Pillion passengers

[Trolley]

G'day fellas,

I don't ride a bike due to lack of testicles large enough to risk putting my body at the mercy of Perth's moronic drivers. I just wanted to ask a question out of curiosity due to an incident last night involving my fiancee's 19 year old sister (sorry, no nudes *insert do-not-want meme here*).

We just got word that her boyfriend lost control of his bike (with her on it) while going around a bend which either punted them onto or slid them into gravel. Details are vague but given gravel and the fact she lives in Mundaring I'm going to assume it happened somewhere in the hills. Speed couldn't have been too excessive as thankfully it looks like she has walked away with just a broken arm.

My question is how long after your license did you wait to start carting mates/girlfriends/boyfriends around on the back of your crotch rockets? This kid (20/21) has had his bike license for all of 5 weeks... :/

[Kaido]

I had my R class for a year before i took my 1st pillion (had been riding for 4 years at that stage). My first pillion was very experiences and knew what they where doing, which helped alot, as a pillion can and will affect what your bike does.

It's all well and good wanting to take your mates/girlfriends/boyfriends on the back of your bike, but when you are a new rider, it just adds another level to riding, and if the pillion is inexperienced then it is even worst as there movement greatly affects what the bike does. I personally wouldn't advice anyone to do it until they have some experience riding and knowing what there bike can and can't do.

What type of bike was it?

also good to hear she walked away from the accident!

[Riggs]

Took a pillion as soon as I had my license.

My no 1 rule when taking a pillion, you do not hold the pillion strap/bar. Arms around ME. I don't care how gay you feel doing it. It forces you pillion to move with you and not keep doing weird movements that throws the bike all over the place.

[tmz_99]

I was still on my 250cc license when I started taking pillions, that being said, I made sure they were small and it wasn't very often. As soon as I upgraded bikes I took the rear seat off and put on a cowl, wasn't until I had a regular missus that I was forced to take her on the back.
I'd rather not take pillions at all, especially anyone inexperienced/heavier than 50kg as it tends to f*ck around with your weight distribution, especially on sports bikes where all the weight is at the top of the bike. That and they freak out the moment you speed up / wheelie.
Now the wife has her own bike, problem solved.

[mr_mike]

I'd had my lic for nearly 4 years (2 RE 2 R) before i took anyone on the back. Personally i'm not a fan of taking pillions, i dont like the way it makes the bike feel. Now missus has her own bike so chances of her wanting to go on the back of mine are slim.

[mr_mike]

There is no laws regarding pillions, infact a learner rider can take a pillion and use them as a shadow so long as they have held that class license for 4 years. FUCK THAT!

[shifted]

Looking at getting my license. Have already had requests that once I get it can they be pillion passengers, strict no from me. I'm not risking someone's life being an inexperienced rider personally.

Have been a pillion passenger though and common sense was to hold onto the person driving, that way your body moved with the rider. I'm over 100kg so if I did anything unjust there would definitely be some arse puckering moments.

[S85FI]

Can't believe you guys waited until you had a license for the pillion rider. How else is one to get experience but to be chased by the ranger while you peg the throttle and ya mate hangs on?


As the felles posted. Hug the rider and feel the lean.
You can ride for 10 years and have a green pillion and green rider that hasn't taken a passenger and all can go pear shape quick.

[tmz_99]

You can ride for 10 years and have a green pillion and green rider that hasn't taken a passenger and all can go pear shape quick.

I think this is a very good point... And sometimes it's not 'green' pillions that are the problem, I've had experienced riders on the back of the bike and because they have a different riding style, they start to shift their COG at a different time from myself, sometimes forcing me to turn into a line that they would generally take.

That being said, when riding the scooter the missus shifts her COG to indicate she wants me to turn somewhere or stop, etc. A scooter is a hell of a lot more forgivable than the roadbike however.

[R3N]

Took a pillion as soon as I had my license.

My no 1 rule when taking a pillion, you do not hold the pillion strap/bar. Arms around ME. I don't care how gay you feel doing it. It forces you pillion to move with you and not keep doing weird movements that throws the bike all over the place.

No homo

[Riggs]

For you.

Full homo.

[[FFOUR]]

My 250 was slow enough as it was, wasn't interested in an extra 50kg+ on the back!

The F4/R1 scared her shitless after one quick ride and she never asked again. Success.

[Brute]

95% of the riding I do now is with my mrs on the back. she has absolutely no fear at all. Half the time I don't even know shes there. Wheelies, corners, doesn't matter. But at the end of the day, if you don't feel 100% in control of the bike, then you have no right taking a pillion.

[HANS YOLO]

i rode once with a pillion on my RE...just took it super easy

would pillion any time, just ride accordingly i guess

that being said, to answer your question...i would not take anyone on the back for at least 3 months or until your confident you can ride accordingly....however, some people are just shit riders/drivers and no amount of time will make a difference...depends on the individual i guess

[S85FI]

95% of the riding I do now is with my mrs on the back. she has absolutely no fear at all. Half the time I don't even know shes there. Wheelies, corners, doesn't matter. But at the end of the day, if you don't feel 100% in control of the bike, then you have no right taking a pillion.

I like riding /driving at 85-90 % these days. . 10-15 for error factor. Rode for years at 100%. Come off one time bad enough to break 7 bones. Enduro ride in the Southwest. The trees did not budge :(

[Brute]

I like riding /driving at 85-90 % these days. . 10-15 for error factor. Rode for years at 100%. Come off one time bad enough to break 7 bones. Enduro ride in the Southwest. The trees did not budge :(

I didn't mean riding at 100%. More that you had complete confidence in your ability to control the vehicle under the conditions that you are riding at.

Plus there's always the the option that if you do crash with a pillion, you have something soft to land on instead of the road.

[Susstt]

An experienced/non-retard pillion that weighs ~50kg's will be totally different playing ground to a green/unconfident pillion. I've had my knee down with my ex on the back of my R1 a fair few times without any issues what so ever, wheelies are just too easy with a pillion, specially now with the monster.

In saying that, I've taken other female friends that arent very confident on the back of my bikes and theres no way I'd even attempt to knee down/hold wheelies with them on the back.

Didn't take a pillion on my 250's..and waited almost a year before taking a pillion on my R1 (first big bike..) just so I knew I was fairly confident with how it handled (had been on track etc etc)

[Trolley]

What type of bike was it?

https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t1.0-9/10509700_719296641460775_6539690043584374666_n.jpg

Accident happened at/around the ZigZag. Lucky they didn't end up down the side of the hill. Thanks for the replies fellas, interesting discussion :)

[KPWISHN]

I had 12 months, 10,000kms of experience riding on the road, amongst the quality drivers out there, before putting my mrs on the back. I made sure she had full gear on too, leather jacket, quality helmet, gloves and kevlars. I could not live with myself if I crashed and she got fucked up. Seen too many horrible pictures of people after they have had on off. Yuck.

She had been on the back of dirt bikes before and we had a talk about what to do on the back of the bike. I could hardly tell she was there. The extra weight slowed the bike down a bit, but that was the only difference once moving.

[Crispymk2]

As a learner, my shadows bike dropped a cell on the battery so I went pillion on the way to get a new one and then we swapped on the way back. Wouldn't be going for a run through the hills that soon though.

[tmz_99]

Wheelies are just too easy with a pillion, specially now with the monster.

Way the go for calling the missus fat and ugly in the same sentence.

[Susstt]

Way the go for calling the missus fat and ugly in the same sentence.

Lol? Ex and current missus are both 45-50kg. Bit of extra weight over the rear wheel makes the front pop up with the smallest amount of throttle.

As for 'monster', thats a bike.

[Steve]

The week I got my 250 licence when I was 17 was when I first had a pillion. Broke the 2D1B rule :/

[Jmoore]

I don't take pillions as I don't want to be responsible for someone else's health in the event of my cockup / bad perth driving / freak accidents.

If you are concerned about your sisters safety, I would be having a serious discussion with her boyfriend.

Zig Zag + Inexperienced Rider + Inexperienced Pillion will end in disaster, every time

I would take it he doesn't have proper protective gear for her either?

[mr_mike]

Zig Zag would be a pingpingpingping of a road to take a pillion down, low speed 180deg turns even an experienced rider would find it challenging to stay upright with a pillion

[Brute]

even an experienced rider would find it challenging to stay upright with a pillion

Fuck off. I would call you an experienced rider. You clearly don't pillion enough.

[mr_mike]

i didnt say its impossible but can you honestly say doing low speed 180deg turns on a sports bike with a pillion is easy

[Brute]

i didnt say its impossible but can you honestly say doing low speed 180deg turns on a sports bike with a pillion is easy

Yes I can. It's all about practice. As I said before, most of my riding is done with a pillion. I don't find it any harder doing 180 deg turns, bouncing up and down kerbs or filtering through bike paths than if I was on my own.

[Jazza]

;1210103']My 250 was slow enough as it was, wasn't interested in an extra 50kg+ on the back!

The F4/R1 scared her shitless after one quick ride and she never asked again. Success.

x2, big bike scared her and that was great because I never like the idea of risking someone else's life. Plus riding with someone else is terrible anyway!

[mr_mike]

Yes I can. It's all about practice. As I said before, all of my riding is done with a pillion or i'm not allowed out. I don't find it any harder doing 180 deg turns, bouncing up and down kerbs or filtering through bike paths than if I was on my own.

fixed :P

[crabman]

Only time I have taken pillion was missus around the corner, literally a few hundred meters in 50 zone. I bought the bike with no rears pegs which didn't bother me as I had no intention taking pillions on a motard. She had to use the rear axle sliders for pegs lol.

I rode home from Tafe on Monday with my heavy ass backpack too loose and I was amazed how much it threw the bike around different to just me through round-a-bouts etc. Don't know how a couple of my mates used to jump on a VTR 250 together to go to spud shed then the guy on the back would carry 4 or more bags of shopping for the ride home lol.

[Brute]

fixed :P

You're just shitty because you on a bike is like having a pillion as well.

[Trolley]

If you are concerned about your sisters safety, I would be having a serious discussion with her boyfriend.

Fiancee's sister, not mine. I'm not her Dad. Not my place to say anything. The Father aired his concerns and I think now they understand...


I would take it he doesn't have proper protective gear for her either?

If you call a leather jacket "proper protection", ha!

[heavyduty1340]

Basically my take is if you can't ride with a pillion you shouldn't fucking ride full stop
Bee riding for 40yrs and pillioned on my treacly and never thought twice on a bike
I have owned both jap sports bikes and American tune ya pillion in and if they don't listen give a bit of a scare and they will hug you tight and follow your lead.

[Riggs]

First time I took a pillion on a bike with big power (Hayabusa) I shit myself just as much as the pillion, was showing off giving it some beans and the front popped right up and caught me completely by surprise.

It's all part of the learning curve.

[miss_petepie]

You're just shitty because you on a bike is like having a pillion as well.

awww such a meanie!

[c.rusli]

I had my R class for a year before i took my 1st pillion (had been riding for 4 years at that stage). My first pillion was very experiences and knew what they where doing, which helped alot, as a pillion can and will affect what your bike does.



Ahahahah THAT leathers ride eh pipz?

[Kaido]

Ahahahah THAT leathers ride eh pipz?

HAHA! that time doesn't count stupid ducati always breaking down