The Inexact Science of Riding Sweep

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  Posted by BikerCrap May 29, 2013 - Filed in Personal Rides - 1,366 views
  

  For thousands of motorcyclists, group riding brings them a great deal of enjoyment and doing so safely is of paramount importance.
  
  While I consider myself to be an average rider with my fare share of miles riding sweep, I am certainly no expert on the subject so, when I decided to share some of my personal insight as a tail gunner, I thought it prudent that I browse the internet to see what others had to share about riding sweep. WOW, was that ever an eye opener!  After scanning through about a dozen different articles on the art of riding sweep, a few of which I found on well respected motorcycle industry websites, I came to three conclusions. First, there is a significant difference in opinion as to what exactly the purpose and responsibilities of a sweep rider are; second, anyone following all the rules of riding, instructed by most of the articles I read could not possibly be enjoying the ride with all the does and don’ts they’d have to adhere to; and third, much of what I read could not have possibly been written by a biker. Take for example, one of the passages I read that stated, and I am paraphrasing, If you cannot keep up with the sweep rider, you’re going to be left behind.
  
  I am by no means downplaying the importance of having someone in your group ride sweep no more than I am downplaying the importance of riding safely, I am a huge proponent of both however, if compliance to the rules stated, in the majority of the articles I read, were mandatory to ride, I would sell my motorcycle and take up butterfly collecting. While in each of the articles there was a mention that the ride should be enjoyable, the extensive laundry list of do’s and don’ts they placed on the sweep rider and all riders in the group, were so intrusive that they negated the very reason we ride. Reading these articles reminded me of the nature channel when they would show how the new leader of the heard would put on a show to insert his dominance over his minions, they were just overbearing.
  
  But I digress. 
  
  There is certainly a need to know the general function of the particular ride positions in the group, but it really is not near as complicated as most of these articles I read have made it out to be. The reality is, the role and responsibility of any particular group ride position is learned through group riding experience and common sense and while there are always tips to share, a detailed punch list of 20 plus items describing the duties of the sweep rider likely provides little benefit to anything other than the ego of the author who wrote them.
  
  Group riding is not for everyone but for many, throwing on their favorite riding apparel and heading out on a group ride is pure enjoyment. Ride, watch, learn and let common sense prevail and before long you’ll be comfortable taking up the tail gunner spot in your riding group.