Riding with a passenger

[Anonymous]

I've had my '80 GS1100E for almost a year now and have been riding it consistently throughout that time. For the last few months, I've felt comfortable enough to take the next step -- a passenger. However, it has taken my wife a little longer to reach the same conclusion.

Last night, she bought herself a full-face helmet in preparation for our inaugural ride.

Anyone able to pass on some tips that might be helpful? Should I make any changes to the bike when riding with a passenger (tire pressure, shocks, etc)?

Thanks,
- Tony

 

[Ions001]

I would suggest that you make your inaugural ride in a parking lot with plenty of open space. Make sure that your able to keep your attention where it needs to be; on the traffic around you, and not on the passenger sitting behind you.

When the both of you feel comfortable with stops, starts, and turns, and can execute them while keeping your attention where it needs to be, then try it in a crowd.

 

[fgh]

You can check the onwers manual or the tire pressure label (probably under the saet) to get proper tire inflation. I've got an 83 GS750ES with forks that can have air pressure added to them and a rear that can be adjusted for spring preload and shock dampening. I'm 6'3" and 235 pounds so I don't carry passengers. If I were going to I'd chack the manual and then adjust the suspension based on how the ride was going. LOL!

 

[retrex]

Carrying Passengers

Carrying Passengers

I have an 81 gs11ex. These bikes were set up to take a 150 lb. rider. Since we don't let 12year olds ride on the street here in the US I think that the Japanese should have used someone other that their standard sized countrymen to evaluate the suspension. That is the extent of my vent. Below are some general guidelines because you have not included your weight, and thoughtfully not your wife's.

I weigh in at about 215lbs, of rock hard muscle in case there are any women readers out there. I have carried at or above the max rating on my bike on more than one occassion. The first thing you should do is inflate the tires to their maximum allowable air pressure when cold. This will reduce the flexion in the tire carcass and reduce tire overheating and possible failure or loss of control.

Do the next in a parking lot or on a quiet street. The front forks have three adjustments. Preload, air pressure, and rebound. The rear have preload and rebound on OEM suspenders. Start with all in lowest standard settings Experiment with setting the preload to each of the four settings on front and five on back to determine a good baseline. The air should be at minimum allowable at this point. Ride the bike with your wife on the back. Stop, start, turn and brake at different speeds and note how the bike handles. Adjust up the preload to help reduce bottoming and firm up the ride. Get it to the point where you can comfortably execute all the tasks you need to do to ride two up without making the ride too harse. You can dial in a little more air into the front fork to help alieviate nose dive on hard breaking. Last dial in some dampening to decrease the pogoing of the bike after a bump or hard breaking.

Your wife should understand her roll on the bike. Despite what many riders think you do not "lean" into the turns on a bike. That is you do not shift your wieght to the inside of the bike in the direction of the turn. Only fast Freddy Spencer does this. Er ah did I just date myself? She should sit squarely on the seat feet on pegs and only lean forward toward you if neccesary. Neccesary is a panic situation. She should not be holding onto the grab rail. Her arms should always be wrapped around your waist, low. She should not lean on your upper torso, except to administer a hug. If she gets tired of sitting upright she can take and place one hand on the top of your thigh and/or the gas tank and rest her weight there. Most importantly she should be an active rider. Work out a series of touch signals that will communicate to you things that are going on around you that you may not be aware of. Such as car passing on right too close. Pinch right side lean forward and hug. You get the idea.

Other things, like only get on or off a bike on the curb side. Never from the traffic side. Get on and off the bike when the kickstand is down. When you brake she should use her legs to to press against your backside and outer thighs to brace herself from the forward momentum of inertia. This takes the force away from your upper torso which could feed into unwanted handlebar pressure by you. I'm sure there are other things that someone else can add.

 

[Anonymous]

Remember that you are adding a lot of high weight to the bike and it is going to be much harder to handle at really low speeds. Coming to a stop is the only time that this has been trouble for me. My 83 gs 1100 will have the same seat height as yours or at least close and these are not low bikes. Watch out for gravel or low spots when touching down with your feet as you stop. Dont let the passenger be a seperate entity from you as she will end up moving in response to what you do which will be after the fact resulting in a loose, sloppy sort of ride. I just finished figuring all this out with my girlfriend who operated alone back there until I figured it out and now I require her to stay in contact with me and it is much better.

 

[Roseknight]

My input.. she should assosiate her body mass to yours.. she should lean as you do.. if you stay upright thru a curve so should she.. if you lean she should.. the same amount that you do.. she should not lean to the side to try and see over you on the striaght aways.. she should just be a lump on your back.. granted that lump will be the most attractive part of you .. but still should be part of you..

Mitch

 

[LW_Icarus]

along the same line as the last post, I was told and have told passengers to keep their shoulders in line with the rider. nothing worse than pulling up to a light and darn near changing lanes when your passenger leans one way or the other.

 

[duaneage]

I hate when passengers grab the rail behind them. It does nothing but cause problems. How can anyone hang on like that? There is a natural tendency for the back to arch rearward and there is absolutely no leverage for the arms to hold up the body.

You wife/girlfriend/daugther/family member should have no problem reaching around for a hug, other assocates might be another matter

 

[Anonymous]

Good stuff.

Thanks to all. I'll pass the link to this discussion on to my wife and have her read it, too.

- Tony

 

[earlfor]

You can tell her she doesnt have to try to lean or not lean at all. All she has to do is stay behind you. There is little difference for the rider in manuvering if the passenger's mass stays in the same position as their own.
Try to remember how it felt the first time you rode your bike. Watching asphalt slide past at 30 mph felt like you were flying. Youre used to it now, she isnt. Take it easy and give her time to get comfortable with a new perspective. Things you now accept as normal may seem frightening to someone unfamiliar with riding.

Earl

 

[RacingJake]

Give it some gas and pop the clutch and your problem is solved. She'll either grab you real tight (which I like the best) or she be sitting on the ground as you ride off into the wild blue

 

[Ions001]

Give it some gas and pop the clutch and your problem is solved. She'll either grab you real tight (which I like the best) or she be sitting on the ground as you ride off into the wild blue

LOL!! :lol: :lol:

along the same line as the last post, I was told and have told passengers to keep their shoulders in line with the rider. nothing worse than pulling up to a light and darn near changing lanes when your passenger leans one way or the other.

I always joke with my wife calling her my "wiggling womaon" becuase she loves to pop her head/torso out to one side or the other when we're coming up to stop. Hasn't caused a lane change yet, but it makes us look so smooth. 8)

 

[RacingJake]

Give it some gas and pop the clutch and your problem is solved. She'll either grab you real tight (which I like the best) or she be sitting on the ground as you ride off into the wild blue

LOL!! :lol: :lol:

along the same line as the last post, I was told and have told passengers to keep their shoulders in line with the rider. nothing worse than pulling up to a light and darn near changing lanes when your passenger leans one way or the other.

I always joke with my wife calling her my "wiggling womaon" becuase she loves to pop her head/torso out to one side or the other when we're coming up to stop. Hasn't caused a lane change yet, but it makes us look so smooth. 8)

Sounds like you need a backrest and some duct tape, works everytime \/

 

[Ions001]

Sounds like you need a backrest and some duct tape, works everytime \/

Now, now.... what two people do in the privacy of their home is their own business! 8O 8O 8O 8O

 

[duaneage]

Watch out for those 8000 rpm shifts, fingernails leave marks.

 

[Tv]

I almost always ride two up with my girlfriend. It's 'our' bike! My girlfriend was a bit nervous at the first corner but because I was confident, kept it simple, took it easy and rode smooth she gained confidence in no time. It's like walking up to a horse and patting it on the head - it knows if our scared of it. If you act confident, your missus will be confident also.

Have Fun!!

 

[dpep]

Do a series of drills in a parking lot first. Take off from a dead stop; once you get going, pull in the clutch and stop; do it again. Get used to how much more throttle and clutch you are going to need with the additional weight. Once you are comfortable with that. Do a series of turns from a dead stop as you would turning from a stop light or sign. After that CAREFULLY practice stopping in the middle of a turn from a stop as you would do if a car suddenly pulled out or ran an intersection on you. This is a place where it is real easy to dump it if you don't brake correctly. Once you feel confortable with that, pick up your speed to second gear and practice quick stops. You need to get a feel for how much more brake is and distance are needed to stop with the additional weight.

I tell my passengers not to do anything, just relax and go with the flow. The various forces, gravitational, centrifugal, inertial etc. will combine to keep them in the right postion. Once they tighten up and start trying to DO things, they disrupt those forces and cause problems. The important thing to caution them is that when the bike is leaned over, they need to resist their instinct to try to sit upright. Explain to them that a motorcycle turns by leaning and that sitting upright can cause it to come out of its turn and run off the road.

If your bike does not have a backrest, install one before taking your passenger. Without one your instructions to relax will go unheeded. Falling off the back will be the number one fear of a first time passenger, valid or not. Eliminitating that possiblity in their mind will make the ride much more enjoyable for both of you.