My wife is 5'7"+ and pretty athletic for just turning 50. She loves to ride and is last on-first off. She has developed a quick fluid motion so that most times I barely feel her weight on the one side when mounting. I am forbidden from having a backrest because it encroaches on her seat room, that may help the passenger mount as well. I had a Suzuki C90T before the RKC and sold it to a good friend last year. He has to have a backrest, in addition his wife is quite portly. He bitches about riding with his wife and for a while I didn't understand why. Rode with them to bike night about 6 weeks ago and witnessed firsthand her mount, it was painful to watch. I didn't think it was possible to lever that much weight, that far off a motorcycle and not tip over. It really appeared that she was trying to take him by the shoulders and fling him to the ground.

 

My fiance does the same thing. She finds it much easier if I'm standing. Gives her a little more room to swing her leg between me and the tour pack.

 

6 months ago my wife had double knee replacement. We had to change how she gets on and off the bike this year. She is now first on, last off. She does not like it that way and is working hard to get back to normal.

 

My wife mounts exactly like described by MNPGRider above. We're both in our 60's and this way seems to be easy enough.

 

She can get on either way, most times she gets on first, but prefers the bike on the center stand, more stable. I'm a big guy 6'2" .. 260 and have no problem holding the bike stable but it makes her feel more comfortable with the bike on the stand.

 

Ya do what you have to do. If she needs to get on first, fine. It just doesn't really matter. What matters is that she does ride with you. So enjoy it.

 

I'm solo about 90% of the time. Not really used to passengers, so they get on first, while the kickstand's down & engine's off. Easier for me, if they're already on. When we stop, they have to wait til kickstand's down to get off. It works for me. Limited Ultra.

 

Mine gets on after I stand the SG upright, she than steps on the floorboards and get on, but she is also 5'10" and 130...Kinda long legged and has no probs, she usually mounts from right side after puttin her crap in the saddlebag..

 

My wife enjoys having the center stand down, making the bike more stable. 5'7" 160 and she puts one foot on the rear foot rest and swings over the touring box with no problems. Now, if I could just get her to lean at the right direction when turning and traveling at slow speeds........

 

Well, we tried it in the garage last night when I was playing with the GPS & she wandered out wondering what I was up to. Bike was on the side stand - I was in my office shoes & not going to try & keep from slipping on my garage floor while holding it up. It also dawned on me that I had moved the trunk the full 2" back from where it was adjusted when I bought the bike & we went on our first (& only to date) ride together. Although she was in street sandals, I asked her to give it a try &, on the 2nd attempt, she was able to get on while I straddled the bike & leaned way forward(again, bike on its side stand). She was also able to get off too. It might have had to do with the trunk being moved back, the fact that she was a little more familiar with the mechanics of motion involved or she just had more range of movement last night than on the day we went out - who knows? Like some who have posted have said, it doesn't really matter one way or the other - I just find in more convenient, sometimes, to have her mount after I'm on.