Hi guys, looking for your wives or women's passenger experience !
I recently met a fantastic woman, only issue is she tells me she feels like a banana in the passenger seat, when she tries to hold on me as I ride, so she tends to hold the side grips on the seat and of course she doesn't really like the feel, that's really strange as she isn't taller than me.
Note that was with the seat in low position, don't know if high position will make much of a difference !
So what does your ladies say, any tricks or complaints as well !?
Try asking her to try NOT to hold on in any way, her palms on her knees/thighs for a short ride (maybe just up and down a street or so).
In addition try stressing the bit where you explain how she should not fight the bike's lateral movements, and possibly 'absorb' them by slightly bending at the hips when the bike leans left and right.
Zebulon has a good point but is understating it.
The reason his pillion is at ease is because they have ridden together a lot and understand each other. Gilles is a very good "pilot", plans ahead and avoids "surprises" and Michelle knows his riding style and anticipates what he's going to do.
I've not ridden much with a pillion but when I was young, an apprentice and poor I used to get a lift to and from work on the back of a friends Lambretta 175. We did that 5 days a week for at least 18 months. I don't remember having to hold on much unless I could tell he was going to something crazy and being young and males it wouldn't have looked very good for me to be holding onto his waist.
I think trust and familiarity is the key.
That is a good question.
My wife rides with me and has done so for a long time. She understands how I ride and is relaxed in the back. But we have learned the following:
- As she is shorter than me, by some margin, she cannot see over my shoulder. Having helmet communications greatly enhanced our riding enjoyment as I can now advise of of bumps coming up I can't avoid etc. It also allows us to have a conversation while riding, connecting us in the ride together as opposed to two people in silence on the one bike.
- She never rides without a top box on the back of the bike. For her it provides a feeling of safety and that she will not fall off the back if I accelerate too fast. It also means she does not have to hold onto to me or the hand rails all the time, only when we are riding through the twisties or I warn her to hold hold for the impending bump in the road.
- When I buy a new bike (I have had four bikes in the last 8 years) I always get her feedback in the feel of the pillion seat. If it is not comfortable for her the seat gets remade. Having the seat remade to get the feel right is not that expensive.
- For my Africa Twin, I have also had to change the pillion foot pegs as the standard OEM ones didn't feel comfortable enough.
Cheers from downunder.
Right David
as I've bought this last one before we can see or try it; my only apprehension was it is not enough comfortable for Michelle. I was sure this bike will be ok for me
I've immediately changed the foot pegs by the optional Honda, think the originals are just decorative
yes we ride together since a long time (seems not far from 35 years
) and we know each other quite good; she is in confiance and can sleep on the rear seat
; and yes as David we communicate and I can announce bumps or hole on the road .
We are both as good on the @T, and it is easier to ride in all conditions (particularly off road) than the Varadero ! so
- She never rides without a top box on the back of the bike. For her it provides a feeling of safety and that she will not fall off the back if I accelerate too fast.
No probem here with or without top box; when in off-road configuration we do not take it (
as shown here), and she is comfortable in the 2 situations. But I surely do not accelerate as you
- She never rides without a top box on the back of the bike. For her it provides a feeling of safety and that she will not fall off the back if I accelerate too fast.
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No probem here with or without top box; when in off-road configuration we do not take it ( as shown here), and she is comfortable in the 2 situations. But I surely do not accelerate as you
When riding gravel two up I am slow. When I ride by myself on gravel I'm not that much faster either. On tarmac, well that is altogether a different matter whether one or two up on the bike.
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Nothing beats a Varadero!
Nothing beats a Varadero!
What we think before having the AT !