Tips for 2 up riding sought - been a while, so looking for advice

[wfooshee]

She steps through, rather than swinging the leg over. She has to be standing on the left peg, then step through with the right leg, stand on both pegs and sit.

I'll say that she does find it more difficult if we're bundled up for cold, but to her, 55 is cold. She won't go anywhere with me if we expect lower temps than that.

 

[Auburn]

I do all my recreational riding two-up :
1) You can still use all the tire God intended you to use in the corners (but you probably ought not to)

2) Get the comm gear if you don't want wacked every time she wants your attention

3) Discuss the rules that she needs to follow, you can do whatever you want.

4) She should be able to get some great pics, get the right camera

5) Practice the mount and dismount when no one else is looking, do it with the kick stand down. She should make sure your ready first.

6) No beverages for the passenger, bathroom stops should be at the will of the driver

7) If you get the comm gear, make sure she isn't cold

8) If you get the comm gear, don't scream when you scare yourself

9) Should be easier to to a wheelie, practice when no one else is looking

10) Inspect all packing for non essentials when riding with the fairer sex. Really.

+1

Just because you are riding two up, doesn't necessarily mean you will be holding the group up or doing a slower pace.

Edit: it also helps to do short first time rides and rides with other two up riders. Gives her have a chance to ask questions to other passengers.

 

[Burnspot]

I would add that you should not let your pillion stuff their hands in your jacket pockets. It can interfere with your motions should you need to perform an emergency maneuver and it wouldn't be pretty should you have a get off at speed.

Takes a bit of time to train a passenger, but once you do, it can be friggin fantastic to explore places together.

Edit... Oh yea, almost forgot. If your pillion tends to slide forward all the time, bonking helmets with you, take a look at something like the Triboseat. It's not a seat per se, but a mesh, made of the same material used in those anti-slid pads you can put on your car's dash, that you stretch over the pillion's seat. Stuff works great and solved our helmet bashing problems when 2up on our old FZ6.

From our days on an FZ6...looking forward to much more on the FJR this year:

 

[BikerGeek99]

I do all my recreational riding two-up :
1) You can still use all the tire God intended you to use in the corners (but you probably ought not to)

2) Get the comm gear if you don't want wacked every time she wants your attention

3) Discuss the rules that she needs to follow, you can do whatever you want.

4) She should be able to get some great pics, get the right camera

5) Practice the mount and dismount when no one else is looking, do it with the kick stand down. She should make sure your ready first.

6) No beverages for the passenger, bathroom stops should be at the will of the driver

7) If you get the comm gear, make sure she isn't cold

8) If you get the comm gear, don't scream when you scare yourself

9) Should be easier to to a wheelie, practice when no one else is looking

10) Inspect all packing for non essentials when riding with the fairer sex. Really.

Pretty good stuff. Can't say that #6 works for us, but that's OK.

I'll add one more: a comfy seat. We did a 550 mile day on the stock seat. After about 300 miles, the missus was hoping to thumb a ride home. After getting a Russell, we've ridden 10,000+ miles, including a 646 mile day, with relative ease.

I'll add another: if you go with the comm system, some music is nice. We have a StarCom and satellite radio wired in. It's nice to have some tunes when we ride.

And, yes, it is MUCH easier to wheelie with a passenger.

 

[luvtoride]

It will take longer to stop, accelerate, do anything. Keep that in mind.

This is obviously written by someone who doesn't ride an FJR 2 up. lol!

 

[juniorfjr]

1. Don't try to pass vehicles on a hard sweeper first time out. Scared the --- out of her.

2. She doesn't adjust her sitting position while sitting at a stop light. Scared the --- out of me.

3. Remember with more weight aft, a FJR will wheelie easy. Scared the --- out of both of us.

4. A comm system is good, easier to know when she fell asleep. ZZZZZZZ

5. Don't get a custom front seat without at least offering to do the back. Duh

Enjoy the company. We've done Washington to Park City for WFO, and down to southern Ca. and back after WFO in Reno. We stop more and smell the roses more when riding together, so don't expect to see as many miles per day. Good Luck

 

[JamesW]

Get used to hand signals, thumps in center of back mean your going to fast, thump on either side means your to far over that way, thumps on both sides at the same time(or lower back) means I gotta pee. I informed the wife to imitate a large sack of inert dog food- no input.

 

[sportsguy]

Thanks for all the great advice guys! Most was already known, but a few new ideas came to me. I am glad I asked this question and grateful for the responses.



Ride time in T minus 23 hours and 49-ish minutes!

 

[08FJR4ME]

We do expect a ride report!

Just one warning, If she's like my wife and she likes it, you won't be going anywhere without her. If you do, expect to get yelled at when you get back. " Why didn't you take me"

Good luck,

Dave

 

[Yambone]

My wife-unit will rap me up alongside the helmet if I forget the fitted sheepskin cover for the pillion seat for longer rides. Also get same rap when I lower the wind screen at cruising speed. She like it full up--and its a big barn door Rifle--she gets no burbles there.

Biggest safety tip mentioned before: she remains neutral while stopped or slow riding. She once leaned down for an Ipod type connector at the exact second we were getting under way. On the plus side, she was a good sport about it, protecting the bike from any scratches with her leg as we tipped over. h34r:

 

[S76]

I was hesitant to get the intercom at first due to obvious reasons. But I later found out that when she stops talking, that means she's falling asleep. Is it common for passengers to fall asleep? Anyone ever fall off that way?

Also, she does not like to ride without the topcase on. I think it greatly improves her sense of security.

 

[jhedges]

Here's some good advice.

I've been riding for almost 40 years mostly offroad though. I've ridden on the street at times, but mostly with smaller bikes. Last fall, the wife and I took a small trip and at one point we had made a wrong turn. We then decided to do a u-turn. During the process, I almost dumped us (low-side). I think it was a combination of me turning to sharp and the wife maybe leaning inside that almost caused us to low side. It was all I could do to keep us upright. I thought oh crap, the first trip with the wife on the bike and we're gonna do a tip-over. Thank god we didn't. Just beware when doing u-turns with 2 up because I think it can be a tad bit difficult with 2-up.

 

[sportsguy]

We do expect a ride report!
Just one warning, If she's like my wife and she likes it, you won't be going anywhere without her. If you do, expect to get yelled at when you get back. " Why didn't you take me"

Good luck,

Dave

...and the report of the day's event...

Simply an excellent day!

 

[Auburn]

We do expect a ride report!
Just one warning, If she's like my wife and she likes it, you won't be going anywhere without her. If you do, expect to get yelled at when you get back. " Why didn't you take me"

Good luck,

Dave

...and the report of the day's event...

Simply an excellent day!

Great ride report!

 

[WBill]

I was hesitant to get the intercom at first due to obvious reasons. But I later found out that when she stops talking, that means she's falling asleep. Is it common for passengers to fall asleep? Anyone ever fall off that way?
Also, she does not like to ride without the topcase on. I think it greatly improves her sense of security.

I tell my wife not to lean at all; to ride like an inert piece of luggage. I can't judge the lean angles correctly if there's another, unpredictable "leaner" in action. WBill

 

[oldryder]

time tested rules:

0. backrest a must

1. make sure you have a good seat. no ones having fun if the wife or girlfriend has a sore butt

2. passenger mounts ONLY after getting a nod from the rider

3. passenger dismounts ONLY after a tap on the leg (or other signal) from the rider

- mount/dismount signals should be visual as hearing can be difficult particularly if earplugs or iPods are used.

4. crossed fingers = rest stop needed.

 

[sportsguy]

time tested rules:4. crossed fingers = rest stop needed.

All excellent rules, LOVE that last one - gonna adopt that!

Top case covers the backrest angle, on/off well covered and, thankfully, intuitive to my wife.

 

[Draggon Rider]

OK, so it's been a long time since I last rode two up. Tonight saw my wife and I getting that last of her riding gear, so now that she's ATGATT'd, it's on the Black Barge for some seat time.
Beyond the usual "lean when I lean" and "I get on first and she gets off first" stuff, anyone have words of wisdom worth sharing?

...and yes, I'm going to make sure the suspension is cranked up a bit and set to "HARD", too...

My only other thought is to keep this initial ride short - like under and hour, and build up to longer rides.

Open to other ideas...

Get on, Hang on and shut the hell up... :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

 

[Draggon Rider]

Passenager DOES NOT adjust seating position until completely stoped with drivers feet on the ground! :angry2:

 

[just roy]

I was hesitant to get the intercom at first due to obvious reasons. But I later found out that when she stops talking, that means she's falling asleep. Is it common for passengers to fall asleep? Anyone ever fall off that way?
Also, she does not like to ride without the topcase on. I think it greatly improves her sense of security.

i know when the wife is asleep when her helmet bangs on my back. it has only happened a couple times on the fjr but was common on the goldwing.

after warning her do a couple brake tests and hard accelerations so that she gets the feel for them and you will also. that way when you have to do a panic stop maybe she wont plow you over the bars.