Pillion tips

[EUMP]

Right, thursday was the first time I've had someone on the bike of the bike moving with me on my 125 as I've just passed on tuesday, first of my bike managed to move without any problems at all.. which kinda shocked me as we was hitting 50mph with the feeling it could do 60-65 without problems

But the front felt very light, especially accelerating at redlights/junctions, this is normal right?

Also when slow moving the handlebars had alot of movement and the wheel tended to have a slight zigzag pattern, this is also normal right with a person on the back?

As I'm guessing as it's because the persons on the back is taking off alot of the weight/grip on the front causing it to be more sensitive against the ground when moving.

Anyway, do you have any tips on taking passengers? Especially on roundabouts as this is when it felt very weird
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C.B.T - Expired
MOD1 04/08/10
MOD2 10/08/10

[Imonster]

Harden up your rear suspension a bit if it's easily adjustable - less "sag" when accelerating, etc.

Edit: Didn't read the post quite properly - 125's are hateful with pillions full stop. Picked up my girlfriends old one from East London and rode it back to Brighton two up - that was fun
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Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

[pinkyfloyd]

the reason the front end seemed wobbly is because the added weight of carrying someone lifts the front wheel up. very common.

as above, sort out the suspension for carrying someone. on a 125, with them being such light bikes, theres not really much you can do. they arent designed to carry more than 1 really.

also increasing tyre pressure will help with the grip on roundabouts. check your manual or look online for what they should be increased to.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[Bloke]

From the pillion questions that form part of the MOD2 test you've passed...

Things that can be affected by carrying a pillion passenger.

1. Acceleration - Can take longer to get up to speed.
2. Braking - Can take longer to brake.
3. Steering - Steering feels light due to shift of center of gravity towards rear of the bike.
4. Stability - Higher centre of gravity causes bike to feel less stable.

Things you may want to adjust before riding with a pillion.

1. Tyre Pressures
2. Rear Suspension
3. Mirrors
4. Light alignment

You passed like 3 days ago :p can't have forgotten it all already!
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2008 VFR800 VTEC

[EUMP]

[Skudd]

MAKE SURE YOU ARE INSURED TO TAKE PILLION!
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Clanger]

Good point Skudd, each time I've taken out insurance it has asked if I want pillion cover (and I've duly said no, as its a single seater)... best check you're covered, because I've known people be sued by the pillion after accidents.
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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

[EUMP]

Ooer, that's not on the checklist, how much extra normally?
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C.B.T - Expired
MOD1 04/08/10
MOD2 10/08/10

[Teflon-Mike]

OK, well first off, the advice already given.
Adding a pillion increases the all-up weight of the bike, whatever it is, and considerably so, and it will normally also shift the center of mass backwards.
MAIN thing about a pillion though, is that they are a 'mobile' bit of luggage. They tend NOt to sit still, like a sack of spuds....
Be helpful if they did..... so thats what I tell'em.!
"YOU, are 'luggage', act like it!"
And carry on.
"I'll be moving about a bit, steering the bike. Bikes steer by leaning. DONT LEAN.... stay with the bike! Dont follow me as I lean. Dont try and stay upright as I lean! JUST go with the bike, act like a sack of spuds..... "
They wont..... but at least you can tell them off after!
Next you get on the bike, lids off, and tell them to take thier seat, 'just for size'.
Ask them to get themselves comfy, and put thier feet on the pegs. Then ask them where they prefer to 'hang-on'. answer depends on what the bike has, as much as thier preference, but grab rail behind them, side rails, strap on the seat, or arms around your waste. (depending on what YOU preffer of course!)
Around the waste, has a few advantages for you; (particularly if they are of the opposite gender!) but you have to tell them not to hang on to tight.... you need to breath! And when you come to lean the bike, holding you they will be more inclined to go with you.
This CAN be an advantage, 'cos hanging on to you, at least they go where you do, and dont move around as much, so you dont as easily get into the three way tussle leaning the bike, having the pillion resist it, then take over, compensating, having the pillion follow you, and having to constantly compensate as they squirm about! If they go for the grab-rail behind them, they tend to be a bit more luggage like, and gives you a bit more freedom of movement if they do try tilting about.
However, sitting them on the bike, and holding them up, gives you a chance to work that one out, and work out how luggage like they are likely to be.
More confident they are, less they will wobble you just sat the bike, more likely you are to have an easier time of it. and siting the bike first and talking them through it, hats off is a good way to give them a bit of confidence to begin with.
So, hats on, on the road, you've done tyres, suspension, acceleration etc......
All thats needed now is for you to be as SMOOTH as fuck in your riding!
With pillion bike wont accelerate or brake as hard, now will it respond as readily, so relax, sit back, and 'cruise'.
You shouldn't need to shift the event horizon foreward, as you should be riding a bit slower, but being predictive, taking smooth flowing lines, keeping acceleration, braking and steering to the minimum, just let it 'flow'.
You'll know when its coming together, as the pillion will stop screaming so much.....
And that's really about it.
MUCH of it depends on the pillion, and how relaxed they are, how comfortable they are, how much confidence they have in you, and how much confidence they have just being on a bike.
A good pillion will be a sack of spuds, and you can have a great ride with them; they wont do anything that unsettles the bike, and if you give them an easy time, they'll give you one..... particularly stopping at traffic lights and stuff, NOT nutting you in the back of the head!
So, comfort them, re-assure them, work with them, learn how THEY ride, and adjust how you ride accordingly to give both of you the easiest time of it.
A rider-pillion intercom is a great device for giving them confidence and re-assurance, particularly if you talk to them! Let themknow whats going on, ask how they are doing etc.
Other-wise, hand signals, a pat on the leg, or a thimbs up / thumbs down, whatever, to let them know you remember they are still there and are thinking about them.
If you dont have intercom, when you do the hats off, worth setting a few basic signals, like tapping your shoulder, if they want you to slow-down or stop, or have a 'problem', or a pat on the leg from you to ask if they are OK, and a 'squeeze' with thier kees back if they are, etc.....
again, sort of depends what gender they are and how familiar they are as to what signals to use...... but..... Oh the opportunities you can exploit!
ANYWAY.... you get the idea.
Passenger in a car is luggage. Strapped in a seat, they dont do much, and cant do much, except perhaps fiddle with the stereo or jank on the hand-brake!
On a bike, they are MUCH more part of a team, and what they do has a lot more influence on your control of the bike, so you HAVE to involve them, EVEN if you warn them to act like a sack of spuds! But that's a start!
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[rob_scott92]

Thats some really good info right there Teflon-Mike!

I still havent taken pillion yet and still dont think i'm really ready, roads are incredibly bumpy round here
I think roundabouts i'd have a problem with, getting the lean angle and picking it back up right when i'm on my own is hard enough

Not even sure i know anyone who'd WANT to be my first Pillion , i might just cover up the big scrape on the right hand side where i dropped it
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First bike: 1982 Suzuki Gs 125 'The beast MK1' > 1988 Honda Cb 350's' FOR SPORT! (Good ol' oil burner!) > 2001 Suzuki Sv 650 's' Made it out of the 80's! > 1997 Honda Cbr 600f :p

[pinkyfloyd]

I take the eldest (15) to Southampton and back now and then to see her boyfriend. at first she was a little wobbly but now shes getting the hang of it.

i've had to tell her off once for wriggling around. I told her "wriggling around to get comfy when we have stopped is fine but doing it at 70 on a motorway isnt the best thing to do"
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[EUMP]

Thanks mike, wish my friend yesturday would be a sack of potatoes, he kept shifting about and when they didn't I was checking my mirrors thinking they fell off, scary stuff when they move there feet about to get more comfy when your leaning round a corner with the bike wobbling away

Anyone know how much extra the pillion cover normally goes for? As I have seen the option getting quotes for various bikes and that but thought it was for everyday journeys with someone on the back
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C.B.T - Expired
MOD1 04/08/10
MOD2 10/08/10

[rob_scott92]

In fact when i was about 12 i went on the back of my uncles bike for the first time. i got told off for wriggling a bit. It was mainly because i was wearing jeans at the time and the seat on the cb900 seems to be on a slant, so your 'gentlemens vegetables' get squished quite quickly
Then fast forward 4 years i was told i was quite a good pillion
I wouldn't go pillion now though unless i had to, the last time i went was the egg run this year and i just got jealous of everyone the whole time
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First bike: 1982 Suzuki Gs 125 'The beast MK1' > 1988 Honda Cb 350's' FOR SPORT! (Good ol' oil burner!) > 2001 Suzuki Sv 650 's' Made it out of the 80's! > 1997 Honda Cbr 600f :p

[rob_scott92]

[CptBlack]

[621andy]

I take the missus on the back of my CG, and apart from reminding her to keep still(!) it's not too bad.
It struggles up some of the hills here in Turkey, but still nips along OK.

The only other thing I'd add to the excellent info above, is to tell the moveable freight to keep their feet on the pegs all the time, then they don't get tangled up if you have to 'paddle'...that's the only time we come close to 'having a problem' She's blonde and tends to forget
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'93 Africa Twin RD07, C-90,MTX-125,H-100,XL-125, a 125UAG(CG copy!)

[EUMP]

Thanks Rob and Cpt, but rob I am looking at getting a zxr 636 but just need abit more work at the moment to cover the extra couple of hundred to buy one and haha andy, I know it's really annoying when they move about and when you come to a stop my friend was gonna put there foot down aswell so it nearly ended up on its side till I shouted for them to keep sit lol
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C.B.T - Expired
MOD1 04/08/10
MOD2 10/08/10

[621andy]

Forgot to add that it helps if your pillion is lighter than you...the missus is around 65kg(hope she doesn't read this ) and I'm around 120kg
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'93 Africa Twin RD07, C-90,MTX-125,H-100,XL-125, a 125UAG(CG copy!)