How to ride with a pillion passenger

Riding with a pillion can be the best way to get friends and family understanding just what you love about biking – and possibly tempt them to learn to ride themselves. But there’s a real art to carrying a passenger on a motorbike.

If you’ve never ridden with a pillion there’s a few things you may need to change during your ride to maximise comfort and safety for both you and your passenger. It’s no use scaring them senseless and having their helmet bang against yours every time you slow down if you want them to get into biking.

Don’t forget, you can’t take a pillion passenger if you’re riding on L-plates – you must have a full licence. You’ll also need to make sure you’re covered by your insurer to carry a pillion, and that your bike’s maximum weight isn’t exceeded with both people on board. Check your manual for that.

Give a brilliant briefing

The first step is to explain to them what they are going to feel, that tipping back as you open the throttle, the front of the bike dropping a lot in comparison to a car when you brake.

Tell them to relax and stay seated centrally on the saddle and stay neutral, letting the lean happen as you tip into the corner.

Also arrange a “slow-down” hand signal, like a tap on the shoulder or waist if they are hanging on for grim death.

Get the right clobber

Find a way of making sure your pillion has the right kit. At least a properly-fitting helmet (there’s no pillion helmet design so just use a normal motorcycle one), armoured jacket, proper gloves and high-top boots along with a pair of sturdy jeans.

Try and match your own kit to theirs, as your own kit will play a part in how you ride and affect how they feel. Would you want to jump on the back with a rider in full race leathers when you’re only wearing a fashion biker jacket and a pair of trainers?

Prepare your bike for  – tyre pressures and suspension settings

You also need to set up your bike’s suspension to cope with the extra weight on the rear, adding some preload to the rear shock and if it has damping adjustment, easing off the rebound and upping the compression by 25%, otherwise the steering could feel unsettlingly light.

Explain how to hold on while riding

Make sure your passenger knows what and where to hold on when the bike is in motion. Many passengers, and particularly those who’ve never ridden pillion, won’t like reaching behind to hold the pillion grab handles. We’d suggest in this case try one hand behind and another around the rider’s waist. Failing that, around the waist with both hands works too.

A top box is a great bonus for a pillion rider – a ready-made backrest.

Communication is vital

Consider a two-way Bluetooth communication system so you can keep in regular contact with your pillion. The slow-down hand signal mentioned above is great in an emergency, but your passenger may want to ask a question without stopping the bike.

Offer easy boarding

Virgin Limo bikers, who ferry VIPs around London’s streets, have a method that makes it easy for their passengers to get on the back seat.

The rider gets on and leans the bike onto its sidestand. The pillion can then stand with their left foot on the left pillion peg and swing their right leg over the rear seat. Keep your weight to the right to counteract the pillion’s weight while it’s concentrated on the left peg.

Trying to impress isn’t impressive

When taking a pillion for their first ride on the back of a bike just the thrill of being on the back of a motorcycle will feel fast and exhilarating enough without daft heroics like heavy acceleration or weaving in and out of traffic. You’d have scared yourself witless if you’d ridden like that when you first got on a bike, so imagine how a pillion will feel.

Careful with your right wrist

When it comes to the throttle, be assertive but not aggressive.

Think of the attitude of the bike and try to maintain it in as flat a position as possible, as weight transfer will unsettle the pillion, who is sat further back, doesn’t have the power to anticipate what you’re going to do and doesn’t have handlebars to hold. Running a taller gear will make the bike pitch less.

Smooth shifts

If your bike will allow them, clutchless shifts up through the box make for a smooth ride. Just roll the throttle off slightly to reduce the engine load and then slip the lever up into the next ratio.

The exception is for the shift from first to second, which will need the clutch. For downshifts, slipping the clutch at the end of the lever travel will reduce the severity of the deceleration.

Brake carefully

The last thing you want is a head butt in the back of the helmet because you’ve slammed the brakes on unnecessarily.

A pillion’s weight over the rear wheel will mean the rear brake is more effective as there’s less weight transfer forwards and you want to keep the bike more level to avoid those head butts, so use more rear brake, maybe 60/40, or even 50/50 front to rear instead of the more usual 75/25 front to rear for solo riding.

Maximise thinking space

Develop a smooth style and think further ahead than you might as a solo rider. Give yourself greater distance from the vehicle in front to increase stopping time. When it comes to slowing, the rear brake is your greatest friend. This has less effect on the bike’s attitude, keeping it flatter and more comfortable. Smooth use of the front brake will be needed to stop in a hurry.

Stop for a consultation

Luggage fitting instructions will always suggest stopping to check on the security of your load after a short distance.

It’s also good advice when carrying a new pillion. Give it 20 minutes or so for them to bed in, then find a convenient point to stop and check that they’re happy, know what they should be doing and are onboard with what you’re doing. 

They think it’s all over…

When you’ve finished, let them get off the bike in the reverse to the way they got on. Rest the bike on the sidestand and counter their weight by shifting yours to the right while they swing their leg over the back of the bike and dismount. Take the chance to ask them what they liked and disliked and you might find they want to repeat the experience. 

How to be a pillion passenger

As a basic rule of thumb, don’t do anything you’ve not been asked to do by the rider. You mustn’t fight the bike in the turns and try to stay upright but there’s no need to hang off like Marc Marquez, either. Try to keep your torso in line with the rider’s or use the old advice to look past their inside shoulder when cornering.

It’s worth agreeing on some kind of signal for if you need to stop, as it’s almost impossible to speak once you’re moving.

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FAQ

How hard is it to ride with a pillion?

It can be very easy or very difficult depending on a number of factors. If you’re short of leg and trying to carry a heavy pillion on a tall bike it will be harder than carrying a lighter passenger on a bike with a low seat. The pillion’s behaviour can also affect how difficult it is to ride, so make sure they are well briefed.

How do you ride a pillion for the first time?

Take it steady, leave plenty of space of time and – if you can – put both feet down when you stop. You also need to make sure the pillion passenger knows what they are doing.

What should I adjust when carrying a pillion?

You can stiffen up your rear shock if that’s an option (some bikes have electronic adjustment for this) but the main thing you need to adjust is the way you ride. Take it steady and leave plenty of time and distance on the road. Braking distances, cornering speed and acceleration will all need some adaptation when carrying a pillion.