i was just replying to Norman Bates on the " New to the Forum " bit and was telling him that my other half has never liked bikes or riding pillion etc., and so over the years has missed out on so much ( me thinks ) ! She is not adverse to them,she just doesn't hold any interest in them. Me ? I have been riding since i was 18, and love it ... not interested in getting my knee down any more just like to get out and ride and enjoy the scenery and going off with friends to do a bit of touring etc ... I think its a shame but there you go. i am sure that if your other half is interested then it makes life so much easier when choosing new bikes and kit and where to go etc. So ... what about you ? Does your other half love getting on the back, or does she just put up with you poodling off every now and again ?? Share your thoughts with us all .. there must be loads of stories to be shared !
Mrs Bates has only ever been a pillion once - and that's on my friends Pan European as I wasn't too skilled in handling a pillion on my GPZ 500s. Since then the kids have arrived and they are more interested in the bike than her. I don't think she is too interested tbh. Still thinks bikes are dangerous.
She doesn't mind me doing ride outs, but with kids its about getting priorities right so I tend to do fewer ride outs these days. Sometimes its a blessing that I'm on call for work as it means I have to go to Manchester and then I plan the most ridiculous way of getting back to Yorkshire. e.g. shoot up the M6 to J36 and then all the way through the dales to get back.
I still plan on doing some touring one day. I missed out last year whilst the missus was in Germany. Thought I'd go there myself on the bike and surprise her but work commitments got in the way.
Right if I can contribute my little bit on this topic. Mrs Wolf will, under no circumstances no matter how much I try to educate her in the ways and joys of biking ever get on the back of the machine. Its a shame because as we all know and understand you get a different perspective on life from bikes.
Her Father and Uncle were both owners of bikes when they were younger and neither has ever had an accident which could be responsible for her views on bikes, so I dont know where she gets her negativity from. I've even offered to take her for a short ride up and down the drive, but she wont even do that.
However in Mrs Wolf's defence she never stops me going out for rides because she appreciates the enjoyment it gives me, (thats what she tells me anyway) I think she's just grateful to see the back of me and get me out of the house.....I can live with that though ;D ;D
Until recently we both enjoyed touring but as we somehow managed to conceive (trust me chaps, the snip doesn't work - DNA test pending :D) her indoors has decided that the child needs to have at least one parent whilst growing up with the biggest risk being her on a motorbike.
We both have our own bikes as well as a tourer but now we are essentially downsizing. All that will be left is the GTR. Feels like I have one foot in the grave already - downsizing indeed!
Hey, downsizing and being left with a GTR can,t be too bad !! When is Blek minor due to arrive ??
Let me sorta flip this one. imagine being a pillion and its SWMBO thats the driving force. I didn't have any inteerest in bikes beofrehand. lol, always thought theres a chance of getting killed. now that we're divorced the only good things from the marriage are the kids and bikes ;D
NICE !!
Quote from: Lord Rusty on September 05, 2010, 08:44:47 PM
Hey, downsizing and being left with a GTR can,t be too bad !! When is Blek minor due to arrive ??
T - 5 months and counting ;D
My wife loves getting on. I have a Givi V46 with a back pad. When that is off, I have a full back rest for her. Makes it much more comfortable and she feels more confident.
Caroline aka (the boss) loves it on the back the only problem I have is her falling asleep and hitting me in the back with her helmet! she much prefers it with the top box on!
Only thing I really miss about my X ...she was first class Pillion. Would sit there for hours on end & I would occasionally here a faint snore in the intercom. Bless her...not !
Not sure if new Woman going to be same. Said she will get on back when weather warmer. Not a good sign.
Funny isn't it ? The majority of women just don't like bikes/biking etc which fuels the argument of "Boys and their toys" for them ... so when you DO come across a girlie/biker chick and one that can actually ride a bike and talk bollox like the rest of us she is quite a novelty ! Shame really.
My wife had a comically bad introduction to bikes with me.
- Her first ever pillion ride, I got her to the detination fine, but then managed to crash on my own 20 minutes later.
- Second pillion ride, I overbalanced in Oxford town centre and managed to dump us both on the tarmac.
- Convinced her that her own bike would be safer ;D , so bought a CG125. She *hated* the kick start.
- She passed her CBT though, and started commuting to work on it. 3rd or 4th day commuting, she lost the front in biblical rain which sort of put her off for a while.
Still, once the kids are a little older, she will be back as pillion again. Good lass.
Martin.
ps: I have only ever been pillion twice myself. Hated it, absolutely hated it. Control freak? Me? Showed me what wives have to put up with though .....
WOW, never seen so much activity here yet ;D
Back in '98 when I passed my test, I got a Kwak ZX6R G1, the wife said I'm not going on that and I was of the "cool just me then" opinion. But she slowly came round, having spent a bit of time alone.
3 months later the bike was totaled - scrap, that's a story for another day.
Then along came the Hayabusa in April of '99 and she came out a few times and was ok on the back.
At this time in my life I was going out group riding with the lads getting me knee/fairing down on the Busa. But as time progressed she came out more and more and became a fast riding duo going out with the single sports riders and showing them plenty of tail 2 up in the bends as well as the inevitable straights. They thought we were mad :o
Time went on further and we had a go at touring on the Busa, first time 5 days in France, rained for 4 very hard but we still enjoyed it.
Couple of years after we were doing 2 weeks 3000 miles and 6 countries.
We absolutely love the Alps.
We then got some others into the touring and had a few years with either 6 or 8 people touring fast on Hayabusas.
So, she came round and enjoyed many many hours on the back.
Oh and there was the few offs in europe, but they're another story yet again!
So if I bored y'all! ;D
Bloody hell , dont stay on yer Bikes much you lot do ya ! Always seem to be falling off.
Speak for yourself!! ;D
Nearly all of 'my' riding is with SWMBO on the back, it's a shared passion. She has a full licence but hasn't ridden for many years as she prefers being pillion.
Kevin
At least on your trips you can share the riding though if you want.
Quote from: Lonewolf on February 11, 2011, 02:35:46 AM
At least on your trips you can share the riding though if you want.
Did you miss the bit where I said she hasn't ridden for many years? At 5' 1 3/4" tall (apparently the 3/4" is important) she'd have trouble reaching the ground on any of our bikes.
I don't think I've ridden pillion since I was a child and I have every intention of keeping it that way!
Kevin
;D Oops sorry.No, I can see how the height thing could would be a problem.
Best leave the riding to the blokes. ;D
Here Here ! ;D
Tell that to someone like Lois Pryce (http://www.loisontheloose.com/ (http://www.loisontheloose.com/)), Margaret Peart (http://www.ridingtoextremes.com/ (http://www.ridingtoextremes.com/)), Patsy Quick (http://www.teamdesertrose.com/ (http://www.teamdesertrose.com/)), Julia Sanders... I could go on (and probably have!).
Kevin
My Partner 1st came on the CBF about 3 months after we met and she loves it! She likes the GTR much more than the CBF but she was spolied on holiday in Austria, last summer, with 2 days on a hired BMW K1300GT, but only becasue of the heated seat on a cold wet day!
She is a great passenger, sits still but does tell me when she needs to have a shuffle, finds the bike very commfy and she enjoys bike as much as i do!
P
You are a lucky man Mr Patrick ... as you can see from my first thread here, her Ladyship just won't have it !
Quote from: Lord Rusty on February 11, 2011, 08:00:23 PM
You are a lucky man Mr Patrick ... as you can see from my first thread here, her Ladyship just won't have it !
I totally agree I am lucky. She hadn't been on a bike for a very very long time and took to it like a duck to water. She is totally commfy with my riding style.. I like to make progress without being stupid about it.. and on theodd occaision when the speed does rise a tad, she cant see the speedo and always underestimates the speed we've done!
Unfortunately she feels the cold easily so may be i'll treat her to a heated waistcoat.
and.... other than the heated seat, she prefes the GTR to the BMW 1300 GT we hired on holiday last year.
P
I'm quite pleased that my wife isnt into bikes. Its a release for me to get out and ride on my own. I sometimes think it would be good though in a few years when I retire if we both did a tour of Spain together but alas, I cant quite see that happening.
Missus H doesn't do bikes - she's tried it but not her scene, however Junior loves 'em and I have permanent seat cover fitted!
He's entering his 6th season at 13yrs old and looking forward to Scotland later this year. Last year was a tour of Germany, Italy and France!
Same as winston shwmbo dosent mind bikes but my youngest 14 has really taken to it and this year off to france and thro alps and back to caen for tour of normandy beaches.
Hey Mr Wolf ... I have 5 years left to do ... we'll go and do Spain together !
Quote from: Lord Rusty on February 14, 2011, 09:51:51 PM
Hey Mr Wolf ... I have 5 years left to do ... we'll go and do Spain together !
;D Nice one. Remind me in about four and a half years. I love Spain.
Overnight Ferry from Plymouth to Santander ... a pocket full of Euros and bugger off for a few weeks .. Nomadic GTR riders ..... BRILLIANT !
Going to take that route myself in May , to see me Mum in the Algarve. Want to ride down through Spain. Done every where else before , but not Spain. Any suggested routes ?
As for Pillion ....years X always on behind me. I've not pushed it with new Woman at all. Quite like the freedom on my own at Moment. None of that , " What was that noise ? " in the Intercom , when yer foot rests hit the Tarmac. Not sure who's going to Pack the Panniers though. Ha ha...
I've done the ferry crossing from Plymouth to Santander before many years ago. All I can remember is that it was a very long crossing and I spent most of it with my head down the toilet. I dont do boats. ::)
Oh and I can remember that Santander has the biggest rats I have ever seen.
Other than that, bloody brilliant. ;D
On my old GTR1000 I've done 600 miles in a day with Ella on the back.
Apart from that we have done a total of approx 5000 miles touring 2-up.
On the 1000 (with the Russell saddle) she can fall asleep if she wants to as she ain't going anywhere.
That said she is not keen on the pillion perch on the 1400.
The saddle is poor, the position is worse and the pegs are just plain bad.
So, have fitted GTR1000 rear pegs and when finances improve will be buying yet another Russell.
She has done a 400 mile day 2-up on the 1400 but it was with the stock saddle so by the time we got back from Skidmarx in Weymouth she was rather sore.
Even I was fidgety.
We bought the Russell about 4 months later but had to sell it after getting Credit Crunched.
My other half is new to the pillion scene. She is happier with top box on bike to give her something to rest against and also likes to have intercom on just to be able to speak to me if she not feeling too happy. I think with her its a case of if you can't beat em join em.
I don't go to mad when got pillion behind me don't think my kidneys would cope with the good punching they would be likely to get ;D
The russell seat is it lower than the stock or higher
I've never heard of a Russell Seat before, I've led a sheltered life... ::)
Found this on the wonder web, do they all look like this... :o
(http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s139/Jaffa_Cake101/Fingers/RussellSeat2.jpg)
(http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s139/Jaffa_Cake101/Fingers/RussellSeat.jpg)
Its a bit square looking :-\
The Russell is about 2" taller for the rider and about 1" taller for the pillion.
On the 1400GTR definately not a saddle for anyone with an inside leg of less than 32".
Awesome comfort but it's not pretty.
On my 1000 I did a couple of 1000+ mile days with no discomfort apart from arms and neck.
This is my old Russell on the 1400 (now on Bagmans 1400)
(http://www.gtr1000.com/graphics/mygtrpics/Vivian_Russell2.jpg)
And this is the Russell I still have on my GTR1000
(http://www.gtr1000.com/graphics/mygtrpics/New_Otto_2.jpg)
I asked Bagman if I could buy the saddle back but he told me his better half would kill him if he did. <LOL>
I guess I'll just have to buy another new one then.
Costs about £500 with the "heavyweight" suspension for rider and pillion.
Takes about 8 weeks from when you ship your old saddle to getting it back.
I've done it twice now and as soon as I have £500 spare I'll be doing it again.
http://www.day-long.com (http://www.day-long.com)
It seems a hell of a lot of extra wad for a seat. Is it £500 better than the standard seat? I've previously had a custom seat manufactured from Tony Archer at Hddersfield, West Yorks, http://www.tonyarcher.co.uk/
He only charged me £70 quid and I couldn't fault the seat.