Last night, for the first time in about 25 years, my wife rode pillion with me (though she wasn't my wife 25 years ago - nor was she anyone else's for that matter, but I digress). Anyway, I realised that I don't actually know what, if anything, the pillion is supposed to do. I guess from a comfort point of view, whether she holds onto me or the grab handles is entirely her own choice but what about cornering - should she remain still or lean with the rider? Seems to me, from a rider's POV it must be better not to have movement on the bike other than your own as it could be unpredictable? The other thing is that we just popped out for a gentle trundle last night - but really I think should be adjusting the suspension if going from solo to pillion-carrying - do you do that or define some middle ground and leave the settings there? -- jeremy '01 Triumph Sprint ST in green _______________________________________ jeremy0505 at gmail.com
But where's the IT-related question? This only seems to be about motorbikes. I've never carried a pillion (boo hiss) but I can recall the analogy given here being something along the lines of the pillion needing to imagine they are a sack of potatoes - ie just go with the bike.
A good pillion is one you don't know is there. She shouldn't consciously do anything - just sit there & go with the flow. When the bike leans, she'll naturally lean with it, & that's the way it should be. You otoh should make allowances when braking, unless you like being headbutted. I usually just stiffen the rebound damping a couple of clicks. -- Krusty. http://www.muddystuff.co.uk http://www.muddystuff.us Off-road classifieds '02 MV Senna '03 Tiger (FOYRNB) '96 Tiger '79 Fantic 250
It's part of a cunning plan - I was going to slip one into the thread further down. -- jeremy '01 Triumph Sprint ST in green _______________________________________ jeremy0505 at gmail.com
Bad form but I forgot something. Tell her if she wants to move due to having a numb bumb etc, to wait until you're doing a reasonably fast speed & preferrably on a straight. I've nearly dropped the bike on more than one occasion when a pillion has shifted their weight whilst sat at a junction. This may not be a problem if you normally have both feet on the ground when stationary, but I can only get one foot down on the Tigers, & a sudden weight-shift can be a bastard to catch. -- Krusty. http://www.muddystuff.co.uk http://www.muddystuff.us Off-road classifieds '02 MV Senna '03 Tiger (FOYRNB) '96 Tiger '79 Fantic 250
Thanks. We definitely need to set-up sound ground rules for this as she was a little spirited getting off when we got home (relief perhaps?) and this nearly caught me by surprise (but no prob with having both feet on the ground at same time). Main problem in riding was that she kept sliding forward which, whilst pleasantly snug, does result in a non-existent tank/gonad air gap. -- jeremy '01 Triumph Sprint ST in green _______________________________________ jeremy0505 at gmail.com
You can tell an experienced pillion, as they move with the bike and don't shift about to get more comfortable mid corner. Just get them to relax, and calm down on the acceleration/braking, as inexperienced ones (or non-bike riders) won't anticipate when you're going to accelerate or brake. P.
Nothing. Sit still, don't fidget, try not to fall off. In my experience women have this strange habit of falling asleep on the back (seriously), while blokes often try to be helpful and lean the the bike for you, and then bottle out mid-corner and try to straighten it up again. Twats. If she remains still she will lean when the bike does. Sack of spuds is the way to go. Oh yes indeed. Reminds me of the time I'd just left the pub with the wife on the back, and noticed a police car behind me almost immediately. Wife chose that moment to try to retrieve her drawers from the crack of her arse, totally fucking up my attempt to ride in a straight line. Plod thought I was pissed and I got pulled over. Depends on the wife. If she's anything like mine it'll need winding up to maximum.
The "move with the bike" bit... you mean the pillion should keep the relationship between their body and the bike constant - so no try to maintain a "perpendicular to the ground" position when in the corners - rather just remain perpendicular to the bike? -- jeremy '01 Triumph Sprint ST in green _______________________________________ jeremy0505 at gmail.com
Sack o' spuds. Stick her on the back and tell her to sit still. Of course, she *won't* but she'll be aware that moving about isn't the done thing. As she (and you) get more experience at passenger carrying, you'll feel what she's doing wrong (if anything) then all you need to do is tell her exactly what it is. If she leans before you do, tell her to wait a second or two next time and if she tries to sit the bike up halfway round a corner, point it out to her. As it happens, it doesn't take long at all before she'll be sat there and you won't notice. Also, have a "system" of communicating. I have no grab rails on my bikes, so missus pushes on the tank when I'm braking hard, then eases off as the braking forces reduce. No problem there, but if I decide to leather the bike past something (or just because) I tap her left hand which is resting on my thigh. She then grabs hold of me (or the "pillion pal" if I've put it on) and hangs on for the duration. Even something as subtle as leaning forwards at the lights or as you're thinking of opening the bike up, can be used as a "grab hold and hang on" signal. I don't bother changing anything, (undercracker comments aside) but I suppose that's wrong in the eyes of some. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
Got it in one. But the pillions natural reaction is to try to stay upright, with comedic consequences ... P.
First time I heard it was about 40 years ago and it was me dad wh said it, when I got on the back with him. He didn't want me riding the bike from the back so he said "You're a sack o' spuds when you're on my bike Ok?" I've told everyone the same thing ever since and it's meant I've never had a problem with a pillion. Not that I carry many mind, but when I do, they're not a problem. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
My fucking brother does that and I've bollocked him for it. He hates it when I say the missus is THE best pillion I've ever carried, Coz he's been on the back of mine, he thinks HE'S the best y'see. I told him that he tries to control the bike from the back seat and his response was "It's not the pillion, it's the rider who can't control the bike (meaning me). "Mmmm" said me, "Remind me again who it was who failed to get around "X" corner two weeks ago and who DID get round it". He then chucks a mental and flaunts off like a drama queen. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
Jeremy wrote There is a perfectly good ffaq provided by the residents of ukrm wherein I believe this sort of thing is discussed. Depends dunnit, if you are a typical power ranger then the suspension is all ready wound up as far as it will go and any change is going to improve the ride. Basically:- short trips to Tesco and the like it don't matter but for a touring holiday it does.
In uk.rec.motorcycles, Jeremy belched forth and ejected the following: I used to do that with Mrs.Courier. She was a stunning pillion and we used to enjoy the outdoors.
OK - checklist I normally give my pillions: -Either lean with me, or lean with the bike (i.e. keep your body in line with the bike), but pick one and stick with it. In particular, don't change your mind mid-bend, 'cos we'll crash. -Remember you can steer the bike (nearly) as much as I can (depending on hugeness of pillion), so try to avoid moving around too much, particularly in traffic. - Don't put your feet down at junctions. - Don't put your head too close to mine (depending on fitness of pillion) 'cos you'll headbutt me on every gearchange / braking manoeuvre. - If I tap your left leg (choose your own sign - thigh-fondling may be frowned on, depending on pillion), I'm going to accelerate hard, so hold onto me tightly (depending on fitness of pillion / willingness to lob them off the back). If you haven't put them off by this point, they should be good to go. My SO is a very good pillion, and tends to favour the 'leaning with me' approach. She tends to push against the tank while braking, to avoid squashing me. Guess she wants kids then. She also recommends keeping an eye on traffic lights, so she can anticipate pulling-away, and not get caught-out and fall backwards. I never bother changing from solo settings, as I have them set fairly firm anyway, and I don't do long enough distances with pillions to justify fiddling around with it. If you're doing a lot of pillion miles, firming everything up will help stop the suspension bottoming-out, and reducing bouncing in the bends - although you'll probably be riding more conservatively with a pillion anyway, and so not working the suspension so much.
You need two sets of my top tips: Ten Top Tips for new pillions: 1. Wear proper gear - if leathers, boots and gloves are necessary for the rider, then they are for you too. If borrowing a helmet, make sure it fits tightly; if it doesn't, don't go. 2. Don't get on or off the bike without first getting the nod from the rider. 3. Keep your feet on the footpegs at all times. 4. Hold on to the rider's waist - grabrails are fine when you're at ease. 5. Sit centrally on the seat to keep the balance of the bike right and then pretend you are an immobile sack of spuds. 6. Get comfy before riding off. 7. Related to 6 - don't wriggle about when on the move or, if you must, wait until you are going along in a straight line at speed, or stopped. Never move on the bike on a bend, corner, or during a slow manoeuvre. And if you can tell the rider, do, as in "I need to move my feet, OK?" 8. Related to 7 - it's OK to look around but don't shift your body weight when you do, just move your head. 9. When the bike goes around a bend or a roundabout, neither help nor hinder the lean - the bike will move you just right if you let it (see 5). 10. Anticipate sudden moves/stops and keep your helmet back out of the way or you'll bang into each other. Ten Top Tips for riders carrying pillions for the first time: 1. Adjust the preload as necessary. 2. Adjust the tyre pressures as necessary. 3. Adjust the headlamp(s) beam(s) as necessary. 4. Sit firmly on the bike with it off its stand and your legs spread as wide apart as possible and both hands on the bars before allowing the pillion to mount. 5. Be aware that the bike will be light at the front and will handle badly, especially on slow manoeuvres. 6. Don't go too fast or show off - s/he will never ride pillion again. 7. Brake, accelerate and change gear smoothly, or your helmet will get a bashing. 8. You may need to drop down a gear more than usual for hard bends/roundabouts and hills. 9. Get stable as in 4 before allowing the pillion to dismount. 10. Make sure s/he reads the Ten Top Tips for new pillions if s/he hasn't done it before. -- Marina Mayes - Reading, UK. To email me remove XX from my address SR250 - on the road again. BOTAFOT12, BOD#2, BOTAFOS#2 KotLBOD#s, KotLBOTAFOS#s,IMC#2, Tart#10-19, SR#3 I never give in to fear or blackmail; I always give in to temptation. "You're a national treasure" - porl, 18.1.03
^^^^^^^^^^ itym "having your nadgers slammed into the back of the tank". Of course, this is exascerbated if you carry a pillion who considers "holding on" to be a sign of weakness. -- | ___ Salad Dodger |/ \ _/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/CBX1000Z |_\_____/_| ..80264../..21661.../..31308. (>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG* |__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5 \ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4 \|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11 '^' RBR'06 Points: 75 Miles: 317
