I've been riding for two months now (love it more and more every day), and find that i'm getting better with each ride. I also took the MSF course to attain my motorcycle endorsement. I was wondering how long you would all suggest waiting til carrying a passenger. A good amount of girls I know would love to jump on that back and let me take them for a ride (hopefully in more ways than one...but...) I won't yet since I feel i'm still learning. And I also know that 1) the bike handles very differently with a passenger, 2) I would need to have some extra gear (extra, smaller helmets which i don't have), 3) they would need to somewhat know what to do.

Just curious b/c I want to be safe, and i want my passengers to be safe as well.

Thanks.

Marc

 

I'd try to find a passenger for your first two-up that has had some experience at least riding on the back. Make sure she has on some good riding gear and maybe have her meet you at a deserted parking lot for some practice turns in both directions, progressively quicker stops and u-turns.

Once you feel 100% sure of your abilities and not a second sooner, head out for the highway and some fun.

The street is the last place to put some poor guinea pig on the back of your bike until you are ready.

You hurting yourself is one thing, being responsible for your passenger's safety is quite another.

Good luck,

Primo

 

IMO whenever you feel comfortable ride'n single then try a passenger.Bike will handle differently.Will feel heaver and a little slower to turn. It also helps if passenger does't squirm around and shift weight.(it's ok if she squirms just not on bike going down the road).Have fun.

 

Hey, I agree wholeheartedly with Primo. You need someone on the back who knows how to ride "with" you,and not against you. A first time backseater will try to lean the wrong way and can easily cause you to lose control. Empty parking lots have taught many of us how to ride,..go for it.My wife and I have been riding two-up for a long time.She's so good at it, I have to reach back and grab her leg sometimes just to make sure she's still there! Ha!

 

Just take it slow, you will know when you are ready...

Wait a minute, I sound like a mother!

Go for it! Just like the first time you had sex, you probablly weren't sure, but you worked it out. And like sex, it may not be her best, but it is the one you will never forget!

 

I don't think of a passenger as just a passenger but a co-rider. That being said, your best first passanger is another rider. Understanding how to ride on a bike and how to lean into a corner are very important aspects of being a co-rider. The most important thing is briefing the co-rider before mounting the bike. The brief should include; once on the bike never put your feet down, hang on to me or hang on to the strap, lean with me not against me, if the bike goes down, get your leg out from the side going down and stay with the bike as long as possible. The rider and co-rider must both understand that any movement by the co-rider will translate through the bike and affect the rider.
I put a good 5,000 miles under my belt before riding two-up and feel that I'm steel learning.
It's your decision, but as previously said, accepting a co-rider is you taken their life into your own hands.

 

I know a guy here in town that is a arrogant as it gets to a bike...first bike had to be a harley...took the course and passed, but couldn't figure out why his bike died going the road. He needed to switch to reserve.

Has said from day one he was ready for a passenger. Wrecked his bike on day 2- not badly, but a flat tire and killed his confidence.

Just use your smarts. Some people are comfortable after just a short while. Others never are.

Only you can make that call, but just showing concern and being open to sugestions may show your are ready to try it carefully. Secret is to remember to always be more careful with someone on back.

 

Tell her to keep her feet on the pegs until you turn off the engine, look over your left shoulder during a left turn, right shoulder during a right turn....and most importantly - Put the damned pegs up when she's done riding. [8D]

 

Marc I think I have about the same motoring experiance as you. I started riding passengers last week. Mainly I came to the descision once every action used to control the bike became second nature, shifting, braking turning, ect. Then I had a buddy who has been riding for years give me the run down on it and I took him around the nieghborhood for about 30 minutes.

One thing I would caution you on is making sure your passenger knows the "rules" for riding on your bike.

The speach i give goes a little somethin like this.

"Hi, I'm Mike, Your hot and we'll probably be sleeping together tonight... However, just to make sure we both get to "later" theres some things i want to go over.

#1) put this helmet and gear on! I never scrimp with that, they are gonna tell you that is messes up their hair and all that, pavement will screw up the hair alot worse in MHO. The other thing thats gonna happen is they will say oh its a nice 60 degree day I'll wear my tank top. It gets cold!! I have them wear boots and a leather or jean jacket. Let them know that if they get cold it is perfectly acceptable to put their arms under your jacket aorund your middle, this feels great btw. Or inside your pockets of your jacket, your not useing them when your riding.

#2) When I turn I want you to look over my shoulder in the direction we are turning. This forces them to lean with you at nearly the same angles keeping the bike balanced. Spend some time on this and have them practice it. (I have a girl in Cheyenne who actually was turning her body and looking over her own shoulder, that makes the bike feel funny, you will know instantly if this is happening) One of the coolest feelings is when you feel them relax into the bike, kinda like when you first started riding and you yourself had to concentrat to do this. All the sudden they just kinda mesh into sync with you, awsome, they trust you now, dont abuse that trust and try to show off!

#3) Please dont shift your wieght from peg to peg, again maintaining balance, If you need to shift please do it when we are stopped and i have both feet ont eh ground.

#4) Dont put your feet down even when we are stopped. I might have to leave quickly to avoid a car or someother emergency.

#5) Hold on to me, tightly!

#6) Have fun! and relax...

Thats kinda what i do. Also the guy that i rode with first wieghed about 230, so when i tossed a 110 pound spinner on the back it was nothin.

Ok things I have learned about riding 2 up.

Go real easy on that back brake. It'll lock up real quick with the extra wieght and will start to come around on you. This is just my personal choice but I move to useing 90% -100% front brake with a passenger. Its jsut wayyyyy to easy to lock up.

Its gonna take longer to stop. Plan ahead. Dont freak out it jsut feels like its never gonna come to stop.

Careful with your low speed turns, you have someone higher than you on the bike and they dont know about counter leaning.

I work out some signals too.

3 fast squeezes to my belly = pull over soon please

1 Squeeze=I'm trying to tell you something but you cant hear me

lots of squeezing and maybe the bike wiggling some=she just came from the vibration

hard squeeze and doesnt let go=Pull over NOW!!! Something is wrong!

Ok thats it for my book, You'll do fine just take your time and dont be afraid to ask a girl to ride while you learn. Get used to it.

And carry a stick around to beat off all the tail comeing your way[:-]

 

I have the same story.
Took the MSF course(smartist thing I've done in a while)in March and I probably put on a good 300miles until I felt confident enough to take the "BOSS" out for a spin.
Started in a LARGE parking lot, and worked on what we both need to be doing at ALL times.
After 1/2 a day of that, it was out to the backroads, I guess what I'm trying to say is
1 small step at a time.