communication with a passenger

[diz@ct]

MOB brought this up in a previous post and I thought it would be worth more discussion. He wrote about communicating with a passenger as an important part of the process for loading a passenger. Well; they're loaded up so how do we communicate with our passenger about the bike in motion?

I would;  in my younger days try to impress upon any potential passengers the ability of the bike to lean, how it can change direction, all kinds of bike stuff so that they could be a good passenger. I found out that overload of information didn't help my passenger(s) to ride with me. It made them nervous. That is not a good thing at speed.

I had a good friend who was turning 75 years young about a dozen years ago and she trusted me to take her on her first motorcycle ride. I was honored. Her nervousness grew as the moment approached. She had all kinds of questions and the answers would not provide her confidence. I simply told her that her entire job as a passenger was to sit. Just sit. No need to add anything; just sit. If the bike goes forward, sit. If the bike leans, sit. If you want to do anything, hold onto me and turn your head in the same direction as I turn mine. Otherwise, just sit and enjoy the feeling of being in motion. That worked and I have followed this instruction with any passenger that is unfamiliar to me or is uninitiated with a motorcycle since.

What works for you?

 

[Bud]

What you just said.

 

[Ranger Jim]

I tell mine to keep their spine aligned with mine and to look over my inside shoulder when we're going around a curve.

 

[killingbugs]

Years ago I gave my niece her first ride on a C-14. She wanted to hold on to my shoulders.

That work OK until she tried to steer the bike by using my shoulders. :-\

Now any passenger get the "here are the passenger hand hold by the saddle bags"
And the above instructions.

 

[diz@ct]

I tell mine to keep their spine aligned with mine and to look over my inside shoulder when we're going around a curve.

Ranger Jim- How do you keep the passenger that might see a different perspective? That is when they feel the bike lean in a turn, they interpret that the driver is actually leaning and add to the "lean". That can feel worse than a passenger fighting the lean depending on the passenger

 

[freebird6]

I keep one of these rolled up in the cases. My wife loves it and just holds on to them while looking over my inside shoulder on the turns.

Lots of suppliers this one is discussed here https://roadguardians.org/buddy-belts-for-motorcycle-passengers/

 

[CRocker]

I talk to mine on the intercom...

 

[funsize]

When I first rode with Jorge I was scared.  When he would take a turn he would lean and I would go the opposite direction because I was scared that if I would lean in his direction the bike would go down.  I understood once he explained it to me a little better and I became a better passenger.

The best explanation I gave other lady passengers to look over the inside shoulder of the driver in the direction he is going.  It works great for me when I'm a passenger.

Irene

 

[Bud]

Years ago I gave my niece her first ride on a C-14. She wanted to hold on to my shoulders.

That work OK until she tried to steer the bike by using my shoulders. :-\

Now any passenger get the "here are the passenger hand hold by the saddle bags"
And the above instructions.

I can't remember if it was my mom or my granny that decided twisting on my waist was gonna do something! :rotflmao:

 

[Ranger Jim]

An intercom is definitely a big help but, if no intercom, I tell the passenger that they need to lean with me. If they keep their spine in line with mine, it keeps the center of mass in the same place on the bike.  I don't exaggerate my lean nor do I hang off when I'm two up with a new pillion. As they get more comfortable we get into more aggressive cornering (maybe  ).