First pillion ride

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Tue 27 Mar 2007 00:33
First pillion ride - Clanger
Sunday, and it's time for young Rob to take his first ride as pillion. His brother and sisters have been but he hasn't. That's because they are at least 8 years older than he is. He was 10 in september. He's got a helmet the right size and he understands how to work the intercom. He's got some protective gear, his feet reach the pegs and he's been nagging me for months, every time the sun has shone since Christmas, in fact. We climb aboard the V-Strom and set off. 15 mph is too fast. No it isn't, can we go faster?. 25 mph is too fast. No it isn't, can we go faster? An so on in increments up to 45 mph. It's incredible, Dad, how fast you can go in an open space without straps or windows or anything. And how does the bike lean over without us falling off? We complete a 3-mile circuit. Wow, can we go round again?

The thing that spooked him most was going on a bridge over the A1 with 4 lanes of traffic belting along 30 feet below.

When we get back inside the house, the size of his grin makes it difficult to get his helmet off.

I'll have to take him out again, won't I?
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Mar 2007 00:44
First pillion ride - Westpig
another convert on the way then
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Mar 2007 10:36
First pillion ride - paulb {P}
Excellent. I shall be doing exactly the same with B Junior when he is old enough (only 15 months at the moment, but already making "brrrrrooommmmm" noises happily whenever a motorbike goes past - good, good).

I remember in about 1983 going out round the block on the back of my Dad's old 200cc Suzuki twin (no idea what exact model it was, I'm afraid - all I remember is that it was T-reg). Scary but very fun in equal measure. He traded it for a Honda CB250RS Deluxe not long after that and I rode all over the place on the back of that with him.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Mar 2007 11:02
First pillion ride - FotheringtonThomas
I remember being taken to school by my dad, on an AJS 500. No helmets. Nothing to hold onto 'cept 'round his middle. RAF small-kit bag swinging in the breeze.
Major attraction on arrival at school - aged... 7?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Mar 2007 11:24
First pillion ride - Round The Bend
My first pillion ride was my last. School exchange to France aged 14. Hopped on the back of pen friend's pop-pop and fell off fifty yards along the road. Not sure if it was the bump or the laughter of his mates but never been pillion since!
_______
IanS
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Mar 2007 11:29
First pillion ride - DP
Excellent stuff!

My two year old daughter runs up to my ZZR and cuddles it whenever she sees it. I sometimes sit her on the petrol tank and rev the engine and she squeals with excitement.

SWMBO disapproves immensely of course!

Cheers
DP

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Mar 2007 19:40
First pillion ride - Pugugly {P}
" the size of his grin makes it difficult to get his helmet off"

Oh yes a convert !

.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Mar 2007 19:43
First pillion ride - mss1tw
Remember my Dad picking me up from school on his DT125 a few times...wish it had been more often!

The amazement of riding a bike like I rode (I did motocross at the time) actually ON THE ROAD was fantastic :^D
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Mar 2007 20:50
First pillion ride - Lud
When I was a building labourer in Somerset - not for all that long - in my youth, there were bikers among my colleagues. One had a BSA Gold Star 500 which vibrated appallingly but went like a bat out of hell. He gave me a lift into Bath on it once, one of the most terrifying experiences of an often frightening life. The old A road from Radstock to Bath passed through two or three villages, then descended into Bath via a long straight which got steeper and steeper before a tight, and tightening, left-hand bend. When my fellow-labourer was braking for that bend, I started sliding up his back and thought I was going to go over the top and land in front of the bike. Earlier, when I looked over his shoulder, we had been going so fast that my eyelids started peeling off my eyeballs, and I had to root in my pocket for a pair of plastic shades to put on.

Radstock to Bath, about six miles, in four and a half minutes. No, I didn't believe it either. No helmets in those days what's more, let alone leathers.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Mar 2007 20:52
First pillion ride - mss1tw
Radstock to Bath, about six miles, in four and a half
minutes. No, I didn't believe it either. No helmets in those
days what's more, let alone leathers.


Christ! I only just managed a similar time on my bike (OK it's not a powerhouse but it's as fast as an Impreza until you're exceeding the speeds I was doing anyway...)
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 27 Mar 2007 22:57
First pillion ride - spikeyhead {p}
My first pillion ride was on the back of a mates Norton. He was an ex courier rider.

I ended up stood up on the pegs as he weaved through traffic I had to jiggle from side to side to avoid losing kneecaps. I was concentrating so hard on keeping my knees intact that I forgot to worry.
--
I read often, only post occasionally
Reply | Report as offensive | Link