Group Riding Tips for Touring Motorcycles

When it comes to a road trip, the more touring bikes the better! Riding in a group can be the perfect way to enjoy a gorgeous day. Riding together helps make the journey and the destination more fun! But a successful group touring ride takes advance planning. The more touring motorcycles to coordinate, the more planning you will need to do. We created the following guide for successful group riding below. For everything related to touring motorcycles, visit Biggs Harley-Davidson®.

The Route

When you are hitting the road solo on your touring motorcycle, you can plan as much or as little as you like. You don't need to coordinate with anyone. Sleep in and leave later than planned. Take that unexpected detour to explore that town on a hill. You get the flexibility to do what you want.

Riding with a group of touring bikes requires a bit more coordination and compromise. Otherwise, not everyone may make it to the destination and back! Get together as a group and plan out your route. This ensures everyone is on the same page for the journey. It also helps you catch any potential issues, such as uncovering a construction-related slowdown.

Packing

Each rider will need to bring the proper riding supplies for touring motorcycles: water, gloves, eye protection, a kerchief, outerwear, and riding boots. If the group is spending the night somewhere, then each person will also need travel supplies: food, clothing, toiletries, and any medications you use. Then someone in the group needs to bring a mini tool-kit to address minor maintenance issues that crop up on the road as well as a first aid kit. It helps to make a list of everything you need. That way, nothing can get left behind.

All touring bikes should leave with a full tank of gas, even if the trip won't take that much fuel. Plans often change on the road. Maybe you have a forced detour due to construction or an accident. Maybe you decide to scope out a destination that wasn't on the list. Don't risk derailing your trip because you ran out of gas.

Riding Formation

There are many ways to arrange everyone's touring bikes on the road. Deciding a formation ahead of time helps the process go smoother. It prevents riders getting separated or lost. Riding in a group of touring motorcycles, rather than a scattered solo group, also helps make you more visibility to other vehicles. This keeps you all safer on the road.

We recommend setting up your touring motorcycles in a staggered double line. The person next to you is one second ahead of you. Those in front and behind you are two seconds away. From an aerial view, the formation of your touring bikes resembles a zipper.

Stay Within Your Group's Limits

When a group of touring bikes gets together, there will inevitably varying levels of experience. Always plan with the lowest skilled rider in mind. It's not fair to expect them to ride routes way beyond their ability! Be intentional about taking brakes as well. It's important to walk around and stretch your legs.

Before your next touring adventure, make sure your touring motorcycle is ready to handle the long ride. If you need any parts replacement or maintenance, bring it to Biggs Harley-Davidson®. Our service department can get touring motorcycles running like new. If you are looking to buy, check out our massive inventory. We offer a range of new and used touring motorcycles for sale. We proudly serve those in San Diego, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Santee, and Poway, California.