Pillions, steering, and waving

[mysta2]

I was cruising around on sat night with a girl I just met on the back of my Ducati and had some strange experiences. I'm pretty slim on two up riding experience and that night was the first time I'd done it for more than 5 minutes at a time, besides the obvious and predictable differences in handling, I noticed the steering was a lot more precise with her on the back... I want that all the time (now it just feels vague and sloppy) Do you think I can get a similar effect by raising the tail and dropping the front? Monsters are notoriously tail heavy. She's probably just north of 100# and real fit btw.

Also I've always waved at other bikers (you know; the hand out to the side and down because I'm too cool to wave live a noob thing) and that night I only got one wave reciprocated... from a guy on a scooter. What's up with that?!

[Mintbread]

If you raise the tail and lower the front the weight will will be shifted forward, the exact opposite of what happens when you have a pillion on the bike.

People were probably so shocked that a Duc rider actually waved to someone not on a similarly branded motorcycle they forgot to wave back.

[Jamers!]

Also I've always waved at other bikers (you know; the hand out to the side and down because I'm too cool to wave live a noob thing) and that night I only got one wave reciprocated... from a guy on a scooter. What's up with that?!

scooters are riders too, and im glad he waved. i always give a bike high wave with my left hand unless im turning or shifting, its just friendly and i like it.



JWF

[mysta2]

no no no, I get waves back all the time... just apparently not with her on the back. I also considered that it might be because I wasn't wearing a helmet (she had mine) but I don't think so. I wave to scooters all the time too, they don't usually wave back though, I think I catch them off guard.

I'm aware that raising the tail would be switching weight in the opposite direction (theoretically) But maybe having her on the back was just more weight in general... otherwise the steering thing just doesn't make any sense, that's what was so surprising about it.

[Sev]

Maybe adjust the preload to stiffen the back end? Seems like the increase in weight on the back would compress the shocks and stiffen up the whole assembly, which would in turn increase the steering abilitiy.

I know that when my bike has soft suspension in the back the whole thing feels wallowy, but if you tighten it up, the steering becomes more confident.

[jmillheiser]

crank up your rear preload and see if you can replicate the effect of having her on the bike. Also try upping your rear damping as well (if you can adjust that)

[shawnhpi]

thats cuz scooters do indeed RULE..

Ok fill me in on the waving thing..

Noobs have there own wave?

I just throw the hand down or copy the other guy..


Shawn...

[Johnny Gaijin]

i do the low wave too, yeah it looks cooler, but also waving w/ your left hand up looks like you could be signalling to turn right. not a big issue i know, but still.

[mysta2]

...and the low wave looks like you're signalling to turn left

noob wave is just a standard (non motorcycle) flapping of the left hand in the air.

[skinnyjoint]

thats cuz scooters do indeed RULE..

Ok fill me in on the waving thing..

Noobs have there own wave?

I just throw the hand down or copy the other guy..


Shawn...

hahah copy the other guy i hear ya.
dude somtimes the wave gets annoying..... in florida on a sunday or somting