Allowing a passenger to ride w you

[blues2cruise]

120lbs Verm?

Picking up passengers at a Junior High or something?

hahahahahahahaha

[sapaul]

Riding with a pillion is a learnt skill like most bike skills. Start slow and easy short trips and build up your skills. There are several threads on this site that deal with the do's and dont's.

[mogster]

I say get her her own bike.

This would be my advice too, then you can learn together.

Happy riding &

[madjak30]

Someone already stated this, but...it is the slow manouvres that are the most unstable, and therefore most likely to cause you problems...so anything past 35mph~50kph isn't that different, but starting/stopping those are the 'scary' moments.

So along with making safety gear a big deal, also have a pre-ride discussion about how she needs to ride the bike. No abrupt movements...EVER! Try to stay directly behind you, if you lean then she should lean the same way and the same amount. She should hold onto your hips or the grab rails, never your arms and not your shoulders...imagine what would happen if you accelerated to avoid a situation and she was holding your arm, she pulls one arm first and off you go for that second or two (which might be a crucial time) that just wouldn't be good...

I agree with the others...wait until you have a year under your belt before taking someone else's life in your hands, it really only takes one 'WHOOPS' to cause a life changing moment. But if you can't wait a year, I would at least wait until you were very confident in your personal riding skills, then wait one more month...that's when I had my first 'WHOOPS', I figured 'I got this riding thing...' and promptly pulled a bonehead and dumped the bike...I waited until this year to take a passenger and this is year three for me, I've got over 24,000kms~15,000miles under my belt and I just feel confident enough to ride with a passenger. As for the weight, my daughter thought it was okay to 'wiggle' when I stopped which it is but I hadn't quite stopped yet...caught me off guard and I nearly dropped the bike...I weigh 220lbs, she weighs 105lbs...it doesn't take much when you aren't expecting it.

Good Luck!

Later.

[perrypogue]

I think the whole thing is a learning experience so I've allowed her to ride almost from the beginning. It annoys me when I feel she's twisting her head back to look for traffic behind us...but actually the bike stays stable. I had a scary experience w her on recently. I had a rear tire flat while going 60-65 mph. I was on a rough road anyway and it stopped me from realizing the tire was flat for a few seconds, then I definitely knew as the rear began to wobble. I didn't know exactly what to do but just got off the throttle and let it coast to a stop. I was lucky to be in the country with no other vehicles to be concerned with. Just before the bike came to a stop I didn't feel I could guide it at all...I was just trying to stay upright. I ended up crossing the other lane (two lane road) and stopping about 20' into the shoulder but managed to keep the bike upright. Looking back I would think using the front brake would have been a good thing. You think so?

[sapaul]

No, unless it was done very gradually. Engine braking and going down the gears one at a time does give you more control.

[perrypogue]

You're right, In didn't think to engine brake..I got pretty concerned that I might be going down so I was focused on keeping us upright. Sometimes I regret that I ever started carrying a passenger. Just as with this flat at 65 mph the bike was more difficult to control because of her 140 lbs. I told her there ain't no fat jockeys.

[pchast]

And you are still alive to post this!!!!!!!!!!!!

[blues2cruise]

And you are still alive to post this!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wondered about that, too.

140 pounds is not heavy. But even if it was....yikes. Not very diplomatic.

[perrypogue]

Actually, I told her nothing. She's the one who got me into biking...I feel I owe her. But, I weigh 230 lbs and she weighs 140 lbs. The bike has plenty of torque so I don't feel I lose much in performance...still, that's a big load. I just wish I rode alone...I'm risking only my life...passengers are too ready to put their lives in someone else's hands....but women want to ride with you.