Essential Tips For First-time Passengers - Don't Miss Out! 

If you can't even do my White and Blue Belt drills alone...let alone with a passenger, don't take one. SUBSCRIBE or you'll get a nail on your next ride ru-vid.com

My brother had never been on a bike, it was a dream of his. I took him a a short ride. I told him to remain perfectly still and let me do the steering. REMAIN STILL. We almost crashed twice, he told me he wanted to help and leaned as far into the turns as he could. Never again!

I used one of your previous videos to teach my fiancé how to be a passenger. She had been a passenger once before and the guy gave her no instructions and scared the hell out of her. With your video and me being patient and smooth on the bike she loves riding now.

Recently started riding with a passenger on my cb300r, surprisingly enough I dont find it near as difficult as I expected. the hardest part was getting used to slow speed and compensating for the extra weight, and also making sure to be extremely smooth with everything I do. Accelerating as gently as I can while also making sure my braking is something my passenger can react to. Also, the passenger means Im wanting to shift into higher gears for a smoother ride, but my clutch hand has been having carpel tunnel issues so ive been doing clutchless shifting almost exclusivly aside from between first and second gear. The upside of all of this, is that once my passenger is off, I'm able to ride even better than before. Its forced me to focus on smoothness and control of the bars.

As a passenger at first i was really ignorant of what being a bike passenger means. And after being one for an extended period of time and slowly getting into bikes, it is of upmost importance to be aware of whats happening on the road and my movements. Maybe be even more serious than the rider. It is a complex thing, but at the same time, its simple. Keep track of the road while not moving, stay still but calm and relaxed. The body will follow the rider naturally. It is really fun, and what made me want to get into the bike world. Also, love the responsible advice at the end!

I don't know why this isn't taught (discussed) in most basic riding classes. Greg I hope this comes up in eveyones YT search for info on riding 2 up. GREAT info.

I'd add some unsolicited advice here to inquisitive riders: If you're nervous about taking a passenger on your bike, maybe that''s a good sign you shouldn't be taking a passenger and need to improve your skills first.

Nice video, I waited for 2 years before I let my girlfriend get on the back of my Harley Road Glide until I got used to riding and mastered the white belt and slow-speed maneuvering and like you said at the end of the video I made sure she had full gear like I have before she gets on the bike, and I was one of those Harley guys that backed up my bike with her on the back I will not do that again I will have her get off the bike before I do from now on... Thanks Greg...

That info is so great, I’m buying gear and getting ready to ride with my girl and I’m a new rider and now that I saw this video I will practice until I get the belts corrects. You make it look so easy but as I ride as a new learner I’m experiencing more on the road on how much people don’t pay attention to motorcycles. So my swerving skills are getting better and my cornering. I’m 59 and I’m not looking to get injured in anyway possible. Thank again for these educational videos which as help me progress my riding skills. Bless you

This is completely different from what I was taught in driving school. Where they told me that the passenger should copy the driver's movements body to body. I have to try this.

Interesting tip on keeping the passenger dead center - definitely makes sense to make the only factor added weight. I've only had my wife with me, so I tell her to hold on snug and do everything I do. I find that means she doesn't need to think and eliminates the mind reading problem because she is holding on.

Great clip, I like your philosophy of practicing and to be consistent with practice ( you can never do enough practise) . When I do some of your drills before going out for a ride the ride is so much better. Thanks for videos.

This planet need more guys like You. Another thing I do realize is that most of my buddy`s don`t have a clue how to ride a bike.

I like your no nonsense attitude practice practice practice and safety gear so important saved my life when I came around a sharp bend to meet a long wheeled spinter van doing a u turn across the road only had time scrub of 10 15 mile but impacted about 45 mph my safety kits saved my life. Thank you and keep up the good work 👍

You are such a delight ! Love that you love having fun. Awesome tips. I am a small woman on my bike and I have decided to not take anyone but you never know if emergencies happen so I am happy to Lear not be prepared just in case. Thanks Greg.

todays the first day im considering a passenger and the video drops today. love your content. appreciate sharing the knowledge

Thank you for all these practical lessons !!! Most can learn to be as good, but only a few are great teachers!

I mostly ride and practice one up bcs I I commute back and forth to work almost daily but every ride I hear motojitsu in my ear saying shut up and practice so I find the closest parking lot shut up and practice….lol… my wife is the weekend rider but I’m very well prepared bcs I practice 5 days a week while riding even making myself uncomfortable on the bike…. These videos continue to let me know that training on these beautiful machines never ends wether one up or two… great advice teacher…

It's also great to make sure your bike is capable of carrying extra weight. Check tires, suspension, and overall load of your bike to be sure the bike functions well while riding 2 up. Great video!!!!!

What i love about your channel is the way you explain things. you don't over complicate the instruction. the other part i like is Practice, Practice, practice. i have learnt so much from you and my confidence on a bigger bike has come on in leaps and bounds. Thank you

I just got a 2011 pcx 125 and my wife is ready to hop on. I've only ridden it four times and definitely don't feel ready for that yet.

One thing I noticed I’ve never had a problem finding a date when I’m out and about on my 2005 600cc Suzuki Thanks for sharing I’ve road bikes on and off 15 years but it’s always good to stay teachable and practice thanks for sharing

Hey Greg, I have to try this with my daughter. She's been on the back seat for enough time riding 2gether, but I will definitely try the "scary" rollercoaster ride. P.s.most of the time was spent on the virago 750 but now it is a vstrom 650. Thank you.

Dear Greg, First of all I would like to thank you for all your videos. You 've made both me and my gf (as a passenger) rides a lot easier, calm and fun. Secondly, I have a question regards your app. Are the units limited to ft, m/h, inches, etc? For us European folks, it's not that convenient to convert into metric system all the time. Thank you for your time and effort. Lots of love from Greece

Best online tips ever...Period. P.S. I can barely wait to buy my bike next year so I can take the white belt course.

If the passenger is holding onto you, won’t he lean together?

I'm soon getting myself a bike. But I think the part that makes me the most nervous, is leaning into turns. I know they do, but the tires just seem like they won't have enough grip for them not to slide out from under me.

I have a mid 70's UJM, no topcase, no sissy bar. Just a standard banana seat. Went for a long, hot, June afternoon ride in rural Maryland with my GF. She is tiny and hangs on tight. No more obtrusive than a backpack. Seemed like every farmer was mowing hay. Beautiful day. We rolled across a set of RR tracks not too fast, and she jerked suddenly. She had completely fallen asleep and had started to slide off the side of the bike. I had on full gear and didn't realize she had gone limp. In fact, I kind of forgot she was back there!!! No harm done. Now on warm days I give her leg a squeeze if I don't feel her moving around.

I respect your abilities and I havnt had a passenger on my bikes except for my first time when my ex taught me years ago . He was taller and bigger than me . On a cruiser . Iv been extremely hesitant because I’m already on my new bikes since then on my tippy toes . The going isn’t too scary but the stopping in traffic etc kinda makes me think twice . I have been a passenger many times but ya the info is great . Also I love the “weeeeee “ it’s how we all are when we’re out there 🥰

I would add communication while riding. Talking and explaining while getting on and off is surely a good thing especially for new riders you take on, but also telling them ahead even with signs and hands showing your next manoeuvres in advance. Like there, look ,lights! , or, further then right, so they know what is going to happen and I avoid weird erratic surprised and thus dangerous movements and reactions, or simply avoid the famous helmet bump. Some people don't have a driving licence, and really can't read traffic and lights like an experienced driver can. Also if I take a passenger, since it's my responsibility, I ride smooth and hyper cautiously, creating myself a virtual bubble front back and sides to allow for extra security. I accelerate smoothly, and brake super smoothly. Also while braking I make sure to warn other vehicles behind me by flashing my brake light 10 times more and make them aware the bike in front is carrying and caring a precious package. I noticed that in consequence the cars often even leave an extra gap behind when I do this, which is an extra added nice touch. No lane splitting with a passenger of course , never! Last, if the ride involves twisties and the passenger is not used to bikes or a biker him/her/themselves then I will ride cool and ask to not counterweight, and not lean, but just look at the road ahead, and if they see a curve coming they know I will have to slow down then accelerate again, but most importantly, simply put their head on the side of the curve, which helps the body to naturally follow the flow, avoids counterweight, and they feel safer as they see where they are going and makes them participate actively and enjoy more the ride. Ah last thing even if it sounds obvious, never bring a drunk passenger with you. I've seen and heard too many horrible stories. Sounds obvious but some people are simply not responsible and in shape (I heard of a passenger falling asleep! Uy uy uy) Last, and It warms the heart , a friend of mine says this, this 45yo girl says there are only 3 people in the world up to date with whom she would agree to ride as passenger, wherever whenever day night sun or snow. Her dad, her ex boyfriend(hardcore superbike and really nice guy) , and me!. She knows her stuff since she's been a kid and it's an honor to be identified as a trustworthy rider. Anyway keep up the cool vids, my the torque be with you! ✌

Great riding skills! One thing that amazes me about these bmw GS bikes is the balance is so great you don’t notice anyone getting on and off - no matter how heavy the person is.

There are some basics like getting on and off the bike, and stopping and going that are universal. Cornering like when riding solo, depends on the scenario and the bike. Big touring bikes are very forgiving and don't have a ton of lean angle so staying like a sack of potatoes makes sense. On my Z900, I like when they're more like a backpack and hold on to me and move with me in corners. This is because I'm going to counter balance at slow speeds and lean into corners at higher speeds. Holding on to me and moving with me is more predictable and more stable on a sports/naked bike. That's just what works for me though.

The biggest misconception is that passangers think low speeds are the safest for them to re-adjust.

The ending is spot on! If only more people like you would give this lessons tik tok girlie and social media user who owns a bike but exposing most of their bodies and less protection at all😂

your explanation is very good and clear, but personally I let my passengers experience it for themselves what it means not to sit still and show them what happens in a bend if they steer or countersteer, then they will see that the bends become shorter and against steering make the bends longer and that I cannot drive the lines that guarantee our safety, then they will see for themselves what it does if they do not sit still, I show this at 10 kilometers per hour, the difference is around the 6 meters per bend,sorry for my bad english

Thank you! I’m scheduled for a msf course and my buddy invited me to ride with him. He’s great at it, but I was worried I’d screw up lol

Handles are good for avoiding the head banger gear changes but I was more comfortable on long rides by instructing pillions to hold me and align our two spines. You are my backpack. If my spine goes left so does yours.

He is such a professional and responsible rider. Great lesson, thank you

One of the best things about your videos, other than the great knowledge, is that I can not imagive you as a DI! I remember my DIs and I stils can't, to this day, picture them as any other than the scariest thing in my life. LOL Thanks, appreciate all you have to offer. Semper Fi.

I love the crazy look in his eye, thats the type of person you have to be to survive on the streets that long 😂

When i started riding, i set some rules for myself to always follow #1- never ride without a full face helmet #2- never ride without full gear #3- never ride with a passenger (im not responsible enough solo muchless with someone else)

So my mother rides a gsxr 750 and she is crazy, obviously the bike has no luggage behind or anything absolutely nothing, how do I handle being a passenger while fast/hard take offs lol

Again, a brilliant demo lesson. Have been learning from you for years all ways stays with you, keep up the fab work.

Thanks I’ve never taken a passenger, now I just have to find a one willing to come with me. Hopefully getting her to watch this.

Although my wife will be riding her own new 2005 Rebel, as my Pillion for over 40 years, she has never felt like baggage. - she will be using some of your vid's thanks !

I recommend getting a helmet comm system. Makes it so much easier to warn about stuff about to happen.

It's amazing what the bike is capable of when you know what you're doing.

Thank you 🥹I rode on a sport bike for the first time on Sunday as a passenger. Embarrassed to stay I wear bear hugging the entire time 😅

Another instruction I give to the passenger: While climbing please move your body and legs slowly. The more rushed you are, the bigger the force on the peg, I have to adjust a lot to keep the balance.

Its just weird to see people concerned about just riding with one passenger and how they should act, while here ( in India ) we have 4 people on the passenger seat with a severly underpowered (100cc ) bike riding at 60mph+ with no helmets, no jackets and we just never cared about the details... Just developing country stuff😆

Two directions that I always tell my pillions and I didn’t hear you mention: 1. When I turn my head you turn yours with me 2. I brace the gas tank with my knees and my hips are your gas tank. Hold on tight with the legs and core, and relaxed with the hands and torso.

Years of riding on the back of a tandem bicycle made my GF more compatible on the back of a MC . Steady, neutral position. Legs long enough to mount from the ground, but I don't carry a box on the back, either.

Great Tutorial! I wish you could make a tutorial when it comes to lower displacement motorcycle-125cc. I struggled and almost crashed the first time I did with a passenger. Kudos!

Have my wife 80-90% of the time with me. Need a good video on twisty road riding with passenger. Not aggressive just good pearls of info. I have her stay neutral and just look over the shoulder the direction we are going.

I totally agree with Full Gear, whether or not it's required by Law in whatever Country you live in. I would also like to see it made Compulsory into Law. Good Video.

Good tips. I apply most of them but will add some new ones I learned here.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!

Wow love this & how simple you explain it all 👊🏼but it's just as simple as full gear or go home🤷🏻‍♀️❤

I think another tip I would have for big bikes is if the passenger is getting on the left side, tilt the bike a little to the right and it makes a huge difference

at 6:23 you put your foot on the ground while driving! just to tell you if you didn't already know never put your foot down while driving even if your going slow bc I live in UK and doing that is a big no , other hat that your good to go!

Good vid dude great channel 👍

Additionally, I tell pillions that if they need to adjust their seating position, or stand up at any point, they must only do it while we're moving and not stationary. Nothing worse than somebody shuffling while your stopped on one leg!

This was sooo helpful! Thank you!

Would this be different on a cruiser?? Thanks for the tips on how to be a better passenger ❤ “Its a roller coaster……WEEEE” 😂

This is a bloody informative video! So helpful & to the point

I'm a passenger with bad balance I think. When the bike stops I feel the bike wobbling and I don't trust the driver to be able to hold all the weight on one leg. Another thing that freaks me out is corners, it always feels like we're gonna tip and fall. This has happened before and I have trauma from that experience. Are you supposed to counter balance the slant of the bike going around corners?

reminds me of the first time I took my wife on the bike; I'd told her "when we lean, just lean with the bike, don't try to sit up straight. next thing I know she leans while we're doing 80km/h "because their was a corner coming up" - and why AT LEAST 100m in advance? "because I just knew you'd wait till the last moment"

Your passenger is def leaning but at least consistent 😆

Wanted to throw my 2 cents out there and have someone correct me if I'm wrong. The best way for a passenger to be is as still as the comfortably can be. Even in this video, you can see his passenger counterbalance himself alittle bit when he's doing the tight turns. Key phrase being ALITTLE BIT. Dont risk falling off the bike trying to stay ridgid as a board. But generally hold still and trust the driver knows what they are doing. If you can't do that, why did you even get on the bike?

Thank you for this video. I have watched like 10 videos before yours and this explains so much!🙏 (I am the passenger 😅)

So, if anyone thats not aware. ALL LED light flash really quickly that is not noticeable with naked eye, only noticeable with cameras that catch high frame rate, thats why you see LED light flashing in videos.

Great practical applications. THX. 🏍

I actually feel more comfortably when I tell my passengers to lean into the corner. It just works, but maybe it is cause I always practice in a parking lot before taking them.

I told my wife when she first started riding with me that she's luggage don't lean or move around stay straight up don't follow me or counter lean. I control the bike you are the most stable luggage I should ever have on the bike.

whyy i m watching this i alredy drove people🤣

Very nicely explained and nice riding skills showing all variations with a passenger !!!

Could you provide a link to your white and blue belt drills please.

Great video Greg, thanks for the efforts you always do, so useful and helpful …💐🙏

Thanks for the advice! I have 2 questions since I live in India where the roads are a bit unpredictable. So, say I'm riding with a passenger and I suddenly spot a big speedbreaker - what do I do and say to ensure the safety of both of us? Also, in case there's a significant ditch or pothole right ahead, what's the best action and things to say so that the both of us get past these situations calmly and in control (proper speed & braking, etc)? I know the roads over there are way better than here, but would appreciate a video on these sorts of situations, if possible, thanks! :)

Very interesting and useful ! Thx MotoJitsu

My family has been told Never get on the back of a bike because so many riders Do Not have the skills/experience to safely carry a passenger, but they will take passengers

do you have any tips for a short rider who is not flat foot on the ground how to best handle a passenger climbing up on the bike?

Best advise for a passenger I've heard on the internet! Thanks for all that you do!

i dont understand how your country doesnt have a proper driving school with everything from basic theory and understanding of every traffic law, to learning and mastering the skill of driving in different terrain and weather, and basic maintenance and safety for your vehicle. what this channel teaches is what in my country we learn before we are even allowed to touch let alone start a motorcycle. in order to get our license we need to take a theory test which we can only have 4 answers out of 70 wrong. then we need a practical test which results in doing figure eights low speed and high speed corner with and without braking. then an emergency stop, an evasive actions manouver followed by crawl speed, basically mastering the bike under 5kmt/h 3-4 mph/h then a drive on the road where the instructor observe if we have the knowledge enough to accuire an license. i watch every video you post even though i know all of these thanks to a proper driving education in my country. and we weren't allowed to do any motorcycle stuff without proper gear.

Great tips, again. I learned something. Thank you.

What you are teaching is literally NECESSARY and should be part of exams over there.

I am a new rider with a 150cc commuter, Bajaj v15. Tried first time riding with a passenger. But, the weight behind probably made my front tire to lose traction, because and when launching of handle started to jitter and shake? Is it normal?

Good advice . I ve never taken a passenger . And if they ask I tell them the truth that's at another level not safe . But I know you start with someone slim that knows how to be in the back of moto or maybe Carry them on a bicycle 1 st to get use to they weigh ?

What if I start to scream to you my passenger: "You know, my wife left me yesterday!!! I lost all little Timmy's college money on the horses too...(starts to accelerate)"...I know I would move.

I was scared shit just watching you doing eights with a pillion passenger. Sadly I understood that I will NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS be able to explain or make my wife to comply with above advises.

Just got a new bike. The first time my wife rode with me and asked what she’d do as a passenger, i just told her to just do as she’s always done when we have sex: Just remain still and keep looking at her phone. 😂

Is it all same for scuter? What shoud passager do on scuter when driver is braking? So you dont recommand passager have a hands around driver?

ive rode with my dad on his big motorcycle. I found a new hobby then games

Thank you for sharing the knowledge.

thanks for the very helpful video do you mind telling me where you got that storage accessory preferably one with a back for the passengers

How about uphill corner shop parking with passenger with 5'5 body and with 45 liter top box will that be tough to do as well with r15 v2

Great video!

MJ, great tips, what kind of top case is that and can it hold your Shoei?

Cool!!! Very nice!!!

My gf is a good pillion . I taught her that she is apart if the bike and that we work together .