Advise please for taking pillion
Discussion
Like you, I'm new to this too.
Basically start with a fairly short and easy ride. No harsh acceleration, braking or leaning - yet!
Usual stuff really, wear suitable clothing, hold on, no footdown till you say so, wear right helmet etc. No hand jobs - sorry signals from the back. Relax, so as not to nut you with each gearchange. Keep fairly still, lean with you on corners, relax and mainly ENJOY IT!
Basically start with a fairly short and easy ride. No harsh acceleration, braking or leaning - yet!
Usual stuff really, wear suitable clothing, hold on, no footdown till you say so, wear right helmet etc. No hand jobs - sorry signals from the back. Relax, so as not to nut you with each gearchange. Keep fairly still, lean with you on corners, relax and mainly ENJOY IT!
First, don't be pressured into anything you don't feel confident with - even if it leads to a bit of a domestic.
If you do go for it, encourage her to remain neutral on the bike as it corners, not to try and anticipate the lean-in, ask her to hold onto the grab rail not you (This prvents her sliding into you and mashing your plums into the tank under braking), ask her to keep her head well back so her helmet doesn't bash into yours during braking/acceleration and remember that your braking distance will be longer and your propensity to wheelie under acceleration higher
If you do go for it, encourage her to remain neutral on the bike as it corners, not to try and anticipate the lean-in, ask her to hold onto the grab rail not you (This prvents her sliding into you and mashing your plums into the tank under braking), ask her to keep her head well back so her helmet doesn't bash into yours during braking/acceleration and remember that your braking distance will be longer and your propensity to wheelie under acceleration higher
Point been made already. It is crucial that you explain that your pillion has to trust you. If they get nervous when you (gently) tip into a bend and try and lean the other way, it will make the bike stand up and you WILL run wide. This can be very dangerous, esp on left handers. Try and think about your riding and be smooth with everything, i.e. coming on and off the gas and squeeze the brakes, rather than grab at them. Don't accelerate hard until your pillion has learnt to anticipate what you're going to do (rolling stoppies are not a good idea at this early stage in their pillion career) and can brace themselves accordingly!
Forgot to mention (and at the risk of sounding as though I know what I'm talking about) remember the usual stuff about adjusting mirrors, tyre pressures (?), ride suspension and possibly headlight alignment.
Just go for a nice slow'ish ride so that you both get used to the bike with two up.
I found it much easier than I thought that it would be, so don't worry about it too much....
Just go for a nice slow'ish ride so that you both get used to the bike with two up.
I found it much easier than I thought that it would be, so don't worry about it too much....
See if you can get her knee down too
but seriously
See if you can get an experienced pillion to ride with you first
See if you can get her to ride with an experienced rider first
Saying that, my first pillion (after having my licence for 25 minutes) was 6' 2" and 15 stone (I'm 5'8" and was 10 stone at the time) and had never ridden so much as a pushbike for years and never been on a motorbike ever
but seriously
See if you can get an experienced pillion to ride with you first
See if you can get her to ride with an experienced rider first
Saying that, my first pillion (after having my licence for 25 minutes) was 6' 2" and 15 stone (I'm 5'8" and was 10 stone at the time) and had never ridden so much as a pushbike for years and never been on a motorbike ever
Some advice for Mrs P.
Sit very still and try and keep you head behind Mr P's - to start with at least - don't try and look at the road ahead. When you feel more comfortable/confident look round the side of his head to the front - but remember that you've got no control of the bike. I found this really hard to deal with at first - the no control feeling!! Then relaxed and enjoyed it - although the other half's a bit of a nutter!
Remember that shouting is useless - he can't hear you! I found that squeezing with my knees was suitably annoying for him! He also got a whack around the head when he got his knee down - but again, you're not in control...the bike leaned further on the next corner!
As for holding on - try around him, or on handles if the bike has them. I find that if I lean forward, I can rest my hands comfortably on the tank - also acts as a good way of stopping yourself sliding forward when he brakes.
Most of all - enjoy it...and have fun!
Sit very still and try and keep you head behind Mr P's - to start with at least - don't try and look at the road ahead. When you feel more comfortable/confident look round the side of his head to the front - but remember that you've got no control of the bike. I found this really hard to deal with at first - the no control feeling!! Then relaxed and enjoyed it - although the other half's a bit of a nutter!
Remember that shouting is useless - he can't hear you! I found that squeezing with my knees was suitably annoying for him! He also got a whack around the head when he got his knee down - but again, you're not in control...the bike leaned further on the next corner!
As for holding on - try around him, or on handles if the bike has them. I find that if I lean forward, I can rest my hands comfortably on the tank - also acts as a good way of stopping yourself sliding forward when he brakes.
Most of all - enjoy it...and have fun!
I hate having a pillion - although mostly because of the arguements. I had to tell Mrs Muppet not to wear a knee length woolen cardigan when riding on the back of my ZXR.
She caught on to the international pillion language really quickly though:
"You're going to fast" = punch in the kidneys
"That overtaking manouvre was a bit tight" = punch in the kidneys
"My cardigen is getting ruined" = punch in the kidneys
My pillion foot pegs are now in a box in the loft...
She caught on to the international pillion language really quickly though:
"You're going to fast" = punch in the kidneys
"That overtaking manouvre was a bit tight" = punch in the kidneys
"My cardigen is getting ruined" = punch in the kidneys
My pillion foot pegs are now in a box in the loft...
pesty said:
I have never riden with a pillion passenger and my misses is presureing me to take out on it.
She has never been on the back of a bike either so any advice for me and her would be appreciated.
Cheers
Phil
Dont.
If she trusts you she'll be the best pillion, as my ex was. If you bin it, she'll come off worse, fact.
In six yrs with my last girlfriend she went on the back twice each time it was 1 mile down the rd to the indian take-away.
Went out today for the first time with a Pillon 
Took the GF out for a spin
Very difficult at first. Bike wouldnt turn brakes didnt work etc also every time I did brake all her weight went onto me and my poor soon to be athritic wrists
Time to part ex for a slimmer modle
stopped a coupe of times and had a chat about what went on and after about an hour felt quite comfortable. She still figeted a bit at slow speed and on a couple of occasions sat up coming out of a corner which made be run wide a little but over all not bad.(she had never been on teh back of a bike before).
Still prefer to be on my own tho at the mo. Having said that her pretty red headed friend wants a go as well so not all bad
Took the GF out for a spin Very difficult at first. Bike wouldnt turn brakes didnt work etc also every time I did brake all her weight went onto me and my poor soon to be athritic wrists
Time to part ex for a slimmer modle
stopped a coupe of times and had a chat about what went on and after about an hour felt quite comfortable. She still figeted a bit at slow speed and on a couple of occasions sat up coming out of a corner which made be run wide a little but over all not bad.(she had never been on teh back of a bike before).
Still prefer to be on my own tho at the mo. Having said that her pretty red headed friend wants a go as well
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