2 up riding

[keira]

I rode on the back with Rob after he'd been riding only a few weeks. However (and I am surprised no one has asked this yet) I was an experienced passenger. I also had a natural feel for how I should behave with a bike under me, thanks to very little teaching by my buddy who I first rode with.

If your wife has never been on the back of a bike, honestly, have her ride with someone who HAS taken a passenger before so she can get used to it and learn how to behave appropriately. You don't want a brand new passenger hopping on, not knowing what to do, with you being just as clueless. And dont worry about her "holding on" to another guy, since the whole purpose is to save her skin and yours from a nasty, unnecessary get-off. A few tips from an experienced rider, targeted to how she actually behaves, will help more than a general "make sure you do this, don't do this" kind of briefing before going out.

 

[steveindenmark]

I rode on the back with Rob after he'd been riding only a few weeks. However (and I am surprised no one has asked this yet) I was an experienced passenger. I also had a natural feel for how I should behave with a bike under me, thanks to very little teaching by my buddy who I first rode with.

If your wife has never been on the back of a bike, honestly, have her ride with someone who HAS taken a passenger before so she can get used to it and learn how to behave appropriately. You don't want a brand new passenger hopping on, not knowing what to do, with you being just as clueless. And dont worry about her \\"holding on\\" to another guy, since the whole purpose is to save her skin and yours from a nasty, unnecessary get-off. A few tips from an experienced rider, targeted to how she actually behaves, will help more than a general \\"make sure you do this, don't do this\\" kind of briefing before going out.

This is really good advice. Talking to the passenger about the bike also makes them feel more involved in the whole process.
When Jannie gets on the back of the bike I have a totally different mindset and I am riding for 2 people and not just one.
Although she is not a rider, she has much more motorbike experience than I have as she used to tour europe as a passenger with her ex.
It is so good to actually get the comments of someone who has been a passenger, instead of a rider just guessing what the passenger thinks and feels.
I will look out for more of these threads and get Jannie involved.
The pics are of Jannie after about a 900km ride as a passenger. She can actually fall asleep on the back. She often sneaks into the pilots position but has no desire to ride it.

Steve

 

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The best advice for riding 2 up is to tell your passenger not to worry about leaning. Simply, in right hand turns have her look directly over your right shoulder, in left turns she looks directly over your left shoulder. This will automatically input the correct amount of lean without either of you thinking much about it. My son, who works at Cycle Gear,:Flash: gave me this tip and it really works!