The Passenger

 



For Father's Day, one of my gifts was a few hours to go for a motorcycle ride with my wife (as a passenger). As much as I enjoy riding with other bikes, there is something great about the rides my wife and I take alone. She is, by far the most skilled passenger I have ever ridden with. Yes, I said skill because becoming a good motorcycle passenger comes from learning through experience. I'd like to give some tips on this for all of those people who would like to ride on the back of a motorcycle.

First, you MUST trust the person you are riding with and his or her skills. Your life is essentially in the rider's hands l, so choose accordingly. If the rider has your trust, you will be more relaxed which will make a more enjoyable ride for the both of you.

Next, hold on to the rider firmly, but don't squeeze. Let them know your there and hold on tight enough that you feel safe. If you squeeze too tight, it'll make for a less comfortable ride for the both of you.

Last, move with the rider. If the rider leans left, lean with him or her. Don't fight to stay upright as this will not allow the rider to properly control the bike in corners, which is downright dangerous! This goes hand and hand with the point of trusting the rider.

If you get good enough at being a passenger, the rider should barely notice you are there (another reason to hold on firmly, just to remind the rider you ARE there). My wife is so good at it that I usually forget that she is on the back and ride as aggressive as I would alone. This was the case this weekend, but she likes to go as fast as I do, so there were no complaints.

I am a passenger
And I ride and I ride
I ride through the city's backside
I see the stars come out of the sky
Yeah, they're bright in a hollow sky
You know it looks so good tonight

 

From 'The Passenger' by Iggy Pop