I was talking with one of the Road Captains the other day about some of the recent motorcycle accidents involving members of this group, and he said something interesting. Whether it’s because they don’t want to feel embarrassed, or they’re worried they’ll be looked upon as “not cool,” a lot of newer riders not only won’t admit that they haven’t got years of riding experience under their belts, they go out of their way to present themselves as veteran road warriors with 250,000 miles under their belts. That’s dangerous, whether you’re talking about honesty to a group, or to yourself.
When riding in a group, unless you know what you’re doing, you can be a danger to yourself and those around you. If you find yourself going on your first group ride, go up to one of the road captains and tell him that you’re new. He will make sure you are correctly positioned in the group so a more experienced rider can keep an eye on you, and so the pace can be tailored somewhat to your needs. If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable, don’t be afraid to leave. (After letting your intentions be known.)
The most dangerous form of dishonesty, though, is with yourself. Riding beyond your limits and experience will get you in trouble every time. That goes not only for the new rider who may be tempted to put a passenger on the back before knowing where the controls are, but also for the rider with years of experience on one motorcycle, who recently changes to a model with completely different handling characteristics.
If you refuse to acknowledge and accept your own, and your motorcycle’s limitations, you will almost inevitably exceed them. You may find yourself approaching a turn too fast and too wide and either drag a footpeg or cross into oncoming traffic. Or you may be confronted by a need to jump on the brakes, and find that you have locked your rear wheel. If you don’t know what to expect and how to react, the unexpected can be fatal.
If you haven’t taken a Rider Safety Course you should do so. If you’ve taken the Basic Course, you should consider the Experienced Rider Course. If nothing else, you should spend some time practicing turning and braking until it becomes second nature. Not only will you become a better rider, but you, and those you ride with will have more fun. And that, after all, is what it’s all about.