Spyders riding in groups with motorcycles?

[Marker]

Last year at our Road Captains course, it was mentioned ,discussed and agreed upon that all trikes ride at the back of the group and Spyders and trikes do not ride in staggered riding position but ride in single file. We had a motorcycle cop at our course and he agreed too.
Last year my wife took the Ontario Spyder Course at Georgian College. In the course they were taught that spyders do not follow traditional motorcycle tire track rules, they just ride in the center of the lane like a car does.
The course is sanctioned by the Ontario Government. Her final test was on a spyder and the test course was set up for spyders. She passed and has a motorcycle license with a restriction on it that she can only ride motor trikes and motorcycles with sidecars attached to them.
I am a member of CMC "Canadian Motorcycle Cruisers"
There are a few of us that ride with spyders and we all feel more safe at the back of the pack and that way if any motorcycle gets into trouble you are well out the way.

 

[Rockwall]

I'm the only Spyder in our club and usually ride Tail gunner. It keeps everything tight and smooth and the Road Captain can see me better than others. I think leading would be fine too, just like a Pace Car!:doorag:

 

[jcthorne]

We ride with a number of groups. In all cases Spyder stagger too. (unless road conditions or obstructions prevent it) There is just no way to see ahead if all are riding single file down the middle of the lane. We do tend to place the spyders in the back but its mostly because if they are up front they tend to ride off and leave the leaners behind.....

 

[jaherbst]

Spyders can normally brake later into the corner and obviously the entry/exit characteristics are different. This can be a disconcerting to 2 wheelers who have not ridden with Spyders before. Just something to keep in mind if your doing a twisty route.

Yikes!:yikes: your riding on the wrong side of the road man. Just kidding, beautiful country New Zealand.

Jack

 

[hdlongrod]

We ride staggered like everyone else. No problems at all!

 

[stormtrooper]

When I lead group rides I usually ride the middle.The next rider behind me usually a 2 wheeled motorcycle is on the right.When I am not leading a ride I ride staggered like the 2 wheeled motorcycles with no problems.

 

[Cruzr Joe]

The theory that the Spyders should ride in the back is B.S.

I ride where i am comfortable.

If someone is not comfortable with me riding where i want, then one of us can leave the pack.

I ride quite often with a mixed group of Bikes and we just fall in where we are comfortable.

Cruzr Joe

 

[STELLING MAN]

Cruzr Joe, I feel the same way, a Spyder should ride anywhere In the group that they feel comfortable..

 

[PrairieSpyder]

The theory that the Spyders should ride in the back is B.S.

I ride where i am comfortable.

If someone is not comfortable with me riding where i want, then one of us can leave the pack.

I ride quite often with a mixed group of Bikes and we just fall in where we are comfortable.

Cruzr Joe

Cruzr Joe, I feel the same way, a Spyder should ride anywhere In the group that they feel comfortable..

:agree: I think. I was briefly in a local women's riding group and they seemed to have a problem with my Spyder among their 2-wheelers. The gals behind me complained that they couldn't see the group ahead of me and wanted me to take the sweeper position. I just racked it up to complaining because they didn't have much respect for the Spyder as a motorcycle, anyway. I'm no longer part of that group, but considering some of the comments here, they may have had a point.

 

[ARtraveler]

:agree: I think. I was briefly in a local women's riding group and they seemed to have a problem with my Spyder among their 2-wheelers. The gals behind me complained that they couldn't see the group ahead of me and wanted me to take the sweeper position. I just racked it up to complaining because they didn't have much respect for the Spyder as a motorcycle, anyway. I'm no longer part of that group, but considering some of the comments here, they may have had a point.

As you have seen, the answers are all over the place, and there is no "one real perfect method." Most seem to be a bit hybrid and are based on what works for a particular group.

The bottom line for me, ride with who you are comfortable. When I spot a dangerous groupie, I give them all the room I can. I have gone to the sweep position or to a different group, just to make sure I could keep driver X in my sight or to get out of their way altogether.

 

[flaggerphil]

I've ridden many, many group rides, both with all Spyders and mixed. I ride the same way I did on a two wheeler...staggered. It works the same way it does with all two wheelers. And saying Spyders should go to the back of the pack is like saying all trikes should...it's BS. A Spyder should be able to ride anywhere in the pack without problems.

 

[latony007]

i agree, should be able to ride wherever you want in the group and not worry about it. I don't think Staggering the spyder does anyone any good though, i mean you can only move over a few inches. i would personally ask a spyder to take point or sweeper for the simple reason that the spyder is more visible to cagers than a standard motorcycle but again anywhere in the line should not be a problem for other riders.

 

[sduskin]

Agree...

Traditionally, all group rides should be lead by 2-wheeled bikes. When riding in a group the lead rider should ride in the left 1/3 of the lane and all other 2-wheeled bikes ride staggered off the lead rider (Leader = left, #2 bike = right, #3 bike = left, etc.).

If trikes are in the group, they should not be mixed in with the 2-wheeled riders. Instead, they should ride behind all of the 2-wheeled motorcycles and they should ride in the center of the lane in a single file formation.

If by chance the lead rider is going to be a trike, then it should ride in the center of the lane and the 2-wheeled bikes should ride behind trike in the traditional staggered formation, starting with the left 1/3 of the lane (trike = center of lane, #2 bike = left, #3 bike = right, #4 bike = left, etc.).

Hope this helps!!!

This is what the safety instructor and the MC I have ridden with have told me. That being said, the MC will NEVER let their ride be led by more that 2 wheels. Trikes and Spyders to the back of the bus, please. At least from there I get to see all the road debris everyone is dodging.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I still ride with the GWRRA group I joined when I had my GW. The Chapter Directors, past and present, are long time GWRRA members and have been through a lot of rider education. We have had as many as four trikes and upwards of eight two wheelers on any given ride. There has never been a hard push to put trikes in the rear, and we ride where we are comfortable. The primary criteria for lead and tail is communication. As much as possible those two must have CBs to make sure the group stays together.

The other top priorities for a safe ride are to have no more than seven or eight bikes in a single group, and stay tight. If there are more than 8 bikes then break up into separate groups to provide space for cagers to pass safely. But most of all, use common sense to keep the road safe for everyone. Occasionally that means bending the rules.

 

[Cruzr Joe]

This is what the safety instructor and the MC I have ridden with have told me. That being said, the MC will NEVER let their ride be led by more that 2 wheels. Trikes and Spyders to the back of the bus, please. At least from there I get to see all the road debris everyone is dodging.

If you feel that you and your ride are inferior to other machines, then i agree with you that you belong at the back of the pack. :dontknow::dontknow:

Cruzr Joe

 

[ArachnidRyder]

I'm really not sure what the big deal is with what position you ride in the group. My club has a policy that all three wheelers ride at the back of the group. If it bothered me, I would join a different club. Can my spyder outrun many of the two wheelers? Sure, but it's not a race, just a bunch of people out for a good time. The original reason for putting three wheelers in the back was likely because they used to be slower than most two wheelers, not to mention being much wider. They are not slower any more, but they are still wider. In any case, I guess it comes down to riding the ride that is right for you. Two wheelers and three wheelers are all out in the wind together. We share a brotherhood (sisterhood) and whether our rides lean or not, or are in the front, middle or back, it's all good. [emoji106]


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[Cruzr Joe]

For me it is not a matter of not wanting to ride at the rear, i sometimes do, when i want to, but for someone or some club rule that says i have to ride in the back, that won't work.

Maybe i should go get a snickers bar, this topic really irks me.

Cruzr Joe

 

[ArachnidRyder]

I used to get really riled up about club rules, but then I realized that I was taking offense where none was intended, at least most of the time. Everyone in our club jokes around about which bikes are best or worst. It's all just good natured. My feeling is that if a club/group lays down rules I don't like, I go elsewhere. I can understand not wanting to be forced to ride in a certain place in a group, but overlooking little annoyances/rulesvhas kept my blood pressure down and me married for almost 30 years. My wife is pretty good at overlooking things too. [emoji5]


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[Cruzr Joe]

I used to get really riled up about club rules, but then I realized that I was taking offense where none was intended, at least most of the time. Everyone in our club jokes around about which bikes are best or worst. It's all just good natured. My feeling is that if a club/group lays down rules I don't like, I go elsewhere. I can understand not wanting to be forced to ride in a certain place in a group, but overlooking little annoyances/rulesvhas kept my blood pressure down and me married for almost 30 years. My wife is pretty good at overlooking things too. [emoji5]


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I will be married 47 years in June, my wife is crazy, if you don't believe me, look who she married!

Cruzr Joe

 

[Illinois Boy]

With all due respect... this thread just reminded me of why I no longer participate in large group rides.:yikes: