First time with a passenger?

[PurdyKat]

I have been riding my Kat for a couple months now and will be taking a passenger for the 1st time. Can you guys give me and my passenger some riding tips?

[midqetsex]

I just rode my first passenger last weekend, and pretty much the entire weekend. Here's how we handled it.

1) Have some way of communicating (make signs that you can detect easily while riding). Have one for STOP and SLOW DOWN and anything else that comes to mind.

2) Have them get used to pulling out on the bike from a stop. Just go up and down an empty street a few times.

3) Ease them into turns. Make sure they lean with you. Before a passenger gets on my bike, I remind them every time to lean or to let me know if they need me to stop. I'll continue doing this no matter how many times they ride with me.

4) Be careful when you stop! Practice this with a passenger. Kats are fairly heavy and even heavier with someone on the back. I almost dropped my bike at a couple stops, especially on hills.

5) Make sure they're comfortable with their gear and with the speed you're riding. Ask if there's anything else you can do to make them feel more comfortable (get them a jacket, gloves, boots, etc). You can tell when they're not comfortable going into a turn. They have a lot of control from their seat and it impacts your turning negatively if they're scared.

6) Don't accelerate too fast at first. They'll slide back and get frightened. The entire 2up riding process should be eased into for you and for your passenger.

Also, a lot of people say to adjust the suspension settings. I haven't tried this yet, but you'd want to turn it up higher based on the combined weight of the riders (factory is 4, highest is 7).

Riding with a passenger made me more comfortable with my bike in general. In no time, you'll be able to ride very quickly with a cooperative person on the back.

[jp1]

Re: First time with a passenger?

-make sure they lean when you lean, not before, not up too early.
-may want to change your shock setting
-tell them no moving around unless you tell them ok.
-both feet planted firmly on ground, hand on brake, bike in neutral as passenger gets on/off
-avoid sudden take offs/stops/hard shifts, helmet to helmet sucks, so does falling off the back.

all I can think of off top of my head.

[midqetsex]

Some more things I thought of:

My passenger likes to hold onto the grab bar as opposed to me. Another passenger I tried wanted to hold onto my shoulders; not good! Make sure you're okay with how they're riding and what they're holding onto.

Ask them not to try to adjust their position when you're coming to a stop. Wait until you're completely stopped and have them tell you they want to shift. This makes a big difference in low speed balancing.

Make sure they only mount and dismount when you're ready for it.

I'll try to think of some more tips to post.

[MinnGreenGT]

Took my Kat out with my wife riding passenger for the first time (on the kat) the other night (she's ridden passenger with me on other bikes previously, and has ridden a bike herself - so she understands the physics of it).

The last time she road with me was on my '88 Honda Cruiser - she mentioned right away that the Kat was much more comfortable. She genereally rides with her arms around me (or frequently with her hands in my jacket pockets). Most of the time she's really good at leaning through the corners, but she was ancy and kept changing her position when I'd slow. At dinner I reminded her to only shift her weight & position when we were stopped... and even then to do so gently - sudden movement (even when stopped) can really make the bike fall out of balance. Also that she should just maintain her position when I was slowing to a stop - as I would compensate for her added momentum. It was a much better ride home!

[tzortn]

Check out this thread

http://www.katriders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8094

[hbc]

Hi,
I rode with a passenger for my first time last week. My wife enjoyed it very much. I was taught in the m2 course for the passenger to put their arms around me and have the hands on the tank, so when i stop she can support her self and not push on the rider.
Sometimes we would bump helmets, she said her arms are too short and to have her hands on the tank, she has to be very close.

Recommendations?

Thanks
hbc

[loudnlow7484]

The trick is to scare them badly enough within the first 10 seconds of riding, that they grip onto you so tight, it's like having a 100 lb jacket on your back! Makes it easier to control.

But seriously, I think having a passenger with a good grasp of physics makes it so much easier. For example, knows better than to throw all their weight on one peg at a stop while adjusting their position.

[Black Kat]

tell them to not put their feet down at stops.
tell them to lean with you.
tell them to not adjust their weight drasticly.

stoping distances will increase, be aware of that in an emergency.
be smooth on and off the throtle.
the more the passanger weighs, the more it will differ from going solo.
be carefull of slow speed u-turns

[Black Kat]

if you are carrying a guy behind you, make sure he has pants on or you will get some funny looks.

[SweetLou]

I like ass-less chaps myself.

[Black Kat]

*shudders*

[bigrob]

2 months ago took my first passenger. like others have already said be sure you speak to the passenger (before getting on) about leaning and hand position. I would not recommend hands on the shoulders. I prefer around waist or my jacket pockets. Just take your time and you'll have it down in no time.