First time pillion

[Micky]

Smoothness is key....

Riding quickly with a pillion is not the issue, it's how you get up to speed and back again.

If you've got one, a top box will undoubtedly give any pillion that added physical and mental security. No top box and a hand full of throttle, and they'll certainly feel like they're going to fall off the back.


We usually brake, sort of 75/25 front/ back. Now you have a pillion, you have much more weight over your rear wheel, so you can redistribute your braking, and use more rear.....

Take control of them getting on and off. If they jump on and you're still fiddling with the cuff of your jacket, you'll both end up on the floor.

Good advice Giles

Get your pillion not to get on until you tell them to do so, and more important not to get off until you tap them on the knee

Ask them to look over your left shoulder for a left hand bend, right shoulder for a right hander ... that will suffice to start with

 

[Dansin]

All perfect advice has been previously given. I'd like to add that an intercom can be invaluable so you can let your new pillion know your intentions. Even for the simple things like communicating getting on/off. It's so easy to get caught out at low speeds/standstill and next thing you're on the floor.

My wife had never even sat on a bike until a few years ago. To the uninitiated it can be a strange experience as it's so different to a car. A few years on and now I have to shout down the intercom to wake her up as she's gently nutting me as she falls asleep on the back.

 

[(RIP) Miff]

I can't help wondering if those of you who are not commed up Do you have some sort of sign to mean something that indicates an imminent action like a splap on the leg or similar to mean hang on etc

She punches me in the kidneys if she thinks I'm being a twat At least when she does, I know that she hasn't fallen asleep (which she does very often)..

 

[pj8332]

some good advice previously, definately practice with 2 up in a carpark etc, just a little piece of advice thou...
always remember how precious your "cargo" is to you

pj

 

[Dave78]

just a little piece of advice thou...
always remember how precious your "cargo" is to you

pj

Most important thing in the world to me is sitting just behind me.. not going to do anything stupid to risk that

 

[jonnywave]

or

one thing that a lot of riders struggle with is, to be the pillion ! give it a go, go on the back of someone who is experienced and you trust. Not only will you get the feel of the pillion riders experience but you will pick up riding lines and throttle control. controversial?

 

[Micky]

Most important thing in the world to me is sitting just behind me.. not going to do anything stupid to risk that

I'm sorry but I'm a selfish old bas@ard ... I quite simply aint gonna do anything to hurt myself

From a riding/safety point of view, pillion or not, I ride the same ... sorry, but I don't get this crap about riding 'safer' cos I got a pillion

 

[Dave78]

I'm sorry but I'm a selfish old bas@ard ... I quite simply aint gonna do anything to hurt myself

From a riding/safety point of view, pillion or not, I ride the same ... sorry, but I don't get this crap about riding 'safer' cos I got a pillion

And neither would I do anything to hurt myself, but we all make mistakes and accidents happen. If I make a mistake and hurt myself than I can live with that, but my mistake my hurt.. If I make a mistake and my pillion is hurt, then what? I have to live with the fact that my actions had that outcome for them

Do I ride safer with a pillion - no, because I try to ride safely always, that said life is full of risks so you do things to reduced them to a level either the law states or you are happy with (I wear jacket/gloves etc, law doesn't say I have to but I choose too), if we were all that worried we'd never get on a bike...

However if you're saying that you ride no differently with or without a pillion, that is your choice.

Do I ride differently with a pillion, yes - because the bike with us is now heavier - so is going to take longer to stop ok not poss by much but it might just be the difference between stopping or just hitting that car.. overtakes that might be fine with just me - I might be questioning whether I am happy with given this extra weight (normally if I have a pillion I also have luggage as well) does my pillion mind if I accelerate as quickly as I need do.. will things I normally do scare the shit out of them which in turn might cause them to do something I don't want them to do

The same as I ride differently in the wet, or if the road surface is crap. If I'm out with the mrs and she is on her bike as she is leraning I'll ride differently again. I ride my bike differently to the way I ride SWMBO bike (R1100 v 125) I'm not saying ride around at 5 mph, the OP was asking about having a pillion for the first time, so yep take everything very easy and get used to it, esp if it is the pillions first time too.

 

[SERVDAVE]

What I did was take a friend who was an experienced pillion on the back first so I could get use to it! Than took my misses on the back (who had never been on a motorbike) once I felt confident enough to do so!

Does depend on whether you have a willing voulunteer!

 

[jolyon_russ]

I had a colleague who used to pester me to ride her home after work, this went on for for months. I'd explain every time she asked, if you have a helmet I'll take you, no problem.

Then a couple of weeks before I left I brought my spare lid into work and suddenly she got all scared, luckily there were a couple of other guys who fancied a quick ride round the block.

The thing that surprised me the most was that both of them grabbed my jacket (which was fine) and twist it through the turns, as if they were steering me. It felt very peculiar, just thought I'd mention it as grabbing hold is a good idea, but grabbing and twisting is not.

 

[Micky]

And neither would I do anything to hurt myself, but we all make mistakes and accidents happen. If I make a mistake and hurt myself than I can live with that, but my mistake my hurt.. If I make a mistake and my pillion is hurt, then what? I have to live with the fact that my actions had that outcome for them

Do I ride safer with a pillion - no, because I try to ride safely always, that said life is full of risks so you do things to reduced them to a level either the law states or you are happy with (I wear jacket/gloves etc, law doesn't say I have to but I choose too), if we were all that worried we'd never get on a bike...

However if you're saying that you ride no differently with or without a pillion, that is your choice.

Do I ride differently with a pillion, yes - because the bike with us is now heavier - so is going to take longer to stop ok not poss by much but it might just be the difference between stopping or just hitting that car.. overtakes that might be fine with just me - I might be questioning whether I am happy with given this extra weight (normally if I have a pillion I also have luggage as well) does my pillion mind if I accelerate as quickly as I need do.. will things I normally do scare the shit out of them which in turn might cause them to do something I don't want them to do

The same as I ride differently in the wet, or if the road surface is crap. If I'm out with the mrs and she is on her bike as she is leraning I'll ride differently again. I ride my bike differently to the way I ride SWMBO bike (R1100 v 125) I'm not saying ride around at 5 mph, the OP was asking about having a pillion for the first time, so yep take everything very easy and get used to it, esp if it is the pillions first time too.

Are you a vicar? ... good sermon

 

[Dave78]

Are you a vicar? ... good sermon

Nop, but uncle is

Yippee my first sermon was a good one

 

[Jed]

Well I've now done 2900 miles (what a great 3 months) - have bought a second pair of boots today (Sidi Adventures - wife doing her nut me wearing them round the house) and tomorrow morning (depending on weather - don't want greasy shitty carpark) is the day.

Plan is boy wears all of my spare kit and he's got his own lid so he will be well protected. i've got a grab handle belt thing. Wife going to drive boy to supermarket carpark in the car, me on bike - 7am so will be empy. then an hour or so slow control, turns, stopping, starting etc etc see how we get on, then he can either go home in the car if we (me) needs more practice or if we are both happy then off to H Cafe which is about 20 mins away for bacon butty and look at the other bikes.

Thanks for all good/valuable advice - will let you know how we get on.

 

[romlin]

Whenever I have a new pillion on the bake of my bike. I tell them to focus on the bake of my lid as we go throw comers and roundabouts and that. I have fond that is works well for me as they fallow the bike as it go’s throw the comer

 

[Jed]

Success - Big grins allround

Well - spent an hour or so in Savacentre car park - slow control, turning, stopping etc etc. Then off to H Cafe for a bacon butty, bit of shopping and look at the bikes.
Big big grin from the boy.
Took it dead easy as i normally do anyway, only slightly hairy bit was had to do an semi-emergency stop as a police car came tearing round a roundabout on 2 wheels - good experience anyway.

Really chuffed with all the advise and i enjoyed it aswell.

thanks for all the comments

 

[Dave78]

Glad it went ok

First trip of many no doubt..

 

[iftikartaxis]

pillion

when i ride i very rarely ride without the wife
the bike to me handles better two up
best thing to do plan a route get your lad on the back and do it