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| Yes, of course I chose a photo of Michael from Grease 2 for this article. Via |
Hey ladies. Hey there. Hey. I've been on the back of a motorcycle exactly twice in my life, and it's a bit of a fear of mine if I'm being honest. Today Jessie Hughes is back with an article on why it maybe shouldn't be.
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Motorbikes tend to be
something that people are either in love with, or are a bit scared of. Then of
course, you get the people who haven't tried going on a bike yet and are kind
of in both camps – the bikes look cool, the gear looks cool, but isn't it a bit
frightening going that fast without a car around you?
Going On the Back
For most women who see the appeal of a motorcycle but haven't been enthused enough to get a license and ride their own, the first opportunity to experience riding a bike generally comes when a bike loving friend or boyfriend offers that coveted position on the back of their ride. To the person offering, this is nothing - they ride their bike all the time and think it's great, so it may not occur to them that when they pat that little space of seat behind them and tell you to get on, your heart may well be metaphorically in your mouth!
Are You Ready To Accept That Ride?
It is never a good
idea to hop on the back of a bike without being prepared in terms of safety,
but if you are good to go in terms of clothing and a well fitting helmet, then
there is really nothing to be afraid of as a pillion passenger – as long as you
trust the person in front! If you are offered a ride home from somewhere on the
back of a motorcycle with a borrowed helmet that is far too big and you are
wearing a little summer dress, maybe take a rain check, however if you are good
friends or in a relationship with a motorcycle enthusiast, opportunities to
take a ride on the back will come up often, so why not invest in your own
helmet and some gear? Some motorcycle
gear by the big bike brands like Dainese clothing looks
really good, and as you shop for cool boots, gloves, motorcycle jeans (which
look like regular jeans but have built in armor!) and jackets you might find it
is worth being into bikes just for the clothes!
Actually Riding
Once you are wearing
appropriate stuff, then you need to bite the bullet and actually get on the
bike. Only do this for the first time with somebody you know is a competent
rider and is used to carrying a passenger – the handling of the bike changes with somebody
on the back and you
want them to be completely at ease too, so you'll feel safer and be able to
enjoy yourself. The ideal sort of trip would be about thirty minutes, so you
have long enough to get a real sense of what it is like but without starting to
ache from being in a position you aren't used to for too long. People worry
that they won't remember to do things like lean in on corners, but most people
find they do this naturally, and are soon completely relaxed and wondering what
they were ever afraid of!
As long as you are
with a good rider and well protected by your gear, you are likely to feel quite
safe quite early into your first time on the back of a motorcycle – so gear up
and accept that offer of a ride!
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Tell me - are you a motorbike owner? A frequent passenger on the back?
Tell me - are you a motorbike owner? A frequent passenger on the back?
