Ride on the Back of a Motorcycle
So you've never ridden a motorcycle, but you want to experience it. Just about every motorcyclist's first ride was as a passenger. To get the most out of it, you want to make it as easy as possible for the driver. Here's how.
Steps
- Make sure your driver is experienced at riding with a passenger, aka "two-up". Driving with a passenger is very different from driving alone. This is not the time for you to teach each other new skills.
- Wear proper clothing! Even if it's hot, you want a leather jacket and (at least) blue jeans. Wear high-top leather boots if you have them. This is your only protection against road rash and (more likely) exhaust-pipe burns.
- Wear a proper helmet! Laws or no laws, how much is your head worth?
- Wear some sort of eye/face protection. At driving speed, hitting a large bug can feel like getting hit with a golf ball.
- Always wear gloves.
- If the bike has adjustable suspension, the manual should tell you how to set it for a second person and the driver's and passenger's combined weight.
- Lower the passenger foot-pegs.
- Your driver needs to get on the bike first. Almost all passenger seats are too high for the passenger's feet to reach the ground easily.
- Have your driver raise the kickstand and stand the bike up fully upright.
- When the driver is ready, approach the bike from the side (I usually do it from the left).
- Place your foot (left if approaching from the left, right otherwise) on the foot-peg and swing your body over the seat like you're getting on a horse. Put your hands on the driver's shoulders for balance if needed.
- Place your other foot on the other foot-peg and sit straight up.
- Place your hands around the driver's midsection, or on their hips.
- Tell your driver you're ready to go.
- When riding, do not make any hand signals to other road users and ensure that you lean WITH the rider.
- When stopped, DO keep your feet on the foot-pegs. DON'T take them off. Even if you can reach the ground it doesn't help the driver.
- Don't keep your head too close to the driver's, or you'll bump heads when the bike slows down. Just as motorcycles accelerate faster than cars, they decelerate faster, too.
- At normal driving speeds, the driver will not be able to hear you unless you shout VERY LOUD. You might want to agree upon a certain shoulder tap or something if you need to get his or her attention.
- DO let the driver concentrate. DON'T backseat drive.
- Enjoy the ride!
Tips
- If you're going to be riding a lot, invest in a good helmet. A properly fitted helmet will be much more comfortable on longer rides than whatever your driver's extra helmet happens to be.
- When the motorcycle is moving slowly or stopped, try not to move around much. Sudden moves at low speeds or while stopped can cause a tip over.
- Riding a motorcycle gives new meaning to the term "wind chill". Even at 85F or more, you won't roast in that leather jacket.
- Sitting up straight will also keep your back more comfortable during the ride than sitting hunched over.
- In most places it's customary to wave at other motorcycles going in the opposite direction. When there's a passenger, it's your job to wave, since you've got a free hand. Don't be insulted if they don't wave back; it may not be safe for them to do so at that moment. (In some places, Harley riders don't wave at non-Harley, and vice versa.)
- Riding is only a fraction of the fun of motorcycling. For the full effect, take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation beginner's course, get a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license (if needed in your state) and start driving yourself!
- Be prepared for wide temperature swings, especially at night. In a valley, the temperature can be {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} lower than the prevailing temperature.
