Riding 2up/Double
 

Right now I don't know any one who wants to ride double with me so its not really an issue. My wife did but now that she is learning to ride herself she told me she had no intention of riding double with any body. I expect that she will one day when I get my big touring bike. But for now she doesn't ride on the back seat.

I have some rules about carrying a passenger. I don't carry passengers that are not also riders. I know several people who have had an inexperienced passenger essentially kick the bike out from under them by jumping off the bike when they got scared. I don't carry passengers that are not fully geared up. Passengers get busted skulls and road rash same as anyone else. Not ATGATT no ride. This eliminates most of my potential passengers.

I don't think anyone should carry a passenger unless you are 100% familiar with you bike. If you can't ride the bike without a conscious effort to control it your not ready to carry a passenger.

Keep in mind that you are responsible for the life of your passenger.

Gotta agree with ATGATT. Dress for the crash or suffer the consequences if Fate strikes you down. We did some two up shortly after getting the Strom in 05 but I was never really comfortable as I was still a little at odds with the bike. I really think a rider should get in a long season and lots of miles ridden safely before doing two up. And above all, talk to the passenger about sitting still and not unbalancing the bike. Communication can be a problem also. Develope a system of touches, pokes or squeezes to communicate. This seemed to work better than trying to hear in traffic with helmets on. We did try a com set but it was useless due to self generated noise after 30 mph. We did have some good rides though. After a top box for Lynda to lean back on she was much more comfy and actually nodded off a few times on the highway. A back rest for the passenger is a must in my opinion as they will be feeling more secure and not thinking of flipping backwards onto the road.

This is an excellent topic that should be pursued with more detail with regard to the passengers responsibility. I don't ride 2-up and neither does my wife. We have our own bikes and neither of us will take riders nor will we be a passenger unless there is a serious emergency that would require it and only if no other transportation is available.
I'm sure there is a website that discusses this issue but I just don't know where. If anyone knows of a website maybe they could put in a link or paraphrase the information.

Thanks for getting this important topic started Badbob. I see too many (especially younger less experienced) riders taking passengers that do some dangerous riding in and out of traffic. Most of the time it is their girlfriend who enjoys the thrill but has no concept of how to be a safe passenger.

Cheers!

I took the wife last summer on my GZ. First time for me and first time ever for her on a bike. Nervous? Sure i was lol. But, i did explain to her to not move back there and just hold on to me and lean with me as we go around turns. Took it VERY slow through town, not that you can go above 25mph anyways. Went very well. Told her if there was any problem to just tap me.

Only problem we initially ran into was that she wasnt holding me close enough. Every time i shift it would jerk her back then forward into me, bumping helmets lol. Told her to hold tighter and we were good to go from there.

I thought this might be of interest to some of you. :cool:

I have a set of rules for passengers around here some where. I'll see if I can dig it up. I have also seen some good discussions else where on other forums if I can just remember where they are I'll post some links.

I might be interesting if we could get get some post from the passengers perspective.

I know I shouldnt, but I let my wife ride on the back sometimes in and out of town.
I have an extra helmet, and its as big as the moon, but I always ride much much differently when shes on back.

Slower, more cautious, and I notice that I get a little edgy, because no matter how much I tell her, she never seems to be holding on as tight as Id like her to.
Her helmet bumps into mine a lot unless her head is tilted to one side, and I just prefer to ride solo. Thats all I need, to have a spill with a passenger on a little 250cc bike.

Weight does seem to be sort of an issue.

The bike is light, and with both of us on it, if she wobbles, we both really wobble.
Ill ride alone as much as possible thanks.

At least untill I have mastered riding a larger bike.

Have you BOTH taken the motorcycle safety course? Even if she is not going to take the bike out by herself it is still a good idea. It will give the passenger a better perspective on what is necessary to keep the bike under control, how to balance, etc. Heck, its just a good idea in case of emergency and no other means of tranportation is available.

I have never had a rider on the back of my bike. I'm just not comfortable with that responsibility. It has to do partly with past experience (many, many, many, many years ago), and partly because my wife has her own bike and would not take kindly if I had another woman rider O_o .

To avoid any requests for a ride I replaced the passenger seat with a rack and have the bike set up solo.

IMO the GZ250 is a little small for anything other than short trips around town when riding 2-up. If you do eventually go for something larger then your wife will have a nice bike to ride with you that can go most anywhere safely other than interstate. It is a cruiser and it can go all day at 55 to 60 just fine.

Cheers!

Now that's an idea. I don't think I have seen one of those before. Probably, not looking in the right places.

The only issue I have had with someone wanting to ride as a passenger was last summer when my nephew wanted to ride and my sister got upset with me when I would not let him. No gear, no experience, and he is about 6'4". He weighs more than me so the bike would be way overloaded. She understood after a bit of heated discussion but not having a back seat would have eliminated this little annoyance.

I don't want to remove my back seat because I haul a lot of stuff on it from time to time and their would be no where to put it.

I got to look for one of these. Probably have to make one for a GZ250 though.

http://upload7.postimage.org/246886/leftside.jpg

http://upload7.postimage.org/246920/ChromeSoloRack.jpg

I hope the pictures post. This is what I put on instead of the passenger seat. I believe it is ShowChrome. You are probably right in that the GZ250 will require fabrication. A flatter rack would be more functional. This design is not that good for mounting a tail bag since it curves with the rear fender. Of course anyone trying to sit on it would slide off too.

Cheers!