Who's been a pillion when the riders binned it?

**jrandom** · 15th November 2007, 10:24

Originally Posted by craigs288

Peachgrove in TeAtatu Nth

Jesus, anyone who manages to bin on that little road really is riding like a fuckwit. (I lived around the corner just off Neal Ave for years.) My sympathies, dude.

On the subject of pillioning, I took a young friend of mine for his first ride on a motorcycle last night. He's planning on getting his 6L and wanted to know what it was like to be on two wheels on the open road.

He wasn't a good pillion. Zero trust, very nervous, kept trying to look around me, moving his weight around while we were leaned over, etc. I had to get pretty positive with handlebar input in the corners, couldn't just 'think' the bike around them like I can with my usual well-trained pillion.

After an hour or so he settled down and started to feel more relaxed on the back, but admitted that it basically scared the shit out of him.

He's decided to buy a motorcycle this summer, though. He's gagging to do the same thing, but be in control.

And that's how it should be.

**SVboy** · 15th November 2007, 10:35

I spent a lot of time on the back of mates bikes in the late 70s-early eighties. i pillioned with riders I trusted, and they trusted me to do the right thing on the back. However, we took stupid risks-safety gear by Levis-boots by Adidas! Oh to be young and bulletproof again!
I recall being on the back of a senior KB members bike in the Maniototo-gsxr 1100?-attempting to crack the speed of sound----with no helmet!!!!OMG!
..or that time on the back of a Yammie xj 650 going into a roundabout at warp factor 9. Rossi would have struggled with that one, let alone 2 dickheads smashed out of their skulls on pharmacuticals-anyway I woke up in chch ICU 4 days later...........treat this as a cautionary tale.

**Macstar** · 15th November 2007, 10:44

My bike handles better with a bit of weight on the back - really smooth through the corners. My girlfriend is a pro pavillion. She's been on the back of my bikes for over two years now and knows exactly what to do. It's a real pleasure taking her around, but every now and then I take one of my mates too and man what a difference. They wrench my torso approaching corners as if my waist is a second pair of handle bars, slide into me and generally lean every which way but the right one.

My mate took me on the back of his Gn 250 the other day (first time I'd pavillioned in two years) and man it was scary. He's a perfectly good rider, it's just that I wasn't in control.... So yep, I'm a hipocrite!

Anyway, sorry (although I am very grateful too) but I have never had a bin whilst being a pavillion, but at the same time I will not let someone on the back of my bike unless they wear my spare pair of gloves and jacket. I also offer my spare pair of cordura pants too. Oh and I give my girlfriend my back and chest protector even though her jacket has one built in.

Hurting myself in an accident... I could live with that, but being responsible for screwing someone else, stuff that.

**Mental Trousers** · 15th November 2007, 11:02

Originally Posted by tri boy

.... she was very calm throughout the whole incident

That's not what I heard mate

**sprag** · 15th November 2007, 13:06

ah when i was riding a few years ago I use to get the mates on the back of the bike as we did not have cars or the parents would not let us have the car, a close friend of mine told me when your on the back let the rider control it and just go limp,

**Jorja** · 15th November 2007, 13:09

There is only one person I will pillion with. Being on the back with someone else, you are putting your life in their hands.
Have had several people offer me rides but I just don't feel comfortable with anyone else.

**fireball** · 15th November 2007, 13:32

ive been told i am a good pillion... i have put it down to two things

one.. im so little and light im just your every day backpack and you dont even notice im there so even if i do get it wrong there is hardly enough weight to shift the bike off its line.

and two.... i learnt to pillion with my little brother on our DS80, we had many accidents on that bike going over jumps getting stuck in mud hitting gravel hitting ditches, dead sheep, rabbit holes you name it we crashed into it or on it.
my fave would have to be the day we tried to jump the water race, flying along the paddock he got sun strike randomly turned left off over a 5 meter drop where the water race was, we only made it halfway over bike got drowned in the water and i got a nice black eye little brother well he got a hell of a fright

i have learnt to relax and trust who ever is the rider mind you i wont get on a bike with just anyone they have to have experience and know what they are doing as its not just their life its mine too

**sunhuntin** · 15th November 2007, 13:34

used to pillion heaps before i got my license, both as a young kid [2 years and younger] and as an adult. used to be a decent pillion, not so sure now though...

last time i pillioned was to the welly cheesecutter ride. i basically do the sack of spuds and hope like hell. LOL. helps having the jacket belt to hang onto. in the end, i just put my head against his back and shut my eyes. dozed somewhat... alert enough to feel what the bike was doing. couldnt see shit through his helmet, so figured why not doze? LOL. only opened my eyes when i realised my pillow was slowly getting lower and lower, and again when he whacked my helmet with his to point out mcduck pootling along.

**HenryDorsetCase** · 15th November 2007, 13:48

Originally Posted by sweetp

The first time I went was a pillion I was told I lean to far. Since then I just try to mold my body to his and emulate what he is doing.

that sounds like good advice no matter what you're doing.....

**90s** · 15th November 2007, 13:50

When I was a teen on a Vespa / Lambretta / variety of small scooters I used to pillion a friends. One was hopeless - he'd lurch about trying to control the bike. For small bikes with the engine over the rear wheel this was not a good idea. He nearly binned us several times, and each we had a shouting match after when he promised to change. He never did. Later I had a Suzuki TSX dirt bike which was much more stable, and he almost binned us on that too. (Yes, I know I promised to ban him, but I believed him each time and he didn't have transport ... we've all got some mates who are knobends).

Missus and I have done RRRS with her as pillion and she has learned to be a great pillion on that. Hopefully we'll never bin together.

**HenryDorsetCase** · 15th November 2007, 13:56

and I hate hate hate being a pillion. I'd rather take the car.

**90s** · 15th November 2007, 13:58

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

and I hate hate hate being a pillion. I'd rather take the car.

+1.
Even in the car I hate not being in control. I 'drive' it anyway, 'doing' the pedal and gripping for life. I've been a pillion about 3 times and no, it is not for me.

**007XX** · 15th November 2007, 14:07

Originally Posted by Mrs Kendog

YES!!! I used to be a great pillion (I was told many times), but since riding myself I am now a terrible pillion, I do the same thing, lean in when I feel like the corner needs a little more, get shitty when the hubby revs my hornet like it's his GSXR etc etc. Sucks, but, just a good excuse not to ever pillion and ride yourself eh!

+1...except that I now categorically refuse to be a pillion for another reason too: 007XY has modified the pillion's footpegs on the SV to accomodate the new can's layout, and the bastich thing is even more uncomfortable than it used to be!

But yes, I also go through hell trying desperately not to look and take the lead!
Plus, I got to admit that for once, I got a little scared pillioning, because I wasn't in control

Never, ever was it an issue before...