Club Rules

These rules are presented in no particular order. These are intended to increase the effective safety on group rides.

The Golden Rule

Primary Rules for Club Rides

1. Wear appropriate riding gear. Where appropriate equates to: Helmet (by law), eye protection (by law) and please wear: heavy leather boots or racing boots, full or two piece leathers ( leather pants and leather jacket are fine) and good gloves. If the weather looks gray, bring rain gear.
   Note: Most members wear full one-piece leathers, body armor, a back protector, race quality boots and gloves and a full face helmet for our Sunday rides. Safety first.
2. Keep your scooter in good working condition. Before every ride please review the condition of your bikes tires, brakes, etc.
3. Do not pass other riders during a turn. IF, and only IF you have a prior arrangement with the other rider should you attempt to pass during a turn.
4. While the NSC cannot force you to ride at the posted speed limit, NSC members and participants in group rides are requested to strictly adhere to posted speed limits when within city limits.
5. Valid drivers license with the Motorcycle (class M) endorsement.
6. Valid motorcycle insurance.
7. If you have been riding on the street for less than five years, and have not attended a motorcycle safety class in the past three, we ask that you attend a safety course before joining a ride. 
8. Have fun!

Club Grouping System.

In an effort to provide a safer riding experience for all, the NSC rides in two groups: A Group and B Group.

The A Group: Intended for experienced riders who enjoy, and are capable of, riding at an extremely brisk pace. Typically these riders have many years of both road riding and track riding experience.

The B Group: Intended for riders of all skill levels who enjoy a more "tempered" pace, as well as riders who are new to the NSC club rides.

Group Leaders: Group leaders can be identified by distinctive NSC stickers on their bikes and will be introduced at the beginning of each ride. These riders have demonstrated both the ability and the desire to help make the NSC rides as safe as possible. The B Group lead bike sets the pace for the B Group. If you are in the B group, either by skill level, personal preference, or if this is your first ride with the NSC, you may not pass that rider. Riders who are new to the NSC will have their riding abilities evaluated during the ride. Typically, an advanced rider who's first ride begins in the B group, will shortly find themselves "Cut Loose", meaning that they may now ride at whatever pace that they are comfortable with. It pains us to have to do this, but past hospital visits have made this a necessity. If, at any time, a group leader feels that you are riding in a manner that is either unsafe, or beyond your demonstrated abilities, they will encourage you to improve. This is constructive criticism aimed at making the ride as safe as possible. Conversely, and also more often, group leaders will take riders aside to complement them on their responsible riding. If you have a problem on a ride, witness another rider being unsafe, please bring it to your group leaders attention.

 Some notes for B Group riders:

• If you loose sight of the riders in front of you, don't feel as if you have to speed up in order to catch up. Ride your own ride, at a pace you are comfortable with. As the ride progresses, there is a natural amount of slack that develops - no one will get left behind. When a there is a turn in the route, a rider will be there to indicate  the ride route, and will then fall in behind you.
• While communicating with other riders is helpful, if you feel uncomfortable riding with one hand or foot off your bike, don't.
• Print out the Ride Map for the ride and bring it with you so you have a reference for the road ahead.
• The B Group Leaders will often patrol throughout the B Group so don't feel as if you need to keep up with the lead bike. As always, ride at your own pace and have fun.

Club Rides

For those that are new to club riding, there are notable differences in riding by yourself verses riding with twenty other riders. Formation Riding: When we begin the ride, and often when we are in towns, we ride in a standard staggered formation. The lead bike rides in the left third of the lane, the second bike rides behind the lead bike in the  right third of the lane. The third bike then rides behind the second, in the left third of the lane, and it continues alternating in that fashion through the group. This gives all riders plenty of room to maneuver with good visibility of the road ahead.

Communicating with other riders.

There are often times when you need to communicate something to another rider, or to a Group Lead while you are riding. We rely heavily on sign language for this. Below are the standard signals we use. As the right hand is often working the throttle, the left is commonly used for signaling others. Most of these signals, like obstacles and speed traps, are repeated once you see them, so as to pass the message back through the group.

• Need Gas: Point to your gas tank several times.
• Obstacle in the road: If you see debris such as sand or rocks, point to the road on the side of the bike that the obstruction is on with your foot.
• Bicyclists: Make a peddling motion with your foot on the side that the bicyclist is on.
• Police speed trap: Tap the top of your helmet with your hand several times.
  
  Alternate gesture's / symbols / motions: Other groups, most notably Harley riders, have their own gestures for police speed traps, these include, but are not limited to:
• Using the left arm, signal a right turn with your index finger pointed up, and twirl your hand in circles (to signify the rotation of police lights)
• Raise left arm with a closed fist and open/close your fist several times (to signify blinking lights)
• Left hand extended, palm down, and move the arm up/down, in a "slow down" manner.
  Note: This is also used to notify fellow riders of obstacles or accidents ahead - telling you to "slow down". This has a similar meaning to our signal of raising the left hand (noted below).


• Indicate to the rider behind you that you want them to pass you: Make a sweeping motion from the rear of your bike to the front, on the side that you want them to pass you.
• Need help/Mechanical problem: Raise your left hand (if you can), to indicate that you are having problems and then pull over. If the rider in front of you does this, and there is not a Group Leader near, please stop and make sure that they are ok, and then ride ahead to notify the group, or simply keep them company until a Group Leader comes looking for you.:)

Additional Information

Please also review the Rider Safety section.