first time as pillion

Everyone's covered cornering - but here's two other common problems:

1. You smash the front of your crash helmet into the back of the
rider's when he changes gear. This is because you are leaning forward
to counteract the acceleration. Try & keep your lid away from the back
of the riders'.

2. The rider gets all your weight crashing onto his back when he
brakes. If you have grabrails remember to pull yourself back onto
these during braking or if there is nothing to hold onto, reach
forward round the rider's waist and push against the tank to brace
yourself.

And possibly the third problem - you're going along and you're all
relaxed when suddenly the rider cracks the throttle open in a surprise
overtake and you fly off the back. I did this to one of my ex's.
Needless to say it was my fault. To avoid this ask the rider to always
accelerate progressively.

Finally, my opinion is that I fucking hate going pillion. I would only
risk it if I really did trust the rider's abilities and self control.
In which case, that rules out me mate Dave completely. Shudder.

 

Steve Bullimore wrote

All that shows is a bad rider, it is **** all to do with the pillion.
It is the riders job to ride in such a way as to make sure this doesn't
happen.

This as well. More poor riders.

Even more bad piloting.

 

Steve Bullimore secured a place in history by writing:

Rider's problem. Short shift the gears. Practice smooth changes.

Progressive braking is everything. If you're braking abruptly enough to do
this to your pillion you're also doing the same to the front suspension,
unsettling the bike and increasing the likelihood of losing traction at the
front.

Nah, just make sure they understand when they need to hold on before you do
it. Quick squeeze of the thigh works for me [1].

I'm not surprised if you see all this as the natural lot of the passenger.
Cadge a lift of someone who's used to 2 up riding.

[1] Technique best reserved for pillions that you share a bed with.

 

Oh right - I see. Thanks.

 

Bollocks. If the pillion doesnt compensate for acceleration/braking
then these things will happen - unless the rider hardly uses the
engine/brakes and rides as slowly as, well, you probably.

 

Steve Bullimore wrote

I have two of them and both bigger than yours.

You miss the point. The pillion shouldn't have to compensate for your
bad riding. If you have them wibbling all over the place you can hardly
be described as "in control of your machine."

Is that a gauntlet I see before me? Perhaps I should let you ride bitch
and show you what a good ride is.

 

heh. Nice response, Steve. He obviously has no idea who you are

 

I'm with Steve on this one. A good rider can be fast but will always
be smooth. He should also be able to adjust riding style to take into
account the ability of his pillion.

 

Not necessarily. I can do fast and hectic.

 

This hasn't been true since around when Kenny Roberts started racing
GP bikes.

 

Kenny *who*?

<cough>"Steady" Eddie Lawson</cough>

 

Champ secured a place in history by writing:

Indeed. Presumably someone of some experience who's not unfamiliar with
the behaviour of a motorcycle under braking. So I fail to understand why he
thinks the pillion's at fault if there's a helmet-helmet interface.

 

There's a difference between the pillion compensating for what the
bike is doing properly (e.g. leaning forward and grabbing the knees
when accelerating) and compensating for bad riding. The former is
inevitable if you are making good progress, which should only happen
if the pillion enjoys it - as mine does. The latter should, as you
say, be unnecessary.

 

And a very important one at that. Having said that, we had a helmet
interface last year. Pat assumed we'd go for an overtake and leant
forward just as I decided not to and braked. It happens.

 

I`d put it stronger than that - Personally I find I have to have as
much trust in the pillion as the do in me!

 

you're saying Pat's got bigger balls than you, then?

 

Well done.

Someone just started a thread about motorcycle clothing for women -
Maybe you'd be better off in there.

I'm not fucking insane. I will, though, race you.

 

It is definitely a matter of trust and can come down to a 'gut
instinct' as to whether you want to ride with that person. Much like
you pulling the PT - you got a nagging feeling it wasn't quite right,
To be a pillion you have to have the opposite ime.

 

Steve Bullimore wrote

In yer dreams.

 

No doubt about it.