Riding 2-UP
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 97
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From: Moundville, MO.
Riding 2-UP
Well I need your advice/input or better yet I need you to educate me on riding 2-up. I curently have an 09 SG. I am not new to bikes or riding but have never ridden 2-up before and my wife is hounding me about riding w/me. When I got the SG I gave her my Nightster, so she knows how to ride herself, but like me has never ridden 2-up. So what should I know? How does she get on the bike, what do I do/ How does she get off and what do I do? Really I am a novice at this and need your input. Thanks in advance.
NYTSTR
NYTSTR
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 348
Likes: 7
From: Idaho
The biggest thing is communication. My wife always mounts from the left side. Left foot on floorboard, hands on my shoulder, she waits till I say ok, she steps up and throws her right leg over. I steady the bike with both feet, even tip the bike a bit right, and tell her when I'm ready for her to mount. Same thing in reverse for dismount. She does nothing till I say OK. Hands on shoulders, stands up, swings right leg over seat and steps off. While riding she needs to be still at slow speeds >20 mph. Her movements are always felt by you, but at slow speed movements are magnified. While riding she should lean with you, and the bike. Think that covers the basics. After a few gos, you'll get the communication thing down and come up with your own signals.
Last edited by sfchief; May 11, 2009 at 11:29 AM.
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 460
Likes: 18
From: Rhode Island/Pensacola Florida
The biggest thing is communication. My wife always mounts from the left side. Left foot on floorboard, hands on my shoulder, she waits till I say ok, she steps up and throws her right leg over. I steady the bike with both feet, even tip the bike a bit right, and tell her when I'm ready for her to mount. Same thing in reverse for dismount. She does nothing till I say OK. Hands on shoulders, stands up, swings right leg over seat and steps off. While riding she needs to be still at slow speeds >20 mph. Her movements are always felt by you, but at slow speed movements are magnified. While riding she should lean with you, and the bike. Think that covers the basics. After a few gos, you'll get the communication thing down and come up with your own signals.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 429
Likes: 0
From: Canal Fulton, Ohio
Wife looks over the shoulder that is in the turn (left shoulder in left turn, right in right, etc.). She does not really have to lean, just stay with you. Biggest thing is her knowing when she can shift around and when not to. Her shifting her weight when you are not expecting can be bad (especially in a turn or at slow speeds). She needs to expect to move forward and back a bit in the seat as you start and stop.
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
From: Newtown, CT
Me too. I agree on the mount and dismount, but the leaning part not so much. My wife is a new rider and is getting used to it. My advise, once on the bike, is to relax and don't lean. Just look over the shoulder toward the turn. This will actually keep her from any extra lean that I don't want or any ideas to lean the other way. It pretty simple and it works for us.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 855
Likes: 1
From: Puyallup, WA
I am pretty new to two up also as my wife has her own ride. One thing I can say is that your better off that she rides so she knows what it feels like when the bike leans. my father-in-law had a real difficult time with my mother-in-law trying to counter steer the bike (bike and pops leaning left, while mom was leaning right). Just take your time.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,067
Likes: 60
From: Chesterfield, VA
Tell her not to move around much especialy when you are at a stop. You can loose your balance. Don't forget to put 3 or 4 pounds of pressure in your rear tire and put at least 10 in your shocks.
Also don't forget to remind her to give you a reach around every once in a while.
Also don't forget to remind her to give you a reach around every once in a while.
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 440
Likes: 1
From: NW Burbs of Chicago
+1 on the 'look over the inside shoulder' on turns approach - prevents the rider from fighting your lean. Give her a signal to use when she wants to stop - two pats on the thigh for a convenience stop; 3 for emergency right now stops.
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Prescott, AZ
agree with all the above... Wife and I use the "autocom" and can talk back and forth... what we use when getting on and off - in ADDITION to the above suggestions..
I tell her when I am ready - when SHE is ready she gives me a tap on the shoulder BEFORE she steps on the left board then AFTER she gets settled and is ready to roll - she gives me a tap again - off we go... same in reverse..
Reason for the taps -- I may announce READY - but she is not ready - I am waiting for the step that may not come right away - I relax for just a sec - THEN she steps on the board - opps..
therefore we came up with the taps... works great for us... YOU need to find out what works best for you...
as far as wife sitting still and not moving much - a lot depends on how well she is seated in you seat, meaning if she is not comfortable - she will tend to move around more.
I tell her when I am ready - when SHE is ready she gives me a tap on the shoulder BEFORE she steps on the left board then AFTER she gets settled and is ready to roll - she gives me a tap again - off we go... same in reverse..
Reason for the taps -- I may announce READY - but she is not ready - I am waiting for the step that may not come right away - I relax for just a sec - THEN she steps on the board - opps..
therefore we came up with the taps... works great for us... YOU need to find out what works best for you...
as far as wife sitting still and not moving much - a lot depends on how well she is seated in you seat, meaning if she is not comfortable - she will tend to move around more.
