Getting her interested...

[Barker-CBR 600]

... as a pillion.

Basically i have a CBR600F and have for about a month or so now, and am trying to get my girlfriend interested in coming on the back. Currently she's a tad scared of it due to its sportlike nature and generally she doesnt have a huge interest in bikes as a whole.

Had a XVS Dragstar before that she didnt have a problem coming on the back of that, but i seem unable to convince her that a sportsbike can go just as slow/calmly as a cruiser if you want it to.

I have tried offering to buy her some decent (£300-£400) gear myself, she already has a helmet i got her a good while back (AGV). But doesnt seem to really go for it.

So wandered if anyone has any good tips/suggestions of ways to convince her to come on the back for that first time?
And anyone else having/had this trouble?!

I know that one or two good runs and she'll come around.. its the initial push thats a pain!
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Previous - Gilera DNA50 / XVS125 Dragstar/Honda CBR 600F/GSF 650 Bandit
Current - 2013 Suzuki VZ800 Intruder
'Is this a rhetorical question?'

[dainesefreak]

Summer is always a bonus and take her shopping, let her see the colour of your money and I'm sure she'll come round.

[Robin]

If she is anything like Mrs Robin, a sports bike is a definite no-no. even a lot of the larger sports tourers.

This is all due to the stupid positioning of the pillion pegs, she can suffer from Sciatica and sitting for any length of time with her legs bent so that her feet are stuck up her 4rse can lead to extreme pain, to be honest I can't blame her.

More comfortable bikes she has no problems with. First thing I must consider when buying a new bike is whether or not she will be able to do the miles on the back. She has tried pillion on sports bikes but just can't hack it

If the girlfriend says no it looks like you'll either have to leave her behind or buy a more pillion friendly bike.

Yes, I was the daft tw4t at the NEC who started off looking at every bike by climbing on the pillion first, before even thinking if it fitted me properly. Only ones that apealed and fulfilled both criterea were BMWs and the FJ1300.

[Barker-CBR 600]

Leave her behind... buy different bike...
tough one

(she'll kill me for saying that.. only joking! )

What do people reckon feels safer, a grab rail at the back or the love handles (or arms around rider?)

I have always been a pillion on different bikes, so if theres a rail i use it and feel perfectly safe, if theres not then i use the hand on tank method... but neither for 'what feels safer' reasons.
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Previous - Gilera DNA50 / XVS125 Dragstar/Honda CBR 600F/GSF 650 Bandit
Current - 2013 Suzuki VZ800 Intruder
'Is this a rhetorical question?'

[dainesefreak]

Love Handles

Used these on both the R6 and Blades, she really prefers them to the pockets, grabrail.

[Robin]

When I'm pillion I tend to put my hands on my knees (or behind them if it's cold). On very powerful bikes I sometimes use a grab rail if the pilot is accelerateing pretty quick.

Mrs Robin usually grips me gently by the waist when she isn't waving at people/pointing out interesting landmarks etc, but I tend to have a topbox with a backrest anyway for her to lean on. Love handles seem like a good idea, but I think they would only encourage inexperienced pillions to hold on too tightly and possibly affect the rider.

[dainesefreak]

The Love Handles really don't seem to effect me at all, I think it's because they are sort of lower down around the waist and it all helps with the center of gravity. I really used to feel the weight through my wrists on braking before hand because of the sports bike riding position, but I don't notice it now. I'd also feel the shift in weight when she was using the back of the bike or the grab strap when we were manoeuvring.

From my point of view it's made the whole bike handling feel a lot more normal and the missus likes them too. She said she feels more secure using them.

[Bendy]

If she wants to do it, she'll do it in her own good time. Until then, leave it be.

Having a pillion sucks anyway - I can't imagine anything worse than having someone clamouring to go on the backseat everytime I wanted to go for a ride. Leave her at home or she can get her own bike if she wants to play.

[Jimmy]

The girlfriend definately prefers using the love handles as appose to the grab rails, although on the ZX6 the grab rails are on the side so less useful for bracing yourself when accelarating or braking.

Only downside to the love handles is that I look even more of a tw*t when we get off the bike. Small price to pay though if it keeps her happy.
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I've confused my intentions with my abilities

[AcIdBuRnZ]

Promise to...eh... be kind to her.... lots.

If you know what I mean

Nah, maybe she just needs more time to get used to the idea. I wouldn't fancy going pillion on a sportsbike myself - look at the seat for fecks sake!!!

Maybe fit a sissy bar and get some love handles - then she might feel safer. Or put on some weight to give her something to hold onto
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Past: Honda NSR125R >> Kawasaki ER-5a2 >> Kawasaki ZZR-600e1 >> Suzuki GSXR-750Y >> Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm
"Chickity China the Chinese Chicken..."

[Barker-CBR 600]

Yeah guess time is the answer. Wait for summer, wait for her to get used to it, wait for her to grow annoyed from the looks i get from other girls as i go past..

Sissy bar... never! there for.. um.. sissy's. (not to mention i couldnt imagine them not looking completly strange on a CBR )

Cheers for the insights!
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Previous - Gilera DNA50 / XVS125 Dragstar/Honda CBR 600F/GSF 650 Bandit
Current - 2013 Suzuki VZ800 Intruder
'Is this a rhetorical question?'

[cagiva gezzer]

I had the problem of my gf ALWAYS wanting to go on the back. Take me here. Take me here. Drop me off here. Drop me off there. It looks soo much better being dropped off by a bike than a car.

Wait till it warms up a bit and get her a nice jacket that she wouldn't mind wearing down the pub.
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[karen_moomin]

I was "the girlfriend who hadn't been pillion" before, and now look at me....I did 1100 miles as pillion this summer in France, and have my own bike and am hoping to take my test next year. A couple of rides as pillion got me into it!

There is no way of getting her interested, she has to have that on her own. For me personally, I wanted to know what the fuss was all about, McJam is so passionate about bikes that I thought it was worth a go.

If she decides she wants to try, promise her that you'll be safe, work out some signals so that if she doesn't like it you'll stop or slow down or whatever, and finally, if she doesn't like it, respect her decision. Afterall, it's her loss!

[Demonic69]

Just spend LOADS of time on the bike. She can either join in or lose out
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Back on a Blade. Just feels so right.

[gwoodrow567]

Hey man ,

Ive been there twice!! Theres nothing harder than convincing a gurl to do something she doesnt wanna do.

I started by teaching my gurl how to ride on a dirt bike. Small steps. She actually started to like it. I told her its not any safer to ride in a car.

Shes gotta trust you...
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PowerpegZ on Ebay!!! $119.95 Compare to the other company at $259.00
Ebay Sellers ID supercross1981

[Barker-CBR 600]

Nice Demonic

I know she'll come around, cant live with someone like me for long without being driven mad by bikes.
Just frustrating till it happens!

Trouble is she was first person to see me after my crash about a year or so back, with lovely tarmac burns over my legs... probably doesnt help the situation.

Ahh it'll be okay, but nice to whine now an then
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Previous - Gilera DNA50 / XVS125 Dragstar/Honda CBR 600F/GSF 650 Bandit
Current - 2013 Suzuki VZ800 Intruder
'Is this a rhetorical question?'

[Laura]

Get her her own bike so much more fun.

Why people want to go around on the back of a man anyway I will never know.
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Good girls ride motorcycles bad girls thrash them.

[mrchips]

Wait till the weathers better, its hard to enjoy a ride in this weather with slippery roads and subzero temperatuers.
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Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[RealNinja]

[yambabe]

I have to agree with what's already been said.

Nice though your bike is, sportsbikes really aren't styled with passengers in mind. They tend to be uncomfortable, but also feel a little unsafe at times.

Can you get a hack with a comfy back seat for ferrying her about on? And then, obviously, teach her to ride it because it truly is better to ride your own!
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[Barker-CBR 600]

Nah Hacks out of the question, spent too much on a pearly bike in the first place!

She read the thread now... oops... but ahh well glad i have done nothing incriminating! hehe

I'll just pray for that mid december heat wave... that or wait till summer.
____________________
Previous - Gilera DNA50 / XVS125 Dragstar/Honda CBR 600F/GSF 650 Bandit
Current - 2013 Suzuki VZ800 Intruder
'Is this a rhetorical question?'

[Nighteyes]

[Nighteyes]

[Frost]

[Nighteyes]