XS Southeast 2013

[jetmechmarty]

the slower rider in the twisties pegs it to catch up and the ones behind can never get by safely. Anyone can go fast straight.. if you're falling behind on the curves, let some by you so they can enjoy the ride as well.

The guy at the back is going over 100 miles per hour! If we can sort this out, everybody has fun, nobody gets hurt, and nobody gets a speeding ticket. We could get behind a pack of wild hogs and then we all slow to a crawl. Those folks usually move slower than motorhomes. Last year, I think the wet kept them close to the keg.

I was on my way to Knoxville one time and chose to use 129 for my route. I got behind some Honda superbike. The driver is wearing shorts, tee shirt, and tennis shoes. He has a 10-12 year old child with him, also improperly dressed, but at least not wearing shorts. He's driving just as Tod describes. He's going 5-10 mph in every turn and accelerating to 60+ coming out. I can't get by and he's clueless that I'm on his back tire at every turn. A sport bike comes up behind me and I immediately move over and wave him by. Apparently, the guy on the Honda saw this and the light bulb came on. He waved the sport bike and then he finally waved me. The point is, the folks doing this don't really realize what is going on. If we clear all this up before the ride, I think the links in the chain won't stretch so much. It's not a race. We all want to have fun.

[BA80]

Last year on the first day everyone stayed pretty much together because of the wet roads. Day 2 we got sorted out fairly quickly and had a decent days ride. Except we had to watch close for speed traps.

[madmax-im]

It is absolutely critical that each rider....rides their own ride...the leader is NOT responsible for YOU or your riding style...YOU ARE! So do not exceed your limits just to catch up with those whose limits are beyond yours...
I doubt this will be used on this rally...but At XSEast and many ST-Owner rallies they have a method of leading called the Drop and Sweep...Where the lead rider and the sweep rider are the only ones who stay in their fixed positions and everyone inbetween will cycle thru from front to back...What happens ...everytime the leader comes to a turn...junction he drops the rider immediately behind him as a marker for the rest of the group to know where to turn...This dropped rider stays in that spot until the sweep rider comes along. The dropped rider gets back into the ride in front of the sweep-er...this way everyone in between cycles their way up to the front ...
This allows evryone to ride at their own pace...no worries they have to keep up or will miss a turn...the only way this doesnt work is if the dropped rider abandons his spot before the sweep-er arrives...sometimes it can be quick or other times it could be 20 mins before the sweep comes into view. We used this method at XSEast 2 yrs ago on the 2nd day's ride and it worked very well no one got lost.....its a really simple way for a large grooup to spread out and ride.

[BA80]

That almost sounds like some kind of government program Ben. Everybody gets what they want but no one gets what they deserve.

[madmax-im]

That almost sounds like some kind of government program Ben. Everybody gets what they want but no one gets what they deserve.

nope Greg...not even close...

[trbig]

I don't understand the logic in that, Ben. So what you're saying, is at some point after the first few turns, your fast riders are going to be in the back behind the slower riders, and at the end, the last riders will invariably be at the front and everyone will be forced to ride at the slowest rider's pace? Yeah.. that sounds like a fun time to me. I think I gotta agree with Greg. That sounds like government logic to me.

[DGXSER]

I am admittedly more of a cruiser style of rider. I do enjoy the turns at a pace, but I am no corner carver for sure. XS East last year was my first large group ride experience, and I started off in the four spot. Well, it did not take long for me to be that guy losing ground in the turns and cranking it up in the straights. Not like they got out of site, but there was a good six bike gap at times. and when I looked in the mirror I do not recall seeing anyone right on my six. Part of it is skill, and desire to push the bikes limits, part of it is knowing the roads since the leader already rode them a few times setting up the rally. I can't find myself trusting the guy in front enough to blindly follow into a hairpin double back I can't see marked at 30 MPH doing 70 MPH in a 50 MPH zone. Maybe its just me. Not how I ride.

First gas stop I dropped back to the middle of the pack. For me that was a little less aggressive than I wanted to be, but I felt better than trying to push my skills and limits to keep up with the leaders. I got enough metal rods, pins, and screws in me already. And those air care flights are WAY to expensive, and you do not get to see any of the scenery.

[jetmechmarty]

Part of it is skill, and desire to push the bikes limits, part of it is knowing the roads since the leader already rode them a few times setting up the rally. I can't find myself trusting the guy in front enough to blindly follow into a hairpin double back I can't see marked at 30 MPH doing 70 MPH in a 50 MPH zone. Maybe its just me. Not how I ride.

Exactly! For whatever reason, you ride in your own comfort zone. It's too easy getting caught up in trying to play catch-up or being pushed along by the rider behind you. You have to stay focused on not doing that. When that other bike is pushing, wave him by. You'll just risk hurting yourself if you try to run from him. If we all do that, the whole group moves along better. We aren't leaving anyone behind. We'll plan our lunch stop for everyone to be together. If you want to do your own thing all day and meet us at the lodge for dinner, that's fine too.

[madmax-im]

no boys you ride as fast or slow as you want you can pass slower riders...the point is you all get to ride exactly how you want...you're not pressured to keep up with the leader and anytime theres a turn onto a different road theres someone there to tell you which way to go...whats with you midwestern boys???...always fear anything you dont know and OFC there has to be some effing conspiracy behind it...get a grip people....I knew you'd be closed minded to anything you're not familiar with...sorry to have bothered..........................

[BA80]

Take it easy Ben. Don't get so excited. That's pretty much the way we do it except instead of the first rider behind the leader dropping all the way back to the end if you can't see the riders behind you, you wait at the turn until they catch up so they see where to turn.

Pretty simple really and everyone keeps their place.

[trbig]

no boys you ride as fast or slow as you want you can pass slower riders...the point is you all get to ride exactly how you want...you're not pressured to keep up with the leader and anytime theres a turn onto a different road theres someone there to tell you which way to go...whats with you midwestern boys???...always fear anything you dont know and OFC there has to be some effing conspiracy behind it...get a grip people....I knew you'd be closed minded to anything you're not familiar with...sorry to have bothered..........................

OK, so the fast guy picks up the marker, goes to the back of the pack, just in front of the trail.. then is supposed to pass everyone in the group to get back to the lead where he can ride as fast as he wants to, just in time to get the next marker and go to the back again?

Yeah, that makes perfect sense and it must be a midwestern thing. No conspiracies.. maybe you just haven't seen how many government programs operate, and it was a simple comparrison. No rhyme or reason. We're open minded to anything new that makes sense. It's just that so far, I haven't seen any in that scenario. Maybe I'm not totally understanding how the system you're explaining works, but if I am... maybe it's a northeastern thing.

That being said, I'm along for the ride, and if this is how the ride is going to take place, I'll play along and spend the day baffled by it all... you know.. being midwestern and all. We do simple things like.. when coming to a turn and the biggest gaps usually aren't more than 30 seconds to a minute, so we all wait for everyone to catch up, make the turn, and go until the next one. Nobody gets left behind and nobody feels pressured or worried since they know someone will be there if there's a turn off.


*Edit.. And Greg beat me to much of it.. lol.

[madmax-im]

everyone between the lead and sweep rider changes their position as they are dropped and then swept...usually the pack really spreads out and there are times when theres no one else in sight...in betweeen the lead and sweep you can ride as fast or slow as you want...you dont have to worry about using your gps or getting lost...someone will be at the next jct. to point the way...so some people do indeed race to get back to the the front but most are content in riding their own ride and knowing they're not going to lose the others regardless of how they ride. There are all different levels of skill in a group of 30+ riders and it is unsafe and unrealistic to expect those with lesser skills and abilities to keep up with those that are most skilled...and vice versa...
I have ridden this system many times...its simple and it works...remember this is a group ride...and this method is safe to use. So if thats not clear enough for you then i dont know what is...my apologies abt your midwestern background...believe me doing it makes more sense than i can possibly convey on the internet...
I think if you're willing to try it you might like it...maybe not...I have always managed to have fun riding this way. Just ask anyone who rode it 2 yrs ago at XSEast in OH...dunno if they used it this year as I missed that one...

[jetmechmarty]

That being said, I'm along for the ride, and if this is how the ride is going to take place, I'll play along and spend the day baffled by it all...

We discussed this last year. We have already determined that for this group, it is not appropriate for the reasons you have pointed out. Drop and sweep is perfect for a large group on a sightseeing tour. Many come to XS SE just for the twisted pavement. We realize that. We'll do our best to come up with something that makes everyone happy. That will be no simple task.

[jetmechmarty]

...dunno if they used it this year as I missed that one...

They said that's what we were going to do, but at the very first turn, the bike in the #2 position did not stop and wait. That was the end of it. It was my first experience with it, or maybe it wasn't. Bottom line; we didn't do it.

If there are enough people at XS SE who want to do drop 'n sweep we'll put those folks in a group and do it. I have no issue with that.

[trbig]

I think that if we do this, when I get to the #2 spot, right before the turn, I'll drop back and wave the #3 bike into #2 position.. over and over. lol.


Still not understanding how the faster guys being in the back behind the slower riders lets anyone ride the ride they want, but we can discuss it over a cold one on Friday night... as long as they leave the lights on so you can hear? lol.