First pillion ride

[placidfemme]

Well... After my thread asking for tips and advice on taking a pillion... Sam and I finally got around to it (or rather I finally convinced her I'd try my bestest not to kill her)...

So on Saturday we decided to go for it... I rode onto the road and then Sam hopped on the back.

We found the best way for both Sam and I is when Sam leans over me and rests her hands on the tank. When she sits upright (when holding the pillion Grab on the pillion seat or when holding onto the Quasi Love Handles) it feels like I have no control of the bike, having her fully upright highlights every small move she makes on the back and gets me all shitty (lol I had my visor up and was shouting at her to hold on around me not upright...). Another issue was that when I'm sitting and leaning towards the handlebars, there is a 10-15cm gap between myself and the pillion seat (which is about 10cm HIGHER than the rider seat). Crashe gave us some good advice in the sense of wearing a backpack with a pillow or something soft inside to add some more comfort and stability for Sam without this big gap between us (its hard for her to squeeze her legs together to hold on with me being so skinny and so far away... Sam is very short limbed and so yeah...)

We didn't do a big ride, literally around the blockish (On Onewa Rd, up onto the northern motorway, off on Esmond (??) Rd, past Akoranga Campus, down the side streets back to Onewa Rd and home again...

I found the ZXR felt extremely heavy with Sam on it, the bike felt like she had no power at all and felt like it was dragging... I tried my best to keep my gear changes smooth and my braking even smoother. When changing gears (as smooth as possible) I still felt Sam sliding forward as the bike kicked into gear, even though the movement was small and nowhere near as forceful as when I ride on my own...

Braking was more of a gradual de-acceleration and then slow, smooth braking to stop.

The hardest part for myself was corners, I found that to turn right I had to be as far left in my lane as possible to get a better angle around the corner without having to lean too much... Same when turning left... had to be as far right in my lane as possible... only heard Sam go "fuckkkk" once when I couldn't take the corner wide and the bike dipped in with the weight of us both, I just gave her some gas and she pulled up on her own... needless to say with Sam giving me various pokes in the ribs after that...

Overall... I think we did well. Nothing that practice can't improve on.

Sam's main comment was "It would be better if you were fatter" lol

[MSTRS:Me]

Rule #1 - pillion should be lighter than the rider!!!
Onya for giving it a go. If Sam wants to do it again, then it must have gone well

[placidfemme]

Rule #1 - pillion should be lighter than the rider!!!
Onya for giving it a go. If Sam wants to do it again, then it must have gone well

lol Sam weighs only 5kg's-ish more than I do...

I think I need to look into having the bike set up for pillion (tyre pressure and suspension), which may make a big difference next time...

We were going to try again on Sunday and do a slightly longer route, but it pretty windy on Sunday morning, so Sam decided to go for a ride on her own to Silverdale... all good... we will practise again soon

[Macktheknife]

Well done ladies! a good first effort, if you get the nerves ready for another go then try it for a little bit longer/further, try putting some cordura on to add a little bulk for Sam to grip with her legs.

[placidfemme]

Well done ladies! a good first effort, if you get the nerves ready for another go then try it for a little bit longer/further, try putting some cordura on to add a little bulk for Sam to grip with her legs.

Thats a good idea I was wearing my draggin jeans and my leather jacket... Will just have to get Sam to surrender my Kevlar jacket back to me (she's too lazy to put the padding back into her own jacket lol)

For our next ride I'm going to have to plan it carefully... don't want to have to go around any roundabouts just yet lol

[phantom]

As you touched on Placid, when you have a pillion you need to ride smoother, be more careful cornering and braking etc. No bad thing for most of us. You will get used to the "different" performance of the 250. Used to regularly travel two up between Palmie and New Plymouth on my Honda MT250 and I hazard a guess that my ex and I were a damn sight heavier than you and Sam

[crashe]

When Placidfemme is sitting on her bike, there is like this huge gap from her butt to the start of the pillion seat..... so when Sam sits up on the pillion seat (perching up high), for her if she was to sit right up behind PF then she would be sliding down into this gap and she would be trying to perch herself back up on the pillion seat.... and no there aint enough room to squeese them both onto the riders seat.......
The gap is like 5 to 6 inches.

Yep PF really does have a small butt..... she doesn't fill up that seat on the bike.

Sam is tiny but slightly bigger build than PF and shorter than PF.

So that gap between them needs to be sorted out for them to be able to ride comfortably together on the m/bike.

Alternatively, Sam needs to go out and buy her own bike, instead of waiting for PF to upgrade and pass on her bike to Sam.

[placidfemme]

When Placidfemme is sitting on her bike, there is like this huge gap from her butt to the start of the pillion seat..... so when Sam sits up on the pillion seat (perching up high), for her if she was to sit right up behind PF then she would be sliding down into this gap and she would be trying to perch herself back up on the pillion seat.... and no there aint enough room to squeese them both onto the riders seat.......
The gap is like 5 to 6 inches.

Yep PF really does have a small butt..... she doesn't fill up that seat on the bike.

Sam is tiny but slightly bigger build than PF and shorter than PF.

So that gap between them needs to be sorted out for them to be able to ride comfortably together on the m/bike.

Alternatively, Sam needs to go out and buy her own bike, instead of waiting for PF to upgrade and pass on her bike to Sam.

lol its not my fault I'm skinny... tis how the good Lord made me

LMAO @ Sam buying her own bike...

[Posh Tourer :P]

It sounds a little like Sam might be sitting upright a little round the corners. Get her to hold you tighter.... Also, make sure the tyre pressures are right.... Yes, it is always a bit weird, particularly if your suspension on hte back is soft - also something to check - this can make you run really really wide.....

[placidfemme]

It sounds a little like Sam might be sitting upright a little round the corners. Get her to hold you tighter.... Also, make sure the tyre pressures are right.... Yes, it is always a bit weird, particularly if your suspension on hte back is soft - also something to check - this can make you run really really wide.....

I will be checking the tyre pressure and suspension (gotta check the manual when I get home), as my tyre pressure was set for the rider only... Not too sure about the suspension but will check that too...

Sam was leaning over me with her hands resting on the tank, so she wasn't upright, I think 99% of the cornering issues is lack of experince/confidence on my part having never taken a pillion before...

[Rubbergirl]

When Placidfemme is sitting on her bike, there is like this huge gap from her butt to the start of the pillion seat..... so when Sam sits up on the pillion seat (perching up high), for her if she was to sit right up behind PF then she would be sliding down into this gap and she would be trying to perch herself back up on the pillion seat.... and no there aint enough room to squeese them both onto the riders seat.......
The gap is like 5 to 6 inches.

Yep PF really does have a small butt..... she doesn't fill up that seat on the bike.

Sam is tiny but slightly bigger build than PF and shorter than PF.

So that gap between them needs to be sorted out for them to be able to ride comfortably together on the m/bike.

nothing wrong with havinng a small butt!

Some people are very comfortable taking a pillion others are not - I always thought it was down to the riding style of the person.

You should still be able to lean the bike right over with a pillion - the extra weight on the rear actually allows you to go a little faster into corrners!

Good luck! and keep practicing!

[placidfemme]

nothing wrong with havinng a small butt!

Some people are very comfortable taking a pillion others are not - I always thought it was down to the riding style of the person.

You should still be able to lean the bike right over with a pillion - the extra weight on the rear actually allows you to go a little faster into corrners!

Good luck! and keep practicing!

lol thats right... nothing wrong with a small butt... this is the first time Sam's ever complained about my weight haha

I prefer to ride on my own, simply because I don't like having someone elses life in my hands, but Sam and I need to start getting used to this as a bike upgrade is a while away, and Sam always complains when I go somewhere and she either has to stay behind or get a ride with someone else...

[BarBender]

I prefer to ride on my own, simply because I don't like having someone elses life in my hands, but Sam and I need to start getting used to this as a bike upgrade is a while away,...

You're on to it.
Like anything its building yours and Sams experience and confidence to work on the bike together.
no doubt it'll come and when it does you'll both be wonderin..."What the?"

P.M or ride 2 up with the Busa Petes. (you probably already have) They are synergy in motion amd groove that Bus of theirs better than most people ride Aprillias on their own!

[Colapop]

I'll tell ya what - I pillion both of you. Sam can be tucked into my left pocket and you can go in my right...

[placidfemme]

You're on to it.
Like anything its building yours and Sams experience and confidence to work on the bike together.
no doubt it'll come and when it does you'll both be wonderin..."What the?"

P.M or ride 2 up with the Busa Petes. (you probably already have) They are synergy in motion amd groove that Bus of theirs better than most people ride Aprillias on their own!

lol I've ridden with them (if thats what you call it when your miles behind LOL) From what I have seen they are great 2-up and certainly up there with the best of the best despite being 2-up.

lol @ Colapop... thats right... one in each pocket and still room to spare