Dealing with and passing groups of bikes

[QimmiQ]

I didn't see any threads on this but the "wave" discussion prompted me.

As I have mentioned before, the bikes flood past here on weekends and often in groups. Some are mixed, some are crotch rocket clusters but many are Harley or cruiser pods. The latter are often the biggest groups.

The road can be busy here but never crazy. It's always 60/40 that you won't have to slow down or pass heading through the twisties. Good odds.

My question: what is the proper protocol for passing these large groups, especially the ones of 6, 8 or more that seem to be spread out forever but never far enough between them that you don't feel obligated to pass the whole group at once? They never seem to accommodate you and if you have to squeeze in, they make you feel unwelcome. But passing options are limited at times or very short runs. Or double solid, but fine on a bike.

Am I impatient or are they being road hogs? Even on a clean pass they never seem to wave back :-)

[dsan1964]

I pass them at the right safe time.


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[Nortoon]

I ride during the week on backroads and seldom have to pass bikers. It could be I am driving too slow to catch them, or vice versa. Probably the latter, squids excluded. When I do encounter a biker or two, I usually just follow at a distance. If they are really too slow, I would pick a safe spot to pass.

If I was riding on a weekend, I would probably not attempt to pass a flock of cruisers. If you butt in, you mess up their positioning. I know the roads I ride on. If I know it will be a long time before they might turn off or stop, I just pull over and take a butt break. No I don't smoke, but flat butt is a common ailment if you ride a CB, any CB. I am starting to believe that thin seats and small hard handle grips are Honda's revenge for Hiroshima.

[Pauley]

Get right behind 'em, downshift, goose the throttle, and pass in between them while riding a wheelie one handed and waving the motorcycle wave. That's how I'd do it......If I had a death wish...... And if I knew how to ride a wheelie.

[Cormanus]

[The ferret]

I won't pass a group, I will either pull over and wait awhile or more likely turn and take a side road and head another direction. Legally I believe you are only allowed to pass one vehicle at a time and must signal with indicator when pulling out and pulling back in and horn or flashing headlight while passing. I really dislike riding in popular areas on the weekend because of the parade riders, and avoid it if I can.

[CA200]

I am never going fast enough to pass anything -

[aschem]

Stop, stretch, pee break, check your chain, check your cellphone, look at the sky, take a nap and anything else that can kill some time. Get back on your bike and haul buns, run into the same group and repeat.

[pdedse]

I don't run into it much out in the open west, but if the tank is less than half full it's a good time to fill up. I've had to pass a few, overtaking riders one-by-one, doing so with signals, trying to be as predictable as possible. Nobody seemed to mind. But I've avoided more and have let a few pass me by making it obvious I wanted them to do so. They waved and beeped horns for that, appreciative of the gesture I think. Or laughing at my slowness.

[the_undecider]

This has only been a problem occassionally with large clubs out riding together. You do need to be mindful of who the less savory clubs are, like the Bandidos, Hell's Angels, and Cossacks, etc. I'm sure a few of y'all heard about shootout in Waco a couple years ago. That is about an hour up the road from me and these groups are out and about. Those are the guys you don't want to work your way through passing. I have done that with a group of cruisers and they seemed pretty unreceptive given how close they stayed on my flank while I was working my way through. I'm inclined to play it safe and wait till I can get around them all or just let them move along.