Here it's called pillion; in US, b.....

[papa al]

How much more dangerous is it riding two-up vs. solo?

In city.

On hi way.

[papa al]

In USA, called the buddy seat.

Especially on Harleys.

[andreandre]

More dangerous for whom?

In the past it was often said that a pillion was more likely to be injured and or killed in a serious crash...i don't know if this is true or not..Its possible i figure.

As a basic answer to a basic question the way i interpret it is that if you have a competent pillion behind a competent rider it should be no more dangerous than solo riding.

Edited March 3, 2015 by andreandre

[Gonsalviz]

I don't find either more dangerous. If you don't have a passenger that tries to ride for you.

Kind of like a back seat driver but instead of talk, they shift their weight.

[NeverSure]

I've had first Hondas and then Harleys, belong to Harley forums and groups etc. and have never heard the term buddy seat in the US. It's a "passenger pillion" AFAIK.

As someone mentioned, all I ask of a passenger is to hold still and not help me ride. I countersteer to turn and that will pull the passenger around with the bike with no effort.

I've done competitions doing S turns through a series of cones, making U-turns and going back through them with a passenger. All I ask of the passenger is to sit still.

Cheers

[papa al]

Right... not buddy...

... some 5-letter word starting with a b?

[NeverSure]

Right... not buddy...

... some 5-letter word starting with a b?

I can't think of something with a b. Passenger pillion, back seat, rear seat are all I know. Here's a search on ebay US if you can reach it.

ebay

Edit. Listers on ebay often put all of the common names in the listing for search purposes, so this is a good look.

Edited March 3, 2015 by NeverSure

[Shurup]

When I ride with a b.. pillion behind, I tend to ride more cautions as I'm responsible for her life as well, so I say having a b... pillion is safer. For me anyway.

[NeverSure]

OK, I get it. I need to turn my humor detector on.

Yes there is a b seat, LOL.

[papa al]

Sometimes I feel all alone in the world.

[DualSportBiker]

Three of four of the biker funerals I attended in 2013 were for pillion passengers. The one solo rider was hit by a large tree uprooted in a storm.

I rarely have a pillion these days, but did ride slower to compensate for extra weight, although the Mrs was prone to sleep below 120...

[andreandre]

Sometimes I feel all alone in the world.

Let me see now...this question was not intended to be answered or what?..

How much more dangerous is it riding two-up vs. solo?

In city.

On hi way.

You were just having a word play on the headline??

[guzzi850m2]

A passenger increases the total weight significantly, well depending of the passenger weight obviously, a small Thai lady is okay but a fat +100kg farang not so good.

This will increase brake distances and acceleration will be slower too.

Huge impact on our Scoopy but not so much on a big bike.

My wife has sometimes been the rider and me the passenger if I had too much too drink, she don't like it and I fell the same, she is not really in control of the scooter I can fell.

I prefer riding solo and since my son was born my wife will never go with me on the big bike again.

[andreandre]

Sometimes I feel all alone in the world.

Understandable..life can be a real bitch at times..

[Shurup]

This will increase brake distances and acceleration will be slower too.

Yes but with more weight on the back, the rear tire will have more grip as well as the front tire in the breaking situation so more pressure can be applied to the breaks without a fear of looking up the wheel.

[guzzi850m2]

This will increase brake distances and acceleration will be slower too.

Yes but with more weight on the back, the rear tire will have more grip as well as the front tire in the breaking situation so more pressure can be applied to the breaks without a fear of looking up the wheel.

Very true but the stopping distances will still be increased.

Edited March 4, 2015 by guzzi850m2

[mikebike]

This will increase brake distances and acceleration will be slower too.

Yes but with more weight on the back, the rear tire will have more grip as well as the front tire in the breaking situation so more pressure can be applied to the breaks without a fear of looking up the wheel.

Very true but the stopping distances will still be increased.

And you'll have a whole lotta passenger squishing you towards the bars if they are not experienced...

Had a girl on the back years ago who insisted we do a wheelie - she was a rider, her brothers were riders - she said she was ready... as soon as the front wheel lifts to about 45° her hand moves off my waist and grabs my throttle arm... hilarity ensued!!

[RubberSideDown]

Low-speed maneuvers can be more tricky with the extra weight, and a nervous, squirming passenger can be a problem, but other than allowing yourself a little extra stopping distance it's not a big deal.

I don't particularly like taking a passenger (and, like guzzi850m2, my wife won't ride since the birth of our daughter, which is fair enough) as it's a big responsibility and it's always on my mind while riding two-up, and it's usually tough finding proper gear for them. I've actually never had the rear seat cowl off my current bike, though I used to ride with a passenger all the time.