You'll be fine my wife also ask if I'm ready for getting on and off the bike
No surprises that way

 

Thanks for all the great advice.
I will have her follow me to local lot to practice first.

I was wondering if I had to readjust shocks every time we ride two up?

Was not able to break jam nut free on first try. Will soak with penetrating oil and try again. Hope I don't have to pay dealer to loosen nut.

 

Communication is paramount when dealing with a passenger.

You might find an MSF "Passenger class" in your area.

 

My wife now rides her own bike but in the rare instances when she rides with me I leave the bike on the stand and she gets on first, then I get on and pick the bike off of the stand.

At one time I'm sure that we exceeded the recommended weight limit for my bike(s) but we've rode many miles two-up with the saddlebags loaded and sometimes pulling a trailer without incident.

I would suggest that frequently check your rear tire pressure as allowing it to go below the owners manual will increase the temperature inside of the tire/tube and could cause a tire failure and you certainly don't need that.

As I've joked for years the problem with two-up riding is that it's like "putting all of your eggs in one basket".
However, I must admit that I'm much more comfortable if my wife is riding with me vs her riding her own bike, but either way, motorcycling has a certain amount of added risk over an enclosed vehicle.

I've had some very large people and some very small people ride with me in my 48 years of riding and regardless of their size or weight, the best passengers are by far the one's who do absolutely nothing other than sitting and doing nothing.

As for safety equipment, I DO NOT have a motorcycle that does not have an engine (or crash) guard, and in fact, all of our bikes also have rear saddlebag guards, which in a low speed crash, may provide some protection for the rider and passenger.
I never ride without a helmet, glasses and gloves and I require the same for a passenger.

 

Ten dollar tool and you can adjust the rear shocks which are probably at the softest setting. Crank them up.

EDIT: Sorry, just noticed you are working on that - good man.

 

To be honest, I don't think the Heritage is designed for that much for the long haul. Short trips around are fine.

If nothing else, you are going to eat up some tires.

How do I know, I have one and the weight is about same.

For that reason, I would like a RK. But, will never get rid of the Heritage.

 

Expect to stop to pee more often. Expect to be yelled at if you go to fast, if a car turns in front of you, if a car is too close to you, if you forgot to stop to pee.

 

The wife and I together is about 450... We've had our Heritage since new in 07 and All I did was to have the stocks set for more preload.. The dealer did that at the 1K service and I've not touched it since then and the bike now has 53+K miles.

If you bike bottoms out and it might if its still at the medium factory settings. you would be better off to have them adjusted for more...

I'll add at least 40k of those miles she's been on the rear...

Another thing I did was I bought the Touring pillion seat and Sissy bar pad along with some floorboards for her comfort.. Those mods made an major improvement for her.

And I might as well say if You feel like you need a little more TQ.. as I did.. I added some Andrews 26h cams.. they are great cams that are easy on your engine that netted me a 20% improvement of TQ all the way across the Dyno Sheet... IMO they were one of my best mods I've done to the bike...

Happy riding and be safe..

 

Good information on the passenger mods and cams - thanks.

Also, I do believe that the stock shock setting is at the lowest - I could be wrong here and it may be different for each model.

My softail was set at lowest and all information I came across indicates that is stock. Just putting my observation out there...

I find the shocks backed-off a half turn or so from max and heavy SE fork oil to be quite compliant. Might get around to doing the springs, sleeves/tube, seals and valves in the front and Works in the rear but its a low priority.

 

If you do a wheelie, expect to get pounded on your back...
"PUT IT DOWN!!! PUT IT DOWN!!!"
(damn whiners)