Motorcycling is a lot more fun with friends. Group motorcycling can be an exhilarating experience. However, when you are riding with other motorcyclists, there may be missteps, including miscommunications that could increase the risk of an accident involving one or several members of your group.
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recommends these safety tips.
Organize your ride beforehand. Chalk out your route, and determine where and how often you’ll be stopping for rest breaks and fuel stops.
Before you begin the ride, determine the formation of your group. Group motorcycle riding is best done in a structured and organized formation, and not randomly. Your risks of being involved in an accident increase when you’re riding with no predetermined formation. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recommends a staggered formation that allows for safe and convenient riding. Avoid a side-by-side formation that lowers the amount of room motorcyclists have to maneuver.
Make new riders ride in the middle, so that they do not get left behind. A new motorcyclist is likely to panic when he is left behind, and may try to ride at high speeds, which could increase the risk of an accident. Before you begin the ride, determine the formation of your group.
Designate a leader for the group, and encourage all motorcyclists to frequently check their mirrors and allow the motorcyclists behind them to catch up. Doing this allows all members to stay as close to each other as possible, without being left behind.
At least one member of the group must carry a first aid kit that comes complete with emergency medical supplies, a fully-charged cell phone, and other essentials. Also ensure that another motorcyclist is carrying a full toolkit. All motorcyclists must ride with a full tank.
Ensure that all members of your group are familiar with common motorcycle hand signals that you can use to communicate with each other while you are riding. Practice these hand signals so that everyone in your group is on the same page.