It is important for single Harley riders to be aware of that riding in a group of two or twenty is about working together as a team. And communication is the key to accomplish the riding successfully. It will be better for all bikers to agree the use of hand signals, which will work ideally. And you should remember that no one is supposed to be responsible for your safety and security.
Meeting before riding out – Before a group ride, all motorcycle riders need to get together to set the ground rules and riding route for the ride. The meeting should be held by someone with rich group riding experience or the leader of this ride, which is to ensure the riding will be successful.
Lead rider – The ride leader is the one who rides in front of the group and can lead the ride. He or she needs to be a rider with the most experienced and trusted judge of road safety. Leader knows how to ride safely within a speed limit that all riders behind can ride comfortably. And if possible, this rider should communicate with other members of the group in advance to get a basic understanding of them.
Last rider – The last rider is often called “sweeper” or “chase rider”who are responsible to keep an eye on the front riders. He also should be a biker with a fair amount of experience. Riding in the last of the group means he or she needs to deal with different situations that may happen to the group. And one of the basic requirements for the sweeper is being knowledgeable about the ride route.
Keep staggered formation except in corners – Only this way can each rider has the space to maneuver left or right within their lane and can provide the maximum visibility for each rider ahead or behind. When cornering, riders need to select their own line through the corner.
Overtaking – Don’t ever try to follow the rider ahead of you blindly. The whole riding group will wait for you if you lose the group for a while. And overtaking requires patience and it should be done only when you are pretty sure that it is possible.