Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hi, I've only been a pillion since feb this year and would be grateful of any tips you might have for me

Some basic tips...

1. Don't make any sudden movements that may disturb the direction of the bike.

2. Never put your feet down unless you plan on getting off the bike. The driver can balance the bike at stops just fine on his/her own.

3. Always turn your head to look over the driver's shoulder in the direction of a turn.

4. If on a sport bike, try your best to manage your weight when the driver is braking hard. You tend to slide right into him and in turn causes him to slide into the tank... it can hurt.

I'm probably forgetting a few.

plasmabot wrote: 2. Never put your feet down unless you plan on getting off the bike. The driver can balance the bike at stops just fine on his/her own.

Don't get on or off the bike until the driver gives you the thumbs up. Super glue your feet to the pegs, even if the bike looks off balance do not move your feet to try to compensate.

Mimic what the driver does with his/her body on turns and curves. If they lean you lean with them, if they counter balance you do the same.

Sweet Tooth wrote:

plasmabot wrote: 2. Never put your feet down unless you plan on getting off the bike. The driver can balance the bike at stops just fine on his/her own.

Don't get on or off the bike until the driver gives you the thumbs up. Super glue your feet to the pegs, even if the bike looks off balance do not move your feet to try to compensate.

Mimic what the driver does with his/her body on turns and curves. If they lean you lean with them, if they counter balance you do the same.

I would only say one thing in regards to a buddy of mine who rides with me pillion. He becomes freight. Cargo. Cargo which is secured and doesn't shift because it is well tied down. I rarely notice he is there, which is the way I like it too.

About stopping, I agree on the sportsbike comment above, but sadly there is little the pillion can do when the driver brings in the reigns. The passenger is going to slide into you and push you into the tank. A good sportsbike rider will compensate by mostly stopping ealier and under greater control.

Riding with a pillion requires skill and responsability for someone beside yourself. You have to ride as though you are carrying a fragile package - which you are.

In other words.....Be the bike.

Sweet Tooth wrote:Mimic what the driver does with his/her body on turns and curves. If they lean you lean with them, if they counter balance you do the same.

Actually, I've found that leads to more problems, unless the pillion is an experienced rider, because they might do too much, or too little on a given turn.

The safest thing to do is give them a set rule:

"Move your head and body so that you can see just over my inside (direction we're turning) shoulder."

This means a good passenger will always do the same thing in the same way meaning that the extra weight is reacting in a predictable manner. I love having a predictable passenger, it makes riding a lot easier.

scanevalexec wrote: I would only say one thing in regards to a buddy of mine who rides with me pillion. He becomes freight. Cargo. Cargo which is secured and doesn't shift because it is well tied down. I rarely notice he is there, which is the way I like it too.

Well said that man.

If I get asked what to do by a pillion I simply reply with "nothing". Anything else is like someone getting into the passanger seat of your car and putting a hand on the wheel to help you steer. Dangerous and totally unnecessary.

Scan, Sev and Minty have it Right (IMO)

A good pillion is nothing more than a sack of Spuds on the back of the bike. I also find that Pillions tend to be alot more relaxed w/ some kind of backrest/sissybar.

Since YOU are the pillion you should Make your own backrest by locking your arms behind your back and holding the grab bar in this manner. Grab bars on the sides of the seat are about worthless.

Be loose, like a sack of spuds, don't be tense.

NEVER move around in a curve. Only wiggle/shift/scratch your arse on a straight.

tips for my passengers:

keep the balls of your feet on the passenger pegs. if you hang your heel off the back and get rubber on my pipes, you get to clean it off (or buy me some floorboards).

if you have to rearrange something or need to shift your weight, wait until we are on a straightaway and warn me.

when you do shift your weight, do it slowly

relax and enjoy the ride

Shift your weight at speed. Doing it when we're slowing down upsets the bike more then when we're going fast, and makes it more likely to fall over.