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Iron Butt
Posts: 741
Central New York | I'm sure this is a lame question to some, but I'll ask anyway. Just bought my new vision. Haven't had it on the road yet, waiting for this global warming to ease here in the northeast. Anyway, just wondering how you folks load your passengers. All bike are configured and balance in different ways. I have had bikes so top heavy and/or with a crappy side stand, that you had to be on, upright, and steady before a passenger could board. Yet I had one that if the passenger didn't get on first it turned into a circus act. The vision, due to the large difference in seat height, looks to fall into the latter category. You know how it is when you can't ride and can only look out the window at the snow piles, you ponder weird things. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Great question glighto11. On the Vision, I step over the seat and saddle in first. I lift it off the kick and the wife unit, from the right side steps on the passenger floorboard, and then steps over seat with the left foot, naturally, and settles in. Then we are ready to roll. When we stop, I place the bike on the kick and step out, she then dismounts to the left side while the bike is on the kick. We have found this to be the easiest, and by far an easier to mount bike for her than the GoldWing. I always high step over the bike to saddle up and dismount, never do I swing my leg over. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 146
| Well, I have my 14 yo son riding with me most of the time and I personally mount up a little weird anyway.  Folks laugh at me cause I aint the tallest person around so I mount up from the right side of the bike (non-kickstand side). It just seems was easier for me and comes natural to me now. I the raise her up and stabilize and say something like "Mount Up" and my son then knows he can safely get on the bike. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| I always have my passengers mount from the left. If it is my wife who's habits I know I'll load with the bike either upright or on the side stand. If it is a new passenger the bike stays on the sidestand until they are sitting.
About the only quirk you need to be aware of is a tendency for passengers to kick the saddlebags as they step through the passenger saddle with their right foot. If you are NOT use to carrying passengers or if you are carrying someone new remember to inform them to sit like a bag of potato's without leaning. They should look over your shoulder (right or left) but not lean out. Once moving the Vision is very stable but she can be a handful at slower speeds if your passenger doesn't stay settled.
Oh and you may want to get a small thin pillow that can be used by the passenger the first ride or two. The Vision trunk backrest leans back towards the rear. My wife found it very annoying due to placing her tailbone as the pressure point on the seat. As the seat broke in more (time varies) she became comfy with the sitting arrangement and no longer needed the pillow. Some folks don't have this issue with tailbone pressure.
Anyhow hope this helps. Oh and put the windshield up for the passenger |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 742
North Orange County CA | My wife has Rheumatoid Arthritis so it tough for her to climb on board without a little help; so I leave the vision on its stand and let her climb on while I stand next to the bike to give her something else to stready herself with while shes doing it.
This method also seems to keep her from kicking the bags.
Since I'm 6'4 and the vision has such a low seat height its easy for me to swing the leg over and drop into the saddle even while she's already there. Then with a judicious application of leg and handlebar you can lever the bike upright. We always mount from the left and I have never done otherwise , but that's probably just a habit left over from skittish four footed conveyances. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | Either/or. One dealership showed me that you should have them use the driver floorboards to assist in getting on, then climbing up to the back seat. I can see where this would really help a shorter passenger. My gal usually gets on when I'm standing it upright because its easier for me to back out without her on it and I'm already sitting up ready to go at that point. If we don't have to backout, then I usually get on last. It makes a noticable difference to stand the bike up with a passenger on it for me but it doesn't add too much more effort. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1158
Richmond, Virginia | From a physics standpoint it would be unstable and unwise for a passenger to mount FIRST from the right side while the bike was on the side stand. I would never rely on using the bikes side stand as its only means of stability when someone is mounting the bike. Tip over protection or not, its just not safe. Add to that a passenger who may have been drinking, or is naturally unstable, and thinks that climbing onto a 1000 pound jungle gym with two wheels is "just a no brainer". Thats a sure way to dump a bike or equally as bad, get the bike scratched all to hell. Think of it this way, the moment that person feels instability under themselves they are gonna start reaching, grabbing, standing, and kicking anything within proximity to stabilize themselves, and your Vision will be the one to pay the price. The correct method for adding a passenger is always the same. Driver mounts first, centers the bike takes a wide foot stance, then he verbally invites the passenger to mount. Finally, communication is an awesome thing. Get your passenger well trained to understand that they do not mount or dismount until YOU have told them you are prepared for them to do so. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | Because I'm getting old and not tall, I get on first from the left side with the use of the rear floor board. Once the bike is upright and I'M READY then my wife will get on from the left side . Also, upright dismount is when I'M READY she gets off from on the left side. Once the bike is on the kick stand, I get off the left side. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Stockton, Ca. | As a habit I always get on first, offer a hand out and assist the wife as she climbs on. i always leave the kickstand down and let the bike rest while we get on or off. Once we are situated I pull the bike off the stand and off we go. It is much more stable than relying on my spindly legs. We are both small anyway, combined weight is about 300 pounds. We both enter and exit from the left... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 228
| +1....VaParadox This is exactly how anyone that rides with me is instructed to mount and dismount. |
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Tourer
Posts: 332
Dale, Indiana | My wife gets on first, then I.
Never thought about doing it any other way.
More then likely never will.
Why mess up what works just fine.
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| i get on first center the bike with the kickstand up and then let her know she can get on. this way i cant see it when che scrapes her foot on the seat or the paint. communication is important as VaParadox suggested but she has learned the hard way to not say "oh crap" when she does it. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Hartland, , WI | Ditto to what most have advised...can't imagine my wife getting on the bike first then me though!
Wife gets on from the left...I'm standing holding a running bike...level ground...no stones...hold the front brake so the bike doesn't move...she puts her left hand on my shoulder for balance...left foot on her floor board...steps up and swings her right leg through and sits down.
Plugs in her intercom and I wait for her to tell me all clear AND a tap on the back. I did educate her early that when we are stopped not to wiggle or fidget...I don't want to wrestle the extra weight while holding the bike too.
There is a guy called "fitty cent"...and then there is me and my 2 cents  |
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Cruiser
Posts: 85
| Interesting question and just as I have observed over my years of riding, everyone over time develops a system that suits them best. With all the input here I'm certain you'll develope a method that suits you best too. Good luck. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 173
Prescott Valley, AZ | I'm also a passenger first type. The wife had a knee replaced a couple years back and the replacement parts don't seem to work as well as OE. I'm only 5'9" and weigh in at 160 (on a good day) and I feel little to no difference in b bringing the bike up off the side stand if she is on or I'm alone. She and I both get on or off from the left side as the biks is a tad lower on that side when on the side stand. I'll get on from ther right side now and then (like when feuling up) but that is more of a lazy thing on my part as I'm already on that side. To each thier own, try then all and see what works for you. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 74
shakopee , Mn | A couple we ride with mount that way. Last Summer the bike wasn't level and rolled forward and tipped.
Result, she broke her shoulder 45 miles from Hospital and 4 days from home.
Cure would be to leave bike in gear. |
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