I'm guessing you mean as you come to a stop? Is she moving around any while you are moving? Are you able to flatfoot when you come to a stop? If she needs to adjust her position, its best to do this while you have solid footing while stopped or while you are at speed, her moving at low speeds, under 10-15 mph can shift the bike very easily, throwing you off balance.
Riding with passenger
I've been riding off and on for a number of years but can't say I have a "lot" of experience. I just got a new 2013 Voyager, the largest bike I've ever owned. I do OK riding by myself but when mama is on the back, I feel like I'm getting close to dropping it. I'd hate to do that. Any tips or advice is really welcomed.
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Thanks Rick. Yes, I mean when coming to a stop. I am able to flatfoot but barely. I don't have a problem when under way.
Rick is spot on.
I tell my wife that she can dance a jig on the back seat if I'm going more than 30mph; but she needs to keep her weight centered when were below 20.
Take your time at stops and in parking lots so that you can really pay attention to road surfaces and people around you.
I can NOT flat foot the bike. If I need to make a split decision quick stop I better know if my foot is going to land on gravel.
It takes a little time to adjust but it will become second nature.
Scott
I tell my wife that she can dance a jig on the back seat if I'm going more than 30mph; but she needs to keep her weight centered when were below 20.
Take your time at stops and in parking lots so that you can really pay attention to road surfaces and people around you.
I can NOT flat foot the bike. If I need to make a split decision quick stop I better know if my foot is going to land on gravel.
It takes a little time to adjust but it will become second nature.
Scott
I am going to have a passenger this year for the first time in my 8 years of riding. Any tips would also be appreciated by me. Thank you
Besides what was mentioned above, allow more time to get up to speed and more distance for braking. Going into curves easier if your are an aggressive rider, the bike will set lower and drag sooner, mufflers may even drag. Set your preload up a notch air 2, or add 5lbs or so of air to the shocks to compensate for the extra weight helps prevent early scraping. Scraping may not be a big deal to you, but if passenger is startled by it, they may jurk their weight throwing you off your course and may never ride agian. If they have never rode before plan a couple short rides at lower speeds to see how they react. A sissy bar or trunk with pad is almost a must as well as a good seat for them. You see all this talk of replacement seats for the driver, but the passenger seat is even worse in most cases.I am going to have a passenger this year for the first time in my 8 years of riding. Any tips would also be appreciated by me. Thank you
^That's gospel! If you want the lady to be happy and enjoy the ride, spend every penny you can to insure her butt comfortable.
I have my eye on a Mustang seat, but they are pricey for a new one and have been unable to find a used one. I do already have the sissy bar. I am not one to scrape pegs so that should not be a problem there. I have been thinking about taking a MSF course to learn how to ride with a passenger, but the closest class to me is not till August.^That's gospel! If you want the lady to be happy and enjoy the ride, spend every penny you can to insure her butt comfortable.
Worth. Every. Penny.I have my eye on a Mustang seat, but they are pricey for a new one and have been unable to find a used one.
Should I get a Mustang seat with or without a backrest? I have lower back problems in the L4-L5/S1 region and would like some support there. My previous bike was a standard so I leaned forward a bit to take pressure off my spine, but it still hurt. The 900 is my first cruiser so trying to figure out what to do for comfort.
Glenn54. Sounds like you have the same vertically challenging issue I have. It can be pretty unsettling especially if you’re riding 2 up, when you put your foot down while coming to a stop and it seems like you’re never going to hit ground. One thing I did was bite the bullet and went out and bought a good pair of riding boots with a good size heel. It has made a difference. I'm also considering a rear shock lowering kit. I saw a post on another site I belong to, where a Kawasaki shop out in MN is making what appears to be a nice lowering kit. Here's the link if you want to check it out.
http://www.vulcanbagger.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39768
boy welder2000. Your right the Mustang seats are pricey. I've had them on my last to bikes and loved them. Made for a nicer ride for me. However some don't care for them. As far as the backrest, you'll probably appreciate the extra support.
http://www.vulcanbagger.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39768
boy welder2000. Your right the Mustang seats are pricey. I've had them on my last to bikes and loved them. Made for a nicer ride for me. However some don't care for them. As far as the backrest, you'll probably appreciate the extra support.
One thing I have noticed with the Voyager is that when I am riding 2-Up, its not so much my passenger that causes issues, but the passenger floor boards. A passenger you can educate on what and when can do anything back there. The floor boards is a rider education/adjustment issue.
If my son is using the extended Marvella's foot rests, he has learned that he has to bring his feet on the floor boards when I come to a stop - otherwise his feet interfere with my legs getting my feet squarely under us . . . It took a bit of coaching through the intercom and me saying "Feet, Feet" as I come to a stop, but he got this lesson down now. So now the issues is, at 15, my son wears a size 13 . . . In a normal seated position, his toes hand off the frons of the boards about 2-3 inches . . . now he has been instructed to pull them back so they don't get in the way of my legs.
With the properly educated passenger, I still have issues with the boards running over my calves. On slow roll stops, you have to train yourself not to put your feet down until you are almost completely stopped . . . No bouncy landings for the feet or the boards run them over and take them out . . . On start up, feet need to come straight up and on your boards or again risk being taken out by the rear boards . . .
To train myself, I practice riding with the rear boards down even when my son is not riding with me . . . Particularly if I have a trip with him on the horizon. I also have found that planting my feet in a wider stance when the rear boards are down helps out - but my 32 inch inseam doesn't give me a lot of room for adjustment in this area . . .
If my son is using the extended Marvella's foot rests, he has learned that he has to bring his feet on the floor boards when I come to a stop - otherwise his feet interfere with my legs getting my feet squarely under us . . . It took a bit of coaching through the intercom and me saying "Feet, Feet" as I come to a stop, but he got this lesson down now. So now the issues is, at 15, my son wears a size 13 . . . In a normal seated position, his toes hand off the frons of the boards about 2-3 inches . . . now he has been instructed to pull them back so they don't get in the way of my legs.
With the properly educated passenger, I still have issues with the boards running over my calves. On slow roll stops, you have to train yourself not to put your feet down until you are almost completely stopped . . . No bouncy landings for the feet or the boards run them over and take them out . . . On start up, feet need to come straight up and on your boards or again risk being taken out by the rear boards . . .
To train myself, I practice riding with the rear boards down even when my son is not riding with me . . . Particularly if I have a trip with him on the horizon. I also have found that planting my feet in a wider stance when the rear boards are down helps out - but my 32 inch inseam doesn't give me a lot of room for adjustment in this area . . .
My wifes feet don't get in the way most of the time. Occasionally I get a boot in the calf at a stop but I do have to ask her to raise the boards if I'm backing it up.
The 2012 Ultra limited that I tested before buying the VV was MUCH WORSE. Even folded up the bracket hit me in the calfs at a stop.
Scott
The 2012 Ultra limited that I tested before buying the VV was MUCH WORSE. Even folded up the bracket hit me in the calfs at a stop.
Scott
Welderboy, lots of back problems can be solved by changing the position of the handlebars, installing risers or new bars altogether. Cheaper than a new seat. Lowering kit will help with the altitude problem but make sure your suspension is stiff enough to keep the fender off the rear tire with a load on it.
Risers maybe on the list, but not until I get some more miles under my belt. This is my first cruiser and I am not 100% sure how I should sit when going down the road. I already know the seat is not good after only 20 miles of riding. Height is not an issue as I have a 34" inseam and have no problem flat footing the bike. I haven't checked where the rear suspension is set at, but I will move it to the top when I go 2-up.Welderboy, lots of back problems can be solved by changing the position of the handlebars, installing risers or new bars altogether. Cheaper than a new seat. Lowering kit will help with the altitude problem but make sure your suspension is stiff enough to keep the fender off the rear tire with a load on it.
I've thought about the boots and will probably get some soon. I'm not sure about a lowering kit. I'd want to know all the pros and cons from someone who has installed one on a Voyager 1700. Thanks for the suggestions.Glenn54. Sounds like you have the same vertically challenging issue I have. It can be pretty unsettling especially if you’re riding 2 up, when you put your foot down while coming to a stop and it seems like you’re never going to hit ground. One thing I did was bite the bullet and went out and bought a good pair of riding boots with a good size heel. It has made a difference. I'm also considering a rear shock lowering kit. I saw a post on another site I belong to, where a Kawasaki shop out in MN is making what appears to be a nice lowering kit. Here's the link if you want to check it out.
http://www.vulcanbagger.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39768
I have similar L5-S1 problems. I went to the Mustang seat and if you sit upright and all the way back against the seat back there is some support. the support is fairly low but it tends to take the pressure off my lower back just enough to make it pretty comfortable for long rides and my back doesn't bother me. I had to get pullback handle bar risers to adjust the reach but overall it works. The seat is much more comfortable overall compared to the stock seat on a 2009 VN900. That thing killed my back and I always found myself slid up towards the tank. As a lanky guy I needed to be able to stretch out.Should I get a Mustang seat with or without a backrest? I have lower back problems in the L4-L5/S1 region and would like some support there. My previous bike was a standard so I leaned forward a bit to take pressure off my spine, but it still hurt. The 900 is my first cruiser so trying to figure out what to do for comfort.
It's pretty easy to wear the lean indicators off at the stock height.I've thought about the boots and will probably get some soon. I'm not sure about a lowering kit. I'd want to know all the pros and cons from someone who has installed one on a Voyager 1700. Thanks for the suggestions.
Lowering the bike will make her scrape in the corners a lot sooner.
Scott
If I remember correctly there are 7 position settings on the 900 classic shock. I have mine set at 6 and leave it there. Ride 2up with the wife 90% 0f the time. Its fine for me when solo as well in that position. The seat makes all the difference in the world. I went with the Ultimate Seat. Best mod I have done so far, although very expensive for the seat and sissy bar pad combined. BUT no regrets from either of us. I moved up from the Mustang Wide Tourer which was ok, but not as good as it could be for us both having major back issues. You can usually "eventually" find a used Mustang seat on ebay at a decent price. That's where mine went when I changed up. I also added risers and 8" mini apes, that was also a great improvement in posture and all day riding comfort. The stock bars had me leaning forward too much, had bad neck pain eventually. I now sit almost upright comfortably. Good luck!Risers maybe on the list, but not until I get some more miles under my belt. This is my first cruiser and I am not 100% sure how I should sit when going down the road. I already know the seat is not good after only 20 miles of riding. Height is not an issue as I have a 34" inseam and have no problem flat footing the bike. I haven't checked where the rear suspension is set at, but I will move it to the top when I go 2-up.
Thank you for this info. It might be awhile before I go 2-up though. My girlfriend tore her rotator cuff and is going to be out of commission for roughly 12 weeks. Also, based on what you said about the seat, I should skip the Mustang and go for the Ultimate. I had a lead on one on Craigslist, but the guy replied to my first email, but not my second email. Oh well.If I remember correctly there are 7 position settings on the 900 classic shock. I have mine set at 6 and leave it there. Ride 2up with the wife 90% 0f the time. Its fine for me when solo as well in that position. The seat makes all the difference in the world. I went with the Ultimate Seat. Best mod I have done so far, although very expensive for the seat and sissy bar pad combined. BUT no regrets from either of us. I moved up from the Mustang Wide Tourer which was ok, but not as good as it could be for us both having major back issues. You can usually "eventually" find a used Mustang seat on ebay at a decent price. That's where mine went when I changed up. I also added risers and 8" mini apes, that was also a great improvement in posture and all day riding comfort. The stock bars had me leaning forward too much, had bad neck pain eventually. I now sit almost upright comfortably. Good luck!
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