Just a quick question for yall when yall ride in a group how do yall ride. Staggered or side by side. I know some states have laws that cover this but being a prior motorcycle cop when i ride i like to ride directly beside another rider in the same lane. If i can tell this bothers the other rider i will move. I bumped into one of my riding buddys on a straight and did not give it a second thought it seemed to bother him. Just wanted to hear yalls thoughts

I'm all about staggered; it gives me a little bit more room...just in case.

Agree with StreetBobGirl....staggered gives ya the "just in case" reaction factor. I stagger even with just two riding togeather.

Course, occasionaly I stagger when I'm NOT riding, but that's a different story! LOL 

I will typically ride staggered most of the time. When riding with someone I know real well I will spend a little time side by side. Like the otehrs said, staggered just gives you a little more room in case you stray a bit sideways. Would hate to chase my buddy off the road!

Staggered is the way to go. Now it's figuring out who's gonna be up front

Depends... long rides in scenic area with less than ten bikes I prefer just riding and not sweating the formation. Otherwise 2 second staggered except in town... then 2 abreast.

I’m with the general consensuses, staggered and the distance from first bike to second depends on who I’m riding with. In some case the front and back wheels is only about one wheel off. In others it maybe bike lengths.

Back in the day on my service bike "Up till last year" we rode in formation everywhere cept in twisites in which we staggered "2sec rule"

I ride staggered with all people cept a select few....Riding in formation takes shill, good perferial vision and just a plain old good awarness of your surroundings.....

But that's just me...
RandyJoe...Ride Strong..

I agree with Lucky. I like to ride staggered for the most part especially in large groups. I rode the Freedom Run in New Jersey recently and even with a police escort the sheer numbers (over 1000), weather conditions (drizzle,fog) and traffic (some cagers just don't get it), things would have got ugly quick if you chose to ride side by side.

On the other hand, I regularly ride with a close knit group and we use a side by side formation in many circumstances. Mainly when we are on open highways with little traffic or when riding straight and secluded byways

I like to ride the 2 second rule and if with a large group I like to hang out last .

I prefer tail-gunner, staggered in a group, so I tend to grab that spot second nature, even if there's only two of us. I've spend most of my miles solo, and most of the others with my Dad, and I still rode staggered with him, I'd just tighten it up quite a but, ALMOST next to him, but not directly, like front wheel even with his back wheel. Because I've done most of my riding solo, I've developed this habit of using my whole lane, especially in turns... I usually remember to cut it out when there's someone behind me, but it's just better to have the room.

In open area's we open up and ride relaxed with plenty of room between bikes. when we get into town and around lights we close up and ride staggered so we all make the lights together. There is absolutely no worse feeling than watching a buddy go off the road and know you caused it.

Staggered. It especially irritates me when a noobie wants to ride side by side. I don.t trust them to hold their own lane.

Been on quite a few group rides & its always staggered.When I ride with my close friends we never drive closed up except in town,always leave plenty of room ahead n behind out on the open road.

Staggered with the 2 sec. Rule makes me feel at ease.. in the country and side by side in town is ok.. Follow your comfort zone.

Staggered out on the highways. I will ride side by side at lower speeds, and beside someone I trust.

Ladies first. Just kidding. I'm with everyone else, less'n I know someone EXTREMELY well, I want that buffer. So stagger me please....

Its depends on conditions but, I have not problem riding handle bar to handle bar.
but it is more relaxing stagger

Thank yall im new to riding in groups other than police formations and I dont want to crowd people yalls input helped.





I

If you've run police formations, than YOU obviously can do anything you want, so I'd venture to say that if you're riding with someone that you KNOW has been i the saddle for a while and can hold a line, and you want to run side-by-side, go for it. It's about knowing each other and being comfortable. I've riden next to my dad before, usually in town, so we make lights together, than dropped back a little on the highway, like I said, my front even with his rear in a tight stagger. Really, just BE COMFORTABLE in whatever formation you're in, whether it's a big group or a small one. I'd ride completely differently in a pack of bikers I don't know as well than I would with my Dad. That's just the way it is.

I prefer the staggered formation. Just the other day, I was riding with a new group and was the 3rd bike in the group on the left side of the lane. The lead bike all of a sudden makes a right hand turn with no real warning. The 2nd bike in the line locked up his brakes trying to stop. I hit the binders too and tried to come up short enough so the 4th bike in the line had some place to go just in case he wasn't paying attention.
I just think you're safer in a staggered formation. But I can ride "Chips style" with my brother because we've been riding together for years. He knows what he's doing.

I ride handle bar to handle bar with a few friends. This makes my wife a little nervous but truth is when riding this way I am much more alert. Most of my rides we are staggered, 2 sec behind the bike directly in front and 1 second from the bike to the right or left.

Both my sons ride and they were taught to draw an imaginary line down the center of the lane, if they can't keep the bike in that area they are going to fast.

Staggered, please.

I like plenty of defensible space.

Or is it wiggle room?

I forget.