Riding with a Pillion?

[klingon]

I don't know if anyone's mention that your pillion needs to trust you implicitly.
Had a mate take a guy for a ride home from work. All the way home the guy kept screaming " you're gonna kill me! you're gonna kill me!"

My first ride a pillion with that mate was a quick "blast" along the NW Motorway on his VF1000FF, where he got to 195km/hr just past Pt Chev. ... etc

A prime example of someone I would never, ever pillion with. I enjoy pillioning with someone I trust, but I value my life too much to hand it over to someone like that.

[placidfemme]

A prime example of someone I would never, ever pillion with. I enjoy pillioning with someone I trust, but I value my life too much to hand it over to someone like that.

I've only ever been pillion 3 times... first time was the first time on a bike ever... an FJ1100, knew the rider beforehand... but knew nothing about bikes... my helmet was too big and I was cold (from not wearing any gear other than a helmet)... still enjoyed myself to no end... second time was a Thundercat600 (the old R6's) and loved that even more than the FJ1100, nearly came off as the rider went over a speed bump and I wasn't holding on tight... scared the shit out of me... but still loved the "thrill". Third and last time was here in NZ on a yamaha R1... the rider scared me stupid doing speeds of over 160kph on the rodney district road... didn't enjoy myself at all...

[Hillbilly]

I've only ever been pillion 3 times... Third and last time was here in NZ on a yamaha R1... the rider scared me stupid doing speeds of over 160kph on the rodney district road... didn't enjoy myself at all...

160km/hr, it seems so slow on a big bike...even as a pillion. I trusted that rider with my life then, and still do. There' no way I'd pillion with anyone I didn't know very well or trust.

[placidfemme]

160km/hr, it seems so slow on a big bike...even as a pillion. I trusted that rider with my life then, and still do. There' no way I'd pillion with anyone I didn't know very well or trust.

No 160kph isn't that quick, but this guy was throwing the bike around heaps without giving me any warnings as to when he was speeding up slowing down or anything, I was just hanging on and couldn't see a thing...

[Maha]

160km/hr, it seems so slow on a big bike...

Seems bloody quick on my bike 2up.....i think?....have i been that fast before? ..........

[Hillbilly]

We wanted to see just how fast the old VF1000FF was 2-up, so we rode from Otara to Pakuranga one night. Along a decent stright we hit 250km/hr, which i believe is pretty much as fast as they could go. And yes, it was bloody hard to hang on, espescially as it was such a tall bike and only had a half fairing w/ belly pan. Not bad for a Sports Tourer.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Trust is a huge factor for the pillion... but the rider also has to have some trust in the pillion. Both should be comfortable with each other.

When you stop, make sure your pillion is still comfortable riding back there... if not chat about what s/he is uncomfortable with. Whether speed, corning... or need more breaks because a liitle more cramped up etc...

Rememeber most pillion seats sit a little higher than the rider postion and will give a sense of leaning further than you as the rider feels

[Hillbilly]

I agree 100%. The type of wild rides mentioned above I would only take with one person, and that's the guy who owned the VF. I couldn't trust anyone else to safely ride the way he does with 100% confidence.

OK, flipside is I went on a scooter run as a pillion. The scooter was a Bergman 400, and it scared the shit outta me. We had to contend with a 20 - 30 knot crosswind, as well as the scooter's piss poor handling. After the run I was asked if I needed a Valium. The rider was experienced, but it wasn't fun. Got invited on another scooter run and politely declined.

[dawnrazor]

Hey PF check out this website for another perspective and some other useful stuff for girliebikers as well.....alledgedly...'cus I ain't looked at it or nuftin'...LOL

http://www.bikegirl.co.uk/resources/resources.html

[EZAS]

I've actually had some of the best times as a pillion ANYWAYZ,

I've always wondered why dismounting by jumping of the back is frowned apon so much?
When I was a pillion, I'd tap my mate on the back and then hoist myself off my hands to jump off the back while the bike was moving forward (sub 15kmh)

Provided your agile enough, I don't see this being so much of an issue?

[scracha]

That's what I mean about a pillion totally trusting you as a person and your skills as a rider.

Yeah. Dickheads who try and scare pillions should be given a good kicking as it puts a lot of people off going on the back.

Back in Ipswich a couple of years ago I drew up alongside Gixer 750 rider whilst I'm 2's up with the burd on the TDM 850 (with 3 box givi luggage). Gixer rider gives "the look" and adopts drag racer stance. Burd notices and leans forward more and hangs onto me like a baby monkey. Lights go to amber and we both launched. Gixer rider glad he's wearing a tinted visor. Must be the 360 firing order of the TDM or maybe longish travel suspension (plus maybe the weight on the back) but it was so easy to get off the line. He buggerd off once we hit about 40 (mph) but I was off the gas by then anyway...don't see the point in speeding through town. Stupendous 2's up + luggaged wheely though :-)

[placidfemme]

Thanks for the extra tips and advice...

Last night Sam and I tested out the "getting on and getting off" of the ZXR with her pillion (engine wasn't even on), this is not a problem as I took someones advice (can't remember right now and too lazy to check back through the posts... but it was a chick) and put the side stand down, Sam hopped on and right away I noticed the extra weight on the back... pulled the bike upright and noticed a few more things...

Firstly, I have a small skinny ass... and when I lean forward while in my normal riding stance... my ass is about 10cm away from the back of the riders seat/pillion seat. This requires Sam to lean down further to grip onto me...

The good point however... me being so skinny... and Sam being short limbed, means that Sam can reach around me and lean against the tank... she said she's never been able to reach the tank before with anyone else cause they are all bigger...

The pillion seat on the ZXR is also fairly high (See here: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/at...3&d=1165178037)

So Sam is way higher than me, exspecially when I'm leaning down more than normal...

I've already ordered and paid for "Love Handles" from Quasi, but seeing as Sam can reach the tank, I'm assuming she'd be more comfortable leaning down a little then sitting back getting buffered by the wind holding the love handles...

We didn't go for a ride cause my throat is still killing me and everytime I cough my face goes blood red and my eyes water... (think I'm getting the flu )

Anyway... Hopefully I'll feel better by Sunday and we can test it out

[dawnrazor]

on a bike like that I expect she'll be better off using the grab rail most of the time....its not an all day tourer thats for sure heeheehee

[placidfemme]

on a bike like that I expect she'll be better off using the grab rail most of the time....its not an all day tourer thats for sure heeheehee

The ZXR doesn't have a grab rail... those bars you can see are for my packrack (and its bent so I can't get the packrack on there grrrr)... On the pillion seat it has an extra leather strap (or something) that the pillion can hold onto... but when she holds onto it she is sitting completely upright and I'm leaning over, just from our little test last night I could feel her uprighted-ness throwing the bike off balance, I'd personally prefer for her to hand onto me or lean against the tank... at least that way there is a bit more of central gravity stabilising the bike (if that makes sense)