Carrying a pillion ??

[blownygti]

well the GF has all her kit now so I am going to take her out for a ride tomorrow on the NC29, I have never carried a passenger before so what tips can you all give me ?
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https://www.bikepics.com/members/blownygti/90cbr400/Default.asp

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Ride as smoothly as possible to minimise her headbutting you.

Shift up without the clutch as it's smoother(if you're half decent), and try to slow down with the gears more than slamming on the brakes.

Try and give her a wee brief before you go out and agree a system of communication. e.g. kidney punches mean stop immediately. Tap on the left is you're going too fast etc.

Don't go too stupid if it's her first time.

O and tell her to just go with the bike, the best thing she can do is behave like a big sack of potatoes on the back.
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[Pie-Roe]

[The Artist]

Tell her not to lean. It is the most off putting thing ever. Just tell her to go with the flow and you will be fine.

[Knacker]

Tell her to relax not sit nipped up clenching the seat or gripping to you like jade goody to her hair

I dont like my passengers leaning i rather they with me (My brother used to hang off when i was bolt upright)

Keep there feet up when we stop

Hold round the waist

Most importantly Be prepared for Sudden Acceleration



In my opinion

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Current: Gsxr 600 Srad - GS125 - DT125
Previous: K1 GSXR 1000

[TUG]

If you can change your suspension mate, the NC29 has softish suspension and you'll be getting alot of throwing around. Pump up them tyres and harden your susepension settings, tell her to relax an just hold onto you and let her body follow yours, try an be smooth cos head butts are fuckin annoying, my ex chipped all of our lids cos she just wouldnt rest her head propperly even though she used to tell me to go faster an wheelie.
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Haz ER-5, innit!

[frez]

Ride as smoothly as you can, take more time braking and accelerating than you would do normally, make her first trip as a pillion a pleasant experience so she wants to do it again.

Get her to keep her feet on the pegs at all times, even when you stop, until you ask her to dismount.

If she has long hair, get her to plait it, otherwise a long trip on a bike with long hair flapping around will result in lots and lots of knots.

Ask her not to either lean in or away when the bike tips in, my wife used to lean away from the corners and I had a terrible time trying to get it to drop in until I cured her of the habbit.

[lozzypop1]

Get her to read this before going out with you.

**Click Here**
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Funny, I used to hate being spanked as a child!
Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.

[cyberglass]

I found when i took rookie pillions and they held onto my with both hands if i braked or acceled a little hard i had there full bodyweight pushing or pulling against me which gets tiring after a while.

Now i have them hold onto me with one hand so i know there still there and onto the pillion handle with the other so they have a fixed point to hang onto.


If its there first time take it nice and easy. its always fun to scare a pillion but if you do it on there first time out you may find they will never get back on.

And if you feel sharp digs in you side it followed by squealing
Apparently they are not squeals of delight and DEFINATELY DOES NOT mean speed up
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DL650 Vstrom 2004
DRZ400S 2003
Yamaha R1 2005

[Finglonga]

Also worth checking your insured to carry a pillion. A few insurers have insurance of a pillion as an extra and not standard on a policy.
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Andy Sez....
F.Y.Y.F.F.

[The Tot]

Tell her to give you a reach around, and to sit as close to you as possible. When possible, brief her on how you ride. Tell her to try to anticipate your braking and accelating - after a few rides, it'll become instinctive.

When accelerating; reacharound position allows her to brace
When braking, tell her to press her hands against the tank to brace - bend the elbows slightly
When in twisties etc or in traffic, to prevent expensive helmets getting thudded and chipped (Yes, my pillions are fortunate to wear Shoei XR1000's), tell them to rest their head on any shoulder (you decide and breif them), that way, they can also see the road and predict your behaviour - It's also productive for them, since it allows them to gauge how hard you actually have to concentrate and plan whilst riding - overtakes and braking in particular.
Always try to blip the throttle on the downshift to make the gear transition a LOT smoother and again, shortshift before you hit the powerband until you get to 4th gear. Clutchless shift only after 1-2nd.

In short, I'm a helluva lot safer with a pillion because I'm a LOT smoother
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[Louise]

Prepare to be headbutted Everyone I have taken on the back butts me one lol.
First was dan, he was 3 stone heavier then me and was a bit difficult.
I then took Faye and she was light, could throw her around.
The just took Kat, taller then me, slightly heavier just take it easy around bends and dont go to fast unless you really want to be clouted one by the pillion
We had some funny stares when she did that at some lights.

[kawakid]

Don't do what I did. 4 years ago my wife went on the back for the first and only time.

She came off white and pale , looking shocked, frightened and numb.

Apparently all she'd done was scream.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Seb]

Emphasis on the smooth, speed in itself isn't so bad, but strong acceleration and braking are especially given how slippery that perch is going to be. On the Fut I find that I get the smoothest shifts with the clutch, but then that hinges on your riding style (and ability!). Make sure she figures out what she can hang onto and brace herself with before you set off as well.

Watch for the bike wanting to hurriedly flop into tighter turns and mini roundabouts too, take a wider smoother line otherwise you could make her panic if she isn't expecting it, whilst it may not felt like your leaned over much to you, on the back it's 10x worse esp when she doesn't know whats coming

Pretty much everything else has been covered I think
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[gixerstu]

My wife has a nc29 I can ride it from the pillion seat so if your 5ft 10" let her sit on the rider seat she might feel safer and it will give anyone watching a laugh.

[CaNsA]

Dunno if its been said, but tell the pillion to squeeze you with their legs when u brake and you squeeze the tank.

It will take alot of weight off your arms, and help alot

[mooserx]

also tell her not to tell you when junctions are clear, you must make the decision, not her. bit of a given i know but you'd be surprised how many riders pull out of junctions on the instruction of their pillion.
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TL1000r-handful.

[Finglonga]

[rainer]

[Clanger]

Change your bike to single seater so you don't have to...!!!
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[NiteMare]

all newbie pillions i take i tell them to relax and think as if they're sitting in thier favourite armchair...

they're never to try to sit upright when the bike leans, they're to consider it to be thier armchair and just follow the lean of it, they cannot fall off ...

looking round you all over the place is another no no for a newbie, if they can see over or around you without fidgeting for a better view then fine but they're not out for a sight seeing tour...

fidgetting is definitely a no no, get them sat comfortable before setting off, you hold your bars and they get thier position correct before you move (feet on thier pegs at ALL times) fidgets upset the balance of the bike and it feels like they're dragging the back of the bike about..

my missus comes out on the back of my GSXR750ws from time to time (she's lots bigger and heavier than me) which makes the bike feel horrible, it also has no grab rail so i have her reach around and put her hands on my hips/waist (not cuddle or grip) to give her a little comfort (not to lean on my back) when accellerating..

and for braking i have her put her palms on the back of the tank to take her own weight rather than crushing me, i'd really struggle to support her and stay in control of the bike if she didn't ...

usually one palm on my waist and the other on the tank..

the most important thing with carrying your missus is to ride smoothly, no hard accelleration, no hard braking, give her plenty of time to get used to being pillion and get over her nerves so that she starts to understand "how" to be pillion, which will probably take a few times out on the back...

with time and her getting comfortable, riding two up will not be much if any slower than you riding solo but you'll only get to that stage once she's fully comfortable and confident on the back ...

she will make mistakes to start with but take your time, no aggression towards her or other traffic, stay calm and explain carefully/considerately where she's gone wrong (you're going to be learning as well so take that into consideration, you might have made a mistake)....

have fun and go slow and smooth and most importantly both of you stay relaxed

p.s.
i've never bothered with communication methods on the bike, i just pull over from time to time when i've felt the need to or wanted a smoke/piss/coffee and explained then how we're doing and asked how they've felt, if there's no comm's on the bike they have to travel a couple of miles minimum before having to think about anything else
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it ain't broke...

i ain't fixed it enough

[vt6]

Just relax and go with it really. Little tap on their leg if your going give it some.
The armchair thing though my mrs took it a little too far, tries put feet up, mrs is there with her feet on my pegs. Bit far lol

[Pernig]

One thing I'll add is when you're changing up a gear, do it a bit slower. Let the throttle off totally, clutch in, revs back on then clutch back out. I find if I change gear the way I do when I'm riding solo it upsets the pillion's balance sending them into me.
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H100 Breaking for spares

[lozzypop1]

[NiteMare]