1. Arrive at a group ride ready to ride. This means with a full tank of gas, appropriate clothing for the weather, well-rested and fed, and bike in safe operating condition.Your friends would rather ride than wrench on your bike or get gas for you.
2. Make sure everyone is aware of the proposed route and extended stops (such as lunch, fuel and sightseeing stops).
3. The ride is self-paced, ride at a speed you feel comfortable with. No one should pressure you to keep up with anyone else. In particular, no one will object to you riding as slowly as you wish. It is natural for people to feel they need to keep up with rider ahead, however, riding outside their limits is the main reason riders get hurt!
4. If you are not comfortable riding abreast, tell everyone that you will be riding single or staggered in the rear.
5. Ride your ride, not the rider's in front of you. Make sure you keep looking down the road and through the corners, not at the bike ahead of you.
6. A group of motorcycles is not considered a "single vehicle!". Be courteous and allow cars to enter/exit a highway or change lanes. Make sure you let the riders behind you know what is going on (this also applies to other hazards as well).
7. At least one of the riders ahead of you will wait at every point where you might make a wrong turn.
8. Similarly, you are expected to wait at intersections and other decision points until the person behind you shows up.
9. Plan brief stops throughout the ride to let everyone regroup, make sure everyone is present, check gas supplies, and to allow for rests.
10. If you decide to split off from the ride, make a reasonable attempt to alert the entire group to your departure; if regrouping does not happen soon enough for you, you must let at least one other person know you are leaving.
HAND SIGNALS Hand signals are necessary for safety in formation riding. BK International standard hand signals listed below.
STOP- Left hand extended downward and palm facing backward.
RIGHT TURN- Left arm upright and hand extended
LEFT TURN- Left arm exteded straight out and hand extended
A TURNAROUND SIGNAL- This is used for group riding as well as signaling an individual rider approaching.
SINGLE FILE RIDING- Arm extended over head with index finger pointed up. Means single file riding,used for narrow,winding roads,road obstructions and hazards.
CLOSE UP FORMATION- Left arm moved in an up and down motion (pumping) with fist closed.This action means tighen up or close riding formation, catch up and stay close.
ROAD HAZARD- Pointing downward is to warn fellow riders of pot holes and debris in the road.
STAGGERED RIDING- Hand straight up with four fingers extended waving side to side.Staggered riding is used on open roads and where there are a lot of turns. This style allows the rider some leeway for drifting.
V SIGNAL- Two fingers indicate dual riding style or two abreast where permitted.
OTHER HAND SIGNALS: Pointing to your gas tank means you have switched to your reserve. Blow horn to alert Captian. Waving the hand back and forth with arm extended down and to the side means come up to me or pass me
