Wife finally a pillion!

[Tigadee]

Yay! As the kids are away at camp, I finally got my pillion-virgin wife on the back first time ever today! At first she was scared but once we got going, she enjoyed it. We did two short rides just to let her have a taste.

Wasn't too bad for me either, except I have to practice being smoother rolling on and off the throttle and braking.

Today the neighbourhood, tomorrow Norf Island!

[Dogboy900]

Good stuff man, but you know where that leads?... Before long she will have her own bike and suddenly the obsession doubles!!

[Tigadee]

I'd welcome her wanting her own bike - I'll use that as an excuse to buy a different bike to what I now have, so maybe a cruiser...

[Maha]

Two up on a Radian?... I rode Annes old one a couple of times (just to get a warrant etc) and found it really cramped......for one.
Would never have entertained the thought of having two people on it...

At least you have planted the seed now though, keep your wife interested in the notion. Pillion more often but my advise is, let her pillion with someone who has experience with someone else on the bike, can only be a good thing.
What new pillions tend to do is try and look at what you are doing/lean the other way through corners/move about to much.
Once you start going further, this will become apparent.

[nzspokes]

Good on ya mate. Maybe time for a big bike?

Was she a better pillion than you are?

[kinger]

Yeah right! Bringing a third person into your relationship is bound to improve the situation. There's nothing like having your inadequacies rammed down your throat to enhance a partnership.
You ride, your missus wants to be with you, no-one else is going to be as careful with her as you. Just enjoy the experience and let her know gently if and when you need her to alter her pillionship.
My other half gave up riding and loves being on the back, hope you have many happy two up trips together.

[Tigadee]

Two up on a Radian?... I rode Annes old one a couple of times (just to get a warrant etc) and found it really cramped......for one.
Would never have entertained the thought of having two people on it...

Nah, she's a smallish thing, so it was fine and that made it cosy too. I drilled into her what a pillion's supposed to do, so she did well. Thanks for the advice and will keep it in mind.

Good on ya mate. Maybe time for a big bike?

Yeah, can I borrow yer Bandit to see if it'd be a good fit?

Was she a better pillion than you are?

Pffft! Probably! Having a big bloke like me as a pillion is probably no fun, I'm sure! Definitely a cramped situation there!

You ride, your missus wants to be with you, no-one else is going to be as careful with her as you. Just enjoy the experience and let her know gently if and when you need her to alter her pillionship... hope you have many happy two up trips together.

Ta!

[PrincessBandit]

Very cool. I have mixed feelings about the who-to-pillion-a-virgin-pussy-seat rider. Obviously you are the person who would want to look after her the best, by far (although any decent rider worth their salt wouldn't want to put a pillion at risk). But it takes some adjustment to your own riding when you've got someone on the back. Basically allow longer and gentler pickup time and longer, smoother braking time. Sliding hard into the back of someone and jarring your chin guard against the back of their helmet ain't fun! Having someone do it to you ain't fun either!

Great that you have wised her up on the best techniques for being on the back and that she listened.

[festus]

Nothing to be proud of (me that is) but my missus refuses to get on the back of my bike (now).........got a little too excited going through the Parapara & Pahiatua track with her on the back.

[Tigadee]

But it takes some adjustment to your own riding when you've got someone on the back. Basically allow longer and gentler pickup time and longer, smoother braking time. Sliding hard into the back of someone and jarring your chin guard against the back of their helmet ain't fun!

Definitely need to work on that... So used to being solo that I use engine braking all the time and had to use it less with her on the back or initially it'd throw us around a bit when I go down a gear to help with braking.

......got a little too excited going through the Parapara & Pahiatua track with her on the back.

Oh well! She's just being unreasonable there! LOL

[Usarka]

Now that she's given it a go and realises it doesn't hurt (maybe at first) and is actually quite enjoyable, do you think you'll be getting her arse back on there again more often?

[Maki]

Good for you. Not much point for me though. My wife has ridden pillion in a pinch but I have to tone my riding down so much that it is not a lot of fun. If I rode like I usually do she would never ride pillion again.

[Tigadee]

Now that she's given it a go and realises it doesn't hurt (maybe at first) and is actually quite enjoyable, do you think you'll be getting her arse back on there again more often?

Hard to say, it wasn't totally uncomfortable but I wouldn't say it was either. [And she wasn't freaking out and telling me to slow down or stop or watch out for that car, etc.] I think I'm going to end up finding an excuse for a bigger bike!

But yes, still keen to get her on the back again...

[Marko]

I have travelled many thousands of kms over 33 years of marriage with my wife as pillion, she has no desire to get her own bike. She loves touring on the bike to the stage that when I do a trip without her I am in deep water for a week.

[Ender EnZed]

My wife has ridden pillion in a pinch but I have to tone my riding down so much that it is not a lot of fun.

Think of it as a challenge.

Ride at a slow pace that she's comfortable at and then see how much faster you can go while keeping it smooth enough that she can't tell anything has changed.