Motorcycle Group Riding for Safety

Traveling in groups is a great way to go, but it has its challenges. Don't ride too close, especially on winding roads. If someone makes a mistake you don't want the whole group going down in a heap because they couldn't avoid hitting the person in front. Ideally you should adopt a staggered formation so that each rider can see the following machine in their mirrors. A decent gap between each motorcycle also allows other road users to pass without having to overtake the whole group at once. If you frustrate other road users, you may well become involved in an accident.

It's great to ride side-by-side with your friends, but it's also illegal in some Asian countries if you're sharing the one lane. Make sure you have a clear view of the road and its surrounds – ride too close and you often won't see the potholes until it's too late. I've been run up the back twice by other people. The first time resulted in a bent footpeg and smashed muffler, and I came very close to breaking a leg. The second was a early morning episode riding into sun light. The following rider was playing with its visor and sun-classes.

On dirt I've witnessed an accident where the rider was following the dust cloud and not able to see the road. Trouble was, those ahead stopped and he ran into them. In another case the road went hard right, the rider saw it too late and went straight ahead into a rice-field. Also keep a bit more distance if the motorcycle in front of you is equipped with ABS. Don't get sucked into the race also.

Always make sure everyone in your motorcycle riding group is okay. If they drop behind, wait for them. Keep an eye on the person riding behind. You need to be able to assist if they run into trouble.