Riding 2-up

[foobert]

So, I'm taking my wife on the bike for a little weekend anniversary getaway. First time time riding 2-up for me. She hasn't been on moto since riding with her dad as a kid, but, she's keen on this trip.  

This is what I've got figured out thus far:

1) Bump preload/dampening
2) Slide the air-hawk seat pad back to the pillion location
3) Back-rest installed on the top case
4) She's kitted out with all the gear head to toe
5) Plan on stopping more frequently


So, any pointers you might offer for riding 2-up, either as the rider or as a passenger?

Thanks!

[Justin]

Only thing I can suggest is talk to her about being a good pillion. First and foremost, till her to site still and straight. A good pillions weight does not move and shift. When you turn and lean, she needs to stay straight and not try to lean the other way etc.

[R1rider]

make sure to break her in gently with the throttle(speed)...    until she get's used to the bike, anyway.    


i learned that lesson the hard way.  


ride safe and have a good trip.

[Justin]

make sure to break her in gently with the throttle(speed)...    until she get's used to the bike, anyway.    


i learned that lesson the hard way.  


ride safe and have a good trip.

OH! Was that your g/f that I had to swerve around in the middle of the road?

[Thor]

Remember that a little bit of lean for you will feel like a lot for her.

Start with the basic stuff:  When to get on and get off (on signal), don't put your feet down, lean with the rider, etc...

One thing that some people do when the get scared is close their eyes.  When you close your eyes on a motorcycle you have a natural tendency to sit straight up and down.  Have signals for her to communicate with you and if she gets scared have her look at the back of your helmet.

Lee Parks has a section on passengers in his book, "Total Control".  I haven't read it in a while, but it might be worth taking a peak.

[Blunder]

First time time riding 2-up for me.

The first time you've ever had a passenger?  Try a few short trips together first so you become accustomed to it before you head out on an extended journey.

[chornbe]

The first time you've ever had a passenger?  Try a few short trips together first so you become accustomed to it before you head out on an extended journey.

+1

Even some local neighborhood stuff at least. The biggest thing will be leaning into turns at real road speeds... for both of you.

I tell new passengers to just "be part of the bike. keep you back against the back rest and don't try to lean either way. Just keep your back there and I'll do the work." They seem to get that a lot easier than a bunch of technical discussion or "do this then, then do that then, then do this when I do that" kind of stuff.

K.I.S.S.

[Rincewind]

Only thing I can suggest is talk to her about being a good pillion. First and foremost, till her to site still and straight. A good pillions weight does not move and shift. When you turn and lean, she needs to stay straight and not try to lean the other way etc.

I always say to pillions - if you want to look over my shoulder in turns, look over the INSIDE shoulder, NOT the outside.

And yeah, make sure she communicates when she needs to move around, dismount, etc, or you could easily be caught out of balance.

[Rincewind]

I tell new passengers to just "be part of the bike. keep you back against the back rest and don't try to lean either way. Just keep your back there and I'll do the work."

Yep - "Be a sack of potatoes" is what I've said.

[county]

My Blackbird owners manual has a short section on carrying a passenger.  Good info.

[leveredge]

Yep - "Be a sack of potatoes" is what I've said.

My wife is learning to ride her own bike. 'Sack of pototoes" days are over now.  LOL.
Have her alternate getting off both sides of the bike and have a signal which side YOU want her to depart. It sound simple but it can come in real handy on a side hill on a gravel road with traffic in VT.!

[DmCole]

I would not plan on traveling to far as it will not be pleasant for either of you.
Plan on short rides/destinations at first no more than 2-3 hrs, with extended time off the bike.
Also carry Advil/something for discomfort(don't be afraid to use it)

Good Luck

[Castertroy]

LISTEN TO THEM!!


My wife was ALL IN when I got the RT...prior to that, on the R1 she swore off riding period until I got something decent.

THEN....I decided to take her 2 hrs north to a really neat place on the parkway...about an hour into it she was cold....we regeared, then 30 minutes further, she was hot....then cold...then she was just downright tired.

We were less than 30 minutes away when she whined enough to piss me off and we turned around.

She then admitted she will NEVER be the Pillion she or I THOUGHT she would be


Shoulda got the daggone police RTP instead  

[foobert]

Awesome advice, all of it.

Mount-dismount: we worked that out in the garage while test fitting, but, a gentle reminder when stopping the first few times -- check!

I tried to get a few short trips in before this weekend, but, what with using up all our babysitting resources for this weekend, it just didn't happen. So, I'm thinking of making a few short trips while casually motivating towards our destination.  Surface streets and a brief easy freeway stretch and then stop for coffee after 15-20 minutes in the saddle. Then grab lunch lunch a bit further down the road. If it doesn't seam like its working out, then we can head back and grab the cage.  We've got all day to do a 171 miles, 1/3 of which is freeway.

"sack of potatoes" and "part of the bike" -- good tips. Agreed, K.I.S.S. is best.

"easy on the throttle, speeds and leans" --CHECK!  Learned that one the hard way the first time I took her out on the sport quad. What was a fun pace for me was scary for her. Of course, she didn't bother to tell me this until the ride was over.  I'll have to remind her that I can't read minds and please speak up -- she's not gonna bruise my ego


Thank you all!

[braindead]

I always tell new passengers to grab hold of me, and glue themselves to my back.  If they want to switch looking over shoulders, do so when we're going straight.  And don't move around during slow speeds... a lot of times they'll think it's okay, but that's the worst time.

It helps that I'm pretty large, and generally my passengers are around 1/2 my weight or perhaps a bit over 1/2.  If there is a large disparity of body weight (or she's got huge knockers ;-)... it'll be more mass to your mass..

Braking will take longer, if possible teach her to reach around and brace herself on your gas tank when stopping.

+1000 on what everyone else said as well.  

[Lon]

Remember that a little bit of lean for you will feel like a lot for her.

Until she gets used to it.  Then you can corner a bit faster than you might otherwise have imagined, as you can both hang off on the inside...

...or, so I've heard.

[Rusty the Scoob]

It sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on it.  The scariest part is that you have a fairly good-sized trip planned, even with a pretty good plan in place.

My pillion is 5'7" and about 145, so she has a HUGE affect on the little SV650 especially since I'm not much bigger than that myself.  So I'm approaching the process almost as if I was learning to ride all over again.  On the very first ride she decided to totally shift her weight around during a 15 mph left-hand city streets turn.   Yikes!   As it is, I feel the bike squirm around a little even if she reaches up a hand to adjust her visor when we're going in a straight line.  No big deal, but I sure wasn't expecting it.

Things I've noticed - it's harder on me physically... since I'm worried about her back there I'm less able to do the proper things like keeping my weight off my wrists.   Also she sometimes slides forward on stops... bit of a nut-cruncher.  Beware of downhill stops especially with bumps.  

Obviously beware that your bike will handle differently, brake slower, be heavy in the rear, be top heavy.  Stopping at lights will take more balancing and more strength to balance.  

What was said about leaning above is true.  I was careful to keep my leans to a minimum and she still felt nervous at times, even though she's usually quite brave.

Still, I've successfully had her out for about an hour or two and she likes it.

[Rincewind]

 

reach around  

+1 on reach arounds .  

[Blunder]

I don't think anyone's mentioned it yet, but it's very bad form for the passenger to put his/her feet on the ground when waiting at a red light.  Feet on the pegs at all times.

[chornbe]

I don't think anyone's mentioned it yet, but it's very bad form for the passenger to put his/her feet on the ground when waiting at a red light.  Feet on the pegs at all times.

+1

Seems obvious, but easily overlooked. I'm surprised none of us mentioned it.





Thanks a lot for shaming us all. Nice... Thanks.    

[shesmyjewel]

I don't think anyone's mentioned it yet, but it's very bad form for the passenger to put his/her feet on the ground when waiting at a red light.  Feet on the pegs at all times.

+++1 no doubt

Generally i don't like running 2 up. I do, but I don't really like riding a passenger. my GF has a tendency to anticipate corners and turns and thinks she has to lean her body/shift weight.
I tell her all the time to just sit back there and relax and keep her shoulders square with mine and let me steer the bike. she's got this idea somewhere that she's helping to steer the bike.
PITFA because I can feel her leaning before I pick my line for a curve. It only took me about 40 rides to teach her to squeeze the knees when I'm braking or we're heading down a steep incline.
When I first started riding 2 up with her she would lean into my back pushing my arms into the handlebars and causing quite the distress on my wrists + difficulty handling the bike.
I can feel it in the bike when she scratches her nose. the other thing I don't like is that she's very jumpy and has these fright convulsions if I brake quickly or make any quick move at all, or Mr. Squirrel bolts out on the road + she sees it.

Too much sh*t going on back there that I have no control of.

[chornbe]

+++1 no doubt

I'm bored and going to parse this.

Let's set some constant values:
no doubt = Gwen Stefani =  
( ) = null, which, numerically we'll assign zero.

First, as a post incrementer...

+++1 = ( )++ +1

So, 0++ = 1
1+1 = 2
2 * Gwen Stefani = double the love.


Next, as a pre-incrementer...

+++1 = ( ) + ++1

So, ++1 = 2
0 + 2 = 2
2 * Gwen Stefani = double the love.


Math proves that shesmyjewel has double hots for Gwen Stefani.

Awesome.

[1KPerDay]

Practice being very smooth on the throttle and shifting. Try to over exaggerate the smoothness. She'll thank you.

And get a backrest or topcase.

Tell her to either sit up straight in the seat (relative to the bike) and look over your inside shoulder through the turns. Don't lean away from the turn.

[highside]

Make sure to get some practice in BEFORE you go on this weekend trip. Not just for her, but for you. Riding with a passenger and a fully laden bike on  trip is VERY different than normal riding, and if you are both doing it for the first time you might find that you set yourself up for longer days in the seat than either of you wanted, which can result in a miserable time, which means she wont ever do it with you again.

It can also be risky since without practice you wont know the performance limitations of your machine. This much extra weight can have a drastic impact on the handling of your bike and you need to know how to deal with it before you encounter a patch of loose gravel at the apex of a turn after an exhausting 400 mile day and an extra 180 pounds of luggage and passenger on the back seat.

[shesmyjewel]

Math proves that shesmyjewel has double hots for Gwen Stefani.

damn straight not an argument from me on that one!!!

[sammyseaman]

This just seems like all kinda bad  
A really good pillion with experience can make it feel like riding solo. An inexperienced pillion can make for an exhausting journey. Just sayin'

[birdrunner]

I always tell new passengers to grab hold of me, and glue themselves to my back.  If they want to switch looking over shoulders, do so when we're going straight.  And don't move around during slow speeds... a lot of times they'll think it's okay, but that's the worst time.

It helps that I'm pretty large, and generally my passengers are around 1/2 my weight or perhaps a bit over 1/2.  If there is a large disparity of body weight (or she's got huge knockers ;-)... it'll be more mass to your mass..

Braking will take longer, if possible teach her to reach around and brace herself on your gas tank when stopping.

+1000 on what everyone else said as well.  

+1

The most likely time for an incident is getting on or off the bike, and in the parking lot.

Good on you for getting her good gear,  I've had a small drop in a parking lot that would have scraped some of her skin, but instead, my wife just laughed at me, got up, and helped right the bike.

Rather than my passenger sit straight up, I much prefer they hang on to me, tightly in corners, until they get the knack of how the leaning goes.  That way they lean just enough that I don't notice their weight fighting to go straight.  Using this technique, I have kept pace (and passed) may of my fellow sport riders who we not "burdened" by a passenger.  

Target fixation will affect handling,  remind her to look where we're going, not where we don't want to go, it will make things easier and smoother.

Be aware, that many passenger find the drone of freeway riding either very boring or relaxing, and may nod off........... seriously, my wife fell asleep at 100 mph. .

Done correctly, and on a properly set up bike, a pillion doesn't have to slow you down.   I remember giving my 180 lb teenage son a ride, and not even really noticing him, where my much lighter wife was at first a real drag.

Traveling together is great,  remember, for your wife, the thrill is probably being away from the kids for a while,  so make sure you both have a great time.

[Tyrroneous]

My wife and I have had some nice trips 2-up on the VFR.  I'm surprised to hear all the folks that hate it.  Granted, it is more work than riding solo, but it can still be a pleasant time with your SO.  

As has been mentioned before, have her look over your inside shoulder in turns, tell her to wait until you signal that it is okay for her to get on and off the bike, and try to be extra smooth with all inputs.

What hasn't been mentioned before is that when braking she should brace herself by putting her hands on the gas tank.  That will keep her secure and prevent her from sliding into your back every time you slow down.  Oh, and you may need to take more riding breaks than normal.  

I hope y'all have a good trip!

[Lawn Dart]

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,2638.0.html

[Jes_VFR]

Only thing I can suggest is talk to her about being a good pillion. First and foremost, till her to site still and straight. A good pillions weight does not move and shift. When you turn and lean, she needs to stay straight and not try to lean the other way etc.

I'd suggest a couple of short hops on some local curved roads, so she can get sorted out.
I would not tell her to sit still though, tell her to plant her but on the seat and always look over the shoulder on the inside of the turn (so over your right shoulder in a right turn).
A good pillion leans with the rider, like a shadow.
They are not fighting you, nor even adding a noticeable amount to your riding effort.

[Peter_MA]

What everbody said...

You also mentioned fitting the backrest on the topcase. I had to remove the one on mine (after drilling two holes to fit it  ) because it pushed my wife too far forward. With the back padding in her jacket it proved to be too much.

[blueridgerider]

What everbody said...

You also mentioned fitting the backrest on the topcase. I had to remove the one on mine (after drilling two holes to fit it  ) because it pushed my wife too far forward. With the back padding in her jacket it proved to be too much.

+1

And just one of the reasons you need to do a decent length test ride.  I had to remove and drill holes for the back rest farther back than the company had because it was too close.

Since my wife and I are both short and I ride a tall bike I used to pull close to a curve for her to get on and off - we don't do that now, but it worked for us when we were getting used to the new bike.

[mjrfd99]

Do what I do w/my SO---  give a big glass of shut the f up 1st

[foobert]

Thanks BMW-K for the pointer to your (not-so brief  ) compendium that I now see is pinned in the Beginners Garage -- should have looked there first!  Although I don't think of myself as a beginner with >10yrs experience, this 2-up riding certainly knocks me back to "beginner" status again  

Also, thanks for the notes about positive experiences folks have had -- it's nice to hear the other side too

One thing I'm having trouble understanding after all this reading (including the MSF tip sheet) -- why all the fuss about the pillion getting on the bike last, and off the bike first?  

With level ground (and I realize it isn't always available, so this is a self defeating argument), what seams to work for us is to have her get on the bike while it's still on the side stand with me holding the bars for additional support just in case.  Then I can hop on and bring it off the stand when I'm good and ready.  I can see how this wouldn't work on all bikes, but, it seams perfectly stable on the F800.  Thoughts?

[sammyseaman]

One thing I'm having trouble understanding after all this reading (including the MSF tip sheet) -- why all the fuss about the pillion getting on the bike last, and off the bike first?  

  Thoughts?

 

[shesmyjewel]

One thing I'm having trouble understanding after all this reading (including the MSF tip sheet) -- why all the fuss about the pillion getting on the bike last, and off the bike first?  

 

yeah me too........

[Justin]

make sure to break her in gently with the throttle(speed)...    until she get's used to the bike, anyway.    


i learned that lesson the hard way.  

Riding 2-up is the only time I use the VDMS (Variable drive mode selection) on the Busa lol. Mode "C" really reduces the throttle response and power so she doesn't get as scared by abrupt acceleration

[Rincewind]

Sometimes, if the bike is on the center stand, I will let the pillion get on first.  But if the bike is on its sidestand, it is a recipe for disaster as most pillions don't realize how easy it is to stand a bike up, and that is one step away from the bike falling over to the right.  This is a popular thing to happen if you are stopped on the side of the road, where there is a small slope and the bike is standing more upright -- happened to my folks on their Gold Wing, and it's no fun.  Or, if you are not covering the front brake (which is unlikely as you are probably on the left), and the bike is in neutral, it would be easy for it to roll a bit, which could cause a number of bad things to happen.

[rgbeard]

what seams seems to work for us is to have her get on the bike while it's still on the side stand with me holding the bars for additional support just in case.  Then I can hop on and bring it off the stand when I'm good and ready.  I can see how this wouldn't work on all bikes, but, it seams perfectly stable on the F800.  Thoughts?

OMG  

[foobert]

OK, that's a fair point that I didn't make clear. I'm standing on the *right* side of the bike. I'm not worried about it going over to the left with the stand down, unless it rolls forward, which, is easy enough to prevent by holding the front brake.  But, again, this is all presupposes level ground.  

I guess judging by the "crazy" comments, this is all highly unorthodox and I'm challenging the established procedure...  

Clearly I need to be practiced at pillion mount/dismount while I'm already on the bike for times when level ground isn't around.

[sammyseaman]

OK, that's a fair point that I didn't make clear. I'm standing on the *right* side of the bike. I'm not worried about it going over to the left with the stand down, unless it rolls forward, which, is easy enough to prevent by holding the front brake.  But, again, this is all presupposes level ground.  

I guess judging by the "crazy" comments, this is all highly unorthodox and I'm challenging the established procedure...  

Clearly I need to be practiced at pillion mount/dismount while I'm already on the bike for times when level ground isn't around.

You are a rebel my friend  
Gonna state the obvious here, it seems to me you two should probably practice riding 2-up for a while before going on a long ride.

[Rincewind]

It's not that unorthodox - I see people do it plenty often - but that doesn't mean it's advisable.

[foobert]

You are a rebel my friend  

Well, of course! I ride a motorbike -- how much more evidence do you need?!?  

But, to be called a rebel by a fellow rider, I'll wear that as a badge of honor  

In all seriousness, I shall reconsider this approach and work on the more accepted method...

[KenH]

Keep the speeds low. Slow down some more. Then slow down. Once the two of you click in a manner that brings comfortable cornering and braking, a little faster will be okay. Repeated banging on the side of your helmet means, "SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!"

[birdrunner]

Keep the speeds low. Slow down some more. Then slow down. Once the two of you click in a manner that brings comfortable cornering and braking, a little faster will be okay. Repeated banging on the side of your helmet means, "SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!"

for a quieter ride,  ACCELERATE until the screaming stops

[axelwik]

Here's what I always tell my passengers:

1) Keep your feet on the pegs when we stop, and no monkey-business when we're going slow or stopped... let me control the bike.
2) The bike will lean because that's how bikes turn... just like an airplane.
3) When we're turning left, look over my left shoulder, when we're turning right, look over my right shoulder.
4) Poke me in the ribs or give me a hand signal if I'm going too fast for your comfort, or you need a break.
5) Be one with the bike and enjoy the ride.

[Echo3Niner]

So, I ride 2 up almost all the time. My wife rides pillion some, but my daughter (15) rides pillion almost all the time with me. We ride with a sportbike club every Monday night, weather permitting, and we ride pretty hard when we do.

First, I'll assume you know how to set your sag, if not look it up, it's easy and all about pre-load. At anyrate, I've set mine to the harshest or smallest sag that is within limits, as I almost always have a pillion rider. That has made a huge difference in handling, much more stable in corners specifically.

Second, my daughter uses the grab handles while we are just tooling along, which is better for me. But when we ride hard, she holds around my waist, because she feels more secure that way. The grab rails are better for me though, because she stays off me more. When ridding hard, your pillion will often slide forward (breaking into the corner) and put much more weight on your arms, so be careful.

My recommendation would be to try to get her to use the grab handles, if she's at all comfortable with them; and to learn to arch her back to try to keep from leaning on you so much during braking.

Also, I have very basic rules; get on and off ONLY when I've given the thumbs up to do so; lean with me at all times; try not to crowd me as much as possible; only adjust your hold or position at a stop, and do it quick before I leave; balance when we're at a stop, don't lean; pat me on the shoulder if you need my attention, and know we'll stop because I can't talk with you over my shoulder while riding, and no sudden movements.

Also, you'll want to rev more before leaving a stop or you'll stall, and you'll want to be as smooth as possible on the starting/stopping/shifting, at least until you're both comfortable.

There you go, our thoughts.

[foobert]

Well, riding 2-up ain't all that bad at all! Made 180 miles, the wife is all smiles. Now, I shall sign off the internets and such and report more about the trip tomorrow. A private hot tub awaits...

[Rusty the Scoob]

Well, riding 2-up ain't all that bad at all! Made 180 miles, the wife is all smiles. Now, I shall sign off the internets and such and report more about the trip tomorrow. A private hot tub awaits...

Nice work!  You've earned that hot tub!

[birdrunner]

Well, riding 2-up ain't all that bad at all! Made 180 miles, the wife is all smiles. Now, I shall sign off the internets and such and report more about the trip tomorrow. A private hot tub awaits...

you knew this was coming.................

[Thundergod]

I usually like to ride with my tires at 40psi with 2 up....normally 32-35psi.

If you don't have a communication system, then figure out a communication sequence with hand/leg pats.

Two pats on the shoulder is look over this way.
Multiple repeated waist pats....pull over soon to rest/sightsee

And my PERSONAL FAVORITE.
A long couple of pats on the crotch.....bathroom break.


----
Learn to slow down gently with a pillon. Gradually increase the brakes. Remember they have no idea on your decisions for throttle and brake, you have the bike to hold on to and know when it will happen. You can slingshot your pillion rider around....give a small brake blip (Preload) to alert her to the oncoming brake.--inform her of this behavior so she can learn to prepare for braking without crushing you into the controls.

Use the grab rails on the bike, not you.
-----
My best advice....to tell her, her most important job.....RELAX and enjoy the ride, take pictures for you since you can't.
If she is tense, or stressed out she will get very tired quickly, and a tired wife rider will end the trip.


--

[foobert]

you knew this was coming.................

OK, how's this:

Settling in -- We stayed at the Whale Watch Inn -- it's not crazy fancy, but, it made a nice retreat for us.

DMC-ZS3, ISO 400, ƒ/3.3, 1/30sec, 4.1 mm focal L. ~74mi from prev photo, map

Full ride report here.  


So, Again, many thanks for all the comments, naysayers and all.  This is what I learned after 390 miles:

• Sack of potatoes is fine,  mirroring my leaning is great!  Turns out, the later is easier for my wife to do too -- takes more effort to try to move with the bike than it does to move with the rider.
• It does take more energy riding double, but mostly only when doing stop-and-go riding.  It's much, much harder to get a smooth, left-foot-down, nicely balanced stop. Probably half the time I planted both feet because I rolled too slowly to a stop.
• Which leads to braking:  Gradual application of brakes is key to having everyone be relaxed and enjoy the ride. I have a new appreciation for how much work the brakes do after grabbing a handful during a quick stop in sudden traffic congestion.  Bracing against the tank -- sounds good in principle, but just didn't really work in our case.
  

The rest of it just worked itself out naturally for us.  As mentioned in the RR linked above, we hit an absolutely perfect stretch of empty road with nothing bot smooth connected sweepers and the 2 of us just tore it up. I barely needed any inputs into the bars since she'd perfectly follow my leans and the bike just instinctively carved out the corners.  We're not talking footpeg-drag'n lean angles here, but, just good safe/fun speeds.  

She definitely "gets it", and I think she's hooked  

[Blunder]

Oh no. Another blue poofy.  

Glad it worked out for you. Two-up trips with a loved one are great.  

[foobert]

Oh no. Another blue poofy.  

Glad it worked out for you. Two-up trips with a loved one are great.  

Well, I don't think the real Bluepoof has to worry about any competitions going on here.  There's not enough cooking/food discussions going on here for my wife to bother signing on...

[R1rider]

OH! Was that your g/f that I had to swerve around in the middle of the road?

no...      if so, she would be my EX-wife, i'm sure.  


edit:   glad you had a decent trip.  sounds like you learned alot.  

[Giaka]

+1

Seems obvious, but easily overlooked. I'm surprised none of us mentioned it.

Come on now, who of us carry around passengers that can reach the ground from the back seat?  

1) Make sure she is VERY still at all stops (since this is new for you too). Very slight movement without the gyroscopic effect of wheel speed can cause you to tip over easier than you might think.

2) As mentioned earlier your passenger should NEVER mount of dismount until you give the verbal OK to do so. I was on my old connie with a good load (camping trip) and my wife decided to climb aboard while I was putting my gloves on. Holy crap was that exciting.

Ride safe and have a good time.

[Rusty the Scoob]

Come on now, who of us carry around passengers that can reach the ground from the back seat?  

 Yeah, I was thinking this as well.  The Celtics may practice in my town but I've yet to have one as a passenger.

[loopedguru]

    It's kinda funny.  My second day of owning my first bike a long legged nice breasted woman asked me to take her for a ride and a bite to eat.  Now, at the time she also had a bike.  We took the street level and limited access roads.  When the evening was done she told me everything I did wrong with both a pillion and just as a rider.  I've become a better rider for it.  I generally don't shy away from a passenger as long as they have the proper gear.  I also walk them through everything explained above. Hah, most of which came from that first pillion.  

    I took an 800 mile camping trip with a lady friend early this month.  It was her first trip on a bike, and basically her first ride over an hour (those 2 or 3 with me).  She bought the gear bits I didn't already have and we had a wonderful trip.  She even got the chance to learn that bikes are fine in the wet.  Damn, I might have found a trooper.