What is YOUR Favorite Position?

Okay, knuckleheads…  get your mind outta the gutter!  Let’s talk about your RIDING position on the highway!

I have ridden in a staggered formation, I have ridden in “packs,” and have most definitely ridden solo, owning my own space on the highway.  What position do you like?

Group Riding: When it comes to group safety, it’s best to always go with the tried and true method of group riding and that would be in a staggered formation.  The idea is very simple; you have a cushion of space ahead of you and behind you when riding in a staggered formation. Safety is the top priority when riding in large groups.  There may be times that you aren’t totally sure who you are riding next to, behind, or who’s in front of you and what their method of riding is.

If you can count, then the following method is strongly encouraged. (If you can’t count, then please stay off the road). One second rule: the bike in the lane to your left or right should not be less than one second ahead of you.  Two second rule: Maintain at least two seconds between you and the rider in front of you. Four second rule: look ahead four seconds at your immediate path of travel to give yourself more time to react to a hazard. Twelve second rule; also look ahead at your anticipated path of travel. Twelve seconds is about one city block.

The leader of the group ride must be absolutely competent in his or her duties.  This coveted title is something that shouldn’t be compared to a beauty contest or prettiest bike contest.  The group leader is the one that provides the safety for the group! The leader should ALWAYS have a group meeting prior to leaving on the ride.  Trust me, this meeting is not about the awesome portions at the sushi buffet; this is to make sure that everyone riding is on the same page when it comes to the ride and the safety of all involved!

Some of you are very independent riders.  If you don’t take to listening to advice and the way a group ride is to proceed, then do everyone a favor and go ride by yourself.  Group rides have to maintain control and delegation of life-saving responsibilities. If you are unsure, it’s okay to ask questions!  Group leaders (well, the ones that are REALLY GOOD at what they do) encourage questions!  No question is a dumb question.  Everyone wants to have a good time.  They certainly don’t want to be picking up pieces of bikes and flesh on the road if there is a crash because someone wasn’t listening or “doing their own thing.”

Some really coordinated groups use the same folks in the same group riding capacity at all times.  Most that I’ve ridden with have CB radios that the leader and sweep use throughout the ride. Most folks have these radios, too, and listen to what’s ahead, if a cage four-wheeler is passing the group, if there is a moose crossing the highway, etc.

So, how’s that rubber band effect working for you?  Do you have any idea what I’m talking about when I say that?  No, it’s not the rubber band that the cat was just playing with… It’s one of the most disturbing points of group riding that I absolutely HATE!  It’s when riders speed up, then slow down, speed up, then slow down, speed up, then…  you get the idea.  Throttle control is something that is constantly changing when riding in a group.  You will never really be able to maintain a constant throttle all day long.  That’s just, well, STUPID!  When I’m riding in a group, I use all of my facilities which include my eyes and my ears.  If I see I’m getting too close to my riding buddy ahead of me, I back it down a bit.  If I hear someone coming up too close to me or behind me, I motion with my hand (sometimes with a single-digit salute)to back off.

Group riding is really a beautiful thing.  There are some groups that have it down to a science.  They’ve done it for years and everyone knows their place.  There was a group I rode with years ago that had a routine called, “The Dance.” The group leader told everyone on the CB: “now.” When we heard “now” the riders would change places in the lane; the riders on the right would go to the left and the riders on the left would go to the right.  Of course, I wouldn’t recommend this to ANYONE that is new to group riding.  This specific group had ridden together for YEARS!  Most were drill team professionals.  Need I say more?

SOLO RIDING:  I prefer riding solo.  When my crystal ball is unavailable, I use intuition as to what the other person is doing while sharing the road with me.  Is that truck going to pull out of that side street (I always look at their wheels to see if they are moving.  If so, I back down), is that old lady going to stop at the green light because she likes the colors yellow and red? (Yes, that so totally happened to me!), what about that tractor trailer up ahead of me?  I make sure I’m in the left part of my lane so he or she can see me in their mirrors.  Riding solo can create some interesting memoirs for an upcoming book, but since I’m limited for space, I’m just going to tell you to be SMART when riding solo.  Determine what position you like while out on the road.  Take mental notes as to what can happen, get an exit strategy in place AT ALL TIMES when out on the road.  Remember, you are the most important thing out there while out on the road.  Don’t forget it.

Keep in mind, your safety is key when it comes to motorcycle riding.  If you’re totally uncomfortable with ANYTHING that you are going to be a part of, don’t do it. Find a friend or two that you can ride with.  Ask questions from those of us that have been doing this for lots of years. We want you out on the road with us.  The important point that I want to make is that you find your perfect position.  When you do, let me know.  We can compare notes…

Much love from me to you…

Catnip Cougar

Editor’s Note:  Catnip Cougar is the Safety Goddess for Krazy Biker Katz.  She can, and shall, be very caustic, sarcastic, and annoying in order to get her points across. However, when it comes to motorcycling and safety, she knows what she’s talking about. Catnip Cougar is a professional motorcycle rider with over 30 years on the road.