Tips for riding with a pillion passenger safely

Brief them before you turn a wheel

Most pillion problems start before the engine is even running. A passenger who has never ridden pillion has no idea what to expect, and a surprising amount of what feels obvious to you is completely counter-intuitive to them. Five minutes of talking on the driveway is worth more than any amount of gadgetry.

Cover these points plainly:

• Stay in line with the bike. Leaning the opposite way in a corner, or sitting upright while you tip in, is the single most common cause of a nervous rider running wide.
• Look over my inside shoulder through bends. Where their head goes, their body follows, and the bike stays balanced.
• Keep your feet on the pegs at all times, even when stopped at lights. Hot exhausts and wobbly moments at junctions both bite.
• Tell me if anything is wrong. Numb hands, a wet visor, a strap digging in — say so at the next stop rather than enduring it.

Agree a simple set of signals too, because shouting through a helmet rarely works. A tap on your left leg can mean slow down, a tap on the right can mean pull over at the next safe place. Keep it to two or three, and use them.

Set the bike up for two

Adding a person changes the weight distribution and the geometry of the bike, so a few adjustments are essential rather than optional. Check your owner's handbook first, because figures vary between machines.

• Rear preload. Wind it up to suit the extra load. Without it, the rear sags, the steering goes vague and the headlight points at the sky after dark.
• Tyre pressures. Most manufacturers specify higher pressures for two-up riding, often a couple of psi more at the front and three or four at the rear. Do this cold.
• Chain tension. A loaded bike compresses the suspension further, which tightens the chain. Check it with the rider aboard if you can.
• Mirrors and headlight aim. You will want to see past your passenger's shoulders, and other drivers will want to see you.

If your bike has adjustable damping, stiffen the rear a click or two. It is a small change that makes a loaded bike feel far less wallowy through fast bends.

Getting on and off without drama

Never let a passenger climb aboard while the bike is on its side stand and you are off it. The routine is simple: you get on first, hold the front brake firmly with both feet flat on the ground, then they mount from the left-hand side by standing on the left peg and swinging a leg over.

Ask them to keep their weight centred until you give the nod, then sit still while you get both feet settled. On dismounting, reverse the process — you stay seated and braced until they are clear of the bike. Do this every single time, even for a two-minute run to the shops. Complacency is what drops bikes in car parks.

Adjust how you ride

This is where your own habits have to change. A pillion can add 60 to 90 kilograms behind you, which is roughly like carrying a large suitcase on the pillion seat with a mind of its own.

Braking: allow a good deal more distance. Braking later and harder will feel unsettling through the passenger's back, and it pitches their helmet uncomfortably into yours. Use both brakes smoothly and progressively, and finish your braking before the corner so you can be gentle on the way in. Wet roads magnify all of this.

Acceleration: roll the throttle on rather than snapping it open. A pillion's head will snap back and their feet will lift off the pegs if you are too eager, particularly on a brisk overtake. Ride as though your passenger has a full cup of tea in one hand.

Corners: enter a little slower, hold a steady line and avoid any mid-corner braking or gear changes where you can. Ask your passenger to look through the turn and to stay close to you rather than leaning back. Give yourself a little more room on the approach for the same reason.

Filtering and junctions: your bike is wider at the mirrors than you think when you have been riding solo for months. Take gaps you know you can clear comfortably, and remember that a loaded bike is slow to stop at a blind junction.

Talk to each other on the move

An intercom unit transforms two-up riding. You can warn about a rough patch of tarmac, a pothole or a slippery manhole cover before your passenger feels it, and they can tell you their hands are cold before it becomes a real problem. If you would rather not spend the money, the leg-tap signals are a perfectly good substitute.

Either way, plan your stops. A pillion needs more frequent breaks than you do — cramped knees, numb hands and a stiff neck build up fast, especially on a faired bike with a firm seat.

Touring two-up: luggage, breaks and realistic days

Two-up touring is the best way to see the UK, but it does mean rethinking your packing and your mileage. Keep weight low and central where possible, and resist the temptation to fill every square inch of pannier space just because it exists.

• Recheck pressures and preload once the luggage is on, not before.
• Aim for shorter days than you would solo — 150 to 200 miles on mixed roads is a solid two-up day, and your passenger will enjoy the next morning far more.
• Stop every hour to ninety minutes. A stretch, a drink and a visor clean go a long way.
• Watch the weather together. A passenger gets colder faster than a rider, because they are not working. Heated grips and spare layers are not luxuries.

Finally, practise. Spend an hour in a quiet car park doing slow-speed figures of eight, gentle emergency stops and smooth pull-aways with your passenger aboard. It builds their trust, sharpens your throttle control and turns a nervous first trip into one you will both want to repeat.