Work up to bigger groups just like you work up to longer rides. Start with one other rider, then two, etc,...
I am not a fan of big group rides. My preference is 2-6 but I will do 7-10. Over 10 and it just gets to be a LOT more work keeping everyone together, finding a pace that works for a wide range of skills and styles, long stops for gas, long stops for food, etc... That said, I have had some fun group rides with 20+ people, but that is atypical.
You want to find other riders that understand that there is a BIG difference between solo riding and group riding, and that is the need to think about the group and not just yourself. The concern is for the quality of the ride for everyone in the group, even if that might mean doing something a little different compared to what you might do on a solo ride, like ride a bit slower, take a few more breaks, or even stop for the occasional picture. Riding in a group with unfamiliar riders makes it harder. Riding with familiar riders can make it a LOT of fun. I've yet to meet anyone that doesn't enjoy creating great memories that are shared with other people, and group riding can be an excellent way to do that!
I've led a LOT of group rides over the years, including organized tours for hire as well as just organized tours for myself and friends. when I first started TWT back in 2003, I used to host group rides frequently (pre kids
) Now I have a harder time doing it because I usually don't know that I will even get to do a ride until a few days before the ride. The short notice makes it hard for many people to join me. In those early years, it was not uncommon to have anywhere from 1 to 25 people show up for a ride. These rides included very skilled riders and very new riders. In fact, I even did "Newbie" rides specifically geared towards riders new to riding and/or just new to riding in groups. These were basically educational rides for the newbies. We covered basic bike prep: air pressure in tires, chain slack, and proper suspension settings. We covered basic bike handling like Slow, Look, Lean, and Roll. We talked about good lines through corners. I usually tried to alternate the rider order so that newbs had an experienced rider in front and behind, one to watch as an example and one to be watched by for constructive critiquing at stops. Lunches were usually times for questions and answers. We covered BASIC hand signals and road hazard warning indications. The pace was kept at posted speed limits. I've not done these kinds of big rides in years though.
A more typical group ride for me now will be 2-6 riders. Skill level may be mixed depending on who shows up. I always try to be aware of skill levels if possible so I can lead accordingly. My goal is for every rider to have fun AND be safe. Generally, most of the guys I ride with regularly are of the same mind set in this regard, so they don't mind changing up the pace to accommodate new riders. Like me, they want to see the new riders learn and improve to become experienced riders. Many of these same guys were instrumental in my own learning, especially on the dual sport side of things! So I want to pay it forward where I can.
There are times when I plan group rides that I only do private invitations only because I know skill level will be a big factor in overall enjoyment of the ride. I've done many rides that would not be suitable for a beginner, but they are usually of the extreme dual sport variety, not street riding. I also want to keep the number of riders at a set limit just for logistics, like fitting all our bikes in one trailer and all our butts in one truck
As a new rider, I think the best thing you can do for ME is to ride at a pace that does not scare you or cause you to take chances that make you uncomfortable. I DO NOT mind having to wait for you at a stop sign or turn. I don't mind waiting even longer after you catch up just so you can take a break if needed. I can't stand seeing a group ride where the leader waits for everyone to regroup, but then takes off the second the last guy pulls up to the group, thus not giving him/her a change to rest like everyone else. This is especially annoying because it is those last few riders that are probably stressing and expending energy more than anyone else and thus most in need of a break.
Probably the second biggest thing you can do for ME is to communicate your intentions. If you are getting tired, need a break, or even feel like you need to peel off and go your own way, just make sure to let me know! I don't like turning around to look for people that have left the group without having let a single other person know. I cannot stress this enough. I've had groups of people scouring road sides looking for a missing rider for hours in nasty weather simply because he decided to split from the group without letting anyone know. When we finally got back to the hotel to find him lounging with a cold beer in hand, we weren't real happy about it. He didn't think it was a big deal and thought it kind of funny that we were all out looking for him. That rider wasn't real popular at that moment and I don't think ever attended another ride after that.
Having your bike in good working condition is important. Flat tires are going to happen. Bald tires are preventable. I've seen numerous rides and even trips ruined because riders did not make sure they had enough tire left for the miles they were going to be riding. For a day ride, you might be able to squeeze a few more miles out of a tire. For a multi-day trip, it isn't worth the risk. This is especially true for dual sport trips where tire quality has a big impact on your ability ride well. Unless my tires are new, or close to new, I will usually replace them prior to leaving for any trip of more than 2-3 days. Tires like TKC-80s and other aggressive DS tires can wear quickly! And, speaking of flats, for street bikes, it is a good idea to carry a basic plug strip kit. You can get them at most any gas station for under $10. It should have the strips, a reaming tool (looks like a round file), and the insertion tool (looks like the open end of a sewing needle but with a notch in the opening). Either CO2 cartridges and/or a small electric air pump is also a good idea. With these items, most flats on street bike can be taken care of in 5-10 minutes and the ride resumed. For DS bikes, things can be more complicated depending on whether you are riding a bike with tubed wheels or tubeless wheels. Tubeless wheels, like those on my 1200 GS, can usually be plugged and you can keep riding. For bikes with tubes, you will need to be able to remove the wheel, break the bead so you can get access to the old tube, a patch kit to patch the tube or spare tubes. This means wrenches, tire irons, and maybe other tools that make it easier. These repairs might take 15-30 minutes, but again, you can usually be back to riding in short order. Don't be the rider that gets a flat as has NOTHING. Most of us have no problem jumping in to help if you need it or lack experience in using the tools. But if you don't have what you need, well... that is a bit annoying. And, especially for a DS ride, it can ruin the ride for every one because the group HAS to make sure that rider gets out okay, even if that is the last day of his ride on a big trip. I've seen dealing with that kind of thing wipe out an entire day of a trip when it didn't have to.
Don't be afraid to approach a ride leader and let him/her know how you perceive your experience level. It is FAR preferable to find out this way than when that lack of experiences force the revelation to the group because you got in over your head trying to pretend you were more experienced. As I mentioned, I have no issues adjusting a ride to accommodate inexperienced riders. Even when that takes place, there are just times where people make mistakes (even experienced riders). So while it might suck for the inexperienced rider if something happens, I don't get worked up about that either. It is part of the learning process. I've been there, done that, and was fortunate that the guys I was riding with were happy to help me because I made no pretense about my abilities. Yes, it was embarrassing to be "that guy", they understood because they had been "that guy" as well. It usually ends up in the telling of lots of "that guy" stories
Communication of expectations is a big deal in terms of eliminating potential group conflict. I put a lot of the responsibility for this on the ride organizer. I think expectations need to be laid out up front to allow people to gauge if they are a good fit for the ride. When I put out an open invite for a group ride, I try to give a good description of what the ride will be like, what skills levels are appropriate, and even what bikes might be appropriate. This is critical for many DS rides. There are rides where having a total DS newbie show up on a new R1250 GS almost certainly isn't going to end well. For many of the big event type rides, like the Texas Adventure Rider's Association rides, there will be multiple groups, usually divided by skill level and/or bike size. BE THE RIDER that is not afraid to hang with the "slow" group. If you find it is too slow, you can always try the faster group. If you start in the faster group and you aren't sure, that is a great way to get hurt, ruining your ride and theirs.
HAVE FUN. Really. I mean this. I ride bikes because I enjoy it. It is not a job. I am not a racer. I like meeting other people. I like sharing fun experiences with other people and building quality relationships. It really helps to relax around people and not get all hung up about every little thing that doesn't go the way I expect. Stuff happens. Plans sometimes have to be jettisoned and reformed on the fly to adapt to the reality of the moment. Check your ego if you have a big one. One upmanship among strutting roosters when people are sharing their stories gets REALLY old. Let people tell their stories and enjoy them without feeling like you have to top theirs. Too often I have seen big egos try to dominate when everyone is just hanging out at lunch, dinner, or in a hotel parking lot at the end of a day. I can tolerate those folks if needed, but generally those aren't the types that I tend to invite on rides and trips.
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