Riding with the BMA
If you've never been on a group ride before, it can be a little intimidating. You may not know the etiquette of group rides, or the conventions the club uses. Not to worry, we're a friendly bunch. We want you to join us, and we want you to enjoy the ride. So whether its your first group ride, or just your first ride with the BMA, here's what you need to know.
First of all, come out for a group ride whenever you feel you're ready. We try to avoid the 400 series highways, but sometimes we do wind up on them briefly, so you should have at least an M2 license, and be comfortable at normal traffic speeds.
Many clubs have requirements about your bike. There are Harley clubs, sport bike clubs, adventure bike clubs, clubs with a minimum engine displacement. We're not one of those clubs. Our only requirement for your bike is that it be safe to ride at normal traffic speeds. If you're wondering whether or not your ride will be welcomed by the BMA; yes, it will be.
Show up at the meeting point with a full tank of fuel. The Ride Captain will make fuel stops through the day of course, but there may be a couple of hours riding before the first one. Be prepared for that. Our Sunday rides will go all day, so be ready for a full day in the saddle. If you'd like to start with a shorter run, consider coming out on a Tuesday evening when the whole ride will only be a couple of hours.
Get to the meeting point early, introduce yourself as the other riders show up, and don't be shy about letting people know if you are a rookie. We were all beginners once. If you tell us you're a new rider, we'll put you in the middle of the group (it's safer there), and we'll put experienced riders around you.
Pay attention to the pre-ride briefing. The Ride Captain will tell you everything you need to know about the ride. Feel free to ask any questions you have. If you start out feeling well informed you'll be more confident on the ride.
Always remember to ride within your abilities. It’s not your responsibility to keep up, it’s the Ride Captain’s role to keep the group together. If you need to slow down to be safe in the conditions of the ride, then you should slow down. The Captain will see that the group is spreading out and slow the ride down to allow everyone to catch up.
The biggest question most new riders have about their first group ride is "what happens if we get split up?". It does happen, all it takes is a traffic light to break up a group of riders. There are several systems that group rides use to deal with this but at the BMA, we do it like this:
Stay in the stagger formation while you ride. This allows everyone to know what bike should be in front of them and in their mirror at any time.
Watch your mirrors. You know there should be a rider behind you (unless you're the tail gunner). If that rider disappears, you have a role to play in allowing them to catch up.
If you get separated from the group, keep riding. At any intersection you come to, look for the rider that was in front of you in the formation. If you don't see that rider, keep going straight. If you do see that rider, flash your high beams so they know you've seen them, and slow down to let them pull out in front of you. They are there to lead you back to the group. Follow them.
If the group is turning off their current road, and the rider behind you is not in sight, it is your job to stop on that intersection, where the riders behind you will see you when they catch up. When they signal that they have seen you, pull out in front of them, make the turn, and ride until you either catch up with the group or find the rider ahead of you marking the next corner. The group will have slowed down to allow you to catch up, and if it's been more than a few minutes since we've seen you, we'll pull over and wait for you.
That's about all there is to worry about. Whether you've never rode with a club before or you're looking for a new club, we encourage you to come out for a ride or two before you decide to join us. Not every club is right for every rider, not every rider is right for every club, and the only way to know if the BMA is a good fit for you is to come out and ride with us. We hope to see you on the road.