Tips for Riding With a Passenger

What's the easiest way to improve your motorcycle ride? Bring along your buddy! Riding with a passenger is a great way to boost your enjoyment of the journey and the destination. But before you head out with a pal, you'll want to take a few proactive steps first. Keep reading to find out what those steps are. For all your motorcycle needs, visit Crossroad Powersports. We proudly serve those in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Get the Gear

Whatever gear you use to safely ride your motorcycle, your passenger should have too. Take an inventory of what your passenger already owns or has access to alongside any extra gear you own. You'll need to borrow or buy whatever is left over.

They need a helmet, of course. Try to make sure it fits well and has favorable crash test ratings - those are the only ways to ensure quality protection in the event of a crash. Next, they'll need a form of eye protection. If the helmet comes with a face shield, they are set; if not, they'll need goggles or sunglasses. Then they'll need outerwear, which means full-length clothing to protect their skin during a crash. Waterproof outerwear isn't a necessity, but it certainly helps keep them dry and warm during a rain drizzle.

Get Your Motorcycle Ready

You don't want to go through all the effort of planning this ride only for your bike to encounter mechanical problems a few minutes in! Do a pre-ride inspection to ensure your motorcycle is ready to go. Measure your tire's tread and air pressure and make sure it matches the recommendations in your owner's manual. Look at your fluid levels and top off anything that's low. Go for a short test ride to ensure you can brake, accelerate, and turn as normal. You can also use this time to adjust your motorcycle for the extra weight as needed.

Get Your Passenger Ready

If this is your buddy's first time on a motorcycle, you may want to go for a short test ride around the block first. This will help get the butterflies out and help them understand the process. They may have a few questions once you get home, which are good to answer before your longer, actual ride.

You'll want to prepare your passenger for what they can expect during the bike ride. Talk about basic motorcycle safety and explain how turning, braking, and accelerating works. You want to avoid them leaning the wrong way or falling off.

You'll also need to settle on a form of communication. The road noise, combined with the wind, makes it hard to hear each other no matter how loud you can yell. Instead, you will want to rely on a series of hand signals or taps. Come up with cues for “slow down,” “pull over,” “let's get food,” “let's find a bathroom,” “I need a break,” and “let's go home.” Of course, if you both are wearing fancy Bluetooth-enabled helmets, you will be able to talk and communicate that way. But otherwise, hand signals and taps work just fine. You can search the internet for basic signals or create your own.

We hope you found our guide helpful! If your motorcycle needs a tune-up before your ride, bring it on in to Crossroad Powersports. We offer parts replacement and service options to get your bike running like new in no time. We also offer a riding school if your buddy gets hooked on the motorcycle lifestyle and wants to try it out on their own. We proudly serve those in Philadelphia, and Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. We also serve those in Wilmington, Delaware, and Deptford Township, New Jersey.