problems cornering left with wife

[Bigbody45]

i use to have a bike before i got the kat, but i never had a passenger before. My wife can't hug me all the way so for some reason i have problems turning left with her on it...when its just me im fine. Am i doing anything wrong?

[md86]

Probably . Can she just use the grab rail ? None of my passengers ever "hug" me , I make them use the grab bar , and they never fall off .

[Range]

so...let me get this straight....

you would like to go "both ways" with your wife

[Mojoe]

if you are fine when you are alone, it is probably your wife's fault. she might feel a little more "uncertain" in left turns than right, and is not as relaxed. It doesn't take much for a passenger to throw you off a bit.

[JZ67]

if you are fine when you are alone, it is probably your wife's fault. she might feel a little more "uncertain" in left turns than right, and is not as relaxed. It doesn't take much for a passenger to throw you off a bit.

If she is not leaning with you then the bike won't lean with you either.

so...let me get this straight....

you would like to go "both ways" with your wife

Maybe she wants to lean both ways but HE isn't leaning the right way

[KatanaSoldier]

I would talk her through the process. She might just be timid on those turns.

[DreKat]

I had the same problem with my GF when she first started riding with me. She was leaning right while I was trying to left. After telling her to lean when I lean she will find it easier and she is relaxed as well.

[Wingspan]

I've found the easiest way to get a passenger to lean with me correctly is to tell them that they should look over my shoulder when turning. If we turn right, look over my right shoulder, left turn...look over left shoulder. Don't lean any more or less than needed to do that.

So far, it's worked every time.

[suzukisportrider2004]

my ex would always sit up and only grab me or the grab bar if we started or stoped fast..... anyways its in your head or your wife isnt leaning right because with the right person on the back i have draged peg yet never dont it by my self

[Bigbody45]

its possible it could all be in my head, but we ride every night and she's getting better now

[Kila-Beave]

I've found the easiest way to get a passenger to lean with me correctly is to tell them that they should look over my shoulder when turning. If we turn right, look over my right shoulder, left turn...look over left shoulder. Don't lean any more or less than needed to do that.

So far, it's worked every time.

+1

That's exactly the way I got my wife to settle down when riding with me. It works great and she naturally leans just into the corner with me.

The first time she rode with me we went off on the shoulder doing a u-turn because I was turning to the left and she tried to sit straight up, not knowing she was fighting me the whole time. The over the shoulder thing works wonders.

[Wade-Kat600]

Anytime I have a passenger I just tell them to stay in alignment with the bike - I dont like passengers leaning in any direction - they can put you down in a second if they are inconsistent.

They need to just be part of the bike - which means they dont "lean" - they just go with it - then you can control how far you take the bike over and how you take the turns/stops/starts. Doesnt matter if they are holding you , the handrail or nothing at all.

[chinto]

I've found the easiest way to get a passenger to lean with me correctly is to tell them that they should look over my shoulder when turning. If we turn right, look over my right shoulder, left turn...look over left shoulder. Don't lean any more or less than needed to do that.

So far, it's worked every time.

+1

That's exactly the way I got my wife to settle down when riding with me. It works great and she naturally leans just into the corner with me.

The first time she rode with me we went off on the shoulder doing a u-turn because I was turning to the left and she tried to sit straight up, not knowing she was fighting me the whole time. The over the shoulder thing works wonders.

[tdrcomm]

Being a passenger takes just as much practice as being a rider. The more she rides the more comfortable she'll get. The over the shoulder trick does work, though.

Another thing:
I think riders get more comfortable at making left-handed turns faster than right-handers because the turning radius in naturally wider (carry more speed, daily commuting because we're right lane drivers. I would imagine it would be the exact opposite in Europe). In traffic, right turns are tighter so we slow more. I could be that you're very comfortable with the left turns and take them a little faster with more lean. Could be disconcerting to her compared to right turns which are more upright. JMHO.