View Full Version : Any Of You Like Going Pillion?
carternd
31-03-10, 05:39 PM
I have, I quite like it. Would rather ride my own bike though!
Some bikes are better than others. Was taken to my test on the back of an ER5 and it was cramped and the engine sounded like it was about to go on strike. GS1150 and V-strom were good, if a bit of a climb, Goldwing was like an armchair!
I like carrying pillions, although it helps if they're near my weight. I'm 10 1/2 stone, carried a 21st bloke once, He kept moving and sliding forward when I braked, thank God he kept putting his feet down! It was a miracle I got him home without an almighty pile-up!
kiggles
31-03-10, 05:54 PM
i started my biking career on the back of a bike. its not bad. and i enjoy letting my best friend rid fast while i can enjoy to view with out worrying about ridding.
Until i had to collect my new bike which is a 2 hours rid there which my friend drove me there on my own bike as he is bigger than me and i couldn't be bother to drive.
its horrible my bum really hurted. and i couldn't see past his shoulder and i couldn't control the acceleration feeeling on the bike. But i think my GF likes being on the bike as she can see past my shoulder and she cant rid so for me I hate it
but for her she probs likes it
Jayneflakes
31-03-10, 06:58 PM
I go pillion with the wife, she can ride our SV like I ride a push bike, I simply do not know how she does it. Riding with her is wonderful, not only do I get to hold on to her, but at those magical revs, the bike does things that we cannot talk about here.
I love it.
BanannaMan
02-04-10, 02:50 AM
Of course i would prefer to be riding my own bike but don't mind going pillion with the right (experianced) rider.
Problem is most want to impress you with how fast they can go, etc. and end up scaring the s*** out of you!
If they ride as they normally do all is fine. As others mentioned smoother is better.
If you're banging helmets with your pillon on every gear change you're not doing it right.
Likewise a good pillon needs to not resist the bike in the bends.
And please wait till my feet are on the ground before hopping off the bike.
(had a lass get off the wrong side of the bike while I was trying to find neutral once) (Yes it fell over)
Comunication is key for those who don't ride togther often.
Most that do ride pillion on a regular basis seem to already know what to expect and/or how to react in certain situations.
If you have a good pillion rider with you you can hardly tell they are even on the bike. (except you need a bit more pressure on the brakes )
Jayneflakes
02-04-10, 09:36 AM
Problem is most want to impress you with how fast they can go, etc. and end up scaring the s*** out of you!
I have experienced this a few times, the last time I went with some one who was a nutter, I bitterly complained and they actually toned it down once they knew I was going to get physical with my objections. :smt071
The reason I love riding pillion with Carol is that she makes me feel safe. When she is riding the bike, it feels like there is a force field around the bike and people do keep their distance. It must be the way she rides, she is not too fast or overly aggressive, but it seems that drivers are more aware of her than they are of me. I have followed her on my 125 and the cars that wait for her will pull out on me! :pale:
I find that the SV is one of the most comfortable pillion pads I have ever used, the worst being the inch thick bear mat of foam padding on a hard tail chop. I swear that thing left me with a broken pelvis and a feeling of having been violated!:smt103
I do like the feeling of speed though, being a pillion when the bike is in triple figures is exciting, being on the back with a good rider at speed is a feeling I greatly enjoy. Again, the last time being with Carol on our SV. :smt050
I went out with a mate on his track bike a few years ago, dropping into long swooping corners in three figures is an experience I wont forget, but 150 miles per hour hurts after a few minutes when you get the full air blast.:smt103
yorkie_chris
02-04-10, 09:48 AM
It must be the way she rides, she is not too fast or overly aggressive, but it seems that drivers are more aware of her than they are of me. I have followed her on my 125 and the cars that wait for her will pull out on me! :pale:
Don't bring any supernatural bollox into it :-P
It is just mindset and road positioning, don't tell me it is a force field, learn how to have the same road presence yourself :)
Don't bring any supernatural bollox into it :-P
It is just mindset and road positioning, don't tell me it is a force field, learn how to have the same road presence yourself :)
step 1 - don't ride a 125 :D
gruntygiggles
02-04-10, 10:32 AM
+1 to YC and Ophic Carol.
You don't have much road presence on a 125 as I have recently found out, so you have to make it for yourself. Position yourself on the road so that you are impossible to miss, "own" your lane and don't give drivers the opportunity to go around you. Another thing I found works for me when on the CG is that when stopped at lights/junctions, I look back at the vehicle behind and look at the vehicles to the sides. You then become a person on a bike...not just a bike that's in the way.
Other than that....bigger bikes are more visible....simples. So make up for your little bike by riding big!
Jayneflakes
02-04-10, 10:35 AM
It is just mindset and road positioning, don't tell me it is a force field, learn how to have the same road presence yourself :)
step 1 - don't ride a 125 :D
It has been suggested to me that having a big red L on the front and back does not help either! [-X
You should have seen the look on her face when I said I was going to put a big green P on the back of the SV. :neutral:
It is road presence and also she has twenty years of riding experience and I have two years, that difference can be felt.
Gene genie
02-04-10, 11:01 AM
once i relaxed i enjoyed it. your sat higher than the rider which gives you a better view and the freedom to enjoy it. i also discovered you can also have a propper look at your reflection in shop windows.
gruntygiggles
02-04-10, 11:03 AM
once i relaxed i enjoyed it. your sat higher than the rider which gives you a better view and the freedom to enjoy it. i also discovered you can also have a propper look at your reflection in shop windows.
Haha....I used to love doing that...lol
yorkie_chris
02-04-10, 11:17 AM
You should have seen the look on her face when I said I was going to put a big green P on the back of the SV. :neutral:
What the hell would you do that for? :smt082
I've been informed riding with me isn't too terrifying
Correct. My only concern was your navigational skill on the M25 ;).
I went pillion several times before ever being able to ride - and I loved it.
In more recent years, since I've been riding, I've only pillioned with a few people. If I trust their riding, then I can relax pretty much 100% and enjoy it (no effort required, you get to have a look around at the scenery).
As Lozzo said, if I've got someone on the back of my bike (which I'm quite happy to do), then I ride differently. I think I probably over-compensate for having precious cargo on the back. Yes, I do value my life - but I feel hugely responsible for the person on the back.
What I enjoy about being a pillion nowadays is experiencing someone else's riding style and seeing how they do things differently.
Bikes are fun.
Jayneflakes
02-04-10, 01:51 PM
What the hell would you do that for? :smt082
That is what she said. :cool:
I thought that it would alert other road users to the fact that I am a new qualified rider on my big bike. :)
She said I would look like a **** and other road users would use me as target practice! Well she said that once she had stopped laughing. She thanks you for your help in bringing this to my attention.
:smt019
:smt040
missyburd
02-04-10, 02:40 PM
once i relaxed i enjoyed it. your sat higher than the rider which gives you a better view and the freedom to enjoy it. i also discovered you can also have a propper look at your reflection in shop windows.
Haha....I used to love doing that...lol
Haha glad its not just me :D I've stopped doing it now although I admit I've sneaked a few looks in to see what my new leather jacket looks like, how vain I know :oops:
yorkie_chris
02-04-10, 02:47 PM
That is what she said. :cool:
I thought that it would alert other road users to the fact that I am a new qualified rider on my big bike. :)
She said I would look like a **** and other road users would use me as target practice! Well she said that once she had stopped laughing. She thanks you for your help in bringing this to my attention.
Yeah exactly, idiot magnets. Advertising weakness is not what you want to do.
beabert
02-04-10, 03:09 PM
more turbulent on the back and noisier, hate it.
Me and Miss cBay went out today and had fun just near the Southend Seafront until it started to rain and rain and then rain a little more.
We got home and she wanted to go out again... lol.
She did complain about her wrists hurting though. Strange I know she was only the pillion, lol.
I think being pillion is more worrying for a bike rider as you know how it works, if you get what I mean where as a non-rider just goes with the flow aslong as they aren't scared and all ridged.
Done over 160mph as pillion on my mate's gixr over the mountain section of the TT and over to the edge of the tyre round corners. Absolutely loved it. Depends on trusting the rider I suppose. He enjoyed it too. Reckoned the back tyre dug in more with the extra weight over the wheel. My first pillion ride was on the back of an Aprilia RSV1000 (before taking my test). After the first corner I was screaming at him to stop but he just pretended not to hear me (which he later admitted) and carried on riding like a lunatic. I think I scared him as much by trying to sit up round the corners. I had cramp in every leg muscle when I got off and must have looked like John Wayne when I tried to walk. A bit nasty as it might have put me off bikes for life but it had completely the opposite effect and I thank him for it. For me it has to be a faster bike than the SV to be worthwhile.
But get me in the passenger seat of my missus' Vauxhall Astra: scared ****less. I'm amazed I haven't put hole in her floor-pan with my imaginary braking.
Never have, never will.*
*Unless it's like a hotlap on the back of a pro rider around a track.
gruntygiggles
04-04-10, 11:50 PM
Done over 160mph as pillion on my mate's gixr over the mountain section of the TT and over to the edge of the tyre round corners. Absolutely loved it. Depends on trusting the rider I suppose. He enjoyed it too. Reckoned the back tyre dug in more with the extra weight over the wheel. My first pillion ride was on the back of an Aprilia RSV1000 (before taking my test). After the first corner I was screaming at him to stop but he just pretended not to hear me (which he later admitted) and carried on riding like a lunatic. I think I scared him as much by trying to sit up round the corners. I had cramp in every leg muscle when I got off and must have looked like John Wayne when I tried to walk. A bit nasty as it might have put me off bikes for life but it had completely the opposite effect and I thank him for it. For me it has to be a faster bike than the SV to be worthwhile.
But get me in the passenger seat of my missus' Vauxhall Astra: scared ****less. I'm amazed I haven't put hole in her floor-pan with my imaginary braking.
Yep....I can fully understand you on that one. My ex was the first to really take me pillion a lot....on his B1H ZX6R and it was a crazy bike. He'd regularly go over 150 with me on the back, would always ride like I wasn't there and since he did more than 1 stoppie, even with my weight on the back says a lot about how much of an idiot he actually was. Still, in my naivety I loved every second of it and it got me hooked on bikes. I now am just grateful I have Dan as he is a brilliant rider to be taken pillion with.
I am now just wondering if I'll still like it after racking up a few more miles on my own bike.
I am now just wondering if I'll still like it after racking up a few more miles on my own bike.
I've always wondered about that. Once you are used to being in control yourself, how easy will it be to give that control back to someone else?
Much as I would love my own bike, I'm also perfectly happy as pillion. I would much rather stay as pillion and be able to do all we do in a year, than have my own bike and be able to do **** all because of all the extra expense.
Dicky Ticker
05-04-10, 10:20 AM
I agree with you Lissa but you can always have one bike and change rider/pillion.
I do not like going pillion myself and very very seldom would I ever take somebody unless in an emergency/breakdown or such
:)
Any bike low enough for me to ride would be far too small for Pete.
And I WILL NOT go the cruiser route! ;)
yorkie_chris
05-04-10, 10:40 AM
and be able to do **** all because of all the extra expense.
You could always buy a reliable bike :mrgreen:
You could always buy a reliable bike :mrgreen:
:rolleyes:
The day you don't have a dig at Ducati is the day I die of shock! Or I know you've been taken over by aliens! :p
I went pillion on Saturday for the first time in ages and I LOVED it :-D
:)
Any bike low enough for me to ride would be far too small for Pete.
And I WILL NOT go the cruiser route! ;)
Cruisers are ace. Different experience to sportsbikes, but still awesome fun.
Cruisers are ace. Different experience to sportsbikes, but still awesome fun.
Horses for courses, Hun, just not for me. Really don't light my fire in any way.
Horses for courses, Hun, just not for me. Really don't light my fire in any way.
Yeah I thought that until I rode one.
SoulKiss
05-04-10, 11:55 AM
It depends who you go pillion with.
I have been pillion with lots of people and can honestly say that I have never enjoyed a pillion ride more then on the back of the Squid.
I learnt heaps from being on the back with him and had such an amazing ride out it was fantastic.
I've only ever been pillion to the Squid, usually on my own bike, 1st time was the day I got back on after breaking my collarbone.
Even had him pillion on the Zed once - well for about one street until he got bored, and we pulled over and swapped :P
If you ever want to know what your bike can actually do, I recommend the Squid "pillion on your own bike" experience :)
Milky Bar Kid
05-04-10, 12:12 PM
I am now just wondering if I'll still like it after racking up a few more miles on my own bike.
I still enjoy going pillion. It's just a different experience I suppose.
I am positive you will still love being pillion with Dan.
barwel1992
05-04-10, 01:15 PM
any else find they fall asleep going pillion ?? when i was younger (7 or 8 ) i never used to do it until i got to about 10 then i started to fall a sleep got worse and worse until i stopped going pillion at about 13.
never had any incidences as mum used to ride be hind and see me start to sway, then would obviously pull over and wake me up
?
Milky Bar Kid
05-04-10, 01:19 PM
Erm, no...that sounds a bit scary though..
barwel1992
05-04-10, 01:22 PM
Erm, no...that sounds a bit scary though..
wasn't for me but must have been for my mum n dad, its the only reason my mum would never take me on the back of her bike (sv)
i would start to get drowsy and just really struggle to keep my easy open, thats why i would never go pillion now
Milky Bar Kid
05-04-10, 01:23 PM
That's odd, do you fall asleep llike that with other things? Or is just cause you find being pillion relaxing or something?
barwel1992
05-04-10, 01:28 PM
nope never had that problem with any thing else, im fine in the car and stuf like that
and no never found it that relaxing, we never exactly went slow ether, i did find it different on different bikes though i was ok on the , r6 , sv but was terrible on both of the zx6r's not quite as bad on the fazer 1000 but still bad :/
Jayneflakes
05-04-10, 06:02 PM
any else find they fall asleep going pillion ??
I did it once many years ago and my mate said it made his bike feel weird and we had to pull over. He did have a CB250 Superdream though! :D
Had a trip out yesterday and loved going on the back again. No responsibility other than to do as I was told! :cheers:
We have rider/pillion intercom and can talk as we go along, that makes it fun, but you have to be aware of when is a good time to talk.:smt040
missyburd
05-04-10, 08:16 PM
Much as I would love my own bike, I'm also perfectly happy as pillion. I would much rather stay as pillion and be able to do all we do in a year, than have my own bike and be able to do **** all because of all the extra expense.
Good way of looking at it actually Lissa. If I didn't so desperately need my own transport and could drive then I would probably have been happy to settle for just being a pillion. But I admit, now I've ridden I like it very much so I'm glad I have :)
any else find they fall asleep going pillion ??
?
Only on long motorway stretches and certainly not deep sleep. Just get drowsy and if we've been riding for hours already then I tend to snooze on Chris's back, while he's at constant-ish speed with the windblast he doesn't notice me haha.
barwel1992
05-04-10, 08:30 PM
^ lmao
when i was little about 6ish we used to use a bag strap (sports bag type) and clip in round me and my dad so i was attached to him so i could just sit there and not hold on, was great lol
then got handle things that go around dads waist they were good as i didn't like the rear grab rails
Only on long motorway stretches and certainly not deep sleep. Just get drowsy and if we've been riding for hours already then I tend to snooze on Chris's back, while he's at constant-ish speed with the windblast he doesn't notice me haha.
Yep, coming back from the GM last year I snoozed off on the motorway. :D
missyburd
05-04-10, 08:38 PM
Yep, coming back from the GM last year I snoozed off on the motorway. :D
that was the trip i was thinking of :D
yorkie_chris
05-04-10, 08:42 PM
What when it was p*ssing it down and you couldn't see past the curtain of spray thrown up by the wagons yet we were still doing xxx mph? Sleep was not on my mind!
missyburd
05-04-10, 08:44 PM
What when it was p*ssing it down and you couldn't see past the curtain of spray thrown up by the wagons yet we were still doing xxx mph? Sleep was not on my mind!
lol, maybe the one before that then :-P
davepreston
06-04-10, 01:55 AM
ive been on the back of badgers bike for a return trip from the pub at gm tbh i didnt like it and badge is a great rider , id say its the control thing for me , but not a crash thing i had nothing but faith in badgers riding it just didnt feel right me not steering iykwim
What when it was p*ssing it down and you couldn't see past the curtain of spray thrown up by the wagons yet we were still doing xxx mph? Sleep was not on my mind!
Ah, that was coming home from GM1. We all rocked up at the services, dripping wet, no waterproofs on, laughing like loons. All the other customers looked at us like we were mad! :smt043:smt043
gruntygiggles
06-04-10, 06:48 AM
Ah, that was coming home from GM1. We all rocked up at the services, dripping wet, no waterproofs on, laughing like loons. All the other customers looked at us like we were mad! :smt043:smt043
:rolleyes:
speedplay
06-04-10, 07:21 AM
I went pillion on sunday for the first time since I was 11 years old.
Phil (Specialone) took me to see if we could get some bits for my poorly bike in wales.
It wasnt too bad but I didn't like the lack of control.
*It may have been better if I could get my arms round Phil to hold on though ;)
*cheap dig for the photos of my bike on a trailer ;)
missyburd
06-04-10, 11:30 AM
Ah, that was coming home from GM1. We all rocked up at the services, dripping wet, no waterproofs on, laughing like loons. All the other customers looked at us like we were mad! :smt043:smt043
Ahh the memories :-D Amazing fryups there too! Anyway we digress.
I do hope things things don't change much for me when I start to ride properly, I very much enjoy it atm, would be such a shame if I couldn't enjoy it anymore :S
-Ralph-
06-04-10, 01:53 PM
Sandrine and I don't have any particular defined taps, we get our message across and just seem to know what the other one is doing. She'll give me a tap and lift her visor through 30mph limits if she wants to talk to me. I can tell when she's not happy with my filtering because her knees squeeze my hips as she thinks she's going to get them knocked off by a wing mirror. I can tell when she is not happy with my speed, because she stiffens up, she becomes solid weight instead of flexible weight and I feel the difference in the rear shock.
I'll NEVER have an intercom, when I put my helmet on is one of the few times I can get a break from my wife's voice, at the moment she can't moan about anything until we stop, and the thing she was going to moan about 20 miles ago she's forgotten about.
With an intercom...
SANDRINE:
"I'm cold"
"My jacket is leaking"
"I've got a sore ar$e"
"I'm tired/fed up now"
"I'm hungry"
"I need the toilet"
"Those corners made me feel sick"
"When are we stopping for a coffee?"
"Are we there yet?"
"You're going too fast!!"
"Can't we just buy a Harley?"
ME (after the first 1/2 hour): Arrrrgggghhhhh, will you STFU!!!
SANDRINE: "I'm never going on the bike with you again..."
Communication works just fine as it is just now.
What they don't understand is that I back off hugely when I effectively have someone else's life in my hands
Problem is most want to impress you with how fast they can go, etc. and end up scaring the s*** out of you!
Most that do ride pillion on a regular basis seem to already know what to expect and/or how to react in certain situations.
If you have a good pillion rider with you you can hardly tell they are even on the bike. (except you need a bit more pressure on the brakes )
+1 to above. There is no point trying to impress a pillion with how fast the bike is. If they are a biker already, they know how fast bikes are, if they are not, just the ease with which you sail past other traffic seemingly without effort will impress them enough. If you scare the **** out of them, or even regularly make them uncomfortable, you'll put them off going pillion next time, so what did that achieve?
Only on long motorway stretches and certainly not deep sleep. Just get drowsy and if we've been riding for hours already then I tend to snooze on Chris's back, while he's at constant-ish speed with the windblast he doesn't notice me haha.
Yep, coming back from the GM last year I snoozed off on the motorway. :D
Never known anybody sway or be at risk of falling off, but I used to sleep on pillion as a kid, and Sandrine slumps on my back, with her helmet on my shoulder quite regularly. It's fatigue that causes it.
Last time I was on pillion, was with Kilted Ginger on his stock SV. Can you imagine it? About 35 stone including gear. It wasn't very sympathetic towards the bike anyway.
http://members.pioneer.net/~mchumor/00images/7423_elephant_cartoon.gif
Luckypants
06-04-10, 03:04 PM
** Rude stuff about Sandrine **
Claire came pillion on Sunday as she has not been able to get an MOT slot for her bike... We had the intercom on and it was nice chatting about the lambs and idiot drivers. Later on that day everyone was taking off and I said 'I'm gonna take it easy on this bit, likely to be coppers about' about 2 miles later a little voice came in my helmet when we were passed by someone 'Oh, go on...' So I did :mrgreen:
We had a great ride with the Madlanders and when the pace was upped, Claire just tucked in tight behind me and let me get on with riding. Even when I was leaning off, she went with me, was a great feeling. There were one or two 'Wheeee!'s came over the head phones, but only one rebuke for an overtake she was not keen on. It's normally the overtakes we disagree on. The only limit to the ride I found was pegs went down a bit earlier. More pre-load will probs fix it, but it is a PITA to add on the Maxton shock the way it installs on the VFR and decking out is a bit of a VFR limit.
-Ralph-
06-04-10, 04:10 PM
** Lovey dovey stuff about Claire **
But Claire's a biker herself, and doesn't hang around herself either.
And you're not married.
And most crucially, Claire reads the forum :mrgreen:
-Ralph-
06-04-10, 04:20 PM
Took Sandrine out for her first ride on the XT for four hours on Saturday.
She liked sitting higher up, she liked the softer seat, she liked plodding along at 60mph, she liked the vibrations from the single cylinder :smt112 (kidding), but there wasn't enough room and it forced her to sit in one position the whole time.
She got home and told my mother she wanted "one of those Harley's with a really comfortable seat where you could sit all day long and watch the world go by"
http://motoprofi.com/bikephoto/3680/harleydavidson_ultra_classic_electra_glide_1996_2. jpg
woah that's not so much a sissy bar as a baby seat!
But you can't beat a cruiser for long motorway miles at legal speeds.
petevtwin650
06-04-10, 06:10 PM
But you can't beat a cruiser for long motorway miles at legal speeds.
Might as well be in a car then though :smt102
-Ralph-
06-04-10, 06:13 PM
Might as well be in a car then though :smt102
A convertible maybe? Nah, not quite, any bike is better than a car.
yorkie_chris
06-04-10, 06:23 PM
legal speeds.
:confused:
Shellywoozle
06-04-10, 06:32 PM
Depends who it is with.
Been pillion with 3 people, one advanced police rider, one orger and en ex. Felt safe with them all and with one of them I like the cuddle factor so enjoyed it even more.
petevtwin650
06-04-10, 06:50 PM
A convertible maybe? Nah, not quite, any bike is better than a car.
You've obviously not driven one of these then, Ralph? :cool:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i184/petevtwin650/Morgan/img122.jpg
-Ralph-
06-04-10, 06:55 PM
You've obviously not driven one of these then, Ralph? :cool:
Yep, guy I used to work with up in Scotland had something similar, Morgan something or other, old, but couldn't tell you what model, but I still prefer two wheels to four. Maybe it's leaning round corners that does it, but I can't explain why. My brother in law has a Yamaha 700cc racing quad, and I don't think much of riding that either.
A convertible maybe? Nah, not quite, any bike is better than a car.
Got one of those too. Still, convertibles are for hairdressers. Cruisers have attitude. And easier to filter (but only marginally). Oh and they leak less in my case :mad:
there are not many people i trust for me to go pillion. so they usually hand me the keys, lol
petevtwin650
06-04-10, 08:55 PM
My car response was in reply to doing motorways at legal speeds.
IMO a car is better for that. On a bike you tend to switch off and all the advantages of a two wheels are lost also.
Some people on here ride amazingly well with pillions... And some pillions on here are amazing pillions as it's not easy from the one time I have done it.
Following mike scrapping his pegs is amusing... I would have soiled myself if I was claire.
Speedy Claire
06-04-10, 11:01 PM
But Claire's a biker herself, and doesn't hang around herself either.
And you're not married.
And most crucially, Claire reads the forum :mrgreen:
lol....... I enjoy riding pillion but it has to be with someone I trust. I had a blast on Sunday and felt quite confident with Mikes abilities. I think I do sometimes have a tendency to lean a bit soon into the corners as I forget i`m pillion and not riding so I make a conscious effort not to look ahead of me and just go with Mikes body and the bike.
I think that riding bikes yourself might be a bad thing when it comes to riding pillion as you have more of an awareness and like Mike said I wasn`t happy with an overtake but only because personally I would have waited for the next opportunity. However, Mike is an experienced rider so I have to trust him that he`s seen a safe opportunity and gone for it.
Great fun tho :cheers:
Speedy Claire
06-04-10, 11:06 PM
Some people on here ride amazingly well with pillions... And some pillions on here are amazing pillions as it's not easy from the one time I have done it.
Following mike scrapping his pegs is amusing... I would have soiled myself if I was claire.
Ahhh you must have missed the conversation earlier in the day when I said I was constipated lol
Specialone
06-04-10, 11:20 PM
I wish i could ride solo half as good as some people ride with pillions ;)
jamesterror
06-04-10, 11:54 PM
I voted Yes I love it, I don't love it but enjoy doing it.
The experience of somebody else's style of riding, and how you'd do something different, whether you've spotted what they have.
I prefer riding myself, but sometimes its nice to be thrown about on the back
Many moons ago in a land far far away, I had a pillion that was so good I forgot she was even there. Got to a section of road I knew well and knew I could go through the up coming S bend with both pegs scraping on consecutive bends. It was only after I felt a sharp pain in my kidneys did I remember my pillion. :lol:
-Ralph-
07-04-10, 09:08 AM
Any pillion who is ever unsure, use the sack of potatoes method, just relax completely and your natural balance will keep you right. Even if the rider is hanging off the bike (which he shouldn't be with a new pillion anyway), and you sit still, so long as you don't change what you do half way round the corner, you won't upset the bike. Think of yourself as luggage - panniers and topboxes don't lean in corners!
I take new pillion's quite regularly since myself and most of my friends now have children, because if we have visitors and we are off to go somewhere, I always offer to ride and take somebody on the bike (any excuse on a weekend where otherwise I wouldn't get out on the bike!). If the visitor fancies a shot on the bike, we have two adults in the car with the kids in the back, and two adults on the bike.
Every new pillion asks, because they've all heard stories about how you have to lean with the bike, "what do I do about leaning in corners?", my response is always the same, "don't think about leaning in corners and don't make any concious effort to do anything at all, just relax. If you do that and there is still any problem, then we'll stop and have a chat about it." The majority of time there is no need to stop.
I think I do sometimes have a tendency to lean a bit soon into the corners
I had one of Sandrine's friends on the back, and I couldn't get him to stop consciously leaning. He see's a corner coming and 20 yds before it, over his weight went, sending the bike off course. He was so nervous about his first time on the back of a bike, he couldn't get leaning out of his head. So after stopping for the 2nd or 3rd time, I told him "before the next set of bends, I'm going to tap you on the knee, I want you to shut your eyes, and keep them shut until I tap you on the knee again, if you do that you can't consciously lean for a bend because you won't know it's coming until the bike starts to roll over, then you'll be forced to use your natural balance" He was a perfect pillion as soon as he shut his eyes, stopped and asked how he felt and he said "Wow, that was brilliant, it's like a fairground ride, you either have to open your eyes again, or you just have to go with it, relax and let yourself be carried along!", Eureka! It took a few more knee taps and closed eye sessions to sort him out completely, but we did about an 80 mile round trip that day and the journey back he was no bother at all and really enjoyed it (with his eyes open). Every time he comes now, I have to set aside an hour to go out on the bike.
Luckypants
07-04-10, 09:31 AM
any else find they fall asleep going pillion ?? when i was younger (7 or 8 ) i never used to do it until i got to about 10 then i started to fall a sleep got worse and worse until i stopped going pillion at about 13.
Only on long motorway stretches and certainly not deep sleep. Just get drowsy and if we've been riding for hours already then I tend to snooze on Chris's back, while he's at constant-ish speed with the windblast he doesn't notice me haha.
Yep, coming back from the GM last year I snoozed off on the motorway. :D
See my earlier post http://forums.sv650.org/showpost.php?p=2227920&postcount=59 :-D From the M6, down the M1 to the bottom of the M10. Mark woke me up braking for the roundabout... :cool:
gruntygiggles
07-04-10, 09:35 AM
Ralph....the closing your eyes thing really does work. I normally have my eyes wide open and I watch the road both in front and well ahead so that I can be aware of what is coming up, but occasionally, more for fun really, I close my eyes through a set of twisties and it is indeed like being on a fairground ride...lol.
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