Pillion Advice
- Thread starter nadz
- Start date
Take it easy.
Ensure they lean with you. Easy way to do this is rather than holding on the bar, is to bear hug you.
Make sure there's some code so you know to pull over. For what ever reason. Some bikes are extremely uncomfortable as pillion.
More general stuff
http://www.best-motorcycle-information.com/pillion-ride.html
Ensure they lean with you. Easy way to do this is rather than holding on the bar, is to bear hug you.
Make sure there's some code so you know to pull over. For what ever reason. Some bikes are extremely uncomfortable as pillion.
More general stuff
http://www.best-motorcycle-information.com/pillion-ride.html
Accelerate as hard as possible. Try to get your knee down. Brake hard. Explore the rev range fully, especially the bit in red.
This should be sufficient for your missus to hate it and vow to never go on the back again, thereby giving you back you sunday afternoon freedom.
You can thank me later
This should be sufficient for your missus to hate it and vow to never go on the back again, thereby giving you back you sunday afternoon freedom.
You can thank me later
Similar to AH, but I found the best thing was to stop the passenger leaning when they thought it was best to. Either get them to stay still and you do the leaning, or get them to hold on to you so they lean with you.
Slow and steady, particularly if you don't have a backbox!
Remember the bike is now wider at her knees - I forgot once and rammed hy wifes knee into a bollard as I was parking up. Slow speed thankfully but she went understandably mental!
Slow and steady, particularly if you don't have a backbox!
Remember the bike is now wider at her knees - I forgot once and rammed hy wifes knee into a bollard as I was parking up. Slow speed thankfully but she went understandably mental!
Make sure you have control when she gets on the back. Both feet on the ground, holding handlebars with both hands.
Check she is on and comfortable before setting off.
Advice to me was always to tell the pillion NOT to lean, just move with the bike. I had a friend ride with me last weekend and he was leaning into corners and it was actually very off putting as the weight distribution wasn't where I was used to it.
When you have stopped, you stand with both feet on floor and holding the bars and signal she can get off.
Make sure she holds on tight.
Make sure your gear changes are as smooth as possible and take an easy ride. Pillion riding isn't the best time to thrash the crap out of the bike.
Edit:- Just thought, if you aren't used to it, Pillion affects you a fair bit. As mentioned above in handling but also in acceleration and most importantly braking. You are carrying more weight so more distance to stop. Quite vital bits of info when you are used to bombing about on your own and then have someone on the back to change your usual perceptions.
Check she is on and comfortable before setting off.
Advice to me was always to tell the pillion NOT to lean, just move with the bike. I had a friend ride with me last weekend and he was leaning into corners and it was actually very off putting as the weight distribution wasn't where I was used to it.
When you have stopped, you stand with both feet on floor and holding the bars and signal she can get off.
Make sure she holds on tight.
Make sure your gear changes are as smooth as possible and take an easy ride. Pillion riding isn't the best time to thrash the crap out of the bike.
Edit:- Just thought, if you aren't used to it, Pillion affects you a fair bit. As mentioned above in handling but also in acceleration and most importantly braking. You are carrying more weight so more distance to stop. Quite vital bits of info when you are used to bombing about on your own and then have someone on the back to change your usual perceptions.
Last edited:
Caporegime
- Joined
- 28 Jun 2007
- Posts
- 52,812
- Location
- Tamworth, UK
Excellent advice.
You may also wish to consider increased rear tyre pressure, stiffening the suspension, adjusting your headlight and mirrors.
LOL, I wonder how long he was in the doghouse for afterwards..
As for pillion's just tell them to be completely relaxed and not stiff in any way whatsoever. Show them an example. Tell them to stiffen up, and just give them a nudge, see how far they move, then do the same when they are relaxed.. Just so they get an understanding of how much they'll affect the handling if they stiffen up. If they are not used to riding, they may crap themselves and be stiff, so it's important to make them feel relaxed as much as possible.
Always worked for me.. My missus was so good on the back of a bike i'd hardly knew she was there.
Accelerate as hard as possible. Try to get your knee down. Brake hard. Explore the rev range fully, especially the bit in red.
This should be sufficient for your missus to hate it and vow to never go on the back again, thereby giving you back you sunday afternoon freedom.
You can thank me later
Haha!
I've yet to take a pillion out. My friend who has ridden pillion before with his dad was going to but his dad just had a low speed accident so it's unlikely now.
I have ridden pillion shortly before passing my test and was told I was quite 'stiff'. Have loosened up somewhat since as my confidence has grown. Braking distance increase is probably the most important thing to remember as the total weight will increase about 20% depending on how fat your pillion is.