Riding in a group is a lot of fun, but more bikes means more safety risks. Before hitting the road with your fellow riders, you want to make sure you understand group riding safety measures. Here are some essential motorcycle group ride safety rules to keep in mind.
Ensure Your Bike Is in Safe Working Order
Have a mechanic check your bike before leaving. Ideally, you should do this a few weeks in advance to leave ample time for any necessary repairs and tests. Pay special attention to the following components:
- Brakes
- Fluids and oil
- Spark plugs
- Throttle cable
- Engine air filter
- Nuts and bolts
- Lights and turn signals
- Battery connections
- Tire pressure and treads
Bring Essentials and Emergency Supplies
All riders will benefit if they bring the following:
- Cash
- Cellphone and charger
- License
- Registration documents
- Proof of insurance
- First-aid kit
- Rain gear
- Snacks and water
- Any tools that came with the bike
- Safety gear (helmet, face or eye protection, protective clothing)
You should also designate specific riders to carry extra supplies in case of emergency, including:
- Duct tape
- Road flares
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Emergency communication beacon
- Compact tire pump and tire pressure gauge
- Extra water for drinking and cooling water-cooled bikes
Have a Pre-Ride Meeting
Hold a meeting with all riders to discuss motorcycle group ride safety and confirm the route — including the meet-up point, destination, and all stops in between. You should also discuss the hand signals you’ll be using and have a plan for what to do if someone leaves the group or falls behind. It’s also important to check everyone’s skill level. As a rule of thumb, you should get at least 1,000 miles under your belt before embarking on a group ride.
Know Your Hand Signals
All riders must know the signals for fuel stops, road hazards, speeding up, slowing down, passing other vehicles, and more. Keep your eyes on the leader of the group to ensure you don’t miss any cues.
Ride in a Staggered Formation
On the road, keep the riding party relatively tight, but also maintain enough space to give you time to brake or swerve if needed. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) recommends that riders stay at least one second apart.
For maximum safety, opt for a staggered formation in which the leader rides on the left side of the lane. The second rider rides on the right side of the lane a few motorcycle lengths behind the leader. Continue this zig-zag pattern with all riders.
The leaders at the front and the sweep riders at the back should be the most experienced riders in the group. The least experienced rider should ride second after the leader.
When navigating curvy roads or visibility is poor, ride in a single-file formation and increase the distance between motorcycles to at least two seconds.
Take Frequent Breaks
Stop often to rest, eat, and stretch out your legs. Frequent breaks minimize the risk of rider fatigue..
Know Your Skill Level
Don’t ride beyond your level, and don’t let anyone force you to ride outside of your ability. If you fall behind, don’t speed up just to catch up with the rest of the group. They can slow down or stop and wait for you — be sure to discuss this at the pre-ride meeting.
Ride Safe With Law Tigers
At Law Tigers, we take motorcycle group ride safety seriously. Never leave home without your free rider benefit kit. If you’re involved in an accident on the road, call us at (888) 863-7216 for a free consultation. We’ll refer you to an experienced motorcycle accident attorney near you.
