Why I Ride Alone

i feel ya !!! 🪃🪃🪃🪃

I agree with you 100%

I got tired of the unpredictability, lack of experience and the horrible riding skills people have. Fact they are in every group and it's tolerated because nobody wants to appear "mean." If one person makes a mistake it can take out several riders. I also don't get the people riding like they are playing a slot machine, smoking a cigar and feet on highway pegs going 30mph.

I do wear a helmet, I'm of average build and my wife is attractive so I don't look like I belong there anyway.:)

Sorry, I tried group riding years ago and hated it.
Reasons ?
I want to ride at MY pace.
I want to stop when I choose.
Watching someone's butt instead of the countryside for miles is boring as F.
Most ride outs are on highways and again that bores the crap out of me .
And as a PS
I don't need to ride a bike or jump out of a plane to give support to a charity.

I agree! I tolerate riding with my husband at times, otherwise I ride alone for all of the same reasons!

Travelled once with a family member and it was shit now I only travel by myself,can do what I want when I want and at my own pace.

There’s riding in a pack of strangers and riding in a group of friends.
Generally they’re not the same thing. I like to ride lead with a few mates, usually I choose the route, we ride fast at front slow at rear, each ride their own ride. But we always get to the destination together, coffee lunch and a waffle.

I totally agree with you

I started riding on my first Harley in 1955 when I was 14. I rode alone then, and I still ride alone most of the time. If there are 3 or 4 that I know are good riders, I will ride with them and have no problems. At 83 years old I do not do long rides anymore anyway. I just go by myself for half hour or so on my 99 Softail Custom on the back roads around where I live 2 miles from a town of 7500 population.

I just like listening to the drag pipes and watching the sun reflect off the headlight. Good therapy.

I ride alone, drive alone, eat alone, live alone. Total freedom. 😊

I avoid riding in groups too. Sad to say the worst riding I have seen was HOG ride-outs in the UK; all the gear and no idea. I'm not saying all Harley riders are bad, just that the HOG rides seem to attract incompetents.

Man, you are spot on! I've been riding for over 44 years. Almost all over my rides with buddies or even only 1 long trip companion they are painful to say the least. All of my solo short and long trips have been safe, enjoyable and a whole lotta fun!

I ride with my motorcycle and thinkness i never is alone

No you are a smart rider. Riding with people who don’t follow the rules is dangerous and should be avoided.

I like doing my own thing, riding in a group is for dunderheads who have no imagination.

I've been riding over fifty years. Rode with alot of groups, but as time passed, many of those I rode with are gone now and some aren't physically able to any more. I'm basically the last man still cruising. But that's just fine because riding keeps me feeling young and it's a form of therapy for me.
Ride To Live and Live To Ride

I'm with you, my friend. I ride alone also. I've been one one of those rides, and it was horrible, never again!

Ha, very similar experience on a group ride. If I had a dollar for every time I said WTF I wouldn’t have to work anymore. Left the group for my own safety and sanity. I like my own pace. I’ve also ridden with a group that I knew and that is just as bad, always someone riding beyond their skill level. I take it easy and ride at my own pace, I enjoy the ride and can stop where and when I want without explaining it to anyone.

Nobody rides exactly the same, has the same experience or rides exactly the same bike so the more people that ride together the more variations occur. This is what makes group rides more dangerous than riding alone where you have more control your own actions. The best way to group ride is to designate meeting points and make your own way to each point.

You are not a dick, I ride alone at 66yrs old for many of same reasons. The old experienced good riders are gone. Godspeed my brother..

Agree with you completely, riding for me is freedom from the pack, why would I then go and find a group to do that with?

Fair comments. Your a safe rider doing it your way! All good 👍

Simple. Because I have no friends.

I use to ride in the sand dunes and desert off road with a bunch of guys many of them I never knew it would be crazy I started to ride with my son when he was old enough to ride we had more fun and did more sight seeing than riding with the bunch .no your not a dick you just have more fun by yourself

I think not, had the same experience, and it was scary lol

The best rides I have a by myself

Absolutely I can think of nothing worse than being in a pack of loonies, at 67 and been riding for the last 50 years, always been a lone wolf.

I like riding alone and with a couple of friends but the big rides are too risky and no fun

The whole stinking point of riding to begin with is being alone. Why pack up with 50 other people trying to be alone? I ride to be in the wind.

Dude, anytime you get at least 10 bikes or more in a pack you’re going to have the accordion effect. It’s the nature of the beast. The hope is that less experienced riders know to go to the rear. It rarely happens though. So if you’re in a pack, the idea is to stay grouped as much as possible to show solidarity first the cause your riding for. It’s about the cause not you.

The only time I’ve ever seen 2 guys ride like the way you described is if one of those guys was a road blocker at intersections. The “middle guy” is holding a place in the pack for the other guy to catch up to before the next intersection.

What I don’t like about pack riding are the show offs. Splitting bikes up the middle, riding wheelies, and so on. They make the ride about everyone seeing them. It’s dangerous.
It’s not about your skill set. It’s about the skill set of the weakest rider around you who won’t respond properly if an issue arises. Again it’s about the cause, not the rider. Behave or don’t ride in a pack with strangers.

Anytime we ride there are 4 factors to consider. Our own personal limitations. The current limitations of our bike. The limitations the road were are on have. The limitations of those we share the road with.

I’m with you on this. I will never ride in a pack. I purchased my bike to enjoy the ride. To unwind. To enjoy the crisp late night wind, or early morning air. Not to surround myself with a bunch of random dudes who I know nothing about.

I am totally with you on this for all the reasons you mention. I like to go where I want and when I want. I'll meet you someplace at an approximate time, but probably not the way you're going.

Turned 65 and retired this year. Been on two wheels since 1977. I prefer riding alone or with my son on his old Evo. Early morning is my favorite time as the sun is just casting its rays across the fields and wood lands. And all the drunks from the night before are in bed.

I’ve been on unfamiliar group rides where the leader and his cronies drive too fast. I like to ride to be relaxed and see the scenery not having to worry about my apexes and entry speed into curves. That being said I normally ride with a group that has been a regular riding group for many years. No problem with them and we all have intercoms yet there have been mishaps here and there luckily no bodily injuries. Thanks for the video.

I have had almost the same experiences and also ride alone. Thanks for posting this, thought it was just me having bad experiences in groups.

When I ride alone, I ride by myself.

I ride alone because i prefer it, also
i have no friends , which i also prefer
to complete the picture , i dont have
family connect. Never been happier
actually. R

Me too, after 20 years riding HD massive events. I simply do no trust anyone I do not ride regularly with. I need to know "how" they are going to react.

Absolutely less stress if you ride solo. Group rides have their place, but it definitely takes a lot more focus/concentration.

I agree

Too many riders too close, accident waiting to happen, seen too many.

I agree with you. It can be a hoot riding with a few others if you can joke about it and are comfortable with their skills. I used to ride with a riders club years ago. Enjoyable for a while but ultimately I didn't feel any freedom in riding. I would often, even after a long group ride , have a few solitary miles to get back in my zone.

I ride alone because groups take too much time. I'm in western Massachusetts with good access to rural roads in New York, Vermont and Connecticut. Route 100 in Vermont is a gem, New York has miles of open farm land roads. I will go until I need gas, have a smoke and keep going. 300-400 miles on a Sunday is not unusual. I try to leave about 5am and then it's me and the cows and deer out and no one else. It's beautiful that early. I see groups of 20-30 bikes getting gas (usually around 10am so the days is half gone) and think at 5 minutes a bike on those 3 pumps how long are they wasting the day there? Or worse the guys who show up for a ride and need gas so everyone waits on them before you even start. Then some are getting coffee or eating and now you lost 60 minutes when you could have been riding. I never stop for lunch. I don't think I'm anti social but I almost always go alone. I solve the worlds problems, critique a movie or two and generally get right with myself.

I do right by myself, just for the same reason

I agree. After 20 years of HOG rides. I now ride alone or with my two buds.

same here in the Netherlands . This time with a big group of Triumph riders . O yeah , and with a group HD riders back from a meeting in Germany . Both stupid selfish riders in front , not keeping up a regular decent speed . Always slowing down for no reason . Both times I passed and went on alone . Hate idiots.

No man you're not a dick.
I think you are right. Group riding has inherent risks... don't need it... especially if your 50 + years of age.
Cool video man I liked 👍

Im with you 100%. And if that makes you a dick, so be it, I'll be a dick right along with you. I ride to unplug, unwind, and get away from the chaos of everyday life.

I ride alone, because I stop at almost every burger joint 😂

Yep, I'm with ya... I've only ridden with one other guy I liked... he knew how to ride and we were moth in our 20s (now we're both in our 70s). I did try riding with a riding group for a few months, but although they all seemed like nice folks when just standing around, my experience on the road with them sounds exactly like yours... by the way I seldom ride two-up either...