How should a pillion act?

[Cajun]

I was talking to a friend other week, and how he was feeling with a riding with a pillion on board (previously this was a very rare happening), he said it was good, since she helped him corner better, by applying pressure on her pegs thru corners, helping lean etc.

I told him, she shouldn't be doing such things. But last time i took a pillion on the open road was 5+ years ago, so i am not really one for taking pillions so don't really know ins and outs that much, i am lead to believe pillion should just stay relax and just move with the bike. Now this is normal road stuff.

His new pillion has been pillion on bikes for years, but never a rider.

Anyone got any ideas or thoughs?

[MIXONE]

I hate pillions that move their weight mid corner.

[007XX]

Been pillioning as far as I can remember, and the one thing that I was always told is : do not try to "assist".

The pillion is to be as neutral as possible on the back of the bike. Having a pillion is bad enough due to the change in dynamics in the whole bike balance, weight, etc But is on top of that the pillion was to try to "assist", I don't think it would be very welcome to the rider.

I could be wrong, but I've always been told I was a good pillion because I made myself forgotten and just became one with the bike.

[boomer]

if they lean for you or make any movements pull a wheelie.. that'll have 'em in the 'right position' before they can say.. "I fell off" !

[Mountlocal1]

Hey Neil,

Im with you. I think its way easier when they stay relaxed. Except when braking etc. Best pillion Ive ever had was a horse rider , was actually fun to have her on the back. The rest have been horrible. Shifting weight mid corner (adjusting their clothes or something... ) and have put me off pillioning.

[magicfairy]

I could be wrong, but I've always been told I was a good pillion because I made myself forgotten and just became one with the bike.

Agreed, most of the time that is the right thing to do. On rare occasions a pillion may be called upon to act.
I do remember one particular corner, on the Busa ...I knew we weren't going to make it with the lean angle we had so I leaned extra hard and got us round ..eh BusaJim?

[vifferman]

#2 Son used to pay too much attention to part ofwhat I told him: "Stay still, or if you have to move, look through the inside of the corner". He used to look through the inside of every corner, which freaked me out until I realised what he was doing. It was a very strange feeling having the bike seem to steer itself into every corner...
I'd be about to tip into a corner, and the bike would do it by itself, so I'd have to make sure to do nothing.

The vifferbabe's a great pillion now (although she once gave me a beating for going too fast, which is why we didn't ride together between 1996 and about 2003...) On straighty bits, she sits back, but when we come to some tight, winding corners, she snuggles up really close and holds onto me - this helps to centralise the mass and makes cornering a LOT easier.
Ooh - and I really like the random hugs I get now and then. Some of the other... er... more friendly stuff... can be a bit distracting though.

[Mountlocal1]

... I've always been told I was a good pillion because I made myself forgotten and just became one with the bike.

ten characters....

[avgas]

moving with me in the corners and helping with leaning does bother me on the bike. Its when they do the opposite that pisses me off - trying to get their body away from the road when i lean into a corner that sort of stuff.
I'm not a fan of 'limp' pillions, not due the fact that it is more difficult to ride, but because you cannot tell if they are asleep or not - trust me, having the pillion curl up and go to sleep has happened alot to me, bloody scary when you hit a corner and they near fall off.

[007XX]

if they lean for you or make any movements pull a wheelie.. that'll have 'em in the 'right position' before they can say.. "I fell off" !

Dang you're mean!

Agreed, most of the time that is the right thing to do. On rare occasions a pillion may be called upon to act.

I reluctantly did that behind my hubby once, and leaned harder towards him to add weight behind his shoulder into a corner...we discussed it later on and he definitely admitted it was the right thing to do, but it was completely instinctive, there was bugger all thought going into it, so I'd be hard pressed to defend it in an argument.

Best pillion Ive ever had was a horse rider , was actually fun to have her on the back. The rest have been horrible. Shifting weight mid corner (adjusting their clothes or something... ) and have put me off pillioning.

It makes sense as horse back riding also taught me to go with the flow and respond to the movements of the mount. Staying limber and not panic when things start getting a little rough definitely helps.

[sinfull]

H would have to be one of the better pillions i've had on the back but i have noticed a slight change since she's been riding ! Choosing her own lines she is ! Felt the lean come on a few times now, so threw the head back last time she did it (nothings been said about it yet lol)

[Big Dave]

>>How should a pillion should act?<<

Dirty.

[sunhuntin]

ive only taken two different people... susan, and the angry hindu from my old job before he turned into an angry hindu, lol.

angry hindu was great! just like a sack of spuds. stayed exactly where he was and didnt move.
susan, on the other hand, has moved around, and leaned me around corners. worst one was coming up to the lights, slowing cos they are red, and she decides to "readjust" her seating position. she got yelled at for that stunt.
i tend to tell her to follow me when going through corners and such.
shes ridden a 50cc years ago, so knows a little bit about bikes. in all, shes a pretty good pillion, and should get better with time.

when im pillioning, i tend to follow the helmet. on corners, or when speed is going to be used, i hug right up as close as i can. otherwise, ill just sit like im on a stool and stay there.

[slofox]

I like a pillion to be like a backpack - part of me that goes where I go and does nothing independently of what I do.....bit harder with some of the modern pillion seats that are twelve feet above the rider's seat......

[madandy]

Neutral until provoked.
If a pillion reaches forward to hold the tank or use the grab rail to prevent 'maximus crushingus testicularous' then they have performed the most important task any pillion can.