Tips for carrying a passenger?

[SlackerATC]

Does anyone have tips for both the rider and the passenger for 2 up riding?

A few of the issues I'm facing: When I ride alone, I feel like I can shift nice and smooth, but with a passenger I somehow lose that ability and it's very obvious when I shift. I'm also wonder where she should sit in relation to me (obviously behind) but if she sit's on the upper part of the seat she'll side down in to me when I brake. If she sit's down lower it feels uncomfortably tight on the seat. Any suggestions I can give to her as a rider? Also anything I can tell her to make it less frightening would be great. She's still not stoked I have a bike in the first place and is usually hesitant to ride with me.

[grim]

We should meetup sometime and my wife can explain to her what she does. She's really good about leaning with me and looking into the turns, she proved herself very well yesterday on highway 7.

[Reyven]

We should meetup sometime and my wife can explain to her what she does. She's really good about leaning with me and looking into the turns, she proved herself very well yesterday on highway 7.

+1, I can give her my .02 too

[SlackerATC]

We should meetup sometime and my wife can explain to her what she does. She's really good about leaning with me and looking into the turns, she proved herself very well yesterday on highway 7.

I would really appreciate that, but not sure if my gal will be up for it yet. I'm not exactly sure why. I think she somewhat feels that if she shows intrest I'll just assume she's fine with going out anytime when really it still worries her and she's hesitant to go with. However, I will say that everytime I take her out she has a great time and does enjoy it, so there's hope. Women...where's the user manual? :confused:

[Jmetz]

You seem to be fairly new to riding, my suggestion is to wait until you have a lot more experience before taking on a passenger. When you take a passenger on a motorcycle their life is literally in your hands and you are exposing them to a high risk of injury (much more then in a car). If they react the wrong way to a situation it can cause a crash. Something not to be taken lightly. I personally won't take a passenger as I don't want the responsibility. Worst case scenario you crash, they die and you live.

These are things anyone should give serious thought to before taking a passenger.

[grim]

As harsh as it may be josh is right its a big responsibility and if either one of you is nervouse or uncomfortable it can make for a sketchy ride.

[JKOL]

As harsh as it may be josh is right its a big responsibility and if either one of you is nervouse or uncomfortable it can make for a sketchy ride.

Agreed, I have a little over 6,000 miles since starting out, and I still am worried about taking a passenger out.

But definitely take Grim up on his offer, his wife looks like the perfect passenger. I was behind him one run down 7 and told him as much afterward. His wife is looking through every turn just like him and leaning right with him. She looks almost like a shadow on the back of his bike.

[laspariahs]

You seem to be fairly new to riding, my suggestion is to wait until you have a lot more experience before taking on a passenger. When you take a passenger on a motorcycle their life is literally in your hands and you are exposing them to a high risk of injury (much more then in a car). If they react the wrong way to a situation it can cause a crash. Something not to be taken lightly. I personally won't take a passenger as I don't want the responsibility. Worst case scenario you crash, they die and you live.

These are things anyone should give serious thought to before taking a passenger.

+1

[SlackerATC]

I feel comfortable riding with her mostly because when we do go it's somewhere local and on roads 40mph or less. For her comfort I take it real easy and don't do anything I think would make her nervous. I wouldn't think of taking her on the highways or up in the mountains. However, I'm hear to learn and maybe it will be best for us to put a few miles in a parking lot working on some of the techniques I was taught in the MSF class but with the passenger.

[Nooch]

JMetz makes a good point, and it definitely applies to your situation being that your girl is nervous. A passenger has to trust the rider. But the rider also has to trust the passenger. In a different thread, Cornfed suggested that you check out the book Total Control. That book has a chapter about riding with a passenger, what they should do and what you should expect.

[LivingPools]

+1 on parking lot practice with a passenger, it helped me immensely when first starting out with 2-up riding. If your passenger isn't the hugely jealous type, you might see if you can borrow an experienced passenger for a practice ride as well.

[~Barn~]

Riding with somebody on pillion opens up a whole 'nother chapter of "sporty" technique to practice. The good news is that she's obviously comfortable with you enough to go at all, so that's a good start. Hopefully it translates to her being a quick study, because being a good passenger is probably more counter-intuitive to being the actual rider!

The basics that I can think of would be.
- Get into a routine with things. From the basics of just getting on and off the bike, to various signals she can use to tell you things - like "please stop, I need to pee".

- When she's holding on, it's always around your waist, and her fingers are always interlocked. A passenger with a sketchy hold, is one emergency-swerve away or one evasive-acceleration away from losing their grip, and literally falling off the back.

- When you turn right, she looks over your right shoulder off onto the horizon. When you turn left, she looks over your left shoulder off onto the horizon. It's a pretty natural position that helps your body stay in alignment with hers, and will hopefully prevents lookie-loo reactions (or worse) intentional sitting-up, that will cause the bike to fight the line you're trying to hold.

- Have her use her thighs and pelvis and knees to steady herself. It'll take some upperbody and core strain off of her, which she'll appreciate, and under mild to heavy braking (since you're firmly planted in your seat), it can help prevent that extra weight against your back, that you're forced to resist. You can use this same technique against your tank, to support the both of you, when needed.

There's obviously a lot more, and you'll get some other great advise from the rest of the folks here, but also try to positively reinforce her. If she feels like she's being a good passenger, she'll be more likely to be receptive to your "requests" and suggestions. Let her know that although she may think she's just along for the ride, that the things she does play a very integral part of the ride, and physics of how you operate the bike. She'll hopefully understand the importance of being a conscientious passenger, enjoy her ride more, and make habit of staying tuned-in to what you're doing. G'luck! :up:

[WolFeYeZ]

I have been riding for just over a year now and waited 5k miles before allowing my girl on the back (then shortly after having to buy her a bike because she got hooked). A few things that might help your troubles:

When braking it should be much smoother than alone and take it slow. For her sliding forward, she should brace herself with her hands against the gas tank in front of you. Doing that is much much easier on you than having another 100 pounds bracing against your back and then going into your arms.

As for shifting with a passenger, I have found it easier to do a slower shifting, clutching in and out slower/smoother than usual. I'm assuming the shifting trouble comes from the extra weight being shifted forward and back when disengaging the power then re-applying it.

I hope my noob ass tips help you out :P

[grim]

How come nobody has mentioned higher RPM's while your lady is on the back? :eyebrows:

[Cornfed]

How come nobody has mentioned higher RPM's while your lady is on the back? :eyebrows:

Cause 1000s kick ass at all RPMs. :doublefinger:

[tecknojoe]

Tell her to put her hands on the tank when ur stopping so she doesnt crush your dick.

Use ur knees to hold the bike

get more miles

[JonnyD]

How come nobody has mentioned higher RPM's while your lady is on the back? :eyebrows:

Cause everyone else is on inlines? Never had any complaints from the back my RC51... :eyebrows:

As for making sure the passenger is good... HEED these warnings! I had one girl on the back last summer that was "going with the flow" and keeping her eyes closed through corners. She would expect right, left, right, left and it scared the %#@! out of me. In all actuality, turns are more like right, hard right, easy right, left, right, left, left, long right, etc... Needless to say she won't be going on any more rides. We talked about it partway through, then I got over to I-70 and went straight back. Her fear of corners and leaning wasn't worth both of our lives, but she didn't figure it out until we were going.

Another girl I rode with was really good, she also rides horses. She will end up with her own sportbike before long. I had no idea this girl was scared of heights and she straightened up as we went around a corner near deckers where she could see the bottom of the canyon over a steep wall. Again, scared the %#^@ out of me! Sudden movements like that aren't good if you aren't expecting them.

My girlfriend is GREAT on the back. She leans with, is always paying attention, has signing down, and honestly its amazing how much you can communicate when you both have a helmet on. It took some practice. Well, lots of practice. And more than in parking lots. Those help, but so do "lighter" roads like Santa Fe south to castle rock, or the highway that breaks off around Sedalia and parallels the foothills.

I must admit there are people that are good no matter who is on the back, for me a good rider is confidence inspiring and a bad one is terrifying.


After re-reading this, here's the tips I tell my riders:
- Look over the shoulder of the direction of the turn. EVERY time.
- Hands on the tank for stopping/braking, clasped around me almost all other times.
- barely lean into me, not enough weight that I have to hold her up, but enough that I can tell where body position is
- Left hand for signals on left side, right hand for signals on right side. All the usual signals like stop (clenched fist), pointing for animals slightly off the road, thumbs up for good, etc.
- Since rider signals might be harder to see, I tap her left leg before I make a signal. If she's not looking over my left shoulder she will be to catch the signal

Can't think of any others right now...

[CaptGoodvibes]

You seem to be fairly new to riding, my suggestion is to wait until you have a lot more experience before taking on a passenger. When you take a passenger on a motorcycle their life is literally in your hands and you are exposing them to a high risk of injury (much more then in a car). If they react the wrong way to a situation it can cause a crash. Something not to be taken lightly. I personally won't take a passenger as I don't want the responsibility. Worst case scenario you crash, they die and you live.

These are things anyone should give serious thought to before taking a passenger.

I couldn't agree more.

Fwiw, the two mandatory instructions I've given my gal the few times I took her for a ride:
No fidgeting allowed when I have my feet down at a stop.
Look over my inside shoulder on every turn.

No worries.

[Vellos]

At around 20,000 miles (looking back) is when I'd say I had enough experience to safely carry a passenger around town. Though I did it before that, confidence in your current ability will shroud your judgement, and if something were to occur when I had less experience and two-up it wouldn't have ended well.

People can still die on 40 mph roads by the way. :(

[Penadam]

Tip for helping your passenger enjoy the ride more (if she's a lady). Sell your bike, buy a Thumper.

[Solinary]

I have recently suggested to my girlfriend that she take the BRC. She does well as a passenger, but I thought that perhaps taking the basic course would help her develop a greater understanding of the physics and such behind riding a motorcycle, even though she is the passenger. She hasn't had a chance to take the class yet, but was receptive of the idea and if nothing else it will (hopefully) be a catalyst for getting her a ride of her own.

[cdbouncer]

As a frequent passenger prior to being a rider I don't know if the BRC helps you be a better passenger. It helps you be a better rider but I was almost immediately a worse passenger. It took work to loosen up as a passenger.

The first time I rode with somebody I always asked them what they wanted from me - "line up your shoulders with mine and try to stay there" - "use your lower body to hold you up or you'll be tired in a minute" - "put on that damn helmet"..etc.

For me it was always trust in the rider. If I trusted the ride to handle what came up -I could be a great passenger. If I didn't - I was always bracing for...whatever I thought could happen. It's not about trust in the person - it's about trust in the ability of the rider. There are people I know who've been riding for a long time - and you couldn't pay me to get on the back of their bike.

Also - does she have proper gear? If she doesn't - you shouldn't let her on the back of your bike. Period.

That's my $0.02.

[bornwildnfree]

ABATE has a passenger course that might give her more confidence. Here's my .02 from being both a rider and a passenger.

If you are new to riding (under 15000 miles in less than 3 years), you don't have as much skill as you think you do and she picks up on that which makes her even more nervous about being on the bike. She's already afraid of the bike, and already afraid of riding and you not having a lot of skill prolly doesn't help (I don't mean that as a dig, or anything, but I consider anyone under 10,000-12,0000 miles in a year a n00b still). I've been a passenger on a few bikes where the guy had been riding about as long as you have and I refused to go again despite them thinking they were an expert. I've been riding on my own for 3 years, have put well over 50,000 miles on two wheels in 3 years and I still won't take a passenger.
If you want to give her more confidence to go with you, ride...a lot. You need to be an expert rider and come home every canyon run before she will be really confident to get on the bike with you and not be petrified every single time. Also, riding at under 40 mph in the city is terrifying even for me. There's cars and trucks and traffic and some stupid idiot that cut us off and I have no control over what happens and I have to trust the guy operating the motorcycle to have enough skill to know what to do and if I know he doesn't, it just makes it worse. I will ride in a group with just about anyone, but I will only ride two up with 4 guys right now and I know thousands of riders.

However, if you are still set on taking her out, take her for a long ride on highway 105, low speed, not a lot of traffic, it's smooth and not in the canyons. She'll become more comfortable because it's easier to relax on longer rides. Don't push her. You love riding, it's very fun to you and it's swiftly becoming an addiction and there's nothing wrong with that, but here is what she sees:
A machine that has a very real possibility of killing you. As my signature says, we ride bullets. Every time you get on your two wheels, she sees death. Respect that and understand that fear. She has every right to her feelings. Ease her into it, and be careful talking with her about the accidents and deaths we so often talk about.

[bulldog]

Not to be mean, but anyone noticed the weight of the passenger makes a huge difference? If I keep the weight of the passenger around 100pnds I can barely notice she is on there, but when heavier I feel as if the bike feels very weird (top heavy). This could be because I only weight about 180 pnds and am on a 600cc.

[~Barn~]

Put it in reverse, Cowgirl!

[TinkerinWstuff]

Not to be mean, but anyone noticed the weight of the passenger makes a huge difference? If I keep the weight of the passenger around 100pnds I can barely notice she is on there, but when heavier I feel as if the bike feels very weird (top heavy). This could be because I only weight about 180 pnds and am on a 600cc.

Was just scrolling through the thread looking to see if weight was brought up.

Many bikes aren't sprung appropriately for ONE rider let alone two. If you weigh over 200lbs and haven't sprung the bike for your weight, it's gonna be WAY THE HELL off when you throw a passenger on. This changes the geometry of the bike and makes it difficult to turn.

I'm no suspension expert but do play one on the interwebz

[Mother Goose]

Learn how to shift smoothly before you take on a passenger. The back of your helmet will thank you.

[Penadam]

Was just scrolling through the thread looking to see if weight was brought up.

Many bikes aren't sprung appropriately for ONE rider let alone two. If you weigh over 200lbs and haven't sprung the bike for your weight, it's gonna be WAY THE HELL off when you throw a passenger on. This changes the geometry of the bike and makes it difficult to turn.

I'm no suspension expert but do play one on the interwebz

+1. Passenger on the DRZ == terrible. At the very least adjust the rear preload.

[Snowman]

Looks like most of it has been covered here.

I would add the bumping helmets is normal and expected. As the riders all your actions should be as smooth as you can make them. You should occasionally reassure your passenger after you come to a stop. The passenger should be looking down the road not just the car in front of them just like the rider. Soon she will get to know what you will do in different situations.

And make sure they understand that holding on to back of you back instead of you is the worse possible situation.

[usmcab35]

Looks like most of it has been covered here.

I would add the bumping helmets is normal and expected. As the riders all your actions should be as smooth as you can make them. You should occasionally reassure your passenger after you come to a stop. The passenger should be looking down the road not just the car in front of them just like the rider. Soon she will get to know what you will do in different situations.

And make sure they understand that holding on to back of you back instead of you is the worse possible situation.

so my wife hates anything motorcycles but i have gotten her on the back a few times, and i really hate the bumping helmets, i know its normal and expected but i almost wanted to by a junk helmet to avoid banging up my new icon helmet. like everyone else said its a lot of experience and teaching but it can be fun to have a rider on the back for a trip to town or a nice sunday stroll in the hills.

[Spiderman]

for context:

Hello, brand new to the forum and excited. ... Bought my first bike July of '11, a 2010 Suzuki GS500F Black/Grey and put about 2500 miles on it since then.
First, I know you want to take her on the back, and you feel comfortable enough when riding solo to think you can, but I will echo what other members have said, and suggest that you wait until you have at least a few more thousand miles under your belt before you start taking a passenger.

Have you taken the BRC? The student handbook has an excellent list of tips on page 40... tips that weren't taught in the course I took 16 years ago that would've been helpful when I took my first passenger out. :shocked: ... If you haven't taken the BRC, I highly suggest you do so - I took it last year, after riding for 15 years and 80K+ miles, and still learned something!

Even though I've ridden 2-up since early on, I didn't really feel comfortable doing so until I had about 40-50K miles under my belt (I'm not sure if or how much it played into it, but at that point I had also raced for a few years). Before I started racing (but after I had started riding on the track, and thought I was fast), I took my ex (who had ridden with my before) on a canyon run, and because of my recent track exposure and perceived improved (solo) skills & abilities, I felt comfortable enough to push the pace... fortunately nothing bad happened, but it wasn't a comfortable or pleasant experience for either of us (she never went on another canyon ride with me). Now, many years and tens of thousands of miles later, with a good & trusting passenger, I can "rail" through the canyons at about 85% of my solo pace, and both of us have an enjoyable ride (with a really good passenger, and the right conditions, I've been able to rail at 95% of my solo pace, but this has only happened once... you can ask bornwildnfree - she was trying to keep up with us ;) ). A lot of it has to do with trust, and the more experience you have, combined with the maturity you display both on and off the bike, will increase the level of trust a passenger will have for you.


- When she's holding on, it's always around your waist, and her fingers are always interlocked.
I disagree with this, mainly because, on a sportbike, the rear seat is higher and slanted down, which means this will usually result in her crushing your cojones against the tank. :cry: I would suggest you consider getting a passenger handle belt, something like this (http://www.2wheelride.com/llove_handle.html) (I'm not suggesting you get that one in particular, it was the first one that came up with I did a search, and I'm just using it as an example). It will make her feel more comfortable since she'll be able to have a firm grip while being able to sit more comfortable (and not be worried about leaning on you). A backpack may work in a pinch, but make sure it's sturdy, fits you well, has a sternum strap (and if possible, a belt), and she is able to hang on to it comfortably.

Depending on their comfort level, and the length of their arms, I usually tell them to use the tank to help stop them from sliding forward, and my waist to help maintain their balance when starting off & accelerating (she can flip her hands from facing the tank to holding onto me very quickly). If she's shorter and/or more comfortable, I'll have her put her hands in my jacket pockets. If they're not very comfortable to start with, I'll adjust my riding style to be more relaxed, which will make them more comfortable. The closer they are to upright, and not leaning on you, but comfortable and secure, the more enjoyable of a ride they'll have.

To stress something else that Barn said, tho, have her use thighs to squeeze your hips when to prevent her from sliding into when you're braking. :i[p:

As for making your shifting smoother, release the clutch slower (always smoothly), apply more throttle, and use your friction zone. This is true for both upshifting and downshifting. Practice this alone first until you get the hang of it. Blipping the throttle when downshifting also helps, and if you're doing that already, you may need a bigger blip when you're carrying a passenger.

Remember, the extra weight of a passenger is going to make starting out more difficult (friction zone!), and reduces how easily you can accelerate (you're going to need more time & distance to pass a car). It will also increase your stopping distance, so plan accordingly and start stopping earlier - this may seem boring or too slow to you, but it will make for a more enjoyable ride for your passenger, and a passenger that has an enjoyable ride is more likely to be a passenger again. ;)

Here are the tips from the BRC Student hadbook:

Adjust the suspension and tire pressure according to your owner's manual recommendations.
Be sure a passenger is wearing proper safety gear.
Keep both feet on the ground and the front brakes applied while the passenger mounts (and dismounts). Have the side stand up, engine started and the transmission in neutral before they mount.
Avoid abrupt acceleration and deceleration, and go easy on lean angles when cornering, especially with inexperienced passengers.
Have the passenger follow these rules:

Hold the operator's waist or hips, or passenger hand-holds.
Keep feet on the passenger footrests at all times, including stop points.
Keep hands and feet away from hot or moving parts.
Look over the rider's shoulder in the direction of turns and curves.
Avoid leaning or turning around; make no sudden moves that might affect stability.
When crossing an obstacle, rise slightly off the seat.

[bornwildnfree]

Yea, that was an awesome ride. His passenger had plenty of riding experience of her own and they took off. I barely kept them in sight most times. I will say that Bob prolly the best two up rider I've ridden with. You want your wife to be comfortable, you need to put way more miles than 2500.

[Snowman]

^^ Learn from this man, after all there are corners named after him.... :up:

[BC14]

2500 miles O.o...dude get way more miles under your belt. No wonder your wife is terrified.
Quality is more important than quantity. If he has a sound mind and some common sense, that helps too.

[bulldog]

^^ Learn from this man, after all there are corners named after him.... :up: Anyone that has wrecked as many times as Bob, better be a good rider by now :D

[Jmetz]

so my wife hates anything motorcycles but i have gotten her on the back a few times, and i really hate the bumping helmets, i know its normal and expected but i almost wanted to by a junk helmet to avoid banging up my new icon helmet. like everyone else said its a lot of experience and teaching but it can be fun to have a rider on the back for a trip to town or a nice sunday stroll in the hills.

Mission accomplished.






:p

[Spiderman]

Anyone that has wrecked as many times as Bob, better be a good rider by now :D

:doublefinger:

But seriously, not everybody on the forum these days has been around since the dawn of time like you have, Nate, :p so a quick history lesson for their benefit:
In 4 years of racing (2004-2007) I wrecked 15 times, all on the racetrack (the last one was... well let's just put it this way - it resulted in a corner being named after me, and people calling me "Superman" for a while :shock: ).
The last time I wrecked on the street was in 2003, and it's because I was being stupid and pushing it (trying to do something that I should've only been trying to do at the track). :oops:

[Snowman]

Other peoples life lessons are easier on the body...

[TinkerinWstuff]

Oh snap

[Spiderman]

Other peoples life lessons are easier on the body...

:yes: ... Don't try this at home, kids.

[bulldog]

:doublefinger:

But seriously, not everybody on the forum these days has been around since the dawn of time like you have, Nate, :p so a quick history lesson for their benefit:
In 4 years of racing (2004-2007) I wrecked 15 times, all on the racetrack (the last one was... well let's just put it this way - it resulted in a corner being named after me, and people calling me "Superman" for a while :shock: ).
The last time I wrecked on the street was in 2003, and it's because I was being stupid and pushing it (trying to do something that I should've only been trying to do at the track). :oops: :spit: I thought you and Hoopty just had a bet on who could wreck more :D

Yeah seriously man, glad you made it through all of those. You scared a lot of us in that one bad wreck you had. Worse thing is that is when I took a break from the forum and had now idea how close to death you came! Glad you are still with us brother!!!! :bow:

P.S. Weird how life is because I was once the young guy on the forum and now I have transitioned to being around since the dawn of time :lol:
Next I will be in the FOG section soon enough....

[Snowman]

You're lucky, a few of us have been around since the previous incarnation of this universe...

[bulldog]

You're lucky, a few of us have been around since the previous incarnation of this universe... I think I even remember you from the days when we were on another sportbike forum that "Longrider" moderated. Dang what was that sportbikes.net or something?

Spiderman should tell the story how he had to learn to walk and talk again after that wreck so some of the newer riders understand how serious this sport is!

[Spiderman]

http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/images/MB/Funny/ThreadJacking.jpg

Spiderman should tell the story how he had to learn to walk and talk again after that wreck so some of the newer riders understand how serious this sport is!
"learn how to walk and talk again" is a bit of an exaggeration. I had some pretty serious injuries that had me recovering in a hospital bed (and off my feet) for a while... that resulted in muscle atrophy, which made walking laborious, but it's not like I had to learn all over again... the first time going down stairs (still in the hospital), however, I ended up scaring the crap outta myself - similar to what I mentioned on the topic of this thread - I felt fine walking on a flat surface (ie: riding solo), cuz I'd been doing it for a while already, so I thought going down some stairs (ie: carrying a passenger) should be easy enough (especially since I'd done it before, right?), so I pretty much ran down the stairs like I would normally, and wasn't prepared for the lack of strength to control my speed. Holy crap, it took everything I had to not take a digger... and I couldn't use the railing for help because my right arm was in a splint & sling!

As for my voice, I had a trache, and one of my vocal chords was damaged. I sounded like I had laryngitis for a while, then my voice slowly started coming back, and I discovered that I couldn't say as many words with a single breath like I used to, so I had to plan what I was going to say around my breathing. I'm not sure if that's because of the collapsed lungs (I'm sure they didn't help), or because more air is needed with only 1 good vocal chord, but either way, it was something I had to adjust to, and still have issues with from time to time. :|

[Aracheon]

I couldn't agree more.

Fwiw, the two mandatory instructions I've given my gal the few times I took her for a ride:
No fidgeting allowed when I have my feet down at a stop.
Look over my inside shoulder on every turn.

No worries.



Abso-fucking-lutely. This is my #2 pet peeve when carrying passengers. Don't fucking fidget. Sit still - you can fix your wedgie after we've stopped.




Learn how to shift smoothly before you take on a passenger. The back of your helmet will thank you.


This is my #1 pet peeve with passengers... the bumping of helmets. I'm incredibly smooth with shifting, and it's never my shifting that causes helmets to smack... it's always the passenger being inattentive and not looking over my shoulder like she should be.



^^ Learn from this man, after all there are corners named after him.... :up:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[MetaLord 9]

Get a sidecar. /thread

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Easy. Tell her to:
1. Sit the f#ck down.
2. Shut the f#ck up.
3. Hang the f#ck on.

Simple! :)

[bulldog]

this might help (http://www.a-sider.com/)

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q604/60pan/53a23b37.jpg
http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q604/60pan/4f64e2bf.jpg
That is the equivalent of a “sissy bar” on a cruiser; shows your wife owns your nuts! :lol:

[Snowman]

Easy. Tell her to:
1. Sit the f#ck down.
2. Shut the f#ck up.
3. Hang the f#ck on.

Simple! :)Reasons 486, 487 and 489 why Frank's ex's are the way they are....

[~Barn~]

I'd rather just buy my wife her own bike, than install one of those things.

[Aracheon]

Easy. Tell her to:
1. Sit the f#ck down.
2. Shut the f#ck up.
3. Hang the f#ck on.

Simple! :)



:lol:

[SlackerATC]

Not to be mean, but anyone noticed the weight of the passenger makes a huge difference? If I keep the weight of the passenger around 100pnds I can barely notice she is on there, but when heavier I feel as if the bike feels very weird (top heavy). This could be because I only weight about 180 pnds and am on a 600cc.

I'm 155 and she's 95. The rear sinks down when she gets on, but that's about all I notice.


I would add the bumping helmets is normal and expected.

Ok, I was wondering about that. Another post says that means she's not looking and paying attention as much as she should be. Things to discuss nonetheless.


Have you taken the BRC? The student handbook has an excellent list of tips on page 40... tips that weren't taught in the course I took 16 years ago that would've been helpful when I took my first passenger out. :shocked: ... If you haven't taken the BRC, I highly suggest you do so - I took it last year, after riding for 15 years and 80K+ miles, and still learned something!

Yes, I took the BRC through T3RG at Fays last summer. I actually had purchased my bike a few days before that and it was waiting for me in the garage. I didn't want anytime to go between taking the class and putting it to use.

To (almost) everyone: thank you for the very sound advise. What I've learned is that I'm thinking I'm more advanced than I really am. For now, if I want to take the bike out then I'll either follow or have her follow me in the car if we are going somewhere together. Assuming I get in some good miles this year and learn a lot more from you all, I'll start out slow next year, working on the basic skills in the parking lots and going from there. I know if I go down just once, it's bye bye riding for me cause she'll have none of that business. Thanks again for all the input.

[Jmetz]

I know if I go down just once, it's bye bye riding for me cause she'll have none of that business. Thanks again for all the input.

There is no if, you will. It's just the nature of the beast.

[grim]

There is no if, you will. It's just the nature of the beast.


This,


It's inevitable man I had the same mentality and found myself getting the tail end of my bike shoved up my ass on I-25.

[mdub]

Tips for carrying a passenger?


sorry bro nothing from me.

My bike is made for 1

[Spiderman]

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q604/60pan/53a23b37.jpg

I was thinking about getting this kind of setup for my daughter. Marc & Monica use one like it, and I spoke to them about it, it works for them because she's got long arms, but someone with short arms would be stretching to reach them, and leaning (uncomfortably?) pretty far forward to do so.

[MetaLord 9]

I know if I go down just once, it's bye bye riding for me cause she'll have none of that business.

Screw the gay ass handle and buy yourself a pair of nuts.

When learning something, you're gonna make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes result in some pavement time. Just don't hurt yourself if you can avoid it and help her realize that a mistake shouldn't be the end of riding, just like a bossy wife or gf shouldn't kill something you love.

[Aracheon]

When learning something, you're gonna make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes result in some pavement time. Just don't hurt yourself if you can avoid it and help her realize that a mistake shouldn't be the end of riding, just like a bossy wife or gf shouldn't kill something you love.


:imwithstupid:

[JonnyD]

When learning something, you're gonna make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes result in some pavement time. Just don't hurt yourself if you can avoid it and help her realize that a mistake shouldn't be the end of riding, just like a bossy wife or gf shouldn't kill something you love.

On this note, absolutely make sure you have the proper gear (and your passenger when you get there)! It's inevitable. 2 kinds of bikers, those that have gone down and those that will go down. Somewhere between gear and luck I walked away from low siding my old superhawk in morrison canyon, and then hitting a deer in the same damn canyon. Gear FTW!

[Spiderman]

2 kinds of bikers, those that have gone down and those that will go down.

I used to say this too, but I now believe there is a small percentage of riders, who have no desire to push their limits and expand their comfort zone, that go through their entire riding career without ever putting their bike down.

Nonetheless, dress for the crash, not the ride (aka: sweat wipes off, road rash doesn't). ;)

[SaShWhO]

I have that tank handle installed and my girl says it made a day and night difference in her comfort and confidence hence making her a far better passenger.
Otherwise listen to everything Barn says!!
He is a expert bitch rider and his advise is gold!!!!!

lubz ya Barn:hibye:

[thankgod]

I just tell em "Hold on or fall off: the choice is yourz!" :eyebrows:

[~Barn~]

I have that tank handle installed and my girl says it made a day and night difference in her comfort and confidence hence making her a far better passenger.
Otherwise listen to everything Barn says!!
He is a expert bitch rider and his advise is gold!!!!!

lubz ya Barn:hibye:

I think you've mistaken this thread for the one where people are asking about cleaning products.

[mdub]

when i had my 600 my wife rode once and that was just around the blk of the neighborhood. she did not like it one bit to put it mildly. she said "fuck that i'll get my own bike, i'm a bitch that controls shit mutha fuka."....heahahhaa

[DD977GM2]

This thread has helped me immensly with my older boys who are figity and
unknowingly make the bike move some.

Appreciate all the serious and funny replys. :headbang:

[MilkMan]

I think the main thing is making sure your pass is comfortable with your riding skillz! I've taken both my lady and a few other lady friends (4 nutz do not go on one bike!) on quick rides around town without any issues. Helmets bump from time to time, but nothing major. The lighter the pass the beter only because the bike is upset less, but simple directions like folks have said here like look the way of the turn on each turn, and hold the F on help tremendously. Also, let them know to use their legs to squeeze you on stops instead of letting you, the rider, take all the extra weight helps a lot. I like taking my ol lady on rides more and more because I'm hoping I can get her motivatied to snag her own bike soon so we can both ride together! That process is a slow one though.
-Mick-

[SupermotoMJ]

I used to ride passengers, but the dynamics of riding changed for me around when I turned 25; I'm 32 now.. I would rather rent a second bike now a days. than have anyone on the back of my bike. I'm not out chassing tail anymore.. I ride for my sanity :-) not the safety of a passenger. Hope that makes sense.. Im pretty tired n maybe a little drunk still.. Haha Gotta Love R&R....

[Slo]

I didn't read the responses but I am sure there are good advice from all.... This is just what I do.

- I tell the passenger that no matter what, if I tap her leg, she must hold on tight. This can be due to a turn, accelerating, etc.

- At red lights, for her to watch when the other light is turning yellow, so I dont surprise her leaving immediately when it turns green.

- when stopping, to put her hands on the gas tank to help brace herself.

- When turning, just to lean completely on me, her body goes where my body goes. (If i cant handle the extra weight, a skinnier female is needed)

- on straights, she can sit up and relax, I will tap her leg to let her know when it's time to hold on

Now for yourself, remember that it takes a lot longer to stop/slow down, if you have a high powered bike, it's easier for the front end to come up.

As normal riding but even more so with a passenger, you can't go all out, you must leave a bigger margin of error for anything that comes up.

I have seen riders complain about passengers, but I have never had any issues myself with any of them, I just compensate for anything stupid they may do on the back.

You may also want to tell them don't adjust their *ss on the seat when slowing to a stop. Do so after you have stopped all the way or you may do the funky wiggle trying to stop.

[TinkerinWstuff]

what's the signal for show us your tits? http://vfrworld.com/forums/images/smilies/girl.gif

[mdub]

yes we need that for Saturday

[SlackerATC]

You may also want to tell them don't adjust their *ss on the seat when slowing to a stop. Do so after you have stopped all the way or you may do the funky wiggle trying to stop.

The funky wiggle.
Also, thanks to all who mentioned telling her to use her hands on the tank to stop. I think that would help keep the pressure off me and both of us more comfortable. Neither of us had thought that as an option.

[bulldog]

Here a sissybar for you. Elvis '66 shovel


http://nachtflug.smugmug.com/Travel/graceland/i-sj83Hs9/0/X3/DSC44721-X3.jpg
In my opinion that sissy bar is the ugliest thing on that bike! Would look better to me without it!

[Chad4000]

im sure it has been touched on, but think about the percentage that you are adding in weight.

500lb bike (which is probably a little heavier then most of the bikes we ride), say you are 180,, and have a 130lb passenger. thats adding another 20%.

basically like putting 800lbs in the back seat of your sedan... lol or 1000lbs in the bed of your truck.... you are going to notice. hahaha

[Chad4000]

i should also add this simple rule for passenger communication techniques..

rub the left leg if we are going to slow, right leg if we are going to fast,,, and rub in the middle if it's just right... ;)

lol jk...

[Sully]

i should also add this simple rule for passenger communication techniques..

rub the left leg if we are going to slow, right leg if we are going to fast,,, and rub in the middle if it's just right... ;)

lol jk...


:lol:.. OMG! :slap:

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Due to Chris S. running over something up a few miles before Walden Saturday, and the fact that we couldn't fix his rear tire, he was my passenger all the way down 14 then to Longmont. It was kind of interesting having another 200+lbs on the back going down the canyon! I still made it down from Walden out of the canyon in less than 1-1/2 hours so we couldn't get caught in the canyon at dusk/night. Had to stop for a minute at the fatal M/C accident just East of the 'Mish. RIP.

I told Chris if I ever have to ride him "bitch" again he's gonna need to go on a diet! :) That was the first male passenger I've had to give a ride in over 25 years, and by far the heaviest. I gotta say the bike handled it well though, even though I'm sure we were right at or close to GVWR for that thing.

[Ghost]

It was kind of interesting having another 200+lbs on my back or going down!

I told Chris if I ever have to ride him "bitch" again he's gonna need to go on a diet! :) That was the first male I've ridden in over 25 years, and by far the heaviest. I gotta say he handled it well though.

:gay:

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

I used to say this too, but I now believe there is a small percentage of riders, who have no desire to push their limits and expand their comfort zone, that go through their entire riding career without ever putting their bike down.

Nonetheless, dress for the crash, not the ride (aka: sweat wipes off, road rash doesn't). ;)
Ummm, sorry, those that haven't been down is due almost entirely to LUCK. I know plenty of people like you mentioned, and most of them have crashed due to circumstances that would never give most of us pause, but were either unmaneageable for their extremely limited skills, or so unavoidable even Rossi couldn't avoid it. I can say the skills I've acquired over almost 30 years have helped me avoid accidents before they even happened, or saved ones that were normally iminent, but I'll still say there's a lot of luck involved and without that luck I'd have crashed more.

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

:gay:
You ever get a flat on a ride with me, yer WALKIN' the 150miles home! :)

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Reasons 486, 487 and 489 why Frank's ex's are the way they are....
Nah, they're just K#nts. ;)

[FZRguy]

I told Chris if I ever have to ride him "bitch" again he's gonna need to go on a diet! :) That was the first male passenger I've had to give a ride in over 25 years, and by far the heaviest. I gotta say the bike handled it well though, even though I'm sure we were right at or close to GVWR for that thing.

Not looking to ride bitch, but you prolly wouldn't even notice me back there.