[cessna]

Although I have ridden for more years than I care to think about, I have only carried a passenger a handful of times. I got my wife to go for a ride yesterday. This is the first time I've had a passenger on in about 12 years! Note that my wife is about 130 lbs so I out weigh her by 100 lbs but I am not as strong as I used to be!

The only problem encountered was her getting on and off the bike. It is much more stable if I leave the bike on the side stand. If I try to hold the bike upright she almost caused me to loose balance while shifting her weight getting on. I think that trying to hold the bike upright will eventually end up with a dropped bike. Note that I do have a 49L top box installed so she can't swing her leg over the back.

How do most of you guys prefer to load a passenger? Bike on side stand or upright? Let the passenger get on first or second? Passenger stepping up on the left peg or standing from the ground?

You comments will be appreciated!

 

[tsperez]

Buy her one of the smaller BMW bikes.

tsp
Blog: www.swriding.blogspot.com

 

[Niksons]

I am about 200 pounds, wife - 140

First I jump on the bike, then - she. I hold the bike, and balance it.
She is pretty tall - 175 cm (~69 inches) so for her it is not a problem to flip over right leg

 

[Sotys]

I do similar steps. I am 190 punds, my wife about 155. No stands, I am on the bike, foots on the ground, located as wide as possible, but its important the foot to be fully on the ground. The upper part of the body is inclined a little forward to ensure space on the back. Usually first gear on. Then my wife proceed from my left side, step with the left foot on the left peg and then tight leg simply jump over the seat.

Here the important are two things. First is that passenger should try to make this procedure as smooth as possible. Second - you should expect at certain stage pushing rightward, so to be ready with right leg to counter.

Its a practice, as everything else. You can try to make it first time with some friends around you.

 

[05Train]

Bike upright, side stand deployed, bars turned to the right. She stands on left peg and steps over the bike with her right foot and sits down. Wife's 5'2" and can get on the Adventure this way.

 

[Sleuth]

I refuse to give the weight difference between "She who will be obeyed" and myself!

However, I hold the bike upright, brace myself (hands holding the handlebars, and legs forming a triangle to stabilise the bike. I do not let anyone mount/dismount unless I am prepared in this manner.

My wife, is also not able to lift her leg over the 49l top box, but I am not 100% sure how she gets on. However I do not notice a significant wobble with the bike.

As was said - practise is the key, perhaps trying without the top box first, so she gets a feel how to do it, and you get a feel for the movement. However I agree smoothness and preparedness are paramount, if you get a sudden unexpected movement, then the bike will go over. If you are braced then the bike should not move too much, and she will feel safer.

 

[New2rt]

Re: Passenger Questionnaire

The side stand might work if she gets on from the right side, getting on from the left while on the side stand will be difficult for her.

My wife gets on the bike from the left side (RT with 49liter or LT) so she has to step through. I lean the bike slightly to the right, as she gets on I center the bike, she uses the peg. The slight lean to the right is the ticket, if done correctly all you need is a slight hold on the bars with no leg/arm flexing or strain.

 

[ka5ysy]

Me: 5'11 210lbs , her 5'5" 110 lbs.

Judy gets on the bike from the left side after I am on board forming the two-leg triangle to stabilize the bike.

One thing not mentioned that I recommend is to tilt the bike slightly to the right side to compensate for the left tilt when she loads the left foot peg and steps over across the seat with the right leg and sits back, while bracing on my shoulder with her left hand.

One other thing that can be done if you really want to start on the side stand, is to have the passenger mount from the right side so as to not have the lean angle against them.

I never have a passenger mount up before me.

 

[gerhard]

We do the same and Cherie can't lift her leg over the top box either. She normally mounts from the left but yesterday surprised me by climbing on from the right, caused no problem but I asked that she tell me before she does switches sides again.

Gerhard

P.S. I had a bit of a sunburn on the inside of the elbow, she normally holds my arm there to stabilize herself, it made for a bit of a involuntary movement but also caused no problems

 

[Trojan]

Bike upright, side stand deployed, bars turned to the right. She stands on left peg and steps over the bike with her right foot and sits down. Wife's 5'2" and can get on the Adventure this way.

Same here with RT (with topcase). Works fine. She gets on first. As a matter of interest, I've taken to occasionally doing the same even when flying solo - makes it easier not to garf up the sidecases with my boot when getting on.

John

 

[Tracus]

Bike upright, side stand deployed, bars turned to the right. She stands on left peg and steps over the bike with her right foot and sits down. Wife's 5'2" and can get on the Adventure this way.

Ditto! I do lean forward which gives her more room to slide in between me and the 49L top case. Note! If she's wearing protective riding pants or chaps make sure they don't bunch up when she swings her right leg over the case. My wife is 5'1" and if her riding pants won't slide on her jeans, she has a helluva time making that final move.

Safety note! Make sure she's really settled in before you center the bike and kick up the side stand. Trying to center the bike while the pillion is shifting their weight left and right is a true balancing act.

Now go put some miles under your wheels.

 

[05Train]

Key thing is turning the bars to the right. That makes it much easier to balance the bike as she's getting settled. As mentioned, don't center the bars until she's done adjusting.

 

[150flyer]

I stand with a wide stance to give the bike as much stability as I can. Then I lean forward to give her more room as she puts her left leg on the left peg and throws her right leg over. She knows to keep her weight centered over the top of the bike. I weigh about 180 and she weighs about 130.

 

[mtrevelino]

Same here with RT (with topcase). Works fine. She gets on first. John

I am with John on this one. On both my previous LT and now the RT my wife gets on first. Her hips are not in the best of shape and she gets on the seat and swings her leg around. I then get on. I am also the first one to dismount the bike.

 

[cessna]

Thanks guys. You suggestions will be a big help. We'll get out and do some practicing!

Regards,

 

[hopz]

This is the way we do it....

My passenger has a pair of titanium ball joints for knees. The result is she has pain and difficulty in mounting IF THERE IS TWISTING involved. We tried many different methods including those mentioned above.

Our way works for us and we have had no incidents...

Bike is normally fully loaded. 49L top-case, and both side cases- all nearly full of stuff.

Bike on side-stand. She puts left foot on rider's peg. I usually, but not always put a hand on the left grip and another on the top-case (reaching around her from behind) and she stands up on the peg... right leg over the seat... she tries not to drag a boot over the right side side case. Sits down. Moves her feet to passenger pegs.

I hop my right leg over the seat and just get on. Take the rig off the side-stand and ride off.

Neither of us are spring chickens... meaning both over age 65. I am in good physical shape. She is normal in this regard, but short.

I know this is putting a lot of stress on the side-stand but I am willing to take the chance that this becomes an issue... because this is the only way we have found that she can get on the bike.

Works for us. Your actual mileage may vary.

 

[cessna]

Hopz,

I am going to try letting her get on first. That may be the easiest on her and my panniers! We are a couple of years younger than you all but I doubt that matters much. I don't have the leg strength I used to (which is primarily why I moved away fro the HD) so am concerned about dropping the bike on us.

So, I am going to try your method along with the others. I think they will probably work with practice. It was nice to finally get her to go along but don't want to ruin it for her with a mishap!

Regards,

 

[JayJay]

I stand with a wide stance to give the bike as much stability as I can. Then I lean forward to give her more room as she puts her left leg on the left peg and throws her right leg over. She knows to keep her weight centered over the top of the bike. I weigh about 180 and she weighs about 130.

Ditto here. And this is the way the stoker (rear rider) on a tandem bicycle mounts. If you can't stabilize the bike as the passenger mounts, what are you going to do at a stoplight?

FWIW, I don't ever use the pegs to mount the bike when it's on the side stand only, I just swing my leg over. I see the side stand flex at the joint when putting just the bike's weight on it and I don't like the thought of breaking it with the shock of an additional 200 (I wish!) pounds of rider. I don't feel that way about the center stand. have no trouble mounting when it's on the center stand. The above is not based upon any particular engineering analysis, it's just gut feel.

JayJay

 

[cessna]

Stoplights and stop signs were not a problem. She kept her weight centered and didn't move around too violently...nothing like mounting the bike. No problems riding either.

As someone else suggested, things will probably smooth out with practice.

 

[JayJay]

Stoplights and stop signs were not a problem. She kept her weight centered and didn't move around too violently...nothing like mounting the bike. No problems riding either.

As someone else suggested, things will probably smooth out with practice.

Lots of different ways to mount up. As I found out from my tandem bicycle days, the most important thing is not how you do it, but that you both have an identical expectation of what you're doing and when it's going to happen. So figure out what works for you two, stick with it and you'll be fine. The worst thing would be for you to zig while she zags, that's a recipe for something or someone ending up on the ground. And asphalt will win pretty close to 100% of the time.

Good luck, and take care of her so she'll keep riding with you.

JayJay