Post by scrap on Jul 17, 2010 19:09:43 GMT 10
Two Up
Its frightening to see how many riders accept pillions with little or no experience. The presence of a pillion changes the bike dramatically – increased weight, slower acceleration, increased lean rate and greater braking distance that can take the rider by surprised if the sensation is not anticipated.
Riders and pillions need to have an understanding. If you’re not using an intercom, signals should be agreed before the ride: eg; go faster, go slower, I need a break etc. The pillion is an active part of the bike so the pillion must know what the rider is doing and mimic that action.
Every thing you learned about relaxation and practice applies to your passenger. Your passenger should learn to use their lower body and core to resist the forces of acceleration and braking. Just as you shouldn't rely on the handlebars to resist braking, your passenger shouldn't lean on you heavily when braking.
In addition to keeping your bike well maintained, make sure the tires are not under-inflated and use the manufacturer's specs for riding two up. Increasing the bike's rear pre-load is also advisable.
Check your pillions gear, especially if their inexperienced riders. Unbuckled chin straps are one of the most common faults, but also check their safety gear as it is often fastened up incorrectly by novices.
If the bike has grab handles, the pillion should use these. Some riders prefer the pillion to hold on their waist; and some riders use specifically designed belts for the pillion to hang on to. I’m not in favour of the latter as if the pillion panics, they can upset the balance of the rider. There are advocates of pillion lightly wall papering themselves against the back of the rider and holding onto the riders waist – especially on sports bikes. This works well for cornering as the pillion can feel the amount of lean the rider adopts and can follow suit.
If the pillion is experienced, I can endorse this wholeheartedly. On sports bikes I’m happier knowing my pillion has a secure hold and won't fall off the back of the motorcycle. On cruisers and tourer, it is not so much of an issue, especially if there is a sissy bar.
Mounting
The pillion may need to be shown how to get on and off the bike. General consensus is that the rider mounts first and rights the bike. My preference is that the pillion mounts from my left so that I can anticipate the weight coming onto the bike, but the pillion never mounts until instructed to do so. Nothing worse than trying to control a stationary bike when an unexpected weight is applied to one side – worse if it is the side you don’t normally have pillions mount from. Others prefer to have the pillion mount from the opposite side to the exhaust due to safety concerns regarding a hot pipe. Obviously that option disappears when there are exhausts on both sides of the bike. The pillion should understand how to balance themselves over the bike so that they don't pull the bike over as they get on or cause the bike to be unbalanced when upright.
For your part, when your passenger mounts, don't try to hold the bike up using your arms on the handlebars. Instead, plant your feet, and focus on using your inner thigh to support your bike's weight. Your legs are much stronger than your arms.
Braking
I routinely triple tap the front brake before braking firmly. Not only does this provide a boarder front tyre foot print on the road and warn the drivers behind of my presence and intention to brake, the pillion is also warned. The pillion should keep pressure on the pegs when the pillion feels you breaking as this will help the pillion sliding forward under braking.
It’s a good idea to practice hazard braking together. You can stop just as fast (or faster) with a pillion on the back as you can solo.
Don't transition from your brakes to the throttle abruptly, unless your passenger expects it. It is possible for your pillion to fall off the back.
When coming to a stop, the pillion must keep their feet up on the pegs. In this manner the weight stay central on the bike making it easier to balance. I’ve heard stories about tall guys on the back of bikes putting their feet down at the lights, only to have rider tear off when the lights change, leaving the pillion standing in the middle of traffic wondering what the hell happened.
The Ride
Your pillion, like you, should be part of the bike. The pillion should watch the lights, analyse traffic and anticipate your next move. The pillion should grip the bike and rider firmly with their knees; it does make a lot of difference.
Teach your pillion to shift their weight forward under acceleration. If you tuck, they should tuck.
Support and encourage your pillion. If you’ve got your girl (or boy as the case may be) reassure them with a hand on their leg.
The pillion must NOT make any sudden or abnormal moves at all while in the middle of a turn. A gentle movement to get comfortable is acceptable when the bike is balanced, but a sudden jolt of movement mid corner leaves stains in underwear.
Cornering
As the rider enters a corner, the rear brake should be applied first if needed, wait a moment and then apply the front brake. You will need to apply brakes earlier but this sequence will lessen the amount of front wheel dive that would be experienced if the front brake is applied first. This is a point to note for those riders who never or rarely use their rear brake.
Your passenger should look through the corner with you by putting their head to the inside of the turn -- i.e. look past the shoulder on the apex side. This goes hand in hand with the advice to have the passenger look through the turn with you as this helps keep your transitions smoother. The pillion may only lean only to the degree that the rider leans, no more, no less. If your passenger is leaning correctly, you'll need less body lean to get around that same turn at that same speed because of the increased weight.
Start and get leaned over before you begin to turn. No one should be shifting around in any part of a turn, a point that cannot be emphasised too much.
Riding with a pillion may expose some of your own skill deficiencies as your errors may be accentuated by the extra weight. Be conscious of smooth throttle and clutch control, entry points, lines, and body language.
As a rule of thumb, riders make good pillions because they can anticipate what the rider is about to do.
If you normally ride at a "brisk" pace, click down a couple of notches in your usual speeds. No particularly logical reason for this except to leave an even larger margin for error and my desire not to have an injured pillion in case you screw up.
And finally – get your pillion a comfortable seat – or get something like an Airhawk for them to sit on. They wriggle less and can ride further.
Its frightening to see how many riders accept pillions with little or no experience. The presence of a pillion changes the bike dramatically – increased weight, slower acceleration, increased lean rate and greater braking distance that can take the rider by surprised if the sensation is not anticipated.
Riders and pillions need to have an understanding. If you’re not using an intercom, signals should be agreed before the ride: eg; go faster, go slower, I need a break etc. The pillion is an active part of the bike so the pillion must know what the rider is doing and mimic that action.
Every thing you learned about relaxation and practice applies to your passenger. Your passenger should learn to use their lower body and core to resist the forces of acceleration and braking. Just as you shouldn't rely on the handlebars to resist braking, your passenger shouldn't lean on you heavily when braking.
In addition to keeping your bike well maintained, make sure the tires are not under-inflated and use the manufacturer's specs for riding two up. Increasing the bike's rear pre-load is also advisable.
Check your pillions gear, especially if their inexperienced riders. Unbuckled chin straps are one of the most common faults, but also check their safety gear as it is often fastened up incorrectly by novices.
If the bike has grab handles, the pillion should use these. Some riders prefer the pillion to hold on their waist; and some riders use specifically designed belts for the pillion to hang on to. I’m not in favour of the latter as if the pillion panics, they can upset the balance of the rider. There are advocates of pillion lightly wall papering themselves against the back of the rider and holding onto the riders waist – especially on sports bikes. This works well for cornering as the pillion can feel the amount of lean the rider adopts and can follow suit.
If the pillion is experienced, I can endorse this wholeheartedly. On sports bikes I’m happier knowing my pillion has a secure hold and won't fall off the back of the motorcycle. On cruisers and tourer, it is not so much of an issue, especially if there is a sissy bar.
Mounting
The pillion may need to be shown how to get on and off the bike. General consensus is that the rider mounts first and rights the bike. My preference is that the pillion mounts from my left so that I can anticipate the weight coming onto the bike, but the pillion never mounts until instructed to do so. Nothing worse than trying to control a stationary bike when an unexpected weight is applied to one side – worse if it is the side you don’t normally have pillions mount from. Others prefer to have the pillion mount from the opposite side to the exhaust due to safety concerns regarding a hot pipe. Obviously that option disappears when there are exhausts on both sides of the bike. The pillion should understand how to balance themselves over the bike so that they don't pull the bike over as they get on or cause the bike to be unbalanced when upright.
For your part, when your passenger mounts, don't try to hold the bike up using your arms on the handlebars. Instead, plant your feet, and focus on using your inner thigh to support your bike's weight. Your legs are much stronger than your arms.
Braking
I routinely triple tap the front brake before braking firmly. Not only does this provide a boarder front tyre foot print on the road and warn the drivers behind of my presence and intention to brake, the pillion is also warned. The pillion should keep pressure on the pegs when the pillion feels you breaking as this will help the pillion sliding forward under braking.
It’s a good idea to practice hazard braking together. You can stop just as fast (or faster) with a pillion on the back as you can solo.
Don't transition from your brakes to the throttle abruptly, unless your passenger expects it. It is possible for your pillion to fall off the back.
When coming to a stop, the pillion must keep their feet up on the pegs. In this manner the weight stay central on the bike making it easier to balance. I’ve heard stories about tall guys on the back of bikes putting their feet down at the lights, only to have rider tear off when the lights change, leaving the pillion standing in the middle of traffic wondering what the hell happened.
The Ride
Your pillion, like you, should be part of the bike. The pillion should watch the lights, analyse traffic and anticipate your next move. The pillion should grip the bike and rider firmly with their knees; it does make a lot of difference.
Teach your pillion to shift their weight forward under acceleration. If you tuck, they should tuck.
Support and encourage your pillion. If you’ve got your girl (or boy as the case may be) reassure them with a hand on their leg.
The pillion must NOT make any sudden or abnormal moves at all while in the middle of a turn. A gentle movement to get comfortable is acceptable when the bike is balanced, but a sudden jolt of movement mid corner leaves stains in underwear.
Cornering
As the rider enters a corner, the rear brake should be applied first if needed, wait a moment and then apply the front brake. You will need to apply brakes earlier but this sequence will lessen the amount of front wheel dive that would be experienced if the front brake is applied first. This is a point to note for those riders who never or rarely use their rear brake.
Your passenger should look through the corner with you by putting their head to the inside of the turn -- i.e. look past the shoulder on the apex side. This goes hand in hand with the advice to have the passenger look through the turn with you as this helps keep your transitions smoother. The pillion may only lean only to the degree that the rider leans, no more, no less. If your passenger is leaning correctly, you'll need less body lean to get around that same turn at that same speed because of the increased weight.
Start and get leaned over before you begin to turn. No one should be shifting around in any part of a turn, a point that cannot be emphasised too much.
Riding with a pillion may expose some of your own skill deficiencies as your errors may be accentuated by the extra weight. Be conscious of smooth throttle and clutch control, entry points, lines, and body language.
As a rule of thumb, riders make good pillions because they can anticipate what the rider is about to do.
If you normally ride at a "brisk" pace, click down a couple of notches in your usual speeds. No particularly logical reason for this except to leave an even larger margin for error and my desire not to have an injured pillion in case you screw up.
And finally – get your pillion a comfortable seat – or get something like an Airhawk for them to sit on. They wriggle less and can ride further.