| Author | Message | ||
     Tankhead |
Last year my wife started riding with me and I really enjoy it. How many of you ride with a pillion for most of your sport-touring rides? If so why? If not why not? | ||
| Skinstains |
I only started bringing mine with me since they came out with that AIDS stuff. It just aint worth the risk slinging some strange all over the country. | ||
| Spatten1 |
I avoid it at all costs. The bike don't handle with the extra 275 pounds on the back. | ||
| Jaimec |
My sweetie isn't really comfortable on the back of the Buell, but she loves hanging on while I tear up the backroads on the K1200LT. | ||
| Jim2 |
I like that she can ride with me and not tell me how to ride, unlike riding together in a car. Both because she doesn't know what to say about riding and because I can't hear her anyway. I don't think I'll ever get an intercom system. That would be bad money spent. She only likes to ride when it's cold, between 40F and 65F. Sometimes I wish she would ride with me more but I also know when to count my blessings. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Madame Grumpy, has never been on the back of either of my Buells, though she used to come out on the FJ12. I can't say I'm bothered by it either. She has expressed a wish that I buy a Hondabago or a Hardley Ableto with helmet com's, so that we can chat while we tour the sunny roads of Europe..... & then I wake up screaming! | ||
| Fahren |
My thoughts on extended pillion rides go toward a Moto Guzzi Cali. My wife enjoys riding pillion, but she does not like the "spirited" style of biking that goes with a Buell (at least, that's how I always want to go when I'm on a Buell), so I figure why not get a cool, mellow but still fun bike like a Guzzi, and slow down enough to smell the flowers.... I just don't enjoy the Buell as much when I ride two-up. | ||
| Andymnelson |
I built her her own bike   | ||
| Reindog |
The Uly is a perfect bike for touring. My wife, Laurie, was a passenger on our 06 Uly over nine days for our 25th anniversary. We covered 2000+ miles throughout California and she was comfortable on freeway, mountain roads, and goat trails. | ||
| Buelet |
My wife is a great passenger. As long as I don't intentionally try and wheelie it, she's a happy camper & I still ride as hard as I feel comfortable. The main issue I have w/ spirited riding & a pillion is when you encounter a sharp curve at the bottom a hill and the suspension bottoms. That screws up the handling for a sec, but other than that it's all good. I enjoy having passengers. The biggest drawback for me is the accelerated tire wear from the extra weight. | ||
| Shellyo |
My wife and I rode from Calgary (Canada) to Scottsdale, Az this last August. She finds the XB12XT a better fit than the Road King. This was her first long trip (almost 1600 miles) and she loved the Hell out of it, (and I enjoy having her as a passenger!) We were both in Arizona last week and got a nice ride in (and then I flew back to snow, work, and -30 temps!!!) | ||
| Ourdee |
Loner. | ||
| 86129squids |
" She only likes to ride when it's cold, between 40F and 65F. Sometimes I wish she would ride with me more but I also know when to count my blessings." Wow Jim- got yerselI'llf a real ice queen!! Heck, my GF can't stand the CityX, does OK on my '77 Shovel, but the poor suspension got us both once last year... Someday I'll get a better setup, mebbe an Ulysses or STT model... | ||
| Mnrider |
Wife and I have been riding two up on snowmobiles and motorcycles for 30 years. (she's brave and crazy)  We've had some great times and a few scrapes along the way. | ||
| Ronbob43 |
My wife rode on the back of my Gelding and then the FJ 1200, but it was time for her to get her own when she started to set up for the corners before I did. 20 years later and she has settled on a Blast while I ride a CityX. 2 up has merit, but for us the ride is much better without a passenger. | ||
| Macbuell |
My wife keeps begging me to get a Goldwing. My biggest mistake ever was letting her sit on one in a dealership. She has not stopped talking about how comfortable it was ever since. I like riding with her but I don't like the idea of riding a huge boat around the mountains. | ||
| 86129squids |
Truth be told, I'd like to have one of the early Wings (75-82), properly updated and farkled out... Once met an old man from central FL who made custom intake manifolds for the early 4cylinder motors- converting 4 carbs to one big 2 barrel setup, at the last Honda Hoot they had in Asheville NC- he had a handful of nice old 'Wings... As fancy and advanced as the new ones are, there's something about the old ones that really appeals to me. Fun fact: The original '75 Goldwing was first conceived and intended to be a competitor to the Kawasaki Z1/KZ musclebikes... | ||
| Jb2 |
Been riding for over 40 years but solo for the last 17 years. Kim quit riding in '93 after a car pulled out in front of us. Nothing bad happened but it skeered the shite out of her. Last year at Big Jim's Ride she took to the saddle again. Great to have her back even with a slight loss of freedom. We offing our current ride for a new Cross Country so she can join in the fun again with a level of comfort. (Message edited by jb2 on January 18, 2011) | ||
| Prior |
Heather has been joining me for more and more rides lately and I am happy that she's along. She never really liked the seating position of the Firebolt (and I can't say I loved it either), the M2 was a bit loud for her and the Uly is just perfect. We haven't set any distance records aboard the Uly, but have a blast in the mountains, and she's jonesing to get out again this year. I bought her a gently used 'Stich last fall, which greatly increased her comfort level on the bike. Next thing will be a set of electric gear, she's not a heater like me... Can't beat sharing your passion and friends with the love of your life. | ||
| Sidepipe79 |
When i am not commuting to work she is on the back. She is actually the one who convinced me to get the Uly so she could ride more. She even coaxes me into a wheelie here and there. not that it takes much. | ||
| Spatten1 |
To me, there is nothing worse than having a bike that handles well and putting someone on the back. Having the communicator would ruin the rest of the riding experience. I may be an introvert. | ||
| 86129squids |
Funny story... Last year, twice I got to ride "beeatch" back on a buddy's Ultra after the old Shovel broke down- GAwwd I hated the first 20 minutes, had to really get back into my mind to RELAX- but even with the weight of 2 dudes on the FL frame, it was an OK ride. Especially compared to walking home, yeesh! The last time was on a late model FL frame (09 or 10), with a 103 motor- damn thing wasn't even trying hard, it seemed... I'd much rather NOT be the pillion rider, but in a pinch, OK. I really do like being a passenger in a car, as long as we're NOT driving in town... | ||
| Gregtonn |
First person ever to ride pillion on my S3 was Erik Buell.  When we got diverted onto a dicey dirt trail we swapped seats (would have been really embarrassing to drop it with The Man on the pillion). G | ||
| Swampy |
I tried a Ulysses once with my first wife, she DID NOT like it one bit and continued to give me Shite about not loving her enough to get something BIG like a Wing or a Geezer Glide or a Kawa Nomad like her sisters husband bought. I now have the Uly, and a new wife, one that loves riding on the Ulysess and I love having her on the back with me, she keeps me warm and loved. I just keep the suspension set a little tight for when she is on it and when I am riding solo the settings just seem perfect. Go figure, who woulda thunk? | ||
| Yjsrule |
My wife rode 450 miles to TN to get married on my STT. That broke her of wanting to ride on that bike long distances. Last June for our anniversary we got a uly and she loves it. | ||
| Rick_a |
This was my first mod, and it still didn't keep her off.   Longest ride with the lady on back was about 400 miles. Before child we used to go for short hops very often. | ||
| Irideabuell |
I have always maintained it was unsafe to carry a passenger as it changes the way the bike handled significantly and your instincts in an emergency situation are to save yourself. I nearly ate it on a ride during the holidays and wouldn't have been so lucky had someone been riding with me. I just don't find it worth the risk. My dad teaches MSF riding courses and said he can't recall any instruction including riding two-up. | ||
| Fahren |
(Message edited by fahren on January 19, 2011) | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
Wow, some great 2 up stories here! Our son is frequently a pillion on the back of the Uly, and, at age 11, one of the biggest ATGATT-ers you'll meet. He wants to make sure his friends are safe too, on the backs of their parents' bikes, so generously passes along his out grown jackets, etc. He'll ride with whomever is piloting that bike at the time. He loves it, but at 5'7", he's almost outgrown that bike too. His dream is a touring version of the Can Am Spyder. We had one at my schools dealership, and he nearly needed to be pried off the back, loved the passenger heated handgrips! As far as safety, there's never any guarantees, and we all have different risk tolerances, but my belief is if you are gonna ride 2 up, practice your evasive maneuvers (braking, swerving, etc) in a controlled environment with your pillion on the back. We do. | ||
| Andymnelson |
lol, I had to do that last season when my stator crapped out on my Uly- rode on the back of my buddy's X1 to go home and get trailer. That was the most awkward ride ever, and boy did we get some funny looks, and even a thumbs up from a big, burly bearded Harley guy! |
