The only thing better than enjoying a motorcycle ride solo is doing it with a passenger. Riding two-up is a great pleasure, but it is also a great responsibility.
Riding with a passenger is, naturally, different than riding solo. It is important that you train your future passenger to be safe on the back of your bike. Ensure that any passenger on your bike has proper safety gear and is aware of how to move with you on the bike.
What should my passenger wear?
At absolute minimum, your passenger should be wearing a DOT-approved helmet. If you happen to have a spare, now is the time to hand it over. If you do not have a motorcycle helmet for your passenger, you should not ride with him or her until you have one.
In addition, it is best if your motorcycle passenger also has an armored textile or leather jacket. Motorcycle passengers should also be wearing long pants and boots. Many motorcycle passengers ride around in nothing but cut-offs and flip-flops, and this is potentially deadly.
How should my motorcycle passenger move?
Your motorcycle passenger should be aware of how to brace him or herself on the bike. After all, once you stop, you want the passenger to stay in place and not move forward and push you out of the saddle. Make sure that your passenger understands where to brace him or herself, whether it is on the handholds behind the sissy bar or against the gas tank in front of you.
Your passenger should also understand how to communicate with you. Some experienced riders and passengers have Bluetooth headsets for this purpose, but simple hand signals will do to begin.