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Best way for passenger to mount?


RTrev

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We have an '08 R1200RT, with the side bags and the huge 49 liter top box. We're having a problem with my wife being able to mount the bike. Once I'm sitting in the driver position, she has to get her leg up and over that top box, and it's not easy because she has some back problems.

 

Anybody come up with a method that works easily?

 

We have no problems when that top box isn't mounted, but we would really like to carry it.. helmet storage, and so on.

 

Perhaps have her mount first, and/or some other trick you've developed over the years which allows easy mounts and dismounts for both driver and passenger?

 

I have a feeling there must be a good way to do this, but we've yet to find it. :(

 

Thanks!

Bob

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Have your wife mount (assuming you are mounted and your wife will mount from the right side of the bike) by:

1)Placing left hand on your shoulder.

2) Place left foot on left foot peg.

3) Extend left leg and swing right foot over seat until able to place right foot on right peg.

4) Lower onto seat.

 

(Throughout the process, have wife maintain the center of her balance over your shoulder/ head).

 

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Our way is to let the passenger step up on left peg with her left foot as usual, and while standing there carefully step through to the right side with her right foot. No swinging of legs over the top box needed. I have mounted and are securing the bike first offcourse, leaning forward to make space for her manouver.

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Thanks guy.. we'll go out and practice some more.

 

@SageRider: I'm puzzled by your saying my wife should mount from the right side of the bike, unless by that you meant the "correct" side? The rest of your instructions seem to suggest a mount from the left side.

 

Part of her problem was that her left knee was weak, so that step up was a bear for her. I think that's healed sufficiently to allow her to do it, though.

 

I was considering having her mount first, then slide back, and I would then try to mount. Your ideas sound better though.

 

Is the side stand sufficiently strong to withstand all of these shenanigans without problems?

 

Thanks much!

Bob

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SageRider: I'm puzzled by your saying my wife should mount from the right side of the bike, unless by that you meant the "correct" side? The rest of your instructions seem to suggest a mount from the left side.

My bad! My other right... the LEFT side of bike.

 

I would not use the sidestand. The bike should be vertical and the rider have both feet on the ground. If using the sidestand, then bike will be slanted towards the left and make the passenger's ability to balance much more difficult as the rider's shoulder will also be down and to the left.

 

Note also that the passenger grabs the rider's shoulder and not the rider's arm, as grabbing the arm can pull the rider out of balance.

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Ah, the other right! :grin:

 

Okay, with you now. We'll practice a bit and report back. Okay, side-stand up, driver steadying the bike, and wife hopefully doing it right. That bike is perhaps a bit big and heavy for me.. and I've trained her well in not shifting her weight as I'm coming to a stop sign and trying to touch down gracefully with just my left foot. It was disconcerting at first, as she might move a tiny bit and suddenly I'm in one of those uncomfortable and embarrassing both feet down type of stops. :(

 

I've gotten her past that phase, and I'm sure we'll get the mounts and dismounts down too. I was perhaps mislead by another rider who said "Always have the passenger mount while the bike is still on the side stand." Sounds like this advice isn't widely accepted.

 

Thanks again...

 

Bob (geriatric motorcycling at its best )

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When my wife was a passenger on the 89 GS, I had her get on first with the bike on the center stand. Then I'd mount up and ride away. Wrrked for us' Getting off was a sidestand, her slide off affair. Not as graceful as our launches. :wave:

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Thanks everyone. It seems that her sore leg has healed enough that she can simply slide one leg over the seat and then slowly put her weight on the seat and adjust her position. She hadn't wanted to try this, because it hurt before, but experimenting today that seemed to work best for her. My problem is that I'm planted and steadying the bike, and can't really see what she's doing. I'll have to get a buddy to hold the bike while I study why she says the side bags prevent her from simply standing on the peg.

 

But in any event, we seem to have a workable system now.. and can carry all our luggage without major difficulties.

 

@notacop: I like your approach! Not sure how you mounted without kicking your wife in the head, but obviously it can be done. No style points are being given for this, so if get-offs are less graceful than get-ons, I don't think anybody will mind except you. :grin:

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ArthurKnowles

I can think of a couple of things that can help.

 

First consider floorboards fro your passenger pegs. These offer much more foot support and can be safer to use to mount the motorcycle while standing on it with one foot. There are many options for floorboards (i.e., different brands).

 

Secondly, never use the sidestand to support the motorcycle. Not only can that samage the stand, but it could slide out from under nad then both of you will be injured. If you must go this way, use the centerstand. Have her get on first in the driver's spot then move back to the passenger spot.

 

Third, my wife mounts on the RT from the left, but the right is OK too. All that matters it you support the motorcycle from the driver's seat and be prepared for her to mount. I always tell my wife when to mount and she does not attempt to do so until I am ready. Then it is just a matter of getting whichever leg (left or right) over the rear seat. I showed her how to do this by lifting her leg straight up, not over the rear rack area, and placing the foot on the seat. Then sooting her foot over until she is sitting on the motorcycle. Works every time.

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I tell my passengers after grasping my left shoulder to stand all the way up straight on the left peg before bringing their right leg over. This really helps.

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I know that the Motorcycle Safety Courses instruct that stopping at a light or stop sign, the rider should only put the left foot down and keep the right foot on the brake. However with a passenger aboard and on a heavy bike like an RT, I feel much more comfortable putting both feet down.

 

Ah, the other right! :grin:

 

Okay, with you now. We'll practice a bit and report back. Okay, side-stand up, driver steadying the bike, and wife hopefully doing it right. That bike is perhaps a bit big and heavy for me.. and I've trained her well in not shifting her weight as I'm coming to a stop sign and trying to touch down gracefully with just my left foot. It was disconcerting at first, as she might move a tiny bit and suddenly I'm in one of those uncomfortable and embarrassing both feet down type of stops. :(

 

I've gotten her past that phase, and I'm sure we'll get the mounts and dismounts down too. I was perhaps mislead by another rider who said "Always have the passenger mount while the bike is still on the side stand." Sounds like this advice isn't widely accepted.

 

Thanks again...

 

Bob (geriatric motorcycling at its best )

Edited by Perlova
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Francois_Dumas
I tell my passengers after grasping my left shoulder to stand all the way up straight on the left peg before bringing their right leg over. This really helps.

 

Yup, that's how Nina does it. Just stands all the way straight up on one peg and then simply steps over the saddle..... it now is only a 20 inch high 'hurdle' .

 

As for stopping... down here we're taught to put the RIGHT foot down and keep the left pressing down on first gear, just in case. Assuming you're in the right lane it will also prevent cars from driving over your left foot.

 

Well, that's the story.

 

I put the left foot down when stopping on an incline, so I can keep the rear brake on before pulling away again.

I put BOTH feet down if things look slippery or if Nina wants to shift herself when stopped.

 

Basically it's a mix between what's practical and what makes me comfortable.

 

Nothing good in slowly keeling over together...... :grin:

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My wife has a fake right knee. It is ok for walking but not for heavy duty lifting.

 

She mounts from the left side, with the side stand down. She puts left foot on the riders peg left hand on the grip. I stand behind her and support the bike on the left handle bar grip, and right on the top case.

She stands on the left peg and gets her right knee on the seat and centers up, then she slides to the right till she can get her right foot on a peg. Sometimes slide back to the passenger seat, sometimes achieves the seat on the first try.

 

Then I mount by sliding my right leg over first.

 

Dis mount is basically a slide off to the left.

 

What's wrong with the side stand? Is it weak? I have tried it by standing on the peg and bouncing to test... seems ok to me. We just try to keep the center of gravity over the bike for balance... so far so good.

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hopz,

not necessarily "weak", but of all the links involved in your chain of mounting, the one most likely to fail.

If her movements start any motion that moves the sidestand you won't likely be able to control the bike and injury could occur.

We see many broken sidestands on RT-P bikes.

A few on civys.

I wonder if she could use the same technique, but start w/you seated on bike.

Lean forward,let her still stand on your peg, use your shoulder, place knee on seat and slide. I think there is much less chance of bike balance problems w/you on it and in control.

If not, can she do this from right side?

Stand on r peg use your shoulder and then bend her good knee onto seat, lift and slide.

Best wishes.

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ShovelStrokeEd

I'm a firm believer in having the rider mount first and stabilize the bike on-balance before the passenger attempts to mount. I then prefer the passenger to mount by standing on the passenger peg. Left or right sides, doesn't much matter to me, whatever they are comfortable with. I suppose a vertically challenged rider who can't flat foot with both feet at a stop might have some problems with this, I never have and I'm only 5'10" with a 30" inseam.

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Thank you for your concern and advice. I am on the short side and do not have both feet firmly on the ground until she is mounted and seated. I do not think I could make the bike more stable by being mounted before she does.

 

I feel like I have more likelihood of saving a dump if I am on the ground with both feet, on the side that is likely to be the direction of fall.

 

In addition if I was on the riders seat she would have to attempt to maneuver that weak knee between my back and the top case she uses for the backrest.

 

We have looked at the problem and tried numerous ways of mounting. I try to find only really good parking places for the side stand and on many occasions we have to move the bike to find a place to make her mount up more stable.

 

I wish she did not have such a painful knee condition, and I also wish the side stand felt better. But I admire her tenacity, guts and pain endurance when mounting so that she can ride with me.

 

thanks again.

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+1 What Bill said.

Left side, left foot on peg, stand up straightening left leg, right leg across seat, sit down.

Right side, right foot right peg yadda yadda yadda.

Dismount in reverse order.

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To aid stability, place the bike in gear with the engine off before you start. This should help avoid the bike rolling off of the stand.

 

Andy

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"Have your wife mount (assuming you are mounted and your wife will mount from the right side of the bike) by:

1)Placing left hand on your shoulder.

2) Place left foot on left foot peg.

3) Extend left leg and swing right foot over seat until able to place right foot on right peg.

4) Lower onto seat.

 

(Throughout the process, have wife maintain the center of her balance over your shoulder/ head)."

 

I read this a couple of time, and could only figure your wife rides backwards? ;)

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This works for us, wife has bad knees.

She gets on the bike first, I stand by to support the bike

However, she just graps left grip, steps on left rider peg, grabs right grip, and mounts just like the driver into driver seat. Then she moves back onto the passenger seat and passenger pegs. Then I mount by placing right leg over driver seat and get into driver position, to lift side stand, start and take off.

Thats for the R1100RT with side bags and top case.

For the GSA wife gets on the same way, I get on the right peg and stand up to lift right leg over driver seat.

 

Again, she gets on it like she is the driver, and then moves back to the passenger seat. The side stand holds here well, and I grap the handle bars to steady and be ready for any tipping.

 

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Oh boy is this a ‘touchy’ subject with us! The pillion seat is way up there on our GS; an aftermarket Corbin that is taller to start with and I raised it some more on Donna’s request for more leg room. The front edge of her seat is a about 6" above the back edge of mine.

 

First point I would like to make is that I absolutely advocate the rider is on the bike, it’s running, in first gear, stands up, on the front brake, the rider is standing up stabilizing the bike with both feet firmly planted; before ‘inviting’ the pillion to mount. Once on board and the pillion having signaled the rider "ready", the very next thing the rider wants to be prepared to do is pull away. Not be fiddling with starting the bike, putting a stand up, selecting first gear, etc, at the most instable point of the ride – stopped with a loaded pillion

 

So for Donna it depends upon if the cases are on or not. If no side cases are on then she uses the left hand on my left shoulder, steps on the left peg and steps up and on over approach mentioned above.

 

But if the side cases are on, she can’t clear the far side (right side) case. So with me standing as far forward as I can she mounts first into my rear seat area and then butt lifts/slides up onto her ‘throne’. Not quite as eloquent as the single fluid motion approach, but just as effective, and more importantly, just as stable of a mount up.

 

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I didn't see anyone mention the brakes. Maybe I missed it. But the one thing I would add to the popular technique (rider mounted and flat footing the bike) is to clamp the front brake. This keeps the bike from moving even slightly and provides a more stable feeling platform.

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I'm with JMRSR. My wife and I are pretty arthritic. And very short. She can't get her foot over the seat with the top box on. Just can't do it. She gets on the bike like me. (first) Then, as I push on the top box to settle the suspension, she scoots back after placing her feet on the back pegs. No problems for her at all. I then vault onto my seat. It sucks for me, but, I get to ride more when I bring her... For that, I will put up with a lot.

 

She then leans and helps me upright the bike. Lean onto right foot. Raise side stand. Drop into gear. Pull in clutch. Start bike. Allow to warm for a very short bit. Verify Autocom is working. And we are off! This has been our method for over 100K miles riding together. We used to do the flat foot thing back years ago when I had a wing. But, with the RT, she just can't get that foot over.

 

Not the best, but it is all that I can find to work for us. Bottom line. Don't try anything new when you are in a hurry to get somewhere. And NEVER yell at her for not getting it right! (please, no questions on that one...)

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Silver Surfer/AKAButters

On the pillion instructions I pulled down from the web, it has the pillion mount the bike without putting weight on the pegs and sliding across the seat, only then puttin weight on the pegs. This is by far the least nerve racking for the driver, but I have only met one girl that could do this easily. A bit of a contortionist she was, but it sure was a no pressure situation when she mounted.

 

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A bit of a contortionist she was, but it sure was a no pressure situation when she mounted.
,

 

err, do you have her phone number?

 

 

Andy

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  • 9 years later...
On the pillion instructions I pulled down from the web, it has the pillion mount the bike without putting weight on the pegs and sliding across the seat, only then puttin weight on the pegs. This is by far the least nerve racking for the driver, but I have only met one girl that could do this easily. A bit of a contortionist she was, but it sure was a no pressure situation when she mounted.

 

My wife is not much of a contortionist but is how she mounts the bike. Now that we are old enough to collect social security, she wonders if there is an easier way

 

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Francois_Dumas

We aged too....... and still do it the way I (and many others with me) described here a few years ago. Just stabilize the bike while sitting on it yourself, then have your wife stand straight up on the footrest with her centr of gravity over the saddle so whe will not pull you both over.... then just step over the saddle onto the other footrest and sit down.

Easy peasy... even for pensioners :-)

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My wife and I are both small (5' and 5'6" accordingly).

 

I started doing this several years ago: Sidestand down, left leg braced for support, lean forward as far as I can into the handlebars, head and shoulders down. My wife stands on the left passenger peg, uses my shoulders and back for support, and up she goes. Reverse for dismount.

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