P500 First group ride. Didn't like it...

[PNWGuy]

Yes, this is me, lol...



I have resisted going out on group rides for years; even riding with one other machine doesn't appeal to me for several reasons.

But, my girlfriend's dad invited me out with him and a couple of other people yesterday, so I gave in and went.

We spent 5 hours in the woods and covered 37 miles. Stopped for lunch and breaks for a total of an hour, so that's 4 hours of riding to cover 32 miles of Idaho backcountry. That means, we averaged 9.25 mph.

Doesn't seem like it, but it was too much ground to cover in too little time.

The other people were great. No showing off or peer pressure to try an obstacle you weren't comfortable with, lots of joking and laughing and people having a good time.

It's just that their idea of a good time riding is to cover as much trail as possible. They liked the actual riding more than the experience of the surroundings.

I like riding and overcoming obstacles as well, but I go into the woods to experience the woods. We whizzed by several muddy watering holes with lots of interesting tracks I wanted to look at. Went by a stump that a bear had just got done rubbing off his winter fur coat on. Would approach a view with thousands of acres of clear-cut areas where elk and bear like to hang out in and we would just power on by without stopping to look for wildlife. Possibly still some Morel mushrooms that high up, but never stopped at likely growing areas.

Just different priorities, I guess...

Which is why I didn't like it. Having the company was great. Having an extra couple of machines for support was great. Talking and joking with people on breaks was great.

Just seemed more like a mission than a recreational pursuit.

Anyway, here's the obligatory pics...

 

[70Bones]

When we go (small) group riding, there are a couple of rules: 1) keep an eye on your 6, if you can't see the guy behind you, stop and wait, 2) if anyone wants to stop and smell the roses, please do, we'll notice you missing and go back for you.

 

[mjager]

Most go to cover some ground, enjoy the scenery and the camaraderie. To do the stuff you want to do it's best to go by yourself.

 

[HUCK]

Next time , you invite them and lead the ride , stop where you want , you'll be surprised that most everyone will appreciate the narrated tour .

 

[PNWGuy]

Yeah, I need to try again. I was just trying to be respectful of others and just go with the flow. Got invited to go with another couple on another ride and will see how that goes.

I usually ride with no helmet or goggles and just a baseball cap or boonie hat, but brought my pair of motocross goggles for my girlfriend's dad who had eye surgery recently. He found his own set, luckily, since I found being in the rear of the pack pretty much necessitated the use of goggles. Will need to bring a bandanna as well next time to reduce the amount of dust ingested.

 

[Backwoods]

I enjoy group rides but I also like doing my own thing sometimes. I like to see the sites and put on a few miles but I figure I have all day . If it gets dark I didn't buy more lights for nothing. I'll post a pic of my dust setup later it's comfortable.

 

[PNWGuy]

My dad Winters in Yuma, Arizona and belongs to a Jeep club that goes out in the desert on big rides. His Jeep is a newer model with a hardtop and AC.

He says he sees they stop and chat with the big UTV groups on the trail and they all have full face masks and dedicated oxygen systems on board because the dust is so bad.

Seems like a miserable way to ride, to me.

 

[Backwoods]

Here's my setup it works great for me. The glasses I bought at the Honda dealer and the other covers mouth and nose. It is comfortable I'm not gonna wear something that's a pain. The glasses have a soft gasket for your face.

 

[PNWGuy]

Speaking of miserable, I went fishing with my girlfriend yesterday and on the gravel road to the lake, a group of full-size UTVs went by. They were all as big as Jeeps and a couple were highly modified with 33"+ tires. All were coated in dust and all the riders had goggles and dust masks.

Because they were so big, they had to stay on the main roads and couldn't go on the dozens of nice trails that I went on Friday. I really don't see the point of the full-size UTVs around here. All the forest roads are gated off, and the ones that aren't can be navigated in a Subaru.

 

[DG Rider]

My dad Winters in Yuma, Arizona and belongs to a Jeep club that goes out in the desert on big rides. His Jeep is a newer model with a hardtop and AC.

He says he sees they stop and chat with the big UTV groups on the trail and they all have full face masks and dedicated oxygen systems on board because the dust is so bad.

Seems like a miserable way to ride, to me.

That must be what i keep seeing on X3 users. They look like the space jockey guys from the Aliens movies. I get quite a chuckle...their perfectly shiny $30k machines with matching helmets w/oxygen masks and matching sound bars, matching...whatever. And me and my Braves cap, with my 500 uber golf cart with 24" tires, faded rack bags with broken zippers, and a piece of chinese rubber between me and the engine heat and noise. Yet, i suspect I'm having more fun...but back to the subject...

I like group rides on the rare occasion when i go on them, but like you, i like to stop and check out cool things. The ride is...a ride, but ultimately, it's just the vehicle to get you out into nature ([HASHTAG]#GetAwayMachines[/HASHTAG]). I'm also a repetitive guy who has his certain spots he likes to hit. Spots that others might not feel the same way about. This is why it can be tough to get me out with groups.

But you touch on something: I see RZR's and such hauling ass down dirt roads with all the following guys literally, a buggy length or 2 behind the other, and probably getting killed with dust...and i don't understand it. Its an area where radios would really help, but why not stay back 30 seconds...or a minute? If there's a turn, communicate it, or just stop and wait for the other behind you, and it should work out.

 

[PNWGuy]

That must be what i keep seeing on X3 users. They look like the space jockey guys from the Aliens movies. I get quite a chuckle...their perfectly shiny $30k machines with matching helmets w/oxygen masks and matching sound bars, matching...whatever. And me and my Braves cap, with my 500 uber golf cart with 24" tires, faded rack bags with broken zippers, and a piece of chinese rubber between me and the engine heat and noise. Yet, i suspect I'm having more fun...

I would have loved to have my P500 when I lived in Prescott Valley, AZ! I did quite a bit of riding on my Yamaha Kodiak when I lived there and loved finding old mines, mining operations, and homestead sites to explore.

I really miss that about Arizona. Up here, most places get logged every 30 years or so. That means that most homestead sites and structures get destroyed and buried. Plus, with the wetter weather, everything rots away pretty quickly. And because there are fewer older mines, the Forest Service or state has welded bars across them so you can't explore them.

My Arizona exploration set up...

 

[HUCK]

Yeah, I need to try again. I was just trying to be respectful of others and just go with the flow. Got invited to go with another couple on another ride and will see how that goes.

I usually ride with no helmet or goggles and just a baseball cap or boonie hat, but brought my pair of motocross goggles for my girlfriend's dad who had eye surgery recently. He found his own set, luckily, since I found being in the rear of the pack pretty much necessitated the use of goggles. Will need to bring a bandanna as well next time to reduce the amount of dust ingested.

We do a group ride every week with 5 to 24 units . We keep what I refer to as DUSTANCE , keep you dustance . Stay far enough back to stay out of the guy in front of yous dust . Tell everyone to wait at the turns until the guy behind them acknowledges the turn , then proceed . This way you van ride all day pretty much dust free .

 

[DG Rider]

I would have loved to have my P500 when I lived in Prescott Valley, AZ! I did quite a bit of riding on my Yamaha Kodiak when I lived there and loved finding old mines, mining operations, and homestead sites to explore.

I really miss that about Arizona. Up here, most places get logged every 30 years or so. That means that most homestead sites and structures get destroyed and buried. Plus, with the wetter weather, everything rots away pretty quickly. And because there are fewer older mines, the Forest Service or state has welded bars across them so you can't explore them.

My Arizona exploration set up...

View attachment 136040

How long since you lived in PV?
Always liked those Kodiaks. Has the 1st year of the Ultramatic (2000).

 

[PNWGuy]

How long since you lived in PV?
Always liked those Kodiaks. Has the 1st year of the Ultramatic (2000).

Mine was a 2001 and I bought it brand new for $5100.

Lost it in the divorce in 2013 and moved up here. Went to go replace it a couple of years ago and got sticker shock with new ones going for $8k. With the P500 at around $9k, figured I might as well go big.

 

[DG Rider]

Mine was a 2001 and I bought it brand new for $5100.

Lost it in the divorce in 2013 and moved up here. Went to go replace it a couple of years ago and got sticker shock with new ones going for $8k. With the P500 at around $9k, figured I might as well go big.

Well...me might have crossed each others tracks.

 

[Lenny]

I agree with the original poster. Around here everyone rides as fast as the trail will allow. What is the hurry? I like to ride slowly to look for animals and enjoy the scenery. That is why my P520 is perfect for me. Lately, they started riding seasonal dirt roads with their oversized and overpriced side by sides. Hell, I'll just take my jeep rubicon for that. Once in a while I'll find someone that likes to take it easy and we have a ball.

 

[Remington]

I agree with the original poster. Around here everyone rides as fast as the trail will allow. What is the hurry? I like to ride slowly to look for animals and enjoy the scenery. That is why my P520 is perfect for me. Lately, they started riding seasonal dirt roads with their oversized and overpriced side by sides. Hell, I'll just take my jeep rubicon for that. Once in a while I'll find someone that likes to take it easy and we have a ball.

Dude did you know this thread is 4 yrs old as was the most resent post plus the OP is no longer a member? 😂

 

[RedorDead]

Dude did you know this thread is 4 yrs old as was the most resent post plus the OP is no longer a member? 😂

Yeah, but: did he ever marry the girlfriend, or did they break up over her dad’s riding style? Is he still faithful to Honda, or did they have kids and now he’s ripping up the desert in a KRX?

Nobody likes an unfinished story.

 

[trigger]

Pretty sure this was the guy that went out in the middle of nowhere, spent hours drinking and listening to music. Drained his battery dead, had no jump pack or anything and had to walk miles out of the there. 🤦‍♂️

 

[JenElio]

Pretty sure this was the guy that went out in the middle of nowhere, spent hours drinking and listening to music. Drained his battery dead, had no jump pack or anything and had to walk miles out of the there. 🤦‍♂️

Wasn't he the one that published a book and tried pushing it here?