2-Up riding for dummies Motorcycle Safety Discuss 2-Up riding for dummies in the Other Topics forums; Once again, I will show my noob-i-tude. I've spent my entire adult riding life solo. Well, now I have a girlfriend that loves to ride... what do I need to ...

[BlueBob]

Once again, I will show my noob-i-tude. I've spent my entire adult riding life solo. Well, now I have a girlfriend that loves to ride... what do I need to know? Other than the obvious... that the bike now handles like it's got a keg of beer tied to the rear fender and it's a b**ch to stop.

What else do I need to know about:

Handling
Shocks - Stock v. aftermarhet, adjustments
Tires - Pressure (especially in the rear)
Fuel - What does 6' and 130 extra pounds do to my mileage?
Special Instructions - What do I need to tell her?

Anything would be helpful. 2-up brings a whole new dynamic to riding, and I WANT to enjoy it b/c I really enjoy her.

[HarleyCruiser]

Having a good passenger is the most important part. Every new passenger with me gets a lesson on what to do and what not to do.
Let her know not to lean into turns, not to move while in turns, not when stopped. Tell her she can move around when going down the road but be careful when stopping or turning.
Tell her not to put her foot down when stopped. Tell her if you get into trouble holding up the bike at a stop and need help you will let her know to help.
Let her know that there are times when you know you are going down and to get her leg out of the way.
Give her the hot pipes and sprockets, point out, check for inappropriate dress, sandals shorts.
Stay out of towns, interstate hwys.
Keep the tire pressure up to max.
Riding with a passenger is a great experience, great for the relationship, if everyone knows the rules.
And most important don’t drive like an ass.
Learn the tolerance of each passenger before doing something that will scare her off the back of your bike.
I have had women that I could not scare, would enjoy riding on the edge, and others that while not saying anything would never get back on.
So ask if she is comfortable, how am I doing, you having fun?
And for gods sake stop once in a while to stretch your legs, I like five hundred mile days but my wife will not go past 325, and if I push it to 350 she makes it miserable for both of us.
I have at least ten thousand miles with my wife on the back, but when she haven’t ridden for a while I have to start off slow, not pass unless it is necessary. After a while she gets used to it and we can go a decent rate, but never like I drive while I am by myself.
Also takes me a little time to get used to the extra weight, especially when we are loaded down with luggage.
Be careful, take it slow, let her and you get used to riding two up.
It is worth it to have her along especially when we are five hundred miles from home on the Blue Ridge Parkway, where it is great to share with someone else, especially someone you love.

[street bob 06]

I too have just started riding two up. I took the ol' lady and her mom for a ride just around the block and didn't notice any different. Niether have ever riden before I told them to keep the sissy bar in the middle of their back and don't grab around my sholders and we were fine. I felt the weight a little at slow speeds but nothing too bad. I figured that I would do a few warm up rides around town and get use to it then head out

[shovelmike]

Very well said, Harley Cruiser. You covered all the important stuff. Ride Safe and God Bless. Sincerely: Shovelmike.

[HarleyCruiser]

Originally Posted by shovelmike

Very well said, Harley Cruiser. You covered all the important stuff. Ride Safe and God Bless. Sincerely: Shovelmike.

Hey Shovel, I love riding by myself, love when my wife comes along. It always shocks me when you see guys doing wheelies in the parking lot with someone on the back and then surprised when their wives won’t ride with them again.
Yes I have seen this, more than once.
Never forget the time the guy did this and lost his partner after about twenty feet. When she caught him he took it to the face and shoulders, he was hurt more than her.
This is about not being a jerk, going slow, being considerate, learning what both of you like, knowing your limitations, kind of like a first date.

[Majicbringer]

Originally Posted by BlueBob

Handling
Shocks - Stock v. aftermarhet, adjustments
Tires - Pressure (especially in the rear)
Fuel - What does 6' and 130 extra pounds do to my mileage?
Special Instructions - What do I need to tell her?
.

You're not going to be doing any carving through a field of orange cones, but it's not that bad. Just give yourself a couple more seconds stopping and getting it up to speed.

You're going to have to crank on the shock adjusters a few notches. My wife has about the same stats and I had to have the stock shocks on max. But we also live in the Kingdom of Potholes, and I got tired of hearing the fender bottom out over every time I hit anything deeper or steeper than an inch or so. If you have aftermarket shocks, like Progessive (even their cheapest model is better than MoCo stock shocks) then you'll have a much better time.
I found that Kuryakyn's fork dress-up kit with the fork brace built in and Progressive's fork springs helped a LOT with handling and stopping.

The manual will tell you what PSI you need, but usually 5 - 10 PSI does the trick, depending on her weight.

You're going to lose 2 - 5 MPG, but many time you'll have sweater bumpers pressing against your back, so the trade off is in your favor.

The advice I give anyone that's never ridden as a passenger to imagine that they are part of the bike. They stay in line with the vertical center of the bike. I ended planting a bike in the ground twice because one person wanted to lean into a turn like I was leaning and WOMP! Into the mother earth. The other person freaked out when the bike leaned over and tried to stay perpendicular to the ground and, yup, WOMP part II.


Some things I have found on my own- Get a nice wide seat, like a Mustang Regal Touring, which is not much better than an upholstered 2 x 4. She'll have a much better time riding without the stock seat, and you'll have a much better time because she's having a much better time.
Get a TALL sissybar and pad. Rails will keep her from sliding off the back end, but it'll just poke her in the butt on long hauls, and it doesn't do anything for back support. As much fun as it is having your girl pressed up against your back, it does get kind of crowded up front after a while. It's nice if the passenger can have something to lean back on. A short sissy bar is good for around town, but any long ride and they'll be hurting.
Get some ISO pegs with the stirrups front AND back. It's almost like a footboard for your passenger and makes for a better ride for them.

With the seat, sissy, and the ISO's w/ stirrups they're not having to reposition themselves so much. It drove me nuts, and almost in a ditch a few times, having my passengers trying to shove themselves back into a comfortable position, and not joining me next to the tank, in the middle of a ride. This is especially true a corner where if they feel out of position when straight up and down they feel more so in a turn.

One thing you can do is get some quick-change side plates for a second seat setup. I hate having a huge seat and tall sissybar hanging out in the wind when no one is on it. So I have one set up for me alone - Stock seat and short sissy (just in case I find myself with a passenger); and in 5 minutes I can swap out that for the wide seat and tall sissy when the wife wants to ride. A Kuryakyn quick release seat pin helps a lot for this.
I know it sounds like a lot of $$$, but if it makes for a better time it's all worth it and then some. Ebay makes it a whole lot cheaper. It even gives you an excuse to get a better ride for yourself when solo. I used it an as excuse to get some things to give me some more "needed" ponies to haul around the extra load, and now it's a lot of fun when solo!

[shovelmike]

Absolutely! I have talked to many young ladies who won't ride just because some jerk acted in such a manner thinking he was going to impress her. The passenger places her life in your hands, my wife is very aware that I don't take that lightly.

[HarleyCruiser]

Oh yea, how could I forget, get her a comfortable seat and sissy bar. I also have the adjustable floor boards that move her feet forward.
Forget the seat that comes on anything except the FLH.
I would not ride on one why should I ask her to.
I have a FLH passenger seat that I adapted to my Fatboy that goes on anytime she does.
It is ugly as hell, but comfortable; after all it is covered most of the time with her cute butt.

[HarleyCruiser]

Originally Posted by Majicbringer

You're going to lose 2 - 5 MPG, but you have sweater bumpers press against your back, so the trade off is in your favor.

Some things I have found on my own- Get a nice wide seat, like a Mustang Regal Touring, she'll have a much better time riding without the stock seat, which is not much better than an upholstered 2 x 4, and you'll have a much better time.
Get a TALL sissybar and pad. Rails will just poke her in the butt, and a short sissy bar is good for around town, but any long ride and they'll be hurting.
Get some ISo pegs with the stirrups front AND back. It's almost like a footboard for you passenger and makes for a better ride for them.

With the seat, sissy, and the ISO's w/ stirrups they're not having to reposition themselves so much. It drove me nuts, and almost in a ditch a few times, having my passengers trying to shove themselves back into a comfortable position, and not joining me next to the tank, in the middle of a ride, especially a corner where if they feel out of position they feel more-so then.
One thing you can do is get some quick-change side plates and a second seat setup. I hate having a huge seat and big sissybar hanging out in the wind when no one is on it. So I have one set up for me alone - Stock seat and short sissy (just in case); and in 5 minutes I can swap out that for the wide seat and tall sissy when the wife wants to ride. A Kuryakyn quick release seat pin helps a lot for this.

Majicbringer, you beat me, yea love the hugs while riding, the pats on the leg. Riding double is a great aphrodisiac.
They don’t call them Milwaukee vibrators for no reason.

[GOMO]

Everyone has posted great pointers. One thing to also consider is to do what you can to improve your skills as a rider. If you never taken a ridercourse, consider doing so. They even do classes with passengers. You have to remember that your passenger is at your mercy, there is nothing they can do while seating in the rear. Since she is putting her safety in your hands do the best you can to help protect the both of you.

On a lighter side, ask her to pick a destination once in a while or do an overnight to somewhere she would enjoy. A happy passenger means a happy rider