “attracts females without trying”…… :gaah:

Hence the saying ''It's hard to soar like an eagle when your surrounded by turkey hens''.

 

[2dogs]

Like you Peter, my wife and I ride alone 99.99% of the time for all the fore mentioned reasons. Plus, if we did ride a day or a day and 1/2 to get to an event, we didn't do the group rides. We wanted off that SOB for a while. Group rides, group dinners, group photos, and group meetings are not our cup of tea. We enjoy our freedom and have ridden solo so since we were married 50 years ago. When my son was old enough he'd ride sandwiched between us until he was too big for that stuff, then I'd ride double with him and we'd go camping and my wife would stay home. The only time I rode with others was on my dirt bike. Loved to watch guys try and kill themselves. Some of the stupid stuff was entertaining to watch. I rode enduros for 10/12 years where you lost if you came in too early or too late. It wasn't a race but it was a timed event.

 

[sandeejs]

I some times ride with a group. Some times alone. I know most of the women I ride with, and we have some rules to protect us all. If I ride with people who ride less often or are concerned about group management rather than safety, I tend to drop out or follow at a distance.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I prefer to ride with one other, or maybe two. I have done several group rides. The many comments above and elsewhere in this forum about group riding issues has reinforced my appreciation for the group rider education that GWRRA pushed heavily. The GW group rides I have been on were by and large mostly trouble free. Everyone knew the rules and followed them, which sometimes meant splitting into two smaller groups to accommodate different riding patterns.

It's too bad GWRRA has been dissolved. The motorcycle community, especially newbie Spyder riders, needs the education they offered.

 

[MonPaul]

Love this topic because I thought I was the only one! Never enjoyed riding in a group because there was usually a destination, and I would see a scenic road or an area I have never been before and always wanted to turn off and investigate. I guess for me it is more the ride than the destination. Since I retired to a small town in a rural area I just love getting on the Spyder and taking backroads or "long cuts" home. Only worries are have enough gas and a cell signal to find your way home. hyea:

 

[Piratezz]

I ride both ways. Solo, love it; with my spouse, love it; in a Group, love it; it all depends on how the hat is hanging.
I just enjoy the ride itself; in a group, I prefer to ride front, and if someone else wants to ride up front, I'll usually ride as last rider. We have a nice group of just about six other Spyder riders, all small business owners, so we talk the same language...

When I do the math, it's 50% solo, 30% with the Missus, and 20% in a group with friends.

 

[Bfromla]

:hun: :shocked: opcorn: SHINY :yes: :riding: :riding: hyea: (or whatever caught my eye - I’m going that way. I will make it to the destination, just gonna catch extras along the way :2thumbs: ) small groups maybe, come a helpful & good understanding of multiple interests among members; I might see something, or someone will - we have similar interests already, so maybe a few more (within reason). Particularly MURALS, antique military, unique. Some fun finds:

 

[CloverHillCrawler]

I can't say that I don't like group riding but as others have said it can be very restricting as I find it actually detracts from my "Freedom of the road" and limits my choices.

I have met and ridden with some good people and friends but I think I will be riding more solo this year with my wife once I get these Wilbers shocks on that are on the way here.

She doesn't like going out on highways and over big bridges so we will be able to just meander around the back country roads around here with some trips to the beach hopefully. (planned a route to OC,Md. from Frederick but it takes almost 3 hours longer in order to avoid the chesapeake bay bridge and any major highway.)