[CaliGrrl]

Originally Posted by Ram Jet

You make a good point about being a "good" passenger on a bike. The person riding pillion is like the person in the sidecar on a sidecar racing bike. I've had people lean to the right when I'm making a left turn. A bad rider can put you in the ditch.

As for riding in the rain good tires are a must. I stay away from these new tires with nearly no tread in the center. They are fine on dry roads. I think people think it's cool riding nearly racing slicks on the street. That's one reason I've always favored Dunlop K81/TT100s on my bike. I recently bought a new set of Pirellis. The first time in my life I have purchased anything but a Dunlop. I purchased them because they had the O.E.M. profile AND a great center tread. I use the front brake in the wet but very gently. I also slow down a-lot.

Bill

It's a well known thing that riders don't make good passengers unless they're paying attention to doing so. I try to pay attention but it's harder now that I ride myself.

Rain.... been in the rain, not on purpose. Don't much like it. I have to go too slow for my preference. I've got Shinkos on the bike which feel much better than the Dunlops that it came with, which were awful on the grooved concrete that we see sometimes here.

My bike handles ok in the wet but given the particulars of that day, it wasn't the smart choice so I went pillion. I don't really have an ego about going pillion. I mean, I'm riding with my husband, so it's cool. Comfort zone and all that. I've been on the back of his bike for..... whatever it's been since the fall of 1989. Kind of tired. Hard to do math right now.