Two Up = Heads Up

by Jackie Vaughan, March 2000 HOG Briefs

The person who occupies the back seat of a motorcycle has always been called the passenger. Now they’re called co-riders and it isn’t simply to be politically correct. The word passenger suggests a person who has no responsibilities for the operation of the machine; one who is simply along for the ride. A co-rider, on the other hand, shares some of the responsibilities for the safe operation of the motorcycle.

Sitting in the back seat means a lot more freedom to enjoy the scenery without worrying about the technical part of the ride. But with the freedom comes the responsibility. A co-rider does not have the right to bury herself in a book or to take a nap. A blanked out person on the back seat is of absolutely no help and may even be an additional danger if the ride has to brake or swerve suddenly. Her reflexive actions (such as to grab the rider wherever she can or to lean away) will probably be exactly the wrong ones.

The co-rider should ride as exactly that, a co-rider. Not a passenger, but a second rider. While it is always preferable that the co-rider has had a motorcycle safety course, even the normal street skills used in everyday driving will help in spotting hazards. Being an extra pair of eyes for the rider doesn’t mean being a back-seat nag. It means spotting hazards and knowing how the rider normally reacts and being ready to help in that effort. If the rider does not show that reaction, the co-rider should speak up. An experienced co-rider knows how hard his/her rider brakes during normal braking, and whether hard-line braking will be necessary. He/she prepares herself by holding the grab rails and bracing her feet. He/she does not slide forward, banging helmets and pushing the rider onto the tank. When he/she spots a pothole or a large piece of rubber, he/she knows her rider will soon swerve, and he/she is prepared to let the bike move under him/her. He/she knows when it’s OK to move around, and lets his/her rider know when he/she will make a move, such as scratching his/her ankle, which will affect the balance of the bike.

The rider also has the responsibility to communicate with his/her co-rider. He/she should let him/her know when a nasty bump is coming or if he/she wants to counterweight a turn. He/she shouldn’t play "surprise" just because he finds his/her reaction funny.