We begin each Chapter ride with a briefing by the Road Captain who will explain where we're going, what our route will be, where we will take rest stops, what our expected timeframes are, and a review of the safety rules. Following are the key points that you'll be hearing:

1. Please make sure that you start with a full tank of gas. Many of our rides begin at gas stations, so it's a good idea to fill up when you arrive. The Road Captain has planned the ride with gas stops generally spaced between 80-90 miles. Gas stops will be on the right side of the road when possible.

2. We always ride in a staggered formation and never side by side. This provides additional room should one of us need to make an emergency manuever. Pull up side by side when we come to a stop, but remember that the bike on the left always leaves first.

3. 1 second - 2 second rule. When in staggered formation, stay two seconds behind the bike directly in front of you (same side of the lane) and one second behind the bike in front of and across from you. If the weather conditions are poor - fog, rain, etc. increase the distance. Keep the spacing and speed consistent, and it will make for a more enjoyable ride.

4. If a rider drops out, don't cross over to the other side of the lane to reset the stagger. Stay in your lane and move up to fill the opening if the rider who left was in front of you.

5. We use the bikes electronic signals for left and right turns, slowing down and stopping. We also use hand signals that you may not be familiar with, such as 'debris in the road', 'single/double file', and obstruction on the side of the road. We'll go over all of these during the Safety Briefing

We also have an individual hand signal; when you pat your helmet and then give the pull over signal the riders behind you will know NOT to pass that signal back and to single up to the left side of the lane to give you room to pull off.

6. The Road Captain gives hand signals for a reason. Pass them back! Remember that once you get a few bikes back from the Road Captain you can't see him, and he can't see you. Pass them back by duplicating the signal from the rider in front of you. If a circumstance dictates that it would be unsafe to pass the signal, then don't. Control of your motorcycle is paramount.

7. If you are new to group riding, a new rider overall, or not comfortable in taking a curve at the posted speed or above, please ride in the last group or next to the Tail Gunner. This will allow everyone to enjoy the ride better.

8. All directions come from the Road Captain. The Road Captain makes all decisions regarding lane changes, breaks and fuel stops, closing of gaps, turning off at exits, accepting/rejecting radioed messages from other individuals, and so on. No individual will assert himself independently without direction from the Road Captain to do so. The Road Captain will set the size of the group and may, at his discretion, set the riding order. When riding without radios the group size will typically not be more than 10 bikes.

9. Lane Changes: All lane changing starts with a radio request from the Road Captain to the Tail Gunner. The Tail Gunner will (when it is safe to do so) move into the requested lane and will inform the Road Captain when the lane is clear.

At this point, the Road Captain has three options:

(A) Simple Lane Change: This is an ordinary lane change, and can be used in most situations. After the Tail Gunner has secured the new lane, the Road Captain will put on his directional signal as an indication that he is about to order a lane change. As each rider sees the directional signal, he also turns his on, so the riders following him get the signal. The leader then initiates the change. All other riders change lanes too. The important concept is that NO ONE moves until the bike in front of him has started moving.

(B) Block Lane Change: This can be used interchangeably with the Simple Lane Change. It requires a little more work, but it is well worth the effort. It's quite impressive to watch, and gives the riders a tremendous feeling of "togetherness". This sounds a little complicated, but is actually very simple to do. After the Tail Gunner has secured the new lane, the Road Captain will put on his directional signal as an indication that he is about to order a lane change. As each rider sees the directional signal, he also turns his on, so the riders following him get the signal. The leader then raises his left arm straight up. Each rider repeats this signal. Then, as the leader lowers his arm to point to the lane into which he is moving, he actually initiates the change. All other riders lower their arms at the same time and change lanes too. This allows the entire formation to move from one lane to another as a single block.

(C) Rear Fill-in: This is sometimes necessary if a long enough gap cannot be maintained in the new lane, for example when trying to move from the right lane to the center and vehicles from the left lane keep cutting into the opening. After the Tail Gunner has secured the new lane, the leader (usually at the suggestion of the Tail Gunner) will call for the group to fill in the space from the rear. He signals this by raising his hand to shoulder height and "pushing" it towards the new lane. All riders repeat the signal, and the last bikes move into the space in the new lane ahead of the Tail Gunner, then the next-to-last bikes move in ahead of those, and so on until the Ride Leader finally moves into the space ahead of the entire formation.

10. Don't get complacent. It's sometimes easy to trust in the group and do a little sightseeing, knowing that the Road Captain will lead you to your destination. This is a serious danger! Riding in a group requires even MORE alertness than riding alone (if that's possible). YOU are not only still responsible for your own safety; you have obligations to those riding around you. Keeping this in mind and knowing that the folks riding around you are doing the same, is one of the most important elements of group riding safety.

11. Don't blindly follow lane changes, going through stop signs and lights, etc. without looking for your self. If the group is going through a traffic light and it changes to yellow just in front of you, make the conservative choice. Keeping the group together is a distant second to keeping everyone safe.

12. If the group gets separated directly in front of you, and you aren't comfortable leading, call for single file and move to the right side of the lane. An Officer will ride up the left side of the lane and take the lead.

13. If you do keep the lead, DO NOT race recklessly to catch up with the rest of the group. The Road Captain ahead will slow the group down slightly, so maintaining a safe, legal speed will close the gap soon enough. In the event of large gaps or emergencies, the Road Captain will pull over and wait for the rest of us.

14. If a bike breaks down, let the rider move to the right. DO NOT STOP. The Tail Gunner will stop with the problem bike. The Road Captain will lead the group to a safe stopping place. If the group gets separated the Road Captain will stop the group, If the second group cannot be located by radio or telephone the Road Captain will decide whether to wait, send a rider back, or proceed on to the destination and locate them from there.

15. We ride as a group on our planned rides. This means that we will have a Road Captain and a Tail Gunner for our group rides, and they will be in charge of the ride. Other groups are welcome to ride with us. They can ride in our groups under our officers and guidelines, or they can ride in their own formations with their own Road Captains and Tail Gunners in conjunction with our ride.

16. Finally, remember the importance of keeping your bike in top-notch condition. Properly inflated tires with good tread are one obvious maintenance issue, but don't forget to check your entire bike. Your owner's manual includes a section on the things you should check before every ride - if you haven't read it recently; it's a good idea to refresh your memory.

Contact Gerald Childers
Email Address: E-MAIL 1st Officer

If you have not visited us before we would be glad to have you come by and see us on the First Wednesday night of the month at 7:30 P.M. at Hardee's in Crawfordville for the Business Meeting, or check the calendar for the dinner rides