Riding with a passenger

[CycleNoobNinja]

How much different is it than riding alone? what should I look out for and what are some tips that'll make the ride easier on me?

*UPDATE*
I took her out on it. Just had a couple questions. Coming to a stop, I did use my rear brake a little more.. Im very comfortable using my rear brake, maybe too comfortable. But two things I noticed, coming to a stop was very sketchy. A little wobbly and i may have planted my feet down quickly out of fear. Any tips on coming to a stop? This may be more of a preference question but, should she sit closer to me or farther away? Close up it really put uncomfortable force between my legs (You know what I'm getting at) but when she was farther away I noticed it was a tad bit harder to keep the bike steady.

[Snake]

Here is a link to some good reading. https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=131080

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by CycleNoobNinja

How much different is it than riding alone? what should I look out for and what are some tips that'll make the ride easier on me?

1. No fat girls.
2. Hold on tight.
3. Knows the reach around move.

[ally99]

Make sure the passenger is in full gear.
Teach him/her how to communicate with you while riding.
Teach how to mount and dismount the bike.
The only time I ever really even notice someone on back is at low speeds. Having an extra 150 pounds on back makes it feel more wobbly than usual when stopping or doing any kind of low-speed turning. Shifting usually feels a bit different at first as well. I prefer clutchless upshifts as much as possible when I have a passenger.

I wouldn't say it's a helluva lot different than riding alone, but you will notice the extra weight on back when accelerating, stopping, turning, shifting...Ok, ok, so maybe it is a bit different than riding alone.

[alex.s]

make sure they don't burn their leg on the exhaust while you inspect an oil leak

[ally99]

Originally Posted by alex.s

make sure they don't burn their leg on the exhaust while you inspect an oil leak

Or at least make sure they have on riding pants. Though they may come away from such an experience "holier" than they were before it.

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

1. No fat girls.

NO
They make the rock and roll world go round

Link to original page on YouTube.

[Sykes92]

Originally Posted by allanoue

NO
They make the rock and roll world go round

Link to original page on YouTube.

No, no... She's everything you wanted and more. And she can't fit through the door.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[misfitsailor]

I have found that the smaller the bike, the more important that the passenger keep still back there. Also, some new passengers try to stay vertical as the bike leans into a turn. Others can surprise you when they get on or off the bike unexpectedly. It only takes a minute to teach them how to ride pillion safely.

That being said, some of us CANNOT ride on the back. After all these years and miles, I absolutely feel freaked out any time I have ever tried to ride on the back of a motorcycle.

[Kevin1956]

@misfitsailor, ever ride in a sidecar? It's horrifying. I't like being stuck on a carnival ride on a highway.

[misfitsailor]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

@misfitsailor, ever ride in a sidecar? It's horrifying. I't like being stuck on a carnival ride on a highway.

I have owned sidecar rigs twice! I rode in one once, It was noisy sitting so close to the engine. They are strange to "drive" as well, the sidecar lags on acceleration and tries to pass you when braking. Still a lot of fun, however.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by allanoue

NO
They make the rock and roll world go round

Link to original page on YouTube.

So my 120 pounds carrying an average sized male is like me carrying a fat girl! No wonder it feels so ****in' weird!

[verboten1]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

@misfitsailor, ever ride in a sidecar? It's horrifying. I't like being stuck on a carnival ride on a highway.

I loved riding monkey, I got so many cool pictures that day!

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by CycleNoobNinja

How much different is it than riding alone?..........

You may have good conversation during the ride.
Her helmet will knock yours frequently.
You will know that your riding is not as good as you thought if the first ride was enough for the passenger.

Another good thread:
https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=112389

[Misti]

Here is an article I wrote on this very topic, hope you find some valuable tips.

http://www.motomom.ca/hello-world/

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Misti

Here is an article I wrote on this very topic, hope you find some valuable tips.

http://www.motomom.ca/hello-world/

9: Practice Emergency Maneuvers.

Thank you. I did not think of this.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by Misti

Here is an article I wrote on this very topic, hope you find some valuable tips.

http://www.motomom.ca/hello-world/

Good article Misty. I especially liked the tip to practice emergency maneuvers with your passenger before a long ride. I've never done this, but it makes damn good sense! Thanks as always for sharing your valuable knowledge!

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by ally99

Good article Misty. I especially liked the tip to practice emergency maneuvers with your passenger before a long ride. I've never done this, but it makes damn good sense! Thanks as always for sharing your valuable knowledge!

ive been on the back for this a few times. let me tell you, HOLD THE **** ON. its completely different on the back, and even crazier when you aren't in control of the bike

[Brother Michigan]

Your back brake becomes MUCH more effective when riding 2-up. Use it more liberally and your front won't dive like mad every time you come to a stop; it helps tremendously with stability when coming to a stop.

[CycleNoobNinja]

Originally Posted by Motofool

You may have good conversation during the ride.
Her helmet will knock yours frequently.
You will know that your riding is not as good as you thought if the first ride was enough for the passenger.

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=112389

So I did take her after work one day, I laughed every time her helmet hit mine. She seemed to like it tho. It was my first time have 2-up and I've only been riding for 2 months (this may have been a bad idea). I also went up my very steep driveway that also turns with her on the back. All went well. She just needs some time getting used to leaning with me and not moving around so much.

[Alisha_Ardella]

I hate when im on the back and my helmet hits his. also hate when my knuckles hit the gas tank. Pretty sure adding on a couple extra pounds would keep my butt on the seat both during take off and slow down.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by CycleNoobNinja

...........She seemed to like it tho...........She just needs some time getting used to leaning with me and not moving around so much.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by alex.s

ive been on the back for this a few times. let me tell you, HOLD THE **** ON. its completely different on the back, and even crazier when you aren't in control of the bike

It's different when the back is where you started your riding career. I rode on back for 6 months before riding my own.

[Brother Michigan]

Originally Posted by CycleNoobNinja

*UPDATE*
I took her out on it. Just had a couple questions. Coming to a stop, I did use my rear brake a little more.. Im very comfortable using my rear brake, maybe too comfortable. But two things I noticed, coming to a stop was very sketchy. A little wobbly and i may have planted my feet down quickly out of fear. Any tips on coming to a stop? This may be more of a preference question but, should she sit closer to me or farther away? Close up it really put uncomfortable force between my legs (You know what I'm getting at) but when she was farther away I noticed it was a tad bit harder to keep the bike steady.

It's all about what is most comfortable to you. My girlfriend tends to drift forward as we ride and I usually get her to scoot back whenever we come to a stop so I don't feel so cramped up toward the controls.

As for stability, adding another person raises the center of gravity of the bike-rider system quite a bit, so it's never going to be as stable as with just one person, but you do get better at it with time. One of the best things you can do, however, is to improve your solo riding skills. When the riding season really picks up, I always give myself a few hours on the bike alone around town before letting my girlfriend back on just to shake off the rust.

[Bigballsofpaint]

If its a common thing, the best investment i have made is bluetooth communication between me and my gf. Being able to talk the entire time helps a ton. Mid turn i can tell her to lean more, less, how shes doing, etc. It really made taking trips enjoyable for us and she is no longer worried like she once was.

[Worldtraveller]

I went the easier route, and bought a bike for my wife, too.

[Misti]

Originally Posted by ally99

Good article Misty. I especially liked the tip to practice emergency maneuvers with your passenger before a long ride. I've never done this, but it makes damn good sense! Thanks as always for sharing your valuable knowledge!

Originally Posted by allanoue

9: Practice Emergency Maneuvers.

Thank you. I did not think of this.

just kidding, glad you found it useful.

[cbinker]

Book Total Control
Chapter 14 gives the best advice regarding passengers.

[Klondike1020]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

@misfitsailor, ever ride in a sidecar? It's horrifying. I't like being stuck on a carnival ride on a highway.

Originally Posted by ally99

So my 120 pounds carrying an average sized male is like me carrying a fat girl! No wonder it feels so ****in' weird!

Originally Posted by verboten1

I loved riding monkey, I got so many cool pictures that day!

HAHAHA you guys are killing me

Originally Posted by CycleNoobNinja

So I did take her after work one day, I laughed every time her helmet hit mine. She seemed to like it tho. It was my first time have 2-up and I've only been riding for 2 months (this may have been a bad idea). I also went up my very steep driveway that also turns with her on the back. All went well. She just needs some time getting used to leaning with me and not moving around so much.

Just be grateful she isn't screaming and tugging at your arms lol
She will get it . give yourselves some time to get synced up

[Ninjinsky]

It is one of life's ironies that the smaller the bike the more experienced the passenger needs to be.

I absolutely hate having a passenger on the Ninja, no matter how cute, it's like having a sack of potatoes strapped to your back.
With the cx 500 custom I barely notice them.

I generally issue the following instructions to new passengers

1 Sit still

2 Don't put your feet down when I stop

3 Don't try to lean the bike or worse try to keep it upright!

4 Look over my shoulder in the direction I am turning, which will get your body into the flow of things.

I have never had a bad passenger but some bikes are better 2 up than others.

[verboten1]

My wife, now a rider, sucked as a passenger on the KLR. we went for a ride up a semi steep, rutted track, she was trying to lean and stuff, and I had to tell her to sit still again!

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by Alisha_Ardella

I hate when im on the back and my helmet hits his. also hate when my knuckles hit the gas tank. Pretty sure adding on a couple extra pounds would keep my butt on the seat both during take off and slow down.

one arm around the rider, the other on the tank. the hand that's already on the tank is what you use to brace yourself while braking. This completely removes the "knuckles hitting the gas tank" part.

Unfortunately, you're out of luck on the helmet smashing. AFAIK that's up to the rider to be smooth with transitions and shifting.

[cbinker]

Stopping has always been a pain in the ass(more balls). everything moving forward. and the passenger may not be fully aware of what/why you are stopping. Then you just react with a surprise launch and dumb the bitch off and go have fun.

[Misti]

Originally Posted by ally99

So my 120 pounds carrying an average sized male is like me carrying a fat girl! No wonder it feels so ****in' weird!

TOTALLY!

I've had my fair share of male passengers and boy does it feel weird, especially when they can put both feet flat on the ground from the passenger seat when I can't even get both feet on the ground from my seat, hehehehe.

[EternalNewb]

Ok, so having followed this thread for a while, I have a general question. How much experience do you think one should have before putting someone else on the back of their bike? Counted in distance and/or time? I'm re-reading the articles to look more at the skills to practice, but I'm also curious if you think there's a certain suggested level of experience?

[ally99]

Lots! My first time was 4 years after riding.

[mrb]

I did it with my little brother after about 1000 miles. It's a little weird stopping a starting, but has never threatened me with tipping. He only weights 135 though.

[Rifleman]

yes, different, give yourself extra stopping distance, extra turn space... etc.

stopping and starting get a little weird with balancing but a good pillion will just try and stay in the middle and let you work it.

The TL has GOT to be the worst, you are a good 8 inches above the pilot. Every turn feels like a knee is dragging, the seat is tear drop shaped.. so every time you take off you want to slide right off the back. It feels like you are doing 800 mph with no brakes and no way to steer. I give those people willing to do it credit, I'll walk, or (gulp) take the bus.

for my kids, I buckled the waist strap of my jacket on behind me, now they had something to hold onto. My daughter seemed to love it back there... There is something called "love handles" that are mostly used on PWC's but if you have small pillions, they will really like the fact that they can hold onto you... amazing how much info is transmitted by "feel".

here is a link to something called "grip and ride", couldn't find the love handles website any more

http://www.grip-n-ride.com/index.php

DEFO when turning left, look over my left shoulder or "into the turn"... gives the pillion the feeling the bike isn't going to just flop at every turn. Nothing like having your pillion trying to stand the bike up mid turn.

be sure the first time you ride 2 up, isn't the iron butt rally... a trip to the supermarket will give them the flavor with out the nerve wrackin, white knuckle, toe clamping for 2 hours.

[corksil]

I will sum this entire thread up in three words.

"no. fat. chicks."

I have been conducting research for quite some time. All evidence points toward one simple conclusion. 250cc is not enough displacement to tug around a human being at speeds capable of avoiding traffic accidents. If you try and tug around two humans with 250cc, you are asking for destruction by a larger vehicle.

INB4 someone says "elephants have been scientifically proven to communicate with each other through rumblings in the earth imperceivable by the human ear. please let me ride on your motorcycle."

[Alisha_Ardella]

Originally Posted by Sirref

one arm around the rider, the other on the tank. the hand that's already on the tank is what you use to brace yourself while braking. This completely removes the "knuckles hitting the gas tank" part.

Unfortunately, you're out of luck on the helmet smashing. AFAIK that's up to the rider to be smooth with transitions and shifting.

yeah we both decided we hate it and I just needed to get on mine and ride it.