yes i did the Big Single kept right up with the Harleys on the highway on ramps - the only place the pace picked up at all......ok shoot me if you will - but - I got to say that riding in a group of Harleys when they take off is quite an audio-sensery-over-load, of the best kind! - God it sounded AWESOME when all those bikes accelerate at once! - There were even bystnders in some of the places waiting for us to pass - waving flags holding signs etc.......forgive my emotion but i got to say i got a tear in my eye when i saw this and thought how I was participating in something so very worthwhile...even as I write this and reflect on the day i get a little weepy.

link to the local news story:

http://www.digtriad.com/life/community/article/173693/327/Bike-Ride-Raises-Mo...

Group Riding - Stolen from another site I frequent. Written by our local instructor. Treat this as a guidline.
Group riding can be a fun way to share the sport of riding with other riders.  I've been on many group events, and hope to ride many more.  I do have one strong proviso, though.  Mostly I only ride with other riders that I know and trust the skill level of.  If I get convinced to ride with an unfamiliar group, I usually ride at the back.  Here's some of the pifalls of group riding, in random order, as they occur to me;

The "Slinky effect": - Described in TOTW #07

The "I.Q. Buster" effect:  I don't know what it is about riding in groups, but it often seems to reduce the I.Q. of the riders significantly!  They do things on group rides they would never do when riding alone!  Like ride too fast mostly.  Also known as the "Yee-Haw!" effect!  Don't let the group take dumb chances in the name of fun.

The "Close Companion" effect:  Group rides often ride MUCH too close together, either all of the bikes are clumped together, 1/2 second apart, or, even when the group thinks it's spacing is far apart, the rider "pairs" are too close to each other.  So you get 1-2 (gap) 3-4 (gap) 5-6 (gap) etc.  where pairs like 1 & 2 are nearly riding side by side, then a big gap to the next pair.

The "Lemming" effect:  The trailing riders doing things just because the lead rider does, without making their own judgement call and decision.  Like for example when the lead rider pulls out for a pass, and ALL of the trailing bikes attempt to follow the lead bike through the pass, without considering if there is room enough for them!  Thunk your own thoughts!  Decide your own decisions.

The "Keep up with the Joneses" effect:  As stated elsewhere before, group rides are often the place where less skilled riders get pushed beyond their comfort level, or even well beyond their safe skill level.  And this is important, this happens even when the group thinks they have slowed it down for them!  it would be OK if the riders could easily say to everyone "This is too fast for me!" - but they can't, or feel they can't, and rather than letting themselves fall back, they usually try to keep up, sometimes with dramatic consequences.

The "Iron Butt" effect:  Groups often try to cover too darn many kilometers in one day, or too many riding hours.  (solo riders do, too.)  Fatigue makes riders less engaged in the riding process, and slows their reaction time.  Exaggerates the "Slinky Effect" and causes crashes within the group.