Monday, May 20, 2013

Les Ardennes

Group riding: as a motorcyclist you likely will have the opportunity to drive in a (small) group. For instance when going on a road trip it's the perfect chance to have this experience. I wasn't used to group riding until recently.  A few weeks ago I went to the Ardennes in Belgium with five fellow motorcyclists. The group consisted of five quite different motors and drivers. There was a Suzuki SV650, Kawasaki ZR7, Suzuki Intruder, my Ducati Monster and a Triumph Speed Triple. Also the characters of the drivers were very varied. From zero fucks given to almost obsessive-compulsive disorder (me).  

When driving in a group it's like a rubber band that is being pulled and released. The motorcyclists are constantly changing their distances to each-other in a more or less noticeable degree. You have to be, even more so than driving alone, very aware of your surroundings. Because of the constant (minor) change of speed and place on the road you have to be very cautious not to crash into each-other or to lose track of the group. I may be exaggerating a little but you still need some basic rules just to keep out of trouble. There is some very useful information to be found on the internet. Something I found very informative is the article called "The Pace" which can be found here.

The Ardennes is a perfect place to hone your driving skills and cornering ability on a motorcycle. The road surface is not that perfect which keeps you alert at all times to what is going on underneath your bike. Here are some pictures of the individuals of the group I went with.