Season Opener Group Ride 2022 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Season Opener Group Ride 2022

Lightcycle

Lightcycle

Rounder of bolts, Dropper of tools
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I've been riding since the end of February, but many people don't insure the bikes till the end of April/beginning of May.

There's a local riding group out here that organizes rides through the season, and most people purchase insurance on their bikes to coincide for this season opener group ride.

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What a turnout! We met in the parking lot of the local Yamaha dealership. I counted over 65 bikes and more were streaming in, they joined the group as we headed out into the glorious sunshine!

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The line of bikes stretched over a km long as we hit some of the local twisty roads.

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Stopped for a nice photo opp above the lake.

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What an amazing day! Typically, group rides can be a bit of a sh!t show, especially one this large. But the organizers were very experienced and communicated the route so nobody got lost. Riders familiar with the route were spread out amongst the group, and were able to corral people if they got caught out at stop lights or turns. All the riders were respectful of each other's space and the pace of the ride. We stopped several times along the way to chat and had lunch at a great diner outside of town. The weather was also excellent, sunny and not too cold. Couldn't ask for a better day for a ride.

Got a nice video of the day:


Can't wait for more group rides!
 
danp said:
Great turnout. Interesting that they let you start your insurance in the spring, we can't do that in ontario. Well we can but it doesn't save any money.
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That’s not even the worst part.

When they ask how many years of consecutive insurance you have. Boom!
 
Lightcycle said:
I've been riding since the end of February, but many people don't insure the bikes till the end of April/beginning of May.

There's a local riding group out here that organizes rides through the season, and most people purchase insurance on their bikes to coincide for this season opener group ride.

DSCN2834-X2.jpg


groupshot-X2.jpg


What a turnout! We met in the parking lot of the local Yamaha dealership. I counted over 65 bikes and more were streaming in, they joined the group as we headed out into the glorious sunshine!

wide_angle-X2.jpg


The line of bikes stretched over a km long as we hit some of the local twisty roads.

us_2-X2.jpg


DSCN2835-X2.jpg


Stopped for a nice photo opp above the lake.

DSCN2839-X2.jpg


What an amazing day! Typically, group rides can be a bit of a sh!t show, especially one this large. But the organizers were very experienced and communicated the route so nobody got lost. Riders familiar with the route were spread out amongst the group, and were able to corral people if they got caught out at stop lights or turns. All the riders were respectful of each other's space and the pace of the ride. We stopped several times along the way to chat and had lunch at a great diner outside of town. The weather was also excellent, sunny and not too cold. Couldn't ask for a better day for a ride.

Got a nice video of the day:


Can't wait for more group rides!
Click to expand...
I stopped group riding a couple of years ago. 1 group I rode with regularly started piling up crashes -- I can recall at least 10 riders down in a 2 year period, one fatal. Another attracted dirty riders and regularly ran 172 in close formation knowing cops have trouble identifying riders. Another ended up running parade-type rides, I'm not one for blocking intersections and riding 30+ long processions.

Group rides attract riders with a wide range of skills, sometimes novice riders overestimate their ability and fall in technical or spirited parts of the ride. These days I'll ride with others, but only in small groups and only with people I believe have skills matched to the ride.
 
Mad Mike said:
I stopped group riding a couple of years ago. 1 group I rode with regularly started piling up crashes -- I can recall at least 10 riders down in a 2 year period, one fatal. Another attracted dirty riders and regularly ran 172 in close formation knowing cops have trouble identifying riders. Another ended up running parade-type rides, I'm not one for blocking intersections and riding 30+ long processions.

Group rides attract riders with a wide range of skills, sometimes novice riders overestimate their ability and fall in technical or spirited parts of the ride. These days I'll ride with others, but only in small groups and only with people I believe have skills matched to the ride.
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The only ticket i ever got on a motorcycle was in a group ride and it wasn't even for speeding. Kinda embarassing. But i was new and then i learned from that experience. Small groups of people you "know".

That ride Lightcycle just showcased seemed tons of fun and the views are just * chef's kiss *
 
Evoex said:
That’s not even the worst part.

When they ask how many years of consecutive insurance you have. Boom!
Click to expand...
Trying to explain my BC insurance history to Ontario brokers and insurance agents was an exercise in deep breaths and repeating myself again and again: "No, I didn't cancel my insurance. Yes, I've been insured every year in BC since 2006. No, I didn't cancel my insurance. No, I didn't cancel my insurance. No, I didn't cancel my insurance. Okay, seriously, do you see on the sheet I sent over that there is a six month period of insurance every year? You can do that in BC. No, I didn't cancel my insurance."

Because understanding your motorcycle insurance rates in Ontario is not allowed on the customer side, absolutely nobody would give me a straight answer about how much it was actually costing me that I'd let my insurance 'lapse' in Ontario terms. They kind of hand waved it and the machine spat out a quote.
 
Mad Mike said:
I stopped group riding a couple of years ago. 1 group I rode with regularly started piling up crashes -- I can recall at least 10 riders down in a 2 year period, one fatal. Another attracted dirty riders and regularly ran 172 in close formation knowing cops have trouble identifying riders. Another ended up running parade-type rides, I'm not one for blocking intersections and riding 30+ long processions.

Group rides attract riders with a wide range of skills, sometimes novice riders overestimate their ability and fall in technical or spirited parts of the ride. These days I'll ride with others, but only in small groups and only with people I believe have skills matched to the ride.
Click to expand...

I've had the same experience as you. But when you're new to a town, group rides are a good way to meet people and find riders at your skill level. When I first started riding, GTAM was the place I found the people who would eventually make up my core riding group.

I've been to a few demo rides out here and I've been pleasantly surprised at the skill level of motorcycle riders in the rural areas. Definitely more proficient than city riders, probably because of the seat time and most riders have been riding dirt bikes or ATVs since before they can walk.

Everyone on our group ride was riding within their skill level. Nobody showing off, and everyone was respectful of distance and space. I'd definitely ride with these guys again.
 
danp said:
Great turnout. Interesting that they let you start your insurance in the spring, we can't do that in ontario. Well we can but it doesn't save any money.
Click to expand...

Yeah, in BC there's two components to vehicle insurance: liability is compulsory and you have to get it from the government. Comprehensive insurance is supplied privately and is optional. Most people keep the comprehensive all year round, for fire/theft, and only put the liability on during the riding season.

I believe you can kind of do the same in Ontario - keep fire/theft on over the winter, but take off the liability. In this way, you're still keeping continuous insurance, however most insurance companies pro-rate the liability costs so most of it is charged during the summer months, so you as you mentioned above, you are only saving a 10% or less if you take liability off during the winter.
 
Lightcycle said:
Yeah, in BC there's two components to vehicle insurance: liability is compulsory and you have to get it from the government. Comprehensive insurance is supplied privately and is optional. Most people keep the comprehensive all year round, for fire/theft, and only put the liability on during the riding season.

I believe you can kind of do the same in Ontario - keep fire/theft on over the winter, but take off the liability. In this way, you're still keeping continuous insurance, however most insurance companies pro-rate the liability costs so most of it is charged during the summer months, so you as you mentioned above, you are only saving a 10% or less if you take liability off during the winter.
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Not for motorcycle.

All or nothing!
 
Lightcycle said:
Really? Must have changed. I remember my buddy doing this all the time. Every time he wanted to go for a ride, he'd call up the insurance company the day before to put liability back on again.
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That is doable. @Mad Mike has that setup iirc (swaps between bikes). But he needs one of them to carry full insurance all year round.

Feel free to correct me MM
 
Evoex said:
That is doable. @Mad Mike has that setup iirc (swaps between bikes). But he needs one of them to carry full insurance all year round.

Feel free to correct me MM
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You are already correct.

Desjardins and TD both permitted me to swap over the phone. TD used to be instant as I recall, Desjardins changes over at midnight on the day you schedule the change.
 
Where in BC are you riding @Lightcycle? My good buddy just got a bike and would be interested in joining these I’m sure. He’s in Vancouver.

EDIT: Kelowna rings a bell…
 
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Lightcycle said:
Yep, Kelowna. If he's here, let me know, I can forward you the Facebook page where the meets and rides are organized.
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I'll let him know if he's ever going out that way to touch base. He just bought a 2004 VERSYS in that sexy orange.
 
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