My fiance loves motorcycles as much as I do but hates riding with me on my 696 because we're both very skinny. She finds it hard to hold on to me while riding. We just recently discovered the "handles" under the pillion seat on the 696 but haven't gone riding for a long time cause of the weather. She's a bit nervous about holding on to only the handles directly under her. Are there any tips anyone can give me to give to her to increase her confidence in using these? We'd love to go riding more together but she definitely needs some help feeling comfortable. Another complaint she's had is when I brake she feels compelled to support herself by bracing against the tank even though we've heard it's a big no-no. So any tips on this also would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for any help!!
Bracing herself against the tank is fine. Who said it is a no-no?
One big thing is for her to use her legs. As you brake, she should sweeze you with her legs. This will prevent her for sliding forward. She'll start by squeezing too hard, forcing you to lock your arms to keep her from forcing you forward. But after a while, it'll become instinctive and she won't squeeze as hard. It's a lot easier for her to control her body movement with her lower body than with her arms.
The biggest thing is for her to relax. She needs to allow her body to follow yours when in turns and realize that she's not just going to fall off. The more energy she put into staying onto the bike, the less she'll enjoy it and the less confidence she'll have.
Re holding onto you, try to find a place on your gear she can latch onto. The Blonde reaches around and hold onto
my giant dong the lower edge of my jacket. Somehow, she can twist her hand up around theedge and get a good hold. Hell, if it's really a problem, wear a belt on the outside of your leathers (turn buckle to the side). That'll give her something to hold onto.
Re the handles, she's going to get very tired if she actively tries to hold onto those. The key to the handles is to relax. Her hands should be on the handles, but not tightly holding them. She should use them only as necessary--braking, accelerating, whatever. The rest of the time, her hold on them should be very light.
You can help her confidence by trying to be as smooth as possible on the brakes and the clutch. Also, work out a series of hand gestures so that she knows what's coming. The hardest part about being a passenger is being out of control. I like to make sure my passengers know when we're about to hit a big pothole, when I'm about to whomp on the throttle or when the ride is going to get aggressive. It also give them an opportunity to "tap out" if they don't feel comfy with what's goin' on.
Big picture? You're describing standard concerns from a new passenger. Seat time will make a big difference in her comfort level. And when she's more comfortable, you'll be a lot more comfortable because she be as big a presence behind you when you're riding.
