carrying a passenger

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Jun 19, 2009 | 08:44 PM

#11

Tralfaz

Road Master

Joined: Jun 2006

Posts: 891

Likes: 1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intrepid175

For me, not enough. My first passenger was shorter and heavier than I was. They were stretching up to look over my shoulder, got uncomfortable with that after a while and shifted to look over the other shoulder. The end result is I almost changed lanes into oncoming traffic!!!

On one of the first rides with my wife on the back she started shifting around a bunch, including times when I was slowing down for a light. At one point I just pulled into a driveway and turned around to head back home. She asked what I was doing, and I told her that shifting around like that was dangerous. I may have overreacted in doing that instead of just stopping and talking to her about it. I did turn back around and continued on to where we were going.

She still shifts around a little when riding on the back, but at least does it less often now, and doesn't do it when I'm slowing down.

Jun 19, 2009 | 08:58 PM

#12

murd

Road Warrior

Joined: Jul 2008

Posts: 1,277

Likes: 1

From: Haney, British Columbia

According to our little Ride Safe book here in Canada I read that you should have around 3200kms under your belt. Why that number...who cares. I have plenty of clicks.
I'm itchin to get the OL on the back. Unfortunately, I have a wee snag with the leather covered 2x4 they refer to as a pillion on my Deluxe.

Ok... so here's the skinny (you'll get the pun)... My OL ain't exactly the lightest bulb on the tree if you know what I mean. I don't know how I'm going to fair at the slow stuff. Right turns, Uturns... junk like that. But I love her madly and want her to experience the wind and fun of riding, so I figure the best place to start is at a parking lot and just get on with it.

Man, if she reads this... I'm in deep sheet!

Jun 19, 2009 | 09:21 PM

#13

AtkRWC

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Jul 2006

Posts: 4,813

Likes: 6

From: Rio Grande Valley-Texas

I don't remember how many miles I had but rode solo for about 2 years straight, that made me around 9 or 10 years old before a passenger> Its about comfort.

Jun 19, 2009 | 09:21 PM

#14

Drum

Road Captain

Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 617

Likes: 20

From: Western Illinois

When I was 9 yrs old I had my best friend as a passenger on my mini bike, does that count? So I would have to say about 2-3 blocks.

Jun 19, 2009 | 09:33 PM

#15

Haywired

Road Master

Joined: Mar 2009

Posts: 930

Likes: 0

From: Northwest WI

I logged about a thousand miles this spring before I took my wife for a ride. It's a different feeling with a passenger and you need to really pay attention.

Jun 19, 2009 | 09:49 PM

#16

Foot Patrol

Advanced

Joined: Nov 2008

Posts: 83

Likes: 0

From: Houston Texas

I took the MSF course and asked that question myself. I was told that I needed 3,000 under my seat or 1 year which ever came first. At 4K I put my wife on for the first time. While I probably could have done it sooner, I was glad I waited.

Just my 2 cents!!!

Jun 20, 2009 | 01:21 AM

#17

dgator66

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 2,937

Likes: 3

From:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drum

When I was 9 yrs old I had my best friend as a passenger on my mini bike, does that count? So I would have to say about 2-3 blocks.

Even less for me. The first time I rode was on a five dollar, third hand mini-bike. My big brother was on the back because he was the brakes.

Jun 20, 2009 | 01:40 AM

#18

brutalbrad

Road Warrior

Joined: Jan 2008

Posts: 1,405

Likes: 6

From: Portland, Oregon

I probably had only about 1,000 miles of experience riding motorcycles when I took my wife for a spin. I have a sportster so the two person ride was very different.

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Jun 20, 2009 | 02:01 AM

#19

calebrity

Intermediate

Joined: Jun 2009

Posts: 37

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poorguy

More importantly, it depends on the miles the passenger has under his/her belt as well. The rider has a little responsibility too. My wife is under $1.20, with a 700 lb bike and me weighing just under 200 I didn't figure I'd even feel her back there. She never rode and I instructed her pretty well but every now and again I feel her throw the bike. I correct her patiently so she'll want to continue to ride from time to time.

Just don't forget they are back there when stopping etc..

When i felt comfortable turning figure eights with the handlbars resting on the right and left stops - i let her on. my experience is along the same lines as poorguy's - my first legitemate ride with my wife was a result of her choosing the destination - i chose the transportation and route. We had only rode around the backroads onthe outskirts in mostly straight lines thus far. i had only given her one rule so far. if you put your feet down you had better plan on getting off! we took hwy 29S to Napa, CA - if you check a map it looks like your small intestine for a few miles. i kept feeling like i was having to muscle the bars and lean way farther than felt comfortable, i had to resort to going so slow that i was actually turning right to go right- i glanced in the reflection of the tank as i exited a corner (in first gear) and saw what appeared to be a two headed person - i gave her a little...pep talk shall we say...she said she was looking out for oncoming traffic and the drop off because she was afraid we were going over it. i told her the same thing i was told by my riding buddy on my first ride - to look where you want to go and we will go there. apparently she wanted to go off the OTHER side of the road now (typical!) for the next 10 minutes i so much as imagined a right turn and we were cutting right toward the shoulder. i waiited it out and she soon relaxed, stopped exaggerating her movements, and has been a dream ever since.

BTW - got a good laugh from dgator66's first experience

Jun 20, 2009 | 05:15 AM

#20

Scooter68

Road Master

Joined: Jul 2008

Posts: 948

Likes: 1

From: Worth, Illinois

I want to say I did about five thousand before taking on a passenger. And I refused a lot of good looking women rides on my scoot's back then just because I wasn't comfortable riding with someone else on the back. Now my OL of two years is an awesome passenger back there, sometimes I have to look back there to see if she's still there.

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