How does a passenger mount a motorcycle

This month, we focus on the best and proper ways to mount and dismount a motorcycle when a passenger is accompanying you. Whether your passenger is a first-time motorcycle rider or a seasoned rider, read below for some best practice tips for getting on and off a motorcycle.

Introduction: We have researched varying methods to accomplish this. The most popular seems to utilize left side mounting and dismounting with bike in vertical position. Rider mounts first, with bike in vertical position, handlebars straight, bike in neutral, front brake applied and both feet firmly planted on the ground.

Once set, have passenger put hands on your shoulders from the left side, place left foot on the floorboard or peg, lift themselves up, and slide their leg over the back seat and sit down with both feet on the boards. Con : Rider will need to lift bike into vertical position with both people mounted. Similar mounting process as described before, rider first then passenger, once both mounted rider lifts bike into vertical position then raises kick stand.

Tip : To make this lift easier try turning handlebars to the far right before lifting bike. Dismount is in reverse passenger first, then rider, remember to have bike resting on kick stand before anyone dismounting. If your foot slips or your ankle makes contact with these pipes, your joyride might be interrupted with a painful burn. With all these dangers, you need footwear that can protect your ankles and feet.

Boots are your best bet when you want to keep your feet and ankles safe either from the motorcycle or an accident. While there are specially made motorcycle boots you can buy, a pair of heavy work boots can be just as effective, as long as they cover your ankles.

A good boot should stay on securely and provide thick padding to your foot and ankle. If you're thrown off of a bike, the first thing you're going to do is put your hands forward to try to reduce the impact on the rest of your body. Putting your hands in front of you when you fall is instinctual, and as such, you need to protect your hands. Wearing protective gloves can take some of the damage off of your hands in an accident.

Get yourself a pair to wear while you're riding on a bike. When you're riding as a passenger in a heavy car with four wheels, your movements aren't going to do a lot to affect the vehicle's handling. However, since the average weight of a motorcycle is around pounds , a passenger's movements can affect the vehicle.

The two wheels of a bike, combined with the weight, means that passengers need to be mindful of how they're moving on the bike. The most important rule you should follow is to not shift or wiggle unexpectedly. Keep in mind that any movement you make is going to be a surprise to the driver. Surprise shifts or wiggling from the passenger can cause the driver to lose the bike's balance.

A loss of balance can make it hard for the driver to control the bike. This lack of control can sometimes even make the bike tip over, which could cause some serious injuries. While it's hard to sit still on a bike, especially on a long ride, it's important to reduce your need to move around while riding. When you first mount the motorcycle, take a moment to find a comfortable place to sit, where you won't feel the need to adjust every few minutes to get comfortable again.

Unlike a car, you need to be aware of what your body is doing during stops and turns. When you come to a stop, you might feel pulled to lean all your weight onto the driver's back.

However, the pressure of leaning so much weight onto the driver can cause the bike's balance to be thrown off, leading to a loss of control. Instead of leaning forward, you should lean back towards the bike's backrest. If you don't have a backrest, you can put your feet on the foot pedals to help you stabilize yourself and your weight, without having to rely on the driver.

For turns, you should try not to fight them. When a bike makes a turn, it will angle entirely to one side, which can cause inexperienced passengers to think they need to try to stay upright. The feeling of being so close to the ground while moving so fast can be hard to wrap your mind around, but you need to fight your instinct to maintain proper balance.

When the driver takes a turn, you shouldn't try to lean into the turn either. Instead, let your body be neutral, where you're not fighting or leaning into the turn. By staying neutral, you help the driver maintain control over the motorcycle, as they can predict how you're going to move each time they hit a turn. As you're riding, ensure you don't lean too much into one side of the bike, since it can upset the bike's balance.

Since the passenger's actions can affect the driver's control over the bike, you need to take an active role in ensuring that you're not doing anything to make the driver uncomfortable or hurt their ability to guide the motorcycle.

One of the ways you can be an active participant while riding is developing a way to communicate with the driver while you're both on the road. However, it's unlikely that you'll be able to hear each other on the highway. Since you can't talk, it's important to develop a way to communicate with each other. Many drivers and passenger duos will come up with some hand signals to communicate quickly while on the road. The signs usually signify information like telling the driver to go faster or slower or letting them know you need to stop or that you're okay.

If you really want to be able to communicate with the driver during the ride, you can set up Bluetooth communication devices that feature earphones and a mic. Another way you can be the best passenger possible is to be on the lookout for danger.

The driver has a lot of information to process while they're driving, so a second set of eyes is always helpful to point out hazards and other dangers. Possibly the best thing you can do is to discuss with the driver what you can do to be helpful. This way, you know that you aren't distracting them with information they don't need. Most importantly, remember to have fun.

Hitting the road on a motorcycle is a feeling like no other. As a passenger, you get to share that experience with the driver, so have fun with it! Take in the feeling of being on the road and the freedom it brings. Maybe even start thinking about getting a bike of your own. Our H-D certified coaches will provide drivers with expert advice and teach you essential rider safety skills in a classroom.

Additionally, you'll get hands-on experience, taking a motorcycle out on the practice range to learn breaking, turning and other maneuvers. Visit our Miami or South locations to enter our Learn to Ride program and get all the tools you need to drive a motorcycle with confidence.

Have any questions? Contact us today , and we'll be happy to give you more info about our Learn to Ride Programs and motorcycles. Our locations close. Peterson's Harley-Davidson South Peterson's Harley-Davidson of Miami Facebook Twitter. Sit Close to the Driver When you get on a motorcycle, don't be shy about getting close to the driver. Wear Appropriate Gear — Even as a Passenger Just because you're not driving the motorcycle doesn't mean you don't need to dress like the driver.

Below you can find all of the essential pieces of clothing to wear while on the road: 1. Helmet Of all the body parts you don't want to get injured, your head is likely at the top of the list.