The Honda Owners Club

Alan D wrote: It's Barry's perogative to wear ordinary clothes, that dosn't make him a fool as I'm sure he knows the risks in so doing, a fool would be, to my mind, the person that dosn't understand the reason for protective bike gear and never wears the right gear.

You're right - it is absolutely his perogative but I still feel, IMHO, that it is foolish to do so and maintain that it just isn't worth the risk It is of course the individual's choice at the end of the day - as clearly demostrated by a young lady riding pillion on a Kawasaki last week hurtling down the M1, wearing shorts, trainers and a bomber jacket. It just puts my heart in my mouth when I see such things because I wonder if they realise how terrible even just a small spill could be... I guess maybe it's the mother in me Alan... can't help but care... y'know?

Hope you get those jeans you are hankering after!! Am sure the SWMBO will have taken the hint! lol

This has gone off topic a bit. Barry can wear what he wants

Alan D wrote:
Yes, I guess, in the same way as you are being dismissive of newbies (sorry Chris, newcomers) because they cause big gaps in your rideouts.

I did mention this topic to my son (44). He thought I was doing the newcomers a favour by ignoring them both on the road and at meetings! In spite of having taught all three of my children how to ride a motorcycle, drive a car and sail a yacht - the two boys are Yarchtmasters - he reckons I am an acquired flavour and newcomers may not be ready for me, yet.

I'm hoping SWMBO is going to buy me some Draggin' Jeans for my birthday, best of both worlds

Have you considered Hood jeans. They are fully lined with xxxxxx (can't remember its name).
They are comfortable in every day use, offer good wind protection as well as protection from engine heat and direct sunlight. They are heavier than normal jeans, but not as heavy as leathers.
They would offer good protection against gravel rash. They are a UK based company and offer a very good service - including made to measure.

I have not been wearing mine for local riding because my BMW blew a head gasket and sprayed oil all over one leg! I don't know why I have not bought a new pair - I think I will!

What is 'The drop off method'?

Well this seems to go round and round, and I don't think there is a single answer for all people and all occasions. At meets everybody should be welcomed. During ridouts if there is a large delta between riders two groups MAY be the way forward, but this should be done democrtically.
Personally I don't like rideouts because I like to travel at my own speed, and that will vary according to whether, road, seanary, and how I feel on the day.
However when I do join a rideout, I accept that it will be at somebody elses pace, and within reason should be within speed limits, if somebody else leads you to break the law, then they are as guilty as you even if they do not get caught, and you do!

Mabbie wrote:What is 'The drop off method'?

Well, Mabbie, you basicly have a leader and a permanent 'anchor man' who rides at the rear. In the middle will be the rest of the group. As the leader takes turnings/negotiates roundabouts etc, the next rider behind him will stop and mark the route for all the others. As he sees the anchor man comming up in his rear view mirror, he rejoins the group just in front of anchor man...and so on!...and so on...

The beauty of this method is that you do not have to stay in visual touch with the lead group or leader, there is no pressure to 'keep up' as the route will always be marked so you cant get lost! In addition, riders have the option of overtaking slower members within the group if they so wish.

At last years National saturday ride out with 100+ bikes, the group was spread out over many miles with some 25 mins between the leader and the anchor man!..The sytem works and in my opinion is the safest for all!..hope I have explained it OK for you!

Mabbie wrote:What is 'The drop off method'?

Also know as second man, for the reason Chris has mentioned

jallen wrote:This has gone off topic a bit. Barry can wear what he wants

True - on both counts... Sorry!

Shellshine wrote:

jallen wrote:This has gone off topic a bit. Barry can wear what he wants

True - on both counts... Sorry!

Don't apologise, I am conditioned, by my wife, to believe it is a womans right to tell a man what he should wear.

Going right off topic: With my wife out of hospital - after her spine operation - she is unable to climb the stairs to get to her clothes. She has to wear whatever I decide to bring her. It has provided us with much DISCUSSION

Chris'TR' wrote: you basicly have a leader and a permanent 'anchor man' who rides at the rear. In the middle will be the rest of the group. As the leader takes turnings/negotiates roundabouts etc, the next rider behind him will stop and mark the route for all the others. As he sees the anchor man comming up in his rear view mirror, he rejoins the group just in front of anchor man...and so on!...and so on...

The beauty of this method is that you do not have to stay in visual touch with the lead group or leader, there is no pressure to 'keep up' as the route will always be marked so you cant get lost! In addition, riders have the option of overtaking slower members within the group if they so wish.

At last years National saturday ride out with 100+ bikes, the group was spread out over many miles with some 25 mins between the leader and the anchor man!..The sytem works and in my opinion is the safest for all!..hope I have explained it OK for you!

I'm not disagreeing at all with the theory of it, and I was already aware of the "drop-off" system having been involved in using it, but does it always work safely in all situations nowadays, especially with the increased traffic we now have? I can think of many situations where to stop and wait for another following rider would be pretty dangerous. Where do you stop at a busy roundabout with multiple lane entry and traffic lights (showing green when you approach), when the route is taking say, the third exit (eg, right turn) and the left lane is a left-only lane, with the right a right-only? Other road users would probably think "I wonder why that motorcyclist has stopped there?" (Or worse! ) Sitting at the kerbside on a right-only lane, well, I doubt a new rider would be very comfortable doing that. What about when the lights change and the group is part-way across? Who stops and waits where? I've seen several people go through red-lights so they don't lose sight of the group.
It's not all nice safe easy junctions, and sometimes on a cross-country route you cannot avoid these sort of major junctions where A-roads meet. New riders may have trouble at these at the best of times on their own, without stopping to wait for others. At least on your own, you can stop where you know it is safe. That is why I personally prefer to hand out a route sheet to riders.

Barry wrote:

Shellshine wrote:

jallen wrote:This has gone off topic a bit. Barry can wear what he wants

True - on both counts... Sorry!

Don't apologise, I am conditioned, by my wife, to believe it is a womans right to tell a man what he should wear.

Going right off topic: With my wife out of hospital - after her spine operation - she is unable to climb the stairs to get to her clothes. She has to wear whatever I decide to bring her. It has provided us with much DISCUSSION

ha ha ha ha... fair do's... and I reckon you (and she) could be right!

As for your good lady - I do hope she's recovering well and that you are doing as instructed regarding her wardrobe!! (I can imagine the 'discussions!')

Sorry - way off topic... will shaddup now... (for a change eh!?)

Red V Four wrote:
but does it always work safely in all situations nowadays,

It does, when the riders keep their brain in gear and ride their own bike - they must understand that they are at all times responsible for their own safety. Any indicators given by other riders are just that 'indicators' - they are not instructions.

One of the problems I have in group riding, is that instead of looking round corners, I find myself looking at the rider in front -riding his/her bike! To overcome this, I tend to ride further behind - allowing me plenty of room to ride 'my' corners.

One of the things about group riding that I find infuriating, is when on a long straight duel carriage way, the lead rider pulls out to overtake a car and the last rider also pulls out, encouraging all the in between riders to also pull out. This can lead to a very long line of bikes in the overtaking lane long before they get to the car they are overtaking.

This is further expiated when the lead rider after accelerating past the car, slows to the normal cruising speed. This does not allow all the following riders room to overtake and pull in front of the car - leaving them hanging out in the overtaking lane.

I have seen this happen time and time again when out riding on my own. I tend to undertake the line of bikes - as I return their rude gestures!

If I may contribute to this multi-faceted thread. I havent trawled right back to the start of the thread, but the title caught my eye and if anyone advocated it, I would be amazed, no normal person with the slightest hint of common courtesy would do such a thing, only an ignoramus. However, times and standards change, for instance, when was the last time you saw someone stand up for an elderly person on a bus or train? (I stood up for an old woman on a train in Dusseldorf last week and instantly became an object of curiosity! )

As to appropriate clothing, its a matter for personal choice, but I do think it is the responsibility of the club, to point out to the idiot what could happen if he came off in shorts and sandels, by showing him some of the pictures that are available on the internet of victims of bike accidents. Incidentally, we never ride without proper spine protectors, how many others do the same? Not the majority I'll bet.

Regarding inexperienced riders in groups and also experienced riders who are inexperienced riding in groups (I was in that category when I joined the club)need patience and understanding when on a group ride. The HOC says that it caters for riders of all machines and abilitys and IMO if you cannot adhere to that philosiphy, you should be getting your jollies riding with a club or group that are all the same ability, easily organised I would think!

Although I am reasonably comfortable these days, I still dont do a lot of riding in groups, I like to set my pace to how I feel, sometimes Di will ask me why we arent overtaking and Its just that I am simply enjoying the experience and forget to! Othertimes we really enjoy a blatt just like everyone else, surely its all about tollerance.
Al

In Answer to Red V Four yes the drop off system works and is safe. The circumstances you describe are rare and if they are on the route (which most organisers would avoid) then the planner of the trip will be aware of them tell people beforehand and arrange for more than one person to mark the junction(s) at safe visible points. I have taken part in hundreds of such runs now and the only breakdown has occurred when people do not wait for the tail end man before moving off. Thus loosing tail members of group. In short do as you are told and it works. Try your own variations and you c--k it up!

Dibble wrote:...In short do as you are told and it works. Try your own variations and you c--k it up!

and can leave some poor s*d being a marker playing 'I-spy' for half an hour ....