How to Ride With a Passenger on Your Sport Bike

Whether you want to share the riding experience with someone special or just need to give a friend a ride somewhere carrying a passenger on your motorcycle is part of being a motorcyclist. However, before you let anyone get on your bike, it is important to know what you are getting into. Riding your motorcycle solo requires balance and control but riding with a passenger requires twice those skills. As the driver, it is your responsibility to keep the passenger safe while also helping them get as much enjoyment from the ride as possible. Riding with a passenger incorporates many aspects that you normally don’t deal with when riding alone like differences in handling, communicating with each other, and much more. If you do not feel comfortable riding with a passenger here are a few tips to know that will make your ride more safely.

Passengers Affect Handling:

One of the first things to know is that riding with a passenger will change every aspect of your motorcycle's handling. The added weight will impact both the acceleration and braking of your motorcycle. The motorcycle won’t accelerate as quickly as it usually does because of the added weight but there is nothing you can really do about that. Make sure your motorcycle brakes are in good condition to stop a heavier load. You will need to brake earlier and smoother than usual and you will need to apply more braking force when you are stopping in a hurry. Riding with a passenger will feel like you are riding a completely different bike than when you ride solo, but eventually, the rides will become a lot more comfortable.

Give the Passenger Some Instructions:

Before you set off for a ride, it is important that you go over some ground rules with the passenger so that they are aware of what to do and what not to do during the ride.

Get On and Off the Motorcycle – The passenger should get on and off on the left-hand side to ensure they don’t burn themselves on the muffler.
Where to Hold On: The passenger can either hold onto you or the handholds, if your motorcycle has them. They must keep their body tight to you to prevent them from slamming into you every time you brake or feel like they are going to fall off the bike when you accelerate.
No Sudden Movements – Make sure the passenger knows to not make any sudden movements that will affect your driving. Their movement should be consistent with yours.
Hand Signals - If you do not have a communication device that allows you to communicate with each other, it is good to go a few hand signals. Some examples are:
One tap on the shoulder: “slow down, you’re going too fast”
Two taps on the shoulder: “pull over”
Thumbs Up: “everything is good, keep going”

Bonus Tip: You can buy a dual communication system that will allow you to communicate with your passenger.

Adjusting a Motorcycle for a Passenger:Before you give anyone a ride on your motorcycle, make sure that your bike is equipped to carry another person. Your motorcycle should have a pillion seat and rear footrests. You want to make sure the passenger is comfortable throughout the ride. If you will be riding long distances with a passenger, you should adjust your motorcycle’s suspension and tire pressure to support the extra weight (the suggested settings for passengers should be in your owner’s manual).

Conclusion:
It is one thing to be an experienced rider, but adding a passenger is a whole different type of riding. You are responsible for the safety of the passenger so some of your motorcycle tactics will have to change in order to ride safely. Make sure you are comfortable with the handling changes that will happen and make sure you can communicate with your passenger. With this in mind go and spread the joys of motorcycling to as many people as you can!

GET FINANCED!

⏰

VALUE YOUR TRADE IN
30 SECONDS!

☎️

CALL NOW:

626-974-6600 Why You NEED to go to Bert's Mega Mall's GARAGE SALE

✉️

EMAIL US!

customerservice@bertsmegamall.com
📍

GET DIRECTIONS!