So, my current wife wants to share my passion for the Blade... brilliant! it all started last year when I went for a blast - sorry trundle to sunny hunny with a mate on his Harley Fat Boy (inc screamin eagles pipes) and his beloved on the back - we had chips on the sea front and as my beloved was working that day made me promise to bring a stick of rock back... luckily I was wearing a ruck sack as theres not much storage on/in a Blade and I didn't want everyone thinking I was pleased to see them! I still have the rear pegs on as its a biggish job to remove from an ABS bike so today I've been up in the loft to retreve the pillion seat... now my beloved gets shall we say concerend when making progress in the car so whats gonna happen when she expiriences making progress on the finest super bike on the road? ! I guess I'm gonna go steady for the first trip or two but does anyone have any advice as I'm really not sure if i want my hobby to be shared? I was not an only child before you lot start on that line!
Be careful, I did the same then my misses decided the blade was to extreme so I had to buy a second bike.
My missus went on the back of mine for all of 30 seconds, and shouted "foooooookking heeeelllllllll" It did the trick, and she will never ask again. The bike is for me, and me only dudes.
Cheers bardo, I've got a winter hack - CBR600F 2000 and that does seems more suited to sedate pillion riding but I feel much more confident on the Blade, its smoother, better balenced, and more predictable etc..
It's horses for courses your wont enjoy one bit of it for the following reasons .(1) The bike is not built for this . (2) If you have never carried anyone on the back you would be always thinking about the next time you have to stop at a junction or traffic lights as the extra weight either pushing you forward or pulling you back on take off makes a big difference to how you ride the only slight benefit seems that fast corners or more stable .I know that some dudes on here may have better skills but for me it's a ball ache end of .Get them pegs off and take her out for a meal.
I quite like taking pillions out on my blade - it allows you to share the experience with someone else, plus with Bluetooth headsets it lets you communicate. Definitely take it steady if she's not been out before. We might get accustomed to the power of these bikes but its a shock for those that haven't experienced it Give her a little briefing so she knows not to panic as you lean around corners, move around excessively or continually headbutt you when you brake! The advice I'd give is watch the front end doesn't pick up on you when accelerating hard! It's amazing how easily it does with the added weight on the rear, so roll it on smoothly and lean forward. Try to keep the riding smooth and let your pillion get used to having to lean when cornering before you up the pace at all. Ideal pillion holding-on position is one hand around your waist and one on the tank to alleviate a bit of weight under braking, although both hands around your waist is fine, its just nicer if they dont flop onto you when you brake Crank up the rear preload a bit to compensate and consider lowering your lights to avoid blinding oncoming vehicles. Check tyre pressures are ok too. She'll be hooked I'd say! Taking her out now and then can't do much harm, can it? A nice run to the coast with the misses in the warmer months should be a laugh Sam
Em used to come on the back all the time if i hired a bike on Holidays… they where 125's or 250's though… the 750 virago didn't count as it was shit. She loved it then, no lid, bikini top and shorts and flip flops. Got her wet it did, that's the only good thing. Since we've had the kids, she thinks if anything happens, then they are without both parents… i understand that completely. It was only last year at the Egg Run that she thought she wanted to go on the back, as she was a tad jealous that there where some birds going on the back of bikes. As i said, 30 seconds caning the nuts of the blade put stop to that idea….LOL. The bike is the ONLY thing i have to myself, 100% mine. She has her make up, telly programmes and housey stuff, clothes and the like. I think slamming on for the roundabout, getting ready to crank it over and the nut job i had off her finished the job, and completed my dastardly plan.
Jeanette loves pillion. The problem is I get taps on the shoulder and "I'd have taken him there." And "Go on then, go on!". Since I got the blade though, she cannot manage to climb on it. Even when I pulled up aside the garden wall, giving her a good extra fot of clearance, no dice. If she had made it, chances are, she'd never have got off at the other end. Ho hum, just me on it then.
My wife rides pilion from time to time and I have to say it adds another dimension to your hobby. We are both mid forties and we berry the new blade, probably looks odd but got times can be had,
My ex used to come on the back of my Gixer and I hated it tbh. I like riding for many reasons and one of them is the solitude of it. Having someone talking to me just puts me right off and of course I have to take it easier, again, spoiling one of the other reasons I like to ride. I guess I am just selfish.....there I have said it !! There is little in life that I have to myself.....biking is mine all mine bwahaha Fortunately my current partner has no wish to get on the back of a bike ridden by me, she is so wise. I have also removed the pillion pegs, fitted the seat cowl and insured it for use without a pillion .....just in case. On a less selfish note, I did in the past sometimes enjoy taking girlfriends out on the back of a bike if it was merely as a form of transport ie a trip to the coast. To be honest though, I never liked the added responsibility and I was often on bikes that were in my opinion not very well suited for pillion riders.
A couple of things; Get a passenger belt, she will be far safer Motorcycle/Jet Ski Passenger Pillion Belt Love Handles: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike When my eldest son wanted to get on the back of my 600rr I started by doing 20mph in a 30, then 30 in a 30, 30 in a 40 etc,etc until he and i were comfortable with him on the back.
I don't mind taking a pillion, but no way on the blade. To me the pillion is up way too high and to be honest, that ain't no seat on the back of the blade, it's a gimmick. Take her out on the 600f, it's much more suitable than the blade.
I don't take pillions full stop, not only does it spoil my ride I don't like the responsibility of having that other person
No problem MR H, I bought a CBF 1000 to take the misses out on and she seems to like it and it lets me have my own time on the blade.
First off, congratulations on getting some sun in Hunstanton! (what year was it? ) Pillion pegs was the first thing I removed, I'm fortunate I guess? MrsB fully understands the motorcycle and the socialising that goes with it, is strictly my time, and at no time would she wish to encroach on my activity. She did once go pillion with me, I'd recently helped a local farmer plough his field with my cbr 600f, and lost my confidence in it, so I went to Fylde super bikes looking for a replacement, Gill jumped on the back of a thunder ace with me for a test ride, I left the showroom and at the first set of traffic lights i stopped, and she jumped off, said thank you very much I'll see you back at the show room
