This is a piece of kit for the 2-up riding crowd from 2WheelRide.com http://www.2wheelride.com/lovehandles_design.html
affectionately called - Love Handles
I generally don't like to post a review on something after only one use, but our first response is so overwhelmingly positive, that I couldn't resist.
The situation
I have been adventure riding and dual-sport riding for a number of years, and now, the Super Ténéré makes it possible for my wife to go with me, on the bike, to those fun-to-ride and interesting places. We don't claim to be experts or seasoned veterans of this activity, but we're doing it and learning. Those of you who rode with us on the Destination Las Vegas ride know we don't pussy-foot around in the dirt. Wish we'd discovered this piece of gear a week earlier. One of the biggest lessons we've learned is that the word passenger, in this context, is a misnomer. A good 2-up rider on the back seat needs to be an active participant in the ride. We coin the phrase, the Up-Rider. It's a disadvantaged challenge for the up-rider who doesn't have a good sight angle to read the terrain lines, or handlebars to hang on to, or controls to manipulate, not to mention being off-center from the pivot point of the chassis when the front wheel and rear wheel take turns going up and down.
The problem
There is no good place for the passenger to hang on when the going gets rough. We're talking Adventure riding here - including dirt roads, 2-track, and trails, the kinds of terrain where you should stand on the pegs when traversing those dips, bumps, rocks, ruts, and such. Have you ever tried standing from the passenger seat while holding on to the grab rails? It's not possible with human arms. She's been trying to hold on to me. At least adventure style jackets tend to have a cinch belt or pockets, something to grab. But that's inconsistent and sloppy.
The solution
The passenger safety handles belt from 2WheelRide.com is a brilliant solution, and affordable at $65. I find it comfortable to wear and she finds it comfortable to grasp. In her relaxed riding position, hands on knees, the handles are only inches away for a quick hold if it suddenly gets busy. The best part is - she can now stand with me over the bumps and have something sturdy to hold on to. The surprising benefit to me is that I can better feel her position, which is reassuring. This is important because, unlike luggage fixed to the bike, which is a static load, the up-rider is a dynamic load, perched higher, and weighing more than the luggage.
There are several rider-couples on this forum, who I'm sure are dealing with these conditions. Most of you who I know of, have been at it far longer than us, but maybe you'll find this of interest anyway. I for one would not like to ride on the back of a motorcycle, so all credit to my wife for being the truly adventurous one of us.
Regards,
Boondocker & Super10Babe
affectionately called - Love Handles
I generally don't like to post a review on something after only one use, but our first response is so overwhelmingly positive, that I couldn't resist.
The situation
I have been adventure riding and dual-sport riding for a number of years, and now, the Super Ténéré makes it possible for my wife to go with me, on the bike, to those fun-to-ride and interesting places. We don't claim to be experts or seasoned veterans of this activity, but we're doing it and learning. Those of you who rode with us on the Destination Las Vegas ride know we don't pussy-foot around in the dirt. Wish we'd discovered this piece of gear a week earlier. One of the biggest lessons we've learned is that the word passenger, in this context, is a misnomer. A good 2-up rider on the back seat needs to be an active participant in the ride. We coin the phrase, the Up-Rider. It's a disadvantaged challenge for the up-rider who doesn't have a good sight angle to read the terrain lines, or handlebars to hang on to, or controls to manipulate, not to mention being off-center from the pivot point of the chassis when the front wheel and rear wheel take turns going up and down.
The problem
There is no good place for the passenger to hang on when the going gets rough. We're talking Adventure riding here - including dirt roads, 2-track, and trails, the kinds of terrain where you should stand on the pegs when traversing those dips, bumps, rocks, ruts, and such. Have you ever tried standing from the passenger seat while holding on to the grab rails? It's not possible with human arms. She's been trying to hold on to me. At least adventure style jackets tend to have a cinch belt or pockets, something to grab. But that's inconsistent and sloppy.
The solution
The passenger safety handles belt from 2WheelRide.com is a brilliant solution, and affordable at $65. I find it comfortable to wear and she finds it comfortable to grasp. In her relaxed riding position, hands on knees, the handles are only inches away for a quick hold if it suddenly gets busy. The best part is - she can now stand with me over the bumps and have something sturdy to hold on to. The surprising benefit to me is that I can better feel her position, which is reassuring. This is important because, unlike luggage fixed to the bike, which is a static load, the up-rider is a dynamic load, perched higher, and weighing more than the luggage.
There are several rider-couples on this forum, who I'm sure are dealing with these conditions. Most of you who I know of, have been at it far longer than us, but maybe you'll find this of interest anyway. I for one would not like to ride on the back of a motorcycle, so all credit to my wife for being the truly adventurous one of us.
Regards,
Boondocker & Super10Babe
Here in the UK they are marketed as the 'Pillion Pal' - or love handles! Very effective when my daughter was younger.