Riding with pillion: Advice?

[Littlepeahead]

Originally Posted by specialone

Yeah but Clare, you only weigh about 4 stone, I've had heavier top boxes lol

If only!

And if you have a sports bike with a high pillion seat remember when filtering your head will be much lower than theirs. London bus wing mirrors are at optimum height to take a GSXR passenger's head off. Yes Raving Mavis, I do mean you in Regent Street.

[NTECUK]

Falling asleep ,I know somone who managed that on the back of an uncomftable Katana ..

[jonny.boyd]

Only skipped through the posts but going to give you my 2pence worth:

Best way to start off is with a light pillion - I think I took my sister on the back for the first few times. Honestly, you don't even realise that they're there after a little bit!

Tell them to hold onto grabrails (this also helps with them leaning with the bike)

You'll generally find that you notice the extra 10stone or whatever on the back at low speeds. Below 20mph if you have a figitter you'll damn well know it! Can make your life pretty hard! You may find you'll be a bit slower at junctions.

Have signals set up with your pillion. For me I tell them to tap me on the shoulder if they're not happy (too fast, uncomfortable, etc).

I think the best advice is to just take it nice and easy - you want your pillion to be happy / comfortable with getting on the bike, not scared sh**less!

Filtering with a pillion can be quite interesting. Especially when I took my mate who weighs about the same as me on the back, only after a few times did I realise what was going on, when I'd filter passed someone he'd give then a little thank you wave, not what you need at 5mph and a foot or two from the other cars!

Another annoying habit he developed was letting go at red lights, then as I'd be pulling away he'd be trying to get a grip again, again while going slowly that isn't fun.

[Littlepeahead]

Treacle had a signal - a tap on the knee meant hold on as we're about to hit warp speed and you've got no grab rail and your knees up near your ears!

[jambo]

Build up slowly.
You can take an inexperienced pillion from being scared of bikes to happy going flat out provided you do it by degrees and show that they can slow you if they need to. Don't try to impress them by going fast, impress them by being fluid and safe.
I've had more than one pillion go to sleep on my bike, usually on a longer trip in the motorway or an A road. They're pitched forward and unlikely to fall off, if I think someone's asleep I tend to tap the brakes before going for an overtake

Jambo
Sent from my thingie

Thanks for all the advice! I have read through all of it. Luckly I live in Somerset so no danger of hitting my pillion with a London bus (unless one has strayed for miles).

I feel it's better to have peoples experiences than general rules to understand about riding.

[PyroUK]

Originally Posted by Littlepeahead

Treacle had a signal - a tap on the knee meant hold on as we're about to hit warp speed and you've got no grab rail and your knees up near your ears!

+1

Had a slight issue with comms with my mate, say at lights I thought he said "pin it" so I did, his foot was by my head! Turns out he actually said "that guys boot is open"!

We can laugh about it now, but it was def a learning experience for the both of us!

Just my twopence worth. SMOOOOOOOOOTH is the most important although I agree with YC about trying too hard to have smooth gear changes. I started with a light pillion on the 125 who was then still fairly light when I bought the SV. He has unfortunately now grown to be 2 inches taller and slightly heavier than me but he is well trained passenger. When new to it he used to adjust his position mid roundabout, which was fun, but I pointed out that this was a good way to cause a crash. He doesn't do it anymore!

Don't pin the throttle back.. did that with the Mrs on the back... **** her up... luckily had a Oxford belt with handle on...