Pillion tips

I bet you can still picture it very vividly anyway, can't you Theo? ;-)

 

MM so you have a fake gold earing ?

 

Dunno. We talked about it and she just knew what I was about to do and
could anticipate it. But a couple of replies further down this thread
mentioned thighs and I guess I didn't nickname her "rabbit" for
nothing.

But yeah, full throttle on a modified budgie without hanging on to me
or the rails is quite impressive. I'd be scared shitless.

 

Wot?

No comments about Amazing Thighs (tm) or even strangling policemen?

regards,
CrazyCam

 

OK. Here's what I found, note that the pillion is a complete n00b and
the rider a pillion-ing n00b. So there may be some n00by comments.

Obviously second time worked a lot better. My pillion was a good boy
both times we went out (first time for 10 minutes, next to Wauchope and
back 2 days later).

Getting on the bike was kinda weird, but sitting flat footed with the
front brake on worked, whilst my passenger got on the back.
Taking off gently worked reasonably well though even so. I'm 55kgish, my
boy's 45ish.

We had tap/signals for "****! stop!" and "hang on, we're off". Other
than that, lean with me, look over my inside shoulder and don't put your
feet down.

I really found the extra weight on the back disconcerting, especially at
low speeds, much more than I expected, the first few slow bits almost
caught me off guard even with advice from here. It felt when I stopped
at lights I had to keep the bike level (ie both feet rather than just
left at lights) otherwise we may topple.

Slowing was also hairy though it was pretty damned wet in Port over the
couple of times we went out - you can lean on the back brake a little
more but don't rely on it, front brake is still your bestest buddy. Even
so the extra weight added a good deal to my stopping distance.

Leaning into corners was as much a weird feeling to my pillion as it was
to me at first, so I tried to lean as little as possible and keep the
speed down a fair bit. This more or less happened anyway given the extra
passenger and conditions tho

If you're being held around the waist, you can easily tell if your
pillion's hands start to move backwards and let off the throttle if
they're unprepared.

So all up it went well and the advice helped a lot. All good. Not sure I
'like' taking a pillion but it seems I can do it.

 

I think one either a/ you get more experience b/ your have a more
experienced pillion on the back or c/both, you'll find getting on a
bike with a pillion and just heading off into the distance is really
good fun. Once you get a pillion who is good on that back, you'll
hardly even notice they are there. You learn to compensate pretty
quickly for the extra weight and don't notice after 10 minutes.

Keep at it and have fun.

 

For given pressure on the brakes, stopping distance will vary directly with
weight increase of the total bike, rider, pillion and gear. For assume that
the machine, rider and gear weigh 330 kg. Adding 45 kg for a pillion will
increase the total mass to 375 kg, a 14% increase. However, crash avoidance
space consists of reaction distance plus stopping distance, and the 14%
increase applies only to the stopping distance. The impact may not be that
great, but must be allowed for.

John Dwyer.

 

John Dwyer wrote:

OTOH, if one assumes that the braking pressure is applied up to the
limit of tyre adhesion, the extra 14% mass should translate to an
increase in tyre adhesion, allowing an increase in braking pressure.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Lol, I was just gonna pay him out, all he posts about is 'stopping
distance' it seems ..