Do you? How often? How long have you been doing them? How many riders on average in the group? Has group riding improved your confidence and skill level?
Have you made new friends and met enthusiasts like yourself? Have these friendships enhanced your quality of life beyond just riding?
C'mon, spill it!
I'm always hesitant about joining a group that would have someone like me as a member.
Yea, you and Groucho
Our NJRATS.com group is a fine collection of enthusiasts who enjoy spirited rides, with a system in place that allows each to ride to the level of their ability or desire, without losing anyone. We do not parade or ride in formation, we do the backroads as they are meant to be ridden. We have built a level of trust up, so the dozen or so regulars are comfortable with each other. Even so, once we get past 6 or 7 riders, I tend to enjoy the ride less. I do find motorcycling to be a more solitary or small group endeavor.
I will not do the poker runs or mega- rides with hundreds of bikers. No fun, no interest, and too many drunks/ pirates/ squids.
We have a good sized bunch of KLR riders in the area and I have enjoyed many group rides, tech days, and cookouts with them. Three of us took a week last summer to ride GA, TN, NC and VA., and we had fun on the various parts of the Dragon. For me, three seems to be about the right sized group for a ride. More starts to get complicated and it's harder to stay together.
Enjoy group rides very much. I have ridden in large groups where I knew hardly anyone and those experiences were great, especially for showing me what to do and not do when leading a group ride of my own. However, I prefer to ride either alone or with my close friends who ride. Ideal group size for me is between 4 and 8--more than 10 makes it difficult on keeping things together. If I organize a ride that has more than 10, I split it into two groups.
Riding with experienced riders has helped me become a better rider....it's also great to have a "point man" who knows the roads, the turns, and will be the first to hit loose gravel LOL.
I have made several new friends from group rides and we now ride together often. My core group of riders were friends long before riding became big parts of our lives. Our trips together are well-documented on this forum and riding has definitely brought us closer together.
I like tooling around by myself, too, but riding with my wife and friends has brought me some of the best experiences of my life.
Don't do group rides.
Solitary person, at most I ride with one friend. Prefer the freedom.
Just my choice.
A lot in this thread resonates - both ways. Have enjoyed many solo rides where the conversation is with me and the bike only. Have had a blast on group rides and picked up some improved riding skills. Really enjoyed riding on trips with my brother.
I like the odd large group ride for a worthy cause, although I seldom know anyone. I enjoy the noise and the energy that appears when a large group of motorcycles sets out for a trip. I don't always enjoy watching the antics of some of the idiots some events flush out, but there are ways to keep out of their way.
Most of the time, though, I ride alone and thoroughly enjoy it. I can persuade myself I have all sorts of abilities I don't, but there's no one there either to compare with or contradict me. I can go as fast or slow as I want and stop and start when I want.
In the past 12 months I've also done a couple of long distance rides with Pterodactyl; once another bloke came with us as well. They've been good rides. We get on well and, on a trip of more than a couple of days, it's good to have someone to talk with in the evenings. The riding with just two of us is good too. Pterodactyl is usually kind enough not to get too far ahead and we seem happy to ride along a similar pace. I hope I get to do some more riding with him this year.
I have ridden with a HOG (Harley Owners Group) chapter in the past, and still do, even though I no longer have a Harley. I also ride with a RAT pack (Rider Association of Triumph). I enjoy riding by myself but I really do like riding in a group better. Nothing like a bunch a bike rolling down the highway. I also organize a yearly ride called the Friends' Ride. We are usually around 15 bikes. I also participate in local charity rides such as Emily's Parade, and the Children's hospital Toy Run. I've also been riding with friends every year to Sturgis for the past 6 years, and don't plan on stopping. Riding by yourself sometimes feels like going to a movie by yourself. Every once in a while it's awesome, but most of the time, I'd rather have friends with me. I have a couple buddies that I often ride with, so often it's just Jeff and I, or Shaun and I, and occasionally the 3 of us. Most of my friends are bikers.