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Passenger protocol: Tips for riding
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It is inevitable. You have accrued some 5,000 miles on your bike, you feel at home seated amid the chrome and metal.
That's a really nice bike! Will you take me for a ride?
You hear those words from the (insert male/female relation here) and your rider confidence deflates like a tube tire with a 2-penny nail stuck in it.
The thought of adding a second rider to your bike can leave you doubting your ability to ride, and more importantly, ride safely with that passenger on-board.
I include here some basic tips to keep in mind when you decide to take on a passenger:
Pre-ride Preparation
In a majority of occasions the person that will be your passenger does not ride often. So it is paramount that you establish basic ground rules they must observe during the ride to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
- Motorcycle adjustment
- Consider adjusting your rear suspension to accommodate the added weight - consult your owner's manual on how to do this
- Anticipate that your motorcycle will react differently on turns, will require more distance to stop, and may accelerate differently because of the added weight.
- With the last point in mind, start off slower and get a feel for the change in performance riding with a passenger
- Rider education - motorcycle
- Show your passenger what they can and cannot touch such as hot spots (exhaust pipes, et al)
- Identify foot pegs/rests
- Communication - Establish hand gestures, touching or tapping (on helmet, or shoulder, etc) what what they will mean
- Examples:
- 1 Tap on right shoulder could mean stop at next opportunity
- 2 taps on right shoulder could mean urgent, stop now
- 1 Tap on left shoulder could mean slow down
- Passenger Interaction
- You may also consider allowing for the passenger to act as an additional pair of eyes while riding
- Spend a few minutes devising your own system of communication
- If you have wireless/blue-tooth helmet communication, go over the controls and use of the microphone, volume, and other features
- Examples:
- Riding
- Passenger Gear
- Make sure your passenger has their gear properly worn - helmet, eye-wear, gloves, jacket, and boots to name a few.
- Show the passenger where they may grab or hold onto you
- Arms around the waist?
- One hand on the backrest?
- Both hands atop your shoulders for balance
- Advise your passenger to avoid grabbing the strip that goes across the seat as this is more for decoration and is not of any real use -- even consider removal of this strip to avoid confusion
- Passenger Gear
- Passenger Co-Riding
- Instruct your passenger on what they can do to make maneuvers easier for you to do
- Have the passenger look over the shoulder that is on the same side as the turn you are making - if you are turning right, have them look over your right shoulder and vice-versa. This act helps place them in the correct balancing position for you to turn.
- Remind your passenger that they should not panic when (not if) your bike drags a little on a turn. By you informing them of this before-hand instills additional confidence and relaxes your passenger.
- Assuring your passenger
- Remember to check on your passenger every 30 minutes to an hour, or about every 40 to 50 miles of riding
- Let the passenger know that you remain aware of them - pat their thigh or leg to reassure them
- Focus on the ride, not the destination and allow for the scenic enjoyment as well as the ride itself.
- Instruct your passenger on what they can do to make maneuvers easier for you to do
There are other riding strategies that you can find by visiting other motorcycle-centric sites, such as http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com and http://www.msgroup.org/
With these habits in place, both you and your passenger will have a great experience sharing in the ride.
Have a tip worth sharing? Please add it as a comment!
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