Guidelines on pillions?

Hi,

What's the general thoughts about how old/big a pillion should be to be
taken on the back of the bike? I have 4 kids of various heights and ages
nagging me for a ride around the block. All of them can reach the rear pegs.

Are there any legal guidelines? Obviously I'll insist on appropriate and
correctly fitting boots, helmets etc etc etc

Thanks for any help

 

If they are old enough to ask they are old enough to be told to **** off
and get their own ride.

 

The legal requirements are:

Must be able to site astride a fiited seat on the vehicle with both feet on
the footpegs.
Must wear a suitable safety helmet that is fastened. (this means one that
fits correctly)
Must not provide hand signals.

 

Great stuff, thanks very much.

 

What's the general thoughts about how old/big a pillion should be to be

My son was about 6 when he first went on. My jacket had very nice hand holds
for him.

He's now 13 and still loves it. Just over 2 years before he gets his own
now.

 

Anything over 15 stone is going to give you problems.

 

Not even a friendly "knights of the road" sign to
recalcitrant car drivers?

 

But but but... shirly it's safer for the pillion to flip the fingers at the
twat who's just tried to change lane into the side of you, than have the
rider take his/her hands off the controlls to do so??

Mind, who is best to boot the wing mirror off the twats car when you
overtake him later on?

 

As Molly said, their feet must reach the pegs. When mine were little, I
raised the pillion pegs a couple of inches courtesy of some brackets.

With a rack and a topbox behind them, they weren't going to fall off the
back, either.

They loved it. Son now has a 125 and daughter will have her own wheels
in a few months.

 

Yup Robbie is 7, been riding from 5th birthday. Higher footpegs and a
topbox/backrest.

 

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Children love bikes and I see no reason why they shouldn't enjoy biking.

 

Nah.

 

Not half as much as they love sidecar combos.

http://www.chateau.murray.dsl.pipex.com/images/Jawa.jpg

 

In message

Did your family all get their hair from a Jackson Five garage sale?

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, The Older

Nearly 16, eh?

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
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Honda GL1000K2 (Falling apart) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

Horse has been riding pillion since not long after his 8th birthday.

Firstly bought a Z750 as the seat to foot peg distance significantly
less than my BM or Harley.

Full armoured suit came from eBay, helmet (Adult XS) from HG, Timberland
boots and gloves from a local bike shop.

Lots of chatting about what would happen before hand, how to sit, how
to hold on etc.

Started slow, stopping regularly to check he was comfortable, happy and
enjoying it.

Once I knew he was comfortable and was holding on I popped on an
enormous Givi box with backrest and got an intercom so I could talk him
through overtaking and braking manoeuvres.

So far so good

 

A tip. The lad (now 10 and started riding pillion at 9) has a set of MX
gear from Baby Biker for his KX65 exploits. The boots are fine and he
wears more conventional waterproof armoured jacket and trousers for
pillion trips. The MX helmet with a large chin guard and peak is,
however, not such a good idea. The peak either pecked me in the back
even under quite moderate braking or even worse got the wind under it
quite alarmingly when he couldn't resist the temptation to pop his head
out to see better. Fortunately the peak is removable.

I wear one of those 'love handles' belts to give him something to hold
on to securely.
--

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

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Wow what a brilliant picture.

 

Thanks for that... biggest laugh of the morning for me.

 

"Buggers' grips"