First time pillion passenger advice...?

Question

Hubby has just bought a new bike after passing his test in August. He is an experienced rider having had many years experience on a Cagiva Mito 125. However i have never been on a bike before and to be honest im just a little scared! What are is the best first -time pillion advice you can give?
Many thanks

For those in America (who possibly have different rules..) Hubby pased his bike test in August - enabling him to ride bikes over 125cc, before that he had done his compulsery basic training (CBT) allowing him to ride up to a 125cc. He has had years of experience on 125's but has only just qualified to ride 'bigger' bikes. Hope that clears some confusion up. - and sorry for boring those who already know. xxx

Answer 1

Grrreat question. A poorly prepared pillion can seriously affect the rider's ability to control the bike...particularly on such a small bike. My recommendations:

--Dress for the crash, not for the ride
--Before you get on the bike, let your hubby position the bike first. Getting the bike out of the parking spot is easier with one person on the bike.
--Ask him if he's ready before you jump on the bike. By standing on only one peg, you're essentially knocking the bike off balance, and if he wasn't ready for you, he could just end up dropping the bike...not very smooth.
--Keep your body parallel to the lean of the bike. If the bike leans left, lean left only enough to keep your body in line with the bike, etc. That's the most important. You'd be surprised how much effect even moving your head or raising an arm has on the steering of the bike. *Do not* try to keep your body upright (perpendicular to the ground). If the bike is leaning to the left, and you try to keep your body upright, your hubby will have to lean the bike even further to affect a turn. And when he rights the bike back up, having you shifting your weight unexpectedly will affect steering, and you guys could wobble off course.
--Avoid sudden shifts in your center of gravity...particularly when turning.
--When you hold the rider, it's useful to keep one hand around the waist, and the other hand on the back or shoulder (wherever he's comfortable with your hand). The purpose is two-fold. First, it's for stability. The hand around the waist keeps you on the bike when he's accelerating. The hand on his back keeps you from banging into his helmet with your helmet when braking. Secondly, your hands are useful there to telegraph to him what you're feeling, and whether your leaning.
--Pay attention to the road. I'd advise that you try not to slack off, thinking you're not doing anything. True, you're not in control of the bike, but a pillion could be in danger if unprepared for a sudden steering input or sudden acceleration. If you are not ready yourself, and your hubby steers one way to avoid something, you could literally get thrown off. Keep an eye on the road so you are aware of things that could cause the rider to change course.
--When getting off the bike, again...check if he's ready before hopping off.
--Have fun...enjoy the road.

Answer 2

Surprised no-one's suggested this yet....
You'll feel 100% more at ease and confident with something to lean your back against. I'm thinking of a top box, preferably with a back pad on it. If your husband has a cruiser then a cissy bar will do the job. Any hard luggage will help protect your legs and also gives you somewhere to stow your gear when you stop to stretch your legs or have lunch etc.
My wife and I wouldn't dream of going anywhere over 20 miles or so without our intercom now. It's given our days out another dimension and has also made it safer since I can let her know if I'm going to open it up or brake suddenly. We use a Backchat Duo; it has no power supply and is better than anything else we have tried. Cheap too!!
There's no doubt that it can be dangerous and I guess it's true that the pillion will always come off worse in any accident. So you've got to be sure that you can trust the rider to be responsible and not take stupid risks. I ride like a **** a lot of the time...but never with a pillion on board!!
I wouldn't go on the back...Ever! But my wife enjoys it and we've had some really good fun.
P.s. The bigger the bike the more enjoyable the experience. But if you're perched up in the air 2 foot above the rider with only a small seat under your bum then it can be kinda scary. A sports tourer, tourer or cruiser are the best options.
And respect to the girl who sits on the back of her b/f's GSXR1000! You must have a tiny ****!!!
Good Luck.

Answer 3

Riding With A Pillion

Answer 4

First off, don’t let people scare you off from enjoying the experience. I too was a Police Officer and I also taught motorcycling. I highly recommend training even for experienced riders. Once you decide to ride with him, have him start out slow, a large parking lot is good for this. Have him ride with you around the lot making turns, starting and stopping. Once you are comfortable with his skills, you can move out on the roads.

Most of all, take it slow. As long as your husband keeps a respect for the cycle and caution in the way he rides, you’ll be fine. By the way, I don’t know where the other officer was seeing all the death from, but when a motorcycle goes down, YOU WANT TO GET AWAY FROM IT.

In all the years I’ve ridden, I’ve only laid down twice. It was in my early riding days and I was being stupid. I’ve never laid down or had an accident with my wife on board because I respect the bike, what it can do, and what the 4 wheelers can do to me.

Enjoy it. It’s great!

Answer 5

Mega Important to relax and dont tense up. The last thing you want to do is be sat upright when hes trying to corner! To get on the back of a bike you need to have full confidence in the rider and go with the flow. To make it simpler just tell him to take it steady for a few times whilst your out to build up your confidence or ull slap him! Also anything after 70mph is a good idea and get your head down, dont lift your head at speed otherwise youll probly be practising a back flip from the bike! Other than that its a great experience to get out riding. Make sure you wear proper equipment, boots, helmet, gloves, leathers if possible. Good luck and enjoy!

Answer 6

Firstly relax..its fun! Secondly make sure he is stable before you get on and get comfortable before you start off because there is nothing worse than a wriggling passenger. Wear enclosed shoes...sneakers are fine. Keep your feet and legs away from the muffler..it gets hot. Put your feet firmly on the pegs. When he is cornering try to lean a little in the direction of the corner. Dont wrap your arms tightly around him..just hook your fingers into a belt loop or the back of his jeans. At traffic lights and when you first take off hold on because if you dont you can fall off. Pay attention to what is going on around you. Dont talk to him constantly...let him keep his attention on the road...and when you do have to say something to him lean forward and talk loudly. Work out some hand signals...we did and that works great. It sounds complicated but it isnt really. You will have a great time if you use your common sense. Always ride with a helmet! Have fun!!

Answer 7

Your first sentence says he just passed his test. The second one says he has years of experience on a tiny bike. Which is it?

First time riders need to trust the driver - he has your life in his hands. Don't put your feet down until you are getting off the bike. Don't lean into turns, just put your head over the shoulder on the same side as the lean. Don't fall off. Wave at other riders and at any kids who show interest. Enjoy! :-)

Answer 8

I am afraid the only sensible advice is do not, under any circumstances, ride pillion. In my view, pillion passengers should be banned by law.

Just think about it - if there is an accident at, say, 50mph, are you going to be able to hold on? Of course not - no pillion passenger can.

In my experience as a police officer for 30 years, in the event of any accident involving a motor cycle travelling at more than a really slow speed, the pillion passenger nearly ALWAYS died. The rider tends to stay with the bike and frequently suffers only minor injuries, whereas the pillion passenger is catapulted over the rider to almost certain death.

Sorry - it's not what you want to hear, but I am afraid it is true.

Answer 9

just relax and go with the bike, you can get love handles that fit around the riders waist which you can hold on to, these are good if you are a first time pillion as they make you feel secure. why dont you take over the cagiva, you will love riding your own bike!

Answer 10

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