Two-up problem

My gf and I have been riding around on my new VFR800. She is having a
tough time on the bike because she says my arse isn't big enough to
fill the seat and she slides onto mine. then she is forced to rest he
hands on the tank for the whole trip and complains of sore hands after
half an hour (fair enough!).

The other option is that i get a gear sack for the back and she can
lean on that and hole the grab rails too. But from some googling i read
once that it's not a good idea for the pillion to lean on because they
can break! I have searched for more info about this and asked around
but no-one seems to give me a definitive yes/no answer.

I have also read that the pillion shouldn't use the grab rails because
if i take off she might not end up coming with me... is that also true?

 

On the tank? How long're her arms?

I haven't seen it happen, but have no doubt that it probably would; rack
frames aren't designed to tolerate much lateral weight.

Definitely true; even have video footage (buried somewhere on my
computer) of such an incident.

Dare I suggest you simply palm your gilfriend over onto me? I've got a a
sissy bar on my bike for her to lean onto, _and_ a big arse.

- Bob.

 

In aus.motorcycles on 28 Aug 2005 23:24:47 -0700

Depends on the config of the bike and the pillion, but I find it's
better to learn to use feet and balance and stomach muscles.

Push against the footpegs to anchor the body when the bike is breaking,
rather than falling forward. Push with the feet, firm up in the middle.
Squeeze tight with the knees onto the rider, that helps too, especially
with high pillion pegs.

OK, I have an advantage, years of riding horses as a kid gave me spring
steel knees, but it's worth aquiring them.

The trick is to control the upper body by anchoring the legs and then
using the firm middle to hold the upper body.

A rider who is smooth helps! I find the spring steel knees useful,
because I have a trained reflex honed by years of riding shying horses.
If the saddle moves suddenly, my knees clamp the rider. A few bruises
later, and the rider learns to be smooth....


Zebee

 

get her to have one arm sorta wrapped around your torsa while with the
other she has the palm of her hand pushed into your lower back. that way
she can control herself both during acceleration and stopping.

Dave R6

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 29 Aug 2005 17:08:17 +1000

I know someone who mmanaged to fall off the back of a BSA Bantam[1], so it
certainly can happen.

but usually only if you are half asleep at the time.

Zebee

[1] yes, it was over 20 years ago, would *you* let him forget it?

 

get the seat reshaped, or one of the aftermarket replacements.

or start eatin KFC all day

 

I've got the same bike and my wife finds that putting some weight on the
footpegs and using the grab rails in stop/go stuff helps. Once we're
cruising she can relax a bit and hang on to me instead. It's easier to lean
forward that way too.

There shouldn't be a problem for falling off the back if she uses the grab
rails, that's what they are for. They are set back a bit, so she can lean
on them during acceleration and hold on to them during braking. If she
watches the traffic she should be able to anticipate accelerating/braking.
You should also be consious of your pillion and ride consideratly. Holding
on to the rider in stop/go stuff is maybe not the best idea, you don't want
your pillion landing on you while you are trying to do an emergency stop.

Don't use a rack as a back rest. The Ventura ones have labels warning
against just that and definitely aren't strong enough to take a pillions
weight plus acceleration and I've had a Givi Monorack snap just from the
wind presure at high speed so no go there either. They definitely help a
pillions confidence though.

Enjoy the Viffer.

Skuz
VFR800 VTEC

 

Lol, thanks for the offer, bob. Doubt Sharon would be keen on me
trading her on the net... but... if you have a nice bike then she may
be persuaded

 

You can get the seat reshaped... where in Melb can you get this done?
Sounds like a perfect idea.

 

Oh man, I'm enjoying the viffer TOO much.

Thanks for those tips. We will try that out next time we go for a ride
but it all depends on what Sharon is most comfortable with. And I guess
also on the smoothness of my riding (not to hard on the VFR though).

She did mention last night that the seat slopes and even if she did use
the grab rails with the leathers on she tends to slide down the seat
onto mine anyway. Does you wife have the same problem?

 

Any good motor trimmer would be able to do it. I think one of them in
Melb is a part of this channel?

Johno

beer mate?

 

Alright a packet of ciggarettes and a 6 pack welcome to the biker world
;-)

 

essentially she must learn what shes going, Shes gota grip with her LEGS.

You can also get non slip seat covers, there in the ads in most magazines,
this should stop her sliding forward if her bum is sliding forward.

but if its her actual body thats moving forward, than the only thing yo ucan
do, is done down your riding.

my missus just hugs me, when we go riding, if I go really hard on the brakes
she's right into my back.

oh another thing is these pillion straps, you wear like a belt and has big
handles for her to hold onto you with. perfect relationship building tool
;-)

as for back rests, they do have backrests on some models of luggage, like
givi, I assume its there to lean against, things like ventura racks are a no
no, but the missus feels safe with one behind her, not leaning on but just
incase she flys back, im sure it will momentarily stop her falling off the
back ofa bike though.

 

mine has the problem on my cbr600f4i of it being too hard, so we got sheep
skin seat covers on it now, and she things its much better.

after a few months you will learn how to ride with a pillion, cant go fast,
cang go slow too quick, you just adapt and anticipate things, of course, you
do do emergency braking like normal, and have a pillion wack into your back
and all the weight of 2 people on your wrists as the rear end comes up.

 

Sheepskin cover... seriously... adds a lot of grip for a pillion!

You can try it out, worst case - bin it and get the seat redone (or search
eBay for a Seargent or Corbin seat)

Which model VFR? A mate's selling his and has the sheepskin covers, he
might let you have a go of them if your around the Wollongong (just south of
Sydney) way.

JasonBW
Wollongong (ZX12 arriving tomorrow)

 

It's actually a good way to ride two up on a sporty bike if you're going
to fang it.

JL

 

Faark I hope she's light because you'll be carrying all her weight on
your wrists when you brake and forearms when you take off.

JL

 

I normally encourage my pillion to put her hands in my jacket pockets (or
HIS hands on my shoulders).

 

Not me, I'm in Sydney.

Al

 

dump her!