Short Pillions

[KevinW]

When getting back on our GSA for about the 12th time in 22 hours over the weekend SWMBO struggled. I hadn't really looked at how high the pillion pegs are before. She's under 5'2" and now I've seen at how far they are off the ground I'm not surprised she struggles to get on at the best of times let alone at the end of a long day. It doesn't help that I'm vertically challenged and on the balls of my feet so I'm probably not giving her the most stable platform.

We've taken it as a given that getting fitter will help but we're long past the first flush of youth so we need to look at how we can try to make it easier. I'm sure a strategically placed air hook she could pull herself up on would help but Google has failed to find a vendor.

We've currently got a Givi top box on it and I considered putting a Givi rack on the top but I don't think the box would take the abuse. Are metal top boxes mounted really solidly to the bike? What I'm asking is if we get one of those and put a handle on it is it likely to stand up to being pulled around every time she gets on the bike?

We've even considered some sort of step stowed on the top of the pannier but it's going to be difficult to put it back in place once she's seated. If you've got any other (polite!) suggestions regarding technique or aids we'll be pleased to hear them.

To save anyone suggesting this, we realise changing the bike is another option and that's what we'll do if we have to but we hope it doesn't come to that.

(I also discovered over the weekend that LDR, the BMW low seat and my damaged coccyx are not happy bedfellows.)


Thanks.

Kevin

 

[kgb biker]

Stop beside the kerb , thats what we do . They have kerbs at most garages as well

 

[mikeyboy]

leave the bike on the side stand while your wife mounts the bike then she can haul herself up with her left hand on your shoulder,i know someone will be along saying the stand isnt strong enough but we have been doing it that way for six years and had no problems

 

[mikeyboy]

leave the bike on the side stand while your wife mounts the bike then she can haul herself up with her left hand on your shoulder,i know someone will be along saying the stand isnt strong enough but we have been doing it that way for six years and had no problems

 

[earthmover]

Just make sure you have enough clearance to then be able to raise the side stand without having to lean too far the other way!
Mark

 

[KevinW]

Thanks for the suggestions. We do use a kerb if there's one available but we're often in the middle of nowhere where there are no kerbs available.

We've thought about the side stand but my inside leg is only 29" so I have very little leverage.

(Do I want to confess that at our last stop in Wales early on Sunday morning the service station attendant saw SWMBO struggling and came running out with a box for her to stand on...no, I probably don't!)

Kevin

 

[Engineer]

When getting back on our GSA for about the 12th time in 22 hours over the weekend SWMBO struggled. I hadn't really looked at how high the pillion pegs are before. She's under 5'2" and now I've seen at how far they are off the ground I'm not surprised she struggles to get on at the best of times let alone at the end of a long day. It doesn't help that I'm vertically challenged and on the balls of my feet so I'm probably not giving her the most stable platform.

We've taken it as a given that getting fitter will help but we're long past the first flush of youth so we need to look at how we can try to make it easier. I'm sure a strategically placed air hook she could pull herself up on would help but Google has failed to find a vendor.

We've currently got a Givi top box on it and I considered putting a Givi rack on the top but I don't think the box would take the abuse. Are metal top boxes mounted really solidly to the bike? What I'm asking is if we get one of those and put a handle on it is it likely to stand up to being pulled around every time she gets on the bike?

We've even considered some sort of step stowed on the top of the pannier but it's going to be difficult to put it back in place once she's seated. If you've got any other (polite!) suggestions regarding technique or aids we'll be pleased to hear them.

To save anyone suggesting this, we realise changing the bike is another option and that's what we'll do if we have to but we hope it doesn't come to that.

(I also discovered over the weekend that LDR, the BMW low seat and my damaged coccyx are not happy bedfellows.)


Thanks.

Kevin

My girlfriend is just 5' 2" and manages to climb aboard without problems, but she is petite and atheltic, so I guess that helps

 

[Big Bird]

Centre stand, she climbs in first via rider peg and pillion peg then you get on

 

[ratbiker]

Try using the riders foot peg then stepping up to the pillion peg!

 

[Fanum]

How is she mounting?

Rosie's about the same height and doesn't seem to have any problems

I suspect that using the side stand is going to end up in disaster for you, or the embarrassment of not being able to push the bike upright when she's on

We do it like this;

Me sitting on bike, off both stands, feet planted and gripping both bars (which makes my shoulders solid)

From Kerb side (durr) she stands upright next to bike, left hand on my left shoulder and puts her left foot on left pillion peg.......she then leans forwards so her weight is more over bike, pushed down on my shoulder and stands upright on the peg with her left foot.....then, it's an easy swing through or round (TBH I don't know which she uses as I can't see at that stage) to get her right leg over properly to the other peg.

There are pillion peg lowering kits out there, but they'll only give her another inch or so less to climb up, and they're designed for the long legged to get more knee room really.

The key to it, I suspect, is her being able to stand on one foot on the one peg, using my shoulder as a brace before she goes for the other leg over the seat movement.

I've got Vernatech panniers on the bike, and she may well use her right hand on the pannier as well, I don't know......I'll ask her later.

A top box probably wouldn't help......it would mean that the right leg would have to swing very high over the back to clear over it, or she'd have to lean back to put her foot THROUGH the gap between you and the box.....that would shift the weight away from the bike which is the opposite of what you want if your own footing isn't 100% secure.

BTW, I'll often move the bike to a place where I'm totally happy with the surface and camber etc........If she's faffing with her gloves or helmet, it only takes a few seconds for me to mount up and ride around to face the exact way I want on the best surface in sight, or If possible for you, a brick or kerb or step of some sort.

 

[Neil W]

My wife is only 5'3" and I have to leave the GSA on the sidestand for her to get on or use a kerb.
You need to have a system ie she only tries to get on when you say it is safe to do so and you are braced and ready.
Otherwise as happened to me when I said NO and she thought I said READY ? and my 1150 ended up on its side on Zeebrugge Docks.
Bike undamaged, wife nearly became a Belgian resident and lots of car drivers learned new swear words that day

 

[(RIP) Miff]

leave the bike on the side stand while your wife mounts the bike then she can haul herself up with her left hand on your shoulder,i know someone will be along saying the stand isnt strong enough but we have been doing it that way for six years and had no problems

+1

This is what we do. To get the bike upright, I turn the bars LEFT, once they are on the lock stops, keep turning them left while pushing the seat with the inside of your thigh.

The bike comes up a treat. I'm a 9st 8lb weakling, but Mrs Miff is definitely NOT 9st. I don't know what she weighs as it's a closely guarded secret, but it's obviously MORE than 9st

 

[Spike]

My wife is 5'3" and she struggles aswell at times.
We found she struggles more if wearing her new calf length boots and her trousers, than if she is wearing her ankle boots and a pair of jeans.

Maybe see about getting some clothing/boots that allow a little more movement.

Just a thought.

spike

 

[Fanum]

Another thought for you, on a practical level.

I'm sure that any competant fabricator could knock up a decent Steel or heavy ally plate that would bolt on to the Pillion footrest bracket and hang down another 4 inches or so (you'd have to have a good peek around to see how low you could go before you get lower than the rider pegs and maybe risk grounding the new plate

Them you could bolt another folding pillion peg on the that bracket, so you'd have a two stage peg IYSWIM......she gets on using the lower one, gets her bum on the seat, flips up the lower peg, flips down the upper pag and transfers foot onto that

I've just looked at a side photo of a GSA actually, and I reckon you could EASILY fit a plate that would give her a peg 5 INCHES below the actual pillion peg by doing that

Edit......It wouldn't even have to be a peg, it could be a pair with a plate inbetween, or a flap like the Landrover fold down steps but smaller, to give her a better platform to step up with )

 

[Jon]

Centre stand, she climbs in first via rider peg and pillion peg then you get on

Try using the riders foot peg then stepping up to the pillion peg!

A 3rd vote for this, but off both stands. My short arse mate can do it easily

Left leg on left riders footpeg, both hands on your shoulders (you holding bike like Fanum says), swings leg over, then shuffles back on seat if need be.

Also keeps the weight lower down when doing so...........

 

[Fanum]

Here we go.....this is a possibility (from my last post)

The red line is the level of the rider footrest, the yellow shape could be a made-up plate and the two white dots are the current foot peg for pillion, and the lower position that a SECOND fold up peg could be mounted in

You could get it lower if you wanted to, but if you put a solid box by the bike at the level your good lady finds best, a plate could be made to that height if needed

Sorry about the crude rush job drawing

 

[sidestand]

Good idea - sounds like a fabrication mission for Mr Hooton

 

[dxtans]

leave the bike on the side stand while your wife mounts the bike then she can haul herself up with her left hand on your shoulder,i know someone will be along saying the stand isnt strong enough but we have been doing it that way for six years and had no problems

Totally agree, that's the way mrs dxtans gets mounted....

dxtans

 

[Mutley]

Somebody has to ask!

I'm presuming that, given your lack of confidence and fitness, you are unlikely to be off roading the GS anytime soon?

Consequently why not just sell it and buy something you both can get on and off?

 

[KevinW]

Thanks for the helpful responses.

We've thought about using the front peg and we'll give that a go but once I've moved my foot forward so I've cleared the peg I can't reach the ground. I'm then balanced on one foot which isn't so good.

Engineer, I can remember when SWMBO used to be petite but we're both a lot older now and neither of us are as svelte as we used to be...not that I was ever particularly svelte. I do wonder though how athletic your girlfriend would be feeling after 22 hours in the saddle and a dozen or so mounts and dismounts.

Spike, she agrees about the clothing. On Saturday night she was well clad in leggings, heated liners, textile trousers + winter liners so she didn't have a lot of free movement and that certainly can't have helped. Mind you she needed that lot as it was bl00dy cold and there's not a lot to think about on the back of a bike at night except what hurts and how hot/cold it is.

Neil W we did something similar in Igoumenitsa but it was entirely my fault. SWMBO asked if it was OK to get off, I said yes then promptly forgot about it as I was fiddling with the SatNav. Consequently when she stood on the peg the bike tipped over!

Fanum, she needs to pull herself up. After nearly toppling us when she used my arm a couple of times which pulled the bars to the left her latest technique appears to consist of shoving a cold wet glove down the neck of my jacket and pulling herself up with that! Thanks for your suggestion which I'm going to pursue. SWMBO wondered whether we could fit a lower peg but I'd dismissed the idea as it didn't seem practicable; I was obviously wrong.

Mutley, you seem to have wandered out of your village.

Kevin