New Pillion-tips

[Ammeg08]

Only been doing this a couple of weeks, today was my first much longer ride. My legs ache!!
went from Swindon to loomies, only stopping once on the way there. However the way home my legs kept falling asleep!! Anyone any riding tips to feel slightly more comfortable for a bit longer. Took a long time to get home!!

[Swanny]

You're supposed to do lots of stretches before and after riding but I doubt many people do.
You'll see a lot of riders shaking their legs about on longer rides to get the blood flowing. I think the main thing to do whether you're a pillion or a rider is to relax
If your legs ache today wait till tomorrow :D
But don't worry you'll get used to it

[Ammeg08]

Thanks! Am supposed to be going for a long walk at Weston super mud tomorrow wish me luck! I'll look into the stretches but am always too excited to get going to have time to stretch. :D Had to keep stopping on way home to stamp my feet, each time we stopped it took longer and longer to find them again!

[Col]

I reckon if you stand up and shake yer legs about when your on the move there will be no need to stop................helpful :confused: ?....Yes I thought so ;)

[Killer Rat]

stretch legs around riders waist as if you are trying to kick the mirrors off.

[Mal103]

Have recently started taking a pillion, regular stops help or stretching legs out now and again when it's safe to do so.
what angle are your knees when sat on the bike? If they are bent too much and a lot less than 90 degrees then it may restrict blood flow. There are adjustable footrests to lower your feet but depends if they fit, another option is to maybe adjust the seat height - fit new suspension parts, raise the tension if possible or maybe fit a cushion!

[Conehead]

What he said.

[Senna(Dan)]

Stretch, stretch then stretch again.

I found doing this when riding long distances it helped. 200 miles between fuel stops was painful when I first started but found it easier doing the stretches first. That was riding but I would imagine that the same would apply for riding pillion for that long.

Failing that nudge your rider on the straights to tell them that you are going to stretch your legs. Maintaining a static postition for a prolonged period of time will eventually become annoying.

Sitting through a 3 hour film in the cinema is a prime example of this, I fidget like hell which is why I hide in a corner.

[Ammeg08]

Cheers guys, I will look into the various stretches. I'm on the back of a sports bike so my knees are round my chin!! :D

[Wes]

Sports bike pillion is never going to comfortable, the footpegs are usually set quite high and the seat tiny. Its more of a nod at a pillion, not really for long distances.

[Col]

Sports bike pillion is never going to comfortable, the footpegs are usually set quite high and the seat tiny. Its more of a nod at a pillion, not really for long distances.

Funny you say that Wes..yeah you are right but you know I recently got an MV which is deemed a supersport and only a little pillion seat ...

..well my gf reckons it is more comfy and her legs are not as bent/ uncomfortable on the MV as on the Thunderace which is a sportier tourer...see I wouldn't have thought that by looking at the pillion foot pegs :p

[Conehead]

Funny you say that Wes..yeah you are right but you know I recently got an MV which is deemed a supersport and only a little pillion seat ...

..well my gf reckons it is more comfy and her legs are not as bent/ uncomfortable on the MV as on the Thunderace which is a sportier tourer...see I wouldn't have thought that by looking at the pillion foot pegs :p

I reckon it is not the bike but rather how tall the pillion is. Obviously the taller the worse.

[Col]

Yeah Coney that is right but was saying that my gf finds the sport bike more comfy.... she don't get taller and shorter swapping bikes hahhaaha ;)

[BornAgainPan]

You might check how much room you have in whatever trousers you usually wear. If you're sitting with your knees high and the bend at your hip is quite sharp you might be compressing your femoral artery by the crease in the top of your thigh. (I mean in the trousers obviously! I mean I've never seen the tops of your thigh so I have no idea how creased they might be!!) :o

[Rabb]

Ive gotta share this on this thread.
I have a mate who is 6ft 5" and about 24 stone.
He rides a Pan and he is so big that the he dwarfs the bike enveloping it because he is such a mountain.
When you see him travelling down the road all you see is him travelling on two wheels at 40mph
- It's quite a site as it looks like he's on a 125 !!!