Once you get your motorcycle license in bc riders will eventually want to ride with a passenger. Here are some important safety tips to help you ride safely.
Seating
Not all motorcycles are designed to carry a passenger. Your seat requires a large enough area to accommodate an additional person without being crowded. You also have to have proper foot pegs or rests so they can keep their feet out of your way while riding and also help them keep from falling.
Extra Weight
When two people are seated on your bike, it will change what you see in your mirrors and even how your headlight casts a beam in front of your. To be safe, sit with your passenger on the bike and adjust your mirrors. You then have to add extra pressure to your tires. Your owners’ manual should indicate the recommended pressure when travelling with a passenger. Some bikes have adjustable suspension units designed for passenger adjustments. If yours has flexible units, adjust them to be appropriate to ride with a passenger. Last but not lease keep in mind a passenger will also affect the response of your motorcycle. You will take more time to speed up and the heavier the passenger the more it will affect response.
Work with your Passenger
If this is your first time travelling with a traveller, and more so if it is the passengers first time on a bike you have to show them how to react when riding. Be courteous and let them know when you are about to start driving, and also avoid scaring them by sudden stops, fast driving or setting off suddenly after a stop. You can also practice getting on the bike with the engine started and feel out how you fit together on the seat. You will have to sit forward for you both to fit in most cases. Make sure they find a comfortable position holding onto your hips or waist so they do not feel afraid they will fall off. Also, make sure they know where to put their feet and that they have to keep them on the footrests whether you are moving or stopped. Last but not least you might want to teach them how to lean when turning. Have a practice ride in a parking lot or deserted street so they are 100 percent certain they are good to go.
