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commotion if one rider needs to         stays a full second behind them          necessary; you may want to take
     stop for an emergency.                  in the right third of the lane. The      a "fast pack" through the fun part
                                             third rider should then be a full        of  the  road  and  let  the  slower
     Bring  The  Essentials  -  And          second behind the second rider           group go at their own pace, and
     More                                    but  on  the  left  side,  behind  the   just regroup later.
     Every rider should always have          lead  rider.  This  pattern  should
     their  own  emergency  supplies,        continue  with  each  additional         Separation Anxiety
     such  as  a  working  cell  phone,      rider all the way down to the end.       Even with the best efforts to keep
     spare cash, and their own set of                                                 a  group  together,  riders  will
     motorcycle  tools  (usually  the        If  you  plan  to  ride  through  a      usually  still  get  separated
     ones  that  came  with  the  bike.)     narrower  road  or  a  road  with        somehow. Whether it's at a red
     However, you may also want to           lower  visibility  or  poor  surface     light or because of a car that just
     designate  one  rider  as  the          conditions  where  more  of  a           isn't getting the hint, riders almost
     "emergency  situation"  rider  that     space  cushion  is  required,  a         always  find  themselves  broken
     will carry a more thorough list of      single-file riding formation should       away from the main body of the
     supplies.                               be used.                                 group at some point in a group
     On top of the same basics, this kit     Either way, avoid a side-by-side         ride.
     might  include  a  travel  set  of      riding  formation  at  all  times.       If this happens, don't panic. If you
     motorcycle tools, things like zip       Motorcycle police and biker clubs        had  your  pre-ride  meeting,  you
     ties  and  duct  tape  (it  sounds      are  notorious  for  doing  this,        s h o u l d   k n o w   w h e r e   t h e
     ghetto, but you can fix a lot on the     probably because it looks cooler,        designated stops are located. Go
     road  with  these  things),  a          but  it's  also  more  risky.  This      at a safe pace and just meet the
     flashlight, and a few spare fuses.       formation  gives  much  less  of  a      rest of your ride there. Try not to
     A  first  aid  kit  is  also  highly     safety cushion around each bike,         break  the  law,  split  lanes
     recommended.                            and doesn't give riders any room         aggressively, or ride faster than
     On top of the same emergency            to  maneuver  around  hazards            your skills just to catch up to the
     supplies, you'll want them to be        without colliding with each other.       group - rolling up to the next stop
     prepared  to  take  care  of  other                                              a few seconds late is a lot better
     riders  who  aren't,  with  simple      No Rider Left Behind                     than getting into a crash!
     things  like  earplugs,  sunblock,      You may be a skilled rider who
     glass wipes for visors, a phone         takes on all roads with ease, but        Enjoy The Ride!
     charger,  pain  relievers,  and         some other riders may not be as          Most  importantly,  enjoy  group
     water.  This  might  sound  a  little   comfortable  through  twisties  as       motorcycle  riding.  Most  riders
     "team  mom-ish",  but  trust  me,       you  are.  Keep  an  eye  on  the        don't ride in groups all the time,
     someone with these things on a          riders  behind  you  in  your  rear      its usually just something to do
     ride tends to make friends very         view mirror, and slow down if you        once in a while. So when riding in
     quickly.  Ideally,  this  person        see  them  dropping  behind.  If         a group, try to be a good group
     shouldn't be the ride leader, lead      each  rider  in  your  group             member;  keep  the  pace,  pass
     rider or tail rider in case they need   motorcycle riding formation does         hand signals, and try not to ride
     to stop during a ride                   the same, all of the riders should       aggressively or show off. You can
     .                                       be  going  at  a  pace  that  is         always do that later on your solo
     Group  Motorcycle  Riding               comfortable for everyone.                rides!
     Formation                               Remember, part of being the ride         If it's your first time, just go along
     Formation is huge when it comes         leader is keeping a pace that lets       with the ride and try to learn how
     to  group  riding.  Riding  in          everyone  have  a  good  ride,           the  group  operates.  You  might
     formation  properly  gives  riders      without leaving anyone behind or         find that you like group riding, but
     the proper space cushion to react       pushing  anyone  too  far  outside       maybe you'd fit better with a more
     to  any  hazards,  and  also  helps     their comfort zones. Nobody said         aggressive group that attacks the
     drivers  on  the  road  avoid           this would be easy! If you don't         twisties,  or  conversely,  with  a
     motorcyclists.                          know  everyone's  riding  ability,       more laid-back group that like to
                                             start with a slower pace, and step       enjoy the scenery. Learn different
     The  preferred  formation  is  the
     "staggered formation" (where if a       it up in between stops.                  people's  riding  styles  and  soon
     line were drawn from each rider         When you regroup at stops, the           you'll find people you like to ride
     to  the  next,  it  would  make  an     ride  leader  should  rendezvous         with, and people you'd prefer not
     evenly  spaced  zig-zag  line.)  To     with  the  tail  rider  to  make  sure   to. That's  fine!  No  matter  what,
     do this, the leader of the group        everyone  is  keeping  pace,  and        just  have  fun  with  it  -  after  all,
     ride should be in the left third of     nobody is getting too squirrely. If      you're  riding...  so  what  more
     the  lane,  while  the  next  rider     they  are,  either  slow  down  the      could you want?  LHR
                                             pace,  or  split  up  the  group  as



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   LHR Motorcycle Magazine Issue 12                                                                                                                April 2025
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