Two-Up Made Me Better?

Validioxus · July 29th, 2011, 12:33 PM

Hi everyone

I read the forum here at work quite a bit (boring summer job, smh) and really enjoy all the different opinions and insight I read; im usually not much of a poster but something happened yesterday which I wasn't expecting at all. And I was wondering if this happened to anyone else.

So two days ago I carried a passenger for the first time. I told her all the generic info: dont bounce around, lean and look through corners, etc.
We spent a while in a parking lot so she would get used to slow speed maneuvering and help calm her nerves a bit. Long story short, we wound up going up to 40/45mph for a few minutes before calling it quits.
I was being safe and cautious with the added responsibility of a passenger and trying to be as steady and smooth as possible in all aspects of my riding.

So the following day (yesterday), I went riding again for almost two hours and I felt much more relaxed/confident in my abilities. The bike felt much lighter and I felt I was able to take corners a little more quickly; but I did feel my body position/technique/smoothness in general improved as well. It was also the first time wearing earplugs while riding so maybe that contributed to the extra 'relaxed' feeling. Anyways, I was just curious if this had happened to anyone else after riding 2up for the first time because i thought it was pretty neat.

sidenote: I started looking through corners more while driving a car for practice, anyone else ever done this? haha

Cheers

YORCHI · July 29th, 2011, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Validioxus

Hi everyone

I read the forum here at work quite a bit (boring summer job, smh) and really enjoy all the different opinions and insight I read; im usually not much of a poster but something happened yesterday which I wasn't expecting at all. And I was wondering if this happened to anyone else.

So two days ago I carried a passenger for the first time. I told her all the generic info: dont bounce around, lean and look through corners, etc.
We spent a while in a parking lot so she would get used to slow speed maneuvering and help calm her nerves a bit. Long story short, we wound up going up to 40/45mph for a few minutes before calling it quits.
I was being safe and cautious with the added responsibility of a passenger and trying to be as steady and smooth as possible in all aspects of my riding.

So the following day (yesterday), I went riding again for almost two hours and I felt much more relaxed/confident in my abilities. The bike felt much lighter and I felt I was able to take corners a little more quickly; but I did feel my body position/technique/smoothness in general improved as well. It was also the first time wearing earplugs while riding so maybe that contributed to the extra 'relaxed' feeling. Anyways, I was just curious if this had happened to anyone else after riding 2up for the first time because i thought it was pretty neat.

sidenote: I started looking through corners more while driving a car for practice, anyone else ever done this? haha

Cheers

I want to start taking my wife on the bike but I want to make sure that I am completely confident in my own abilities before I start adding more risk and responsibility. The only thing we did so far is drive around in a big circle in my parking lot race track and it was pretty fun. I was really expecting the bike to bog and struggle but it did pretty well, much better than I expected.

Alex · July 29th, 2011, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Validioxus

sidenote: I started looking through corners more while driving a car for practice, anyone else ever done this?

Absolutely!

The additional attention and techniques you gain as a rider most certainly translate back to driving a car as well.

CThunder-blue · July 29th, 2011, 01:09 PM

Just remember that your stopping distance gets a lot longer with a passenger

. I also look thru turns while caging around. I'm sure the F1 drivers do as well. LOL

Snake · July 29th, 2011, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Validioxus

sidenote: I started looking through corners more while driving a car for practice, anyone else ever done this? haha

When first learning to drive a car I would abruptly turn the steering wheel around corners until I was tought not to look directly in front of me but a little distance ahead to anticipate corners and start turning before entering the corner instead of at the corner or in most cases after I entered it.

Validioxus · July 29th, 2011, 01:37 PM

haha im glad that im not the only one who looks through turns while 'caging' (i like that by the way lol). I didn't even realize i was doing it at first which is cool -- its starting to get ingrained into my subconscious i guess

ally99 · July 29th, 2011, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YORCHI

I want to start taking my wife on the bike but I want to make sure that I am completely confident in my own abilities before I start adding more risk and responsibility.

+1
As someone who used to passenger ride before I started riding my own, may I suggest that when you do take her for her first real ride, make it a nice, relaxed ride through the country. City riding is a bit much for someone inexperienced to handle, at least, that is what my hubby and I have talked about.

Snake · July 29th, 2011, 01:53 PM

Allyson, you have come a long way from your days as a passenger. You take those corners like a pro.

Cazper · July 29th, 2011, 06:57 PM

I also notice that I'm a lot more careful with everything that I do when wifey is on the back of the bike. Not that I'm not cautious all the time anyway... but I definitely wouldn't want something to happen with her on there

ninja_sleeper · July 29th, 2011, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake

Allyson, you have come a long way from your days as a passenger. You take those corners like a pro.

I want to take corners like Ally when I grow up.

ally99 · July 30th, 2011, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake

Allyson, you have come a long way from your days as a passenger. You take those corners like a pro.

Don't know about that, Rick, but I appreciate the props. I'll forever be a work in progress, but that's how I like it! I've had you guys as mentors from nearly day 1. I'd only been riding a couple of months when I found this board. This has been such a valuable source of information to help me grow as a rider.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninja_sleeper

I want to take corners like Ally when I grow up.

Grow up?!? Who wants to do that? That's why I teach 9-year-olds.

h0yitsdom · August 5th, 2011, 05:13 PM

the day i got my new helmet i took my girlfriend out with me. we rode around for 30 minutes just to let her get used to being on the back of my bike. i didn't really drive any differently in terms of speed and i took her onto the freeway 10 minutes in to her first time being on a freeway lol. the bike sure does feel a lot different with another person on top of it tho

2nd time we went out we rode for around 2 hours, going up the 15 to the 78 back down the 101 and back onto the 56. it is so much fun being able to enjoy ridin with someone else i just wish she would get her own bike

Mocha Man · August 21st, 2011, 10:06 AM

I think this feeling happens anytime you do an activity in a more-strenuous way than it's intended to be done and then go back to the way it was intended to be done. For example, I swim competitively and one of the drills I do is with the hand paddles, which create resistance in the water. After doing a 500 with those and then taking them off I can decrease my 100 time by at least a few seconds, which is a lot.

Skippii · August 21st, 2011, 03:08 PM

Two-up made me better......

at wheelies!

July 29th, 2011, 12:33 PM	#1
Validioxus ninjette.org newbie Name: Kyle Location: Mahopac Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2001 EX250 Posts: 4	Two-Up Made Me Better? Hi everyone I read the forum here at work quite a bit (boring summer job, smh) and really enjoy all the different opinions and insight I read; im usually not much of a poster but something happened yesterday which I wasn't expecting at all. And I was wondering if this happened to anyone else. So two days ago I carried a passenger for the first time. I told her all the generic info: dont bounce around, lean and look through corners, etc. We spent a while in a parking lot so she would get used to slow speed maneuvering and help calm her nerves a bit. Long story short, we wound up going up to 40/45mph for a few minutes before calling it quits. I was being safe and cautious with the added responsibility of a passenger and trying to be as steady and smooth as possible in all aspects of my riding. So the following day (yesterday), I went riding again for almost two hours and I felt much more relaxed/confident in my abilities. The bike felt much lighter and I felt I was able to take corners a little more quickly; but I did feel my body position/technique/smoothness in general improved as well. It was also the first time wearing earplugs while riding so maybe that contributed to the extra 'relaxed' feeling. Anyways, I was just curious if this had happened to anyone else after riding 2up for the first time because i thought it was pretty neat. sidenote: I started looking through corners more while driving a car for practice, anyone else ever done this? haha Cheers

July 29th, 2011, 01:09 PM	#4
CThunder-blue ModMy250.com Name: Tri Location: St, Louis Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R, 2005 R6 Posts: A lot.	Just remember that your stopping distance gets a lot longer with a passenger . I also look thru turns while caging around. I'm sure the F1 drivers do as well. LOL __________________________________________________ The www.ModMy250.com guy

July 29th, 2011, 06:57 PM	#9
Cazper ninjaholic Name: Dustin Location: Oceanside, CA Join Date: Jun 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09' SE 250R (sold), 03' ZX-6R, 99' XL1200C SP Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 3	I also notice that I'm a lot more careful with everything that I do when wifey is on the back of the bike. Not that I'm not cautious all the time anyway... but I definitely wouldn't want something to happen with her on there __________________________________________________ 09' SE Ninja 250R $2,547.83 worth of mods installed... come on Unregistered, you know you want to know what? Check my Blog "Modification List"

August 21st, 2011, 03:08 PM	#14
Skippii Milkshake Drinker Name: Skippii Location: Richmond, Va Join Date: Aug 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Orange DRZ400-S, 2005 Ninja 250 & Custom Thundercunt Dirt Chopper Posts: A lot.	Two-up made me better...... at wheelies! __________________________________________________ "What a sweetheart."- ninja_sleeper to me

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July 29th, 2011, 01:37 PM	#6
Validioxus ninjette.org newbie Name: Kyle Location: Mahopac Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2001 EX250 Posts: 4	haha im glad that im not the only one who looks through turns while 'caging' (i like that by the way lol). I didn't even realize i was doing it at first which is cool -- its starting to get ingrained into my subconscious i guess

July 29th, 2011, 01:53 PM	#8
Snake ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Rick Location: Alexandria, Louisiana Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 05 Blue Ninja 250 Posts: Too much. MOTY - 2017, MOTM - Jan '19, Oct '16, May '14	Allyson, you have come a long way from your days as a passenger. You take those corners like a pro.

August 5th, 2011, 05:13 PM	#12
h0yitsdom newbie newbie Name: Dominic Location: socal Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2006 Ninja ex250 Posts: 32	the day i got my new helmet i took my girlfriend out with me. we rode around for 30 minutes just to let her get used to being on the back of my bike. i didn't really drive any differently in terms of speed and i took her onto the freeway 10 minutes in to her first time being on a freeway lol. the bike sure does feel a lot different with another person on top of it tho 2nd time we went out we rode for around 2 hours, going up the 15 to the 78 back down the 101 and back onto the 56. it is so much fun being able to enjoy ridin with someone else i just wish she would get her own bike

August 21st, 2011, 10:06 AM	#13
Mocha Man Blue Shell magnet Name: Nolan Location: Northwest Washington Join Date: Aug 2011 Motorcycle(s): 1997 Ninja 250 Posts: 816	I think this feeling happens anytime you do an activity in a more-strenuous way than it's intended to be done and then go back to the way it was intended to be done. For example, I swim competitively and one of the drills I do is with the hand paddles, which create resistance in the water. After doing a 500 with those and then taking them off I can decrease my 100 time by at least a few seconds, which is a lot.