GSA + Pillion

[Mr Anderson]

Hi,

So this September we did a trip to Germany on my new R1 with my wife on the back.

I knew this was always going to be a compromise we coped very well.

Main issues were luggage or lack of! centre of gravity way too high, too much pressure on wrists, neck, this list goes on... We still really enjoyed being on possibly the worst bike ever to tour on.

My wife took some time to figure out how to mount the bike with having me on it with my ruck sack and a bag on the rear, very little room to manoeuvre so getting a GSA will be luxury.

I read somewhere on here when a pillion mounts the bike should be supported only by the riders legs and not the side stand? I used the side stand in conjunction with my legs on the R1 just in case it went tits up and the bike would still be up right. I found fuel station tricky as they were slippery.

Another issue we had was mounting on cambered roads, I tried to avoid them as best as possible but not always possible.

I take it there's a lot of effort to haul the GS up on a cambered road especially with luggage.

Does it make a difference turning the handle bars one way or another when pulling the bike upright?

If there's any advise you can give I'd appreciate it!

 

[Mav]

I always get on the bike with it off the side stand - because it's easier to get the bike upright when you're off it, and my legs are too short to get the side stand up when I'm sat on it! Getting myself on the bike - handlebars turned full lock away - opens up the bike to get on, and by having the full lock it stabilises the bike.

So in terms of her getting on the back - bike is already upright, you have only one foot down (on the side she is mounting from - normally left side for us), she puts left foot on the left footpeg, and steps up and over from there. With her getting on, I keep the handlebars straight.

Hope that helps

 

[cookie]

the key to getting the bike upright, sat on or off, is to not simply yank the the bars but give it a bit of a push from the hips at the same time

makes it a piece of piss

 

[dsb79]

Take one for a test ride, BMW Vines were more than happy to let my wife pillion with me. Helped me make my mind up. Two up riding is fine but can be heavy fully loaded.

 

[dsb79]

Take one for a test ride, BMW Vines were more than happy to let my wife pillion with me. Helped me make my mind up. Two up riding is fine but can be heavy to get to centre fully loaded.

 

[Beemerman59]

All this talk of mounting a pillion......

 

[Mr Anderson]

All this talk of mounting a pillion......

Much needed

 

[Decster]

You hear that Mr. Anderson?... That is the sound of inevitability...

 

[snelly]

Hi,

So this September we did a trip to Germany on my new R1 with my wife on the back.

I knew this was always going to be a compromise we coped very well.

Main issues were luggage or lack of! centre of gravity way too high, too much pressure on wrists, neck, this list goes on... We still really enjoyed being on possibly the worst bike ever to tour on.

My wife took some time to figure out how to mount the bike with having me on it with my ruck sack and a bag on the rear, very little room to manoeuvre so getting a GSA will be luxury.

I read somewhere on here when a pillion mounts the bike should be supported only by the riders legs and not the side stand? I used the side stand in conjunction with my legs on the R1 just in case it went tits up and the bike would still be up right. I found fuel station tricky as they were slippery.

Another issue we had was mounting on cambered roads, I tried to avoid them as best as possible but not always possible.

I take it there's a lot of effort to haul the GS up on a cambered road especially with luggage.

Does it make a difference turning the handle bars one way or another when pulling the bike upright?

If there's any advise you can give I'd appreciate it!

The Mrs and i have done thousands of miles all over Europe,and most of that with the camping gear,enough for up to 2 wks at a time. As we became older,we found we had to adapt our mounting procedure to work around our new found aches and pains. Nowdays the Mrs climbs on first while the bike is still on the side stand and slides so far back along the seat leaving the left foot on the floor,while i step my foot across the front of her and slide onto my seat.With the momentum and with us both pushing at the same time ,we have found what seems to be a very easy way of lifting the Bike upright,no matter how heavy or badly loaded it is. Now i don,t know how tall your Lady is but i should imagine under 5,7 would still be a problem,i can only say what works for us. If your really struggling,you could by yourself a low cruiser,get her to stand with her legs akimbo, and reverse under her, job,s a good un .

 

[Deleted account 251212001]

If you leave the sidestand down when the pillion gets on it can sometimes catch trying to flick the stand off so.....get on the bike, side stand off, get your feet in a wide-ish stance, then give your pillion the nod to get on, to be honest the bike is pretty stable through all this....., she grabs your shoulder with one hand, one foot on the pillion peg,push up, throws her other leg over and job done. Must admit coming from sportsbikes with rare two up riding it wasnt totally obvious to us at first but a few goes and its natural.

As for hauling the bike up, no not bad, there are products such as wunderlich side stand extender they raise the bike up a smidge when on the side stand so makes it easier to get the ss off.

 

[Mr Anderson]

Cheers, just curious more than owt, by the way your bike still for sale SiRich?

 

[GS_or_bust]

... get on the bike, side stand off, get your feet in a wide-ish stance, then give your pillion the nod to get on, to be honest the bike is pretty stable through all this....., she grabs your shoulder with one hand, one foot on the pillion peg,push up, throws her other leg over and job done. Must admit coming from sportsbikes with rare two up riding it wasnt totally obvious to us at first but a few goes and its natural.

Exactly this. Your pillion can help push the bike upright before getting on if necessary. I find that I can use my momentum getting on the bike to bring it upright off the side stand if it needs an extra shove.

 

[Deleted account 251212001]

Cheers, just curious more than owt, by the way your bike still for sale SiRich?

Decided to keep the bike Mr A, at least for the time being. Only recently spent the money getting it how i wanted mudsling, luggage bags, nav etc etc.

Respect for two up touring on an R1 by the way, ive been down to Rome and back on a gixer in 2010 but only 1 up.

 

[phooey]

I don't notice any change in balance as the wife gets on the back. FWIW I keep my right foot down and she gets on from the left. Turning the bars WILL make it easier to lift - depends which way it falls over !

 

[boatman]

To my great surprise and almost utter astonishment i managed on Sgt Bilco,s trip California to Alaska n back 2 up WITHOUT dropping the GSA
I get on, lift the bike up then wifie gets on from left holding onto my shoulder , it prolly does not look elegant but it works, i DO however keep the side stand down just in case my foot slips out and we all 3 of us go down in a heap

 

[Mr Anderson]

Thanks for the input guys, appreciate it.

Good info, will (when I buy one) try it out, support bike with legs but keep side stand down just in case as mentioned by boatman!
Got me Touratech low seat to help with my footing as the GSA is too tall for me!

 

[JoeC gs1150se]

GSA too tall for me........ lots of it about round here,, unless you're 6' 14".lol.
I find that if you can get close to a/the kerb you can get you left foot on it -gives you an added few inches,,, every little helps etc. This gives me better leverage and a bit of a head start in the pushing n shoving dept,lol. At best a bit tricky to begin with, but you get the hang of it , eventually.. coming in to land needs a bit more thought than on my 'busa too, concentrates the mind somewhat,lol... Once you're used to these things lifes just gr8 with the big beastie..

 

[iandavid]

To my great surprise and almost utter astonishment i managed on Sgt Bilco,s trip California to Alaska n back 2 up WITHOUT dropping the GSA
I get on, lift the bike up then wifie gets on from left holding onto my shoulder , it prolly does not look elegant but it works, i DO however keep the side stand down just in case my foot slips out and we all 3 of us go down in a heap

+1 then I start the bike, put it in gear and it stalls because the sidestand is still down

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

+1 then I start the bike, put it in gear and it stalls because the sidestand is still down

But only ever when there are loads of other 'bikers' around watching..........

 

[iandavid]

But only ever when there are loads of other 'bikers' around watching..........

Yep, never do it unless I've got an audience