Pillion position

[beyond]

e.g.:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/nz/auction-52215890.htm

[klingon]

Get a buddy belt. Large wide belt with loop handles on it that you can grip and it's ideal for when braking and accelerating and is low down and comfortable for both rider and pillion.
Motomail does them I think. Pretty darn good for all around pillioning.

Buddy belt? I prefer to call them love handles!

I agree that sports bikes can be a challenge to pillion on. When we're just pootling around town on the SV I sit up and I'm happy to be able to see where we're going because I can see right over the rider's head.

When we're travelling at higher speeds I find that the big gap between the two of us means I get buffetted from side to side, and my helmet catches a lot of wind. But if I try to close the gap by snuggling against his back I end up kind of leaning on him which puts extra strain on his wrists.

If I know he's likely to brake hard I can either hold onto the grab bar behind me or brace my hands against the tank (I wouldn't be able to do that if he was fatter or my arms were shorter though!) If I know he's going to accellerate I lean forward to balance better and grip his hips with my knees.

The worst bit is when I think he's going to brake and he accellerates instead. I will be holding on behind me and my balance is all off... we have wheelied through a couple of intersections as a result but he hasn't managed to lose me off the back yet!

We recently borrowed a V Strom (DL1000 dual purpose bike) for a day and it was wonderful! It felt like an armchair in comparison to the SV!

[CookMySock]

Your helmet will not hit his so long as you are looking over the shoulder of the corner he is taking.

Looking over the shoulder of the corner he is taking is an excellent thing to do - you will feel much more at home on the back doing that. You can also put the same side knee out and lean on it with your hand, and hold the grab bar with the opposite hand. All movement to be smooth and continuous, and only on the straights please - he will be wondering why the bike wants to corner so well.

Steve

[sarahtvet]

Done thousands of K's pillioning on a sportsbike and love it nearly as much and for many different reasons as I do riding my own. It is a totally 'shared' experience if you have a good rider you trust who can handle their bike well.

We will all have slightly different techniques but the most important one is to not try and ride this bike, not your job. Enjoy the freedom (of most) of the responsibility. On the flat and pootling I have one or two hands resting on the riders legs (providing I am not taking pics) so i am totally with the bike motion. Hands ready to go forward onto the tank for hard braking and one there already when going down hill and through the twisites. Pillioned on the track at about 240K too : and that required the same just lean right forward and hang on with one hand as you accelerate out of bend. Good way to fel what you can do with your bike

Rare to bang helmets on the sportsbike, easier on the upright ones.
Once you get confident you can anticipate which way your rider will hang off through corners so can move the appropriate hand so he isn't interfered with.

If you want to hang off yourself practise so you don't do something the rider is not expecting.

Try a few bikes, the look of the bike doesn't say how comfortable it is. I love the Triumph Daytona,Triumph RS955i, Harley Fatboy, Blackbird, Old Gixxer , Honda adventure bike and Honda CB 750F but the Triumph Tiger was much less comfortable in a striaght line and the Harley Ultra classic gave me back ache !!!!

Have fun summer is nearly here

[SHELRACING]

We have a Kawasaki GSX600R and yes it is difficult to hang on and when your partner decides to knee down on a corner. It gets rather challenging to hold on.
I have to get off the bike as he does to keep the bike stable. The only other way I have found to hold on is to tuck up( I'm small, so it's easy) clamp my legs onto his legs. (This stops you from coming off the back if your feet come off the pegs. Your feet will come up under his legs and will keep you on the back. This I know from experience.) I hold on to the bottom of his jacket as well, tuck my fingers under the bottom edge and they wont come out. Keep my head inline with his back and move when he does. Its a real buzz at 235km phr.
I cant hold onto the grab rail. Tried that but dont like the wind swirling between us. I dont like cruisers, they hurt my back, with the riding position bending my back the wrong way. I find the sports bikes for both pillion and riding, keep my back straight.

[coffeejunkie]

Str8 got the way to pillion right well the way i do it that is.....sadly being 5 foot nothing i don't sit above the rider on anythng, lol

[Bass]

Pillion position?????
I've read the Kama Sutra and I don't remember that one at all.
Do tell.

[Hard Nut]

My last pillion would just use her knees and squeeze hard for heavy braking or accelerating and she was so good at it she could sms/text at the same time (not hanging on) LOL

Cheers Nuts

[Chrislost]

Hey there,

This may be a stupid question but i was just wondering how you guys sit when u ride pillion? My bf has a gsxr600 and when i sit on the back im so up high and dont really know whr to grab on, and when he accelerates i feel im just going to fly of the back and when he brakes ii go rushing forward (keeping in mind he is trying to reduce these forces while im on the back). So....any advice?

*The faster your going the further foward you want to be.
**When the rider fanging you should be wedged behind the rider pretty much in the riders seat. Use your knees and the tank to hold on, rather then the rider or you may not allow him enough movement to get his knee down.
***With wheelies just hold on with your knees. GSXRs have fat back ends and you can hold on to the front of these with your knee to stop from falling off the back. Stoppies you want both hands on the tank and hold on with your knees. Try to keep your weight off the rider at all times!
****Get you own bike

[Stickchick]

I use my knees to hang on. I place my hands just on the top of their thighs in case I need to use them to place on the tank should I feel myself being thrown too far forward. I sit up close and personal to the rider if the ride is consisting of windy twisty roads, that way you can move with them, except when they want to get their knee down of course.

You will soon get the gist of what is comfortable for you.

[Kittyhawk]

When I pillion both hands are on the tank, that way you can lean with the bike and have something to lean against when braking occurs.

When riding straight roads, hands on his thighs or hips

[oldrider]

Mrs oldrider is the best pillion I have ever had on a bike and I make sure she stays that way, by riding for her, rather than for my self!

That's all there is to it really!

[Skyryder]

Pillion position?????
I've read the Kama Sutra and I don't remember that one at all.
Do tell.

It's sometimes called the impossible position. Not to be confused with


Skyryder

[Hinny]

Had a couple of pillions that held on to my cock to stay on.
Didn't mind the girl doing it.

[schrodingers cat]

Having a pillion can be trecherous. Took the wife up to see the spectacular view up the Lyttleton Harbour off the Summit Road. Coming down the hill discovered I hadn't taken the time to organise my trouser 'fittings' correctly and and every time I used the brake she slid forward and I suffered some midsection agony. Tres bad