How should a pillion act?

[Cajun]

I was talking to a friend other week, and how he was feeling with a riding with a pillion on board (previously this was a very rare happening), he said it was good, since she helped him corner better, by applying pressure on her pegs thru corners, helping lean etc.

I told him, she shouldn't be doing such things. But last time i took a pillion on the open road was 5+ years ago, so i am not really one for taking pillions so don't really know ins and outs that much, i am lead to believe pillion should just stay relax and just move with the bike. Now this is normal road stuff.

His new pillion has been pillion on bikes for years, but never a rider.

Anyone got any ideas or thoughs?

[MIXONE]

I hate pillions that move their weight mid corner.:angry:

[007XX]

Been pillioning as far as I can remember, and the one thing that I was always told is : do not try to "assist".

The pillion is to be as neutral as possible on the back of the bike. Having a pillion is bad enough due to the change in dynamics in the whole bike balance, weight, etc But is on top of that the pillion was to try to "assist", I don't think it would be very welcome to the rider.

I could be wrong, but I've always been told I was a good pillion because I made myself forgotten and just became one with the bike.

[boomer]

if they lean for you or make any movements pull a wheelie.. that'll have 'em in the 'right position' before they can say.. "I fell off" !

[Mountlocal1]

Hey Neil,

Im with you. I think its way easier when they stay relaxed. Except when braking etc. Best pillion Ive ever had was a horse rider :msn-wink:, was actually fun to have her on the back. The rest have been horrible. Shifting weight mid corner (adjusting their clothes or something... :spanking:) and have put me off pillioning.

[magicfairy]

I could be wrong, but I've always been told I was a good pillion because I made myself forgotten and just became one with the bike.

Agreed, most of the time that is the right thing to do. On rare occasions a pillion may be called upon to act.
I do remember one particular corner, on the Busa ...I knew we weren't going to make it with the lean angle we had :shit: so I leaned extra hard and got us round ..eh BusaJim? :love:

[vifferman]

#2 Son used to pay too much attention to part ofwhat I told him: "Stay still, or if you have to move, look through the inside of the corner". He used to look through the inside of every corner, which freaked me out until I realised what he was doing. It was a very strange feeling having the bike seem to steer itself into every corner...
I'd be about to tip into a corner, and the bike would do it by itself, so I'd have to make sure to do nothing.

The vifferbabe's a great pillion now (although she once gave me a beating for going too fast, which is why we didn't ride together between 1996 and about 2003...) On straighty bits, she sits back, but when we come to some tight, winding corners, she snuggles up really close and holds onto me - this helps to centralise the mass and makes cornering a LOT easier.
Ooh - and I really like the random hugs I get now and then. Some of the other... er... more friendly stuff... can be a bit distracting though. :blink:

[Mountlocal1]

... I've always been told I was a good pillion because I made myself forgotten and just became one with the bike.

:yes:

ten characters....

[avgas]

moving with me in the corners and helping with leaning does bother me on the bike. Its when they do the opposite that pisses me off - trying to get their body away from the road when i lean into a corner that sort of stuff.
I'm not a fan of 'limp' pillions, not due the fact that it is more difficult to ride, but because you cannot tell if they are asleep or not - trust me, having the pillion curl up and go to sleep has happened alot to me, bloody scary when you hit a corner and they near fall off.

[007XX]

if they lean for you or make any movements pull a wheelie.. that'll have 'em in the 'right position' before they can say.. "I fell off" !

:laugh: Dang you're mean!


Agreed, most of the time that is the right thing to do. On rare occasions a pillion may be called upon to act.


I reluctantly did that behind my hubby once, and leaned harder towards him to add weight behind his shoulder into a corner...we discussed it later on and he definitely admitted it was the right thing to do, but it was completely instinctive, there was bugger all thought going into it, so I'd be hard pressed to defend it in an argument.


Best pillion Ive ever had was a horse rider :msn-wink:, was actually fun to have her on the back. The rest have been horrible. Shifting weight mid corner (adjusting their clothes or something... :spanking:) and have put me off pillioning.

It makes sense as horse back riding also taught me to go with the flow and respond to the movements of the mount. Staying limber and not panic when things start getting a little rough definitely helps.

[sinfull]

H would have to be one of the better pillions i've had on the back but i have noticed a slight change since she's been riding ! Choosing her own lines she is ! Felt the lean come on a few times now, so threw the head back last time she did it (nothings been said about it yet lol)

[Big Dave]

>>How should a pillion should act?<<

Dirty.

[sunhuntin]

ive only taken two different people... susan, and the angry hindu from my old job before he turned into an angry hindu, lol.

angry hindu was great! just like a sack of spuds. stayed exactly where he was and didnt move.
susan, on the other hand, has moved around, and leaned me around corners. worst one was coming up to the lights, slowing cos they are red, and she decides to "readjust" her seating position. she got yelled at for that stunt.
i tend to tell her to follow me when going through corners and such.
shes ridden a 50cc years ago, so knows a little bit about bikes. in all, shes a pretty good pillion, and should get better with time.

when im pillioning, i tend to follow the helmet. on corners, or when speed is going to be used, i hug right up as close as i can. otherwise, ill just sit like im on a stool and stay there.

[slofox]

I like a pillion to be like a backpack - part of me that goes where I go and does nothing independently of what I do.....bit harder with some of the modern pillion seats that are twelve feet above the rider's seat......

[madandy]

Neutral until provoked.
If a pillion reaches forward to hold the tank or use the grab rail to prevent 'maximus crushingus testicularous' then they have performed the most important task any pillion can.

[FROSTY]

Pillions as far as I'm concerned are like a sack of spuds. --or should I say like kids are sposed to be. Seen but not heard/felt.

[pritch]

If you have a regular pillion they can be taught to look over your inside shoulder when cornering. Other than that "sack of spuds" is good.

[CookMySock]

I have pillioned my daughter, son, wife, and a few others. Usually they vary between wriggling around trying to see the speedo, turning around looking at the car following, or trying to get the bike upright again coz they think its going to fall over. I had my mate Flo' on the back the other week and he was fucking LEGENDARY!! Fuck knows what he was doing but I cut another 5mm of chickenstrip off that I had never seen before - the bike just wanted to corner big-time! He's a biker though (currently no bike), and I think he was having fun back there - even the very first corner he was ready for me and we tipped in real deep. Awesome.

DB

[blacksheep]

If you have a regular pillion they can be taught to look over your inside shoulder when cornering. Other than that "sack of spuds" is good.

sack of spuds is good,although i would never ever attempt to say that she was:crazy:

[Nagash]

Had a few pillions.. the one's that just follow me have always been the best.

I just tell them straight away, just look at the back of my helmet, don't move around too much, and don't lean against me.

Every girl i've taken has been great, they hug up close and just sit there.

I once took my male mate.. never again.. such a pussy! Leaned against me on every corner of a very tight section of rode. Almost leaned us off a cliff..

[boomer]

tell the pillion to stay up right and then just corner by counter steering... makes things soooo much easier

[CookMySock]

If you have a regular pillion they can be taught to look over your inside shoulder when cornering. This works really well, and gets them past that falling over feeling. Tried it myself too, and its much easier and feels better. Pillions are "learning to ride" as well and its not fair to just ask them to trust you.

Things I tell my passengers -
"look past the inside of my helmet when cornering"
"if you want to slow down then tap me on the shoulder"
"if you want to stop then keep tapping me"
"if you are getting weirded out in the corners, just sit there and put you hands in your lap and look down at them and dont move."
"dont touch me or move suddenly when we're cornering"
"sit very still when we are cornering slowly, like at roundabouts"

DB

[Bandit Rider]

I always say one important thing - just keep yourself in line with the bike - don't lean in more or less than the bike is leaning. If they do that it's all good.

[dwnundabkr]

I was talking to a friend other week, and how he was feeling with a riding with a pillion on board (previously this was a very rare happening), he said it was good, since she helped him corner better, by applying pressure on her pegs thru corners, helping lean etc.

I told him, she shouldn't be doing such things. But last time i took a pillion on the open road was 5+ years ago, so i am not really one for taking pillions so don't really know ins and outs that much, i am lead to believe pillion should just stay relax and just move with the bike. Now this is normal road stuff.

His new pillion has been pillion on bikes for years, but never a rider.

Anyone got any ideas or thoughs?

Neil try Aunty Donna on a gn250 lol

[Cajun]

Neil try Aunty Donna on a gn250 lol

hahaha don't think so Dave.

it some friends down here

[cowboyz]

I pillion a bit and put in a vote for the neutral staus. Much much more predictable that having cargo that moves around.

[rottiguy]

well if it's a nice girly ( not keen on guys for a pillion ) I just tell her to press her nice front end into my back and lean when I do.
That's right baby lean right into it :eek:

[banditrider]

I vote for neutral. I had 1 guy on the back who lent the wrong way - not good. Agree with the majority that chicks are much better - they seem to just sit there and enjoy the ride and not worry too much about what's going on up front. Personally I'm a shocking pillion - doesn't help that I hate it and am even quite nervous when someone else has the con.

[crash harry]

I've only pillioned one male - that was my Dad, and he was not good. My favourite pillion has her own bike now, so I don't pillion much at all. But I think in general chicks maybe make better pillions (for male riders at least) because they aren't afraid to hang onto you around your waist. It seems a bit gay for a guy to do, but natural for a chick to do, and it really is the best way to make sure that your bodies move together. If the pillion moves with you then it's just like wearing an extra heavy backpack (did that once - 25kgs of kumara - and it was remarkably like riding with a pillion), and that's about the best it can be as far as I'm concerned. Oh, and as mentioned previously, the random hugs while riding are cool too, if you have that kind of relationship with your passenger...

That and not sliding forwards too hard under brakes and mashing my goolies against the tank. That is much appreciated.

[Livvy]

As someone who's mostly been pillion, I've always been told to look over the shoulder in corners and stay close to the rider's back. But pillions have problems too, and this is my experience, mostly from sports bikes:

You break hard, my helmet meets your helmet, and I get yelled at. Not my fault!

I can't see past your helmet to the road ahead. Sometimes corners just appear and I feel like I'm slipping off. I have to readjust midcorner, I'm sorry, I don't want to, but I don't want my arse to meet the tarmac at 100kmph either.

I won't always hug you because you like to own healthy testicles. If you look down, I'm bracing my weight on the tank and yes it hurts my wrists so be thankful.

Your seat is about three inches too long, and I don't like falling into the gap when you break so I will readjust constantly. So either sit further back, get a different bike, or get used to it - or don't take me pillion.

I always try to be a good pillion. All pillions try to be good pillions because they like to keep their skin, and everyone likes their pillion to act differently - limp, or to move with the bike. I suggest to you guys you have rules which you tell all your pillions before you take them pillion, and if you have a problem, pull over and explain it, nicely. We'll try and do better, promise, but don't yell, sometimes we just didn't know.

/rant

[CookMySock]

Livvy, you're not having fun at all, and that has to change. Pillions are allowed to enjoy bikes too. :angry:

DB

[jrandom]

As someone who's mostly been pillion...

Gawd, that sounds absolutely horrid!

:crazy:

[madbikeboy]

My mate rides with a backpack between him and his betrothed. Fills the gap, gives her something to hold on to, makes it harder for kidney punches to hurt.

I hate riding two up, but I'll do it occasionally. The last two times have been with Georgie (who was magnificent, and she didn't hit me once), and with my now beloved before that, who held on very tight, and leaned on me the whole way - the end result was forearm pump and the pillion seat has gotten lost somewhere??? The bit that MadBikeBabe (sorry Vifferman, but it does work well) liked out of the whole adventure, was when I opened the throttle a little to get past Dopey Doris and her Blue Hair mobile... Go figure...

[Livvy]

Livvy, you're not having fun at all, and that has to change. Pillions are allowed to enjoy bikes too. :angry:

DB
Chuckle. No, I still enjoyed it, I just told him that I was still a newb. I think I'm better now, and getting my license later today so no more pillion, whoo.

But yeah, seriously. Pillions like the idea of self preservation, so I just recommend letting them know the rules BEFORE you let them get on the bike. Better to perhaps make them feel you're a safety freak than to have them make the ride dangerous.
:first:

[Kinje]

I like my pillion to just stay relaxed and move with me (is that what everyone is talking about neutral?) Only carried one but we've been out plenty of times and only had a scare when she re-adjusted her position mid corner- got a good telling off for that.

She got a really good demonstration of her input one day. We were cruising through some random town on a long trip and she started wriggling (think dancing with upper body) on the back. I let the bike move with it, weaving kinda like I'd do if I was going through a town by myself and bored. When she stopped moving a lent back and told her that was all her. She was quite surprised!

I like the random hugs too, and little shoulder massages when stopped at lights.

Oh, and a push start the other day :sweatdrop:hug:

[FROSTY]

In my opinion theres one important point overlooked here.
The rider should be able to gauge what their pillion will ride like within a minute. They should then adjust THEIR riding to suit.
I've had pillions at both extremes> one lady who could read my mind and flawlessly followed my lead cornering. Then Ive had the nervous nelly who sat up midcorner.
Not lecturing cos quite honestly Im not keen on carrying pillions any more.

[McJim]

tell the pillion to stay up right and then just corner by counter steering... makes things soooo much easier

That's what I've been doing. I've been using the GSX750 for pillioning lately and it can be a wee bit disconcerting when the pillion wriggles around at slow traffic speeds but once n the open road no worries.

[rphenix]

I hate grabhandles, always tell my pillion to hold me around the waist I feel much safer even if an idiot pillion is leaning the opposite of what you want if they are holding you around the waist you can direct them to the position they should be leaning.

[banditrider]

In my opinion theres one important point overlooked here.
The rider should be able to gauge what their pillion will ride like within a minute. They should then adjust THEIR riding to suit.

Good point but the rider can only do so much - this reminds me of a funny story...

My uncle was discussing with my old man (when they were both young & stoopid) that a good rider could make allowances for anything a pillion did on the back. The old man disagreed and said righty oh let's prove it. They headed off down to the park with Dad as the pillion (on uncles's bike). They headed off a bit and the old man did a violent lean one way or the other and hey presto - splat!

[cowboyz]

My mate rides with a backpack between him and his betrothed. Fills the gap, ..


Pies do the same job.


That's what I've been doing. I've been using the GSX750 for pillioning lately and it can be a wee bit disconcerting when the pillion wriggles around at slow traffic speeds but once n the open road no worries.

I concour, On the 9 going through town the pillion has a massive influence over the bike. Above 80k and the pillion can dance a jig on the back of the bike for all I care and I barely notice.

Another point is when riding with pillion their mindset has to be taken into consideration. If they are standing the bike up mid corner and getting nervous it just means the rider is going too fast.

[Cajun]

In my opinion theres one important point overlooked here.
The rider should be able to gauge what their pillion will ride like within a minute. They should then adjust THEIR riding to suit.
I've had pillions at both extremes> one lady who could read my mind and flawlessly followed my lead cornering. Then Ive had the nervous nelly who sat up midcorner.
Not lecturing cos quite honestly Im not keen on carrying pillions any more.


Cheers everyone for comments

somethings i can go back to him with.

Regarding your comment, Tony, way i see if if she using foot pressure thru a corner, if he has to take some action, pothole or simlar (which she can;t see), and makes life harder to move since she using foot pressure, to go around corner. Which might be fine 95% of time its that 5% of time, which is my problem with this habit

[ManDownUnder]

2 rules the pillion should follow:
1) Make like a sack of potatoes, move with the bike just "adding weight" so the whole setup so the rider knows exactly what to expect at all times

...until...

2) The rider and pillion get to know each other and work in tandem.

Much like a rider on a horse. You have 2 brains involved, each getting involved in individual ways. They need to learn to work together - and when they do it's easy peasy, but until that time there needs to be a basic set of rules.

Those initial rules are:
1) Make like a sack of spuds on the back of the bike
2) One tap on the hips/back means I want your attention, two taps means slow down, three taps means stop (and that means ASAP!)
3) The pillion will NEVER take your feet off the pegs.
4) The rider WILL listen to the pillion - each and every time. I.e. 2 taps (slow down) WILL be listened to (and not "they'll harden up"). It can be shit scary on the back of a bike. There's a ton of trust involved. The rider SHALL NOT abuse it.