BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

This has probably been asked before, but how do you get a 50yr old female on the pillion seat with top box and panniers in place ??
I've read elsewhere that the side stand will take the weight whilst she clambers aboard, anyone tried this ?


Regards
Duggie

My other half is older than that, I just get on, put side stand up and she hops on.  Foot on passenger pegs and steps through. Guess it really depends on how large the lady is.

She isn't large and quite agile for her yrs, trouble is she's clumsy !
I can just see her size sevens hitting everything before she's got her leg over !

Get some protection film on your panniers then

I get on the bike, both stands up, feet planted, firm grip on handlebars with front break on. Then Julie puts left hand on my left shoulder - right hand on the top box - left foot on pillion peg and climbs on board in one movement. Scuffs to panniers are inevitable, I've got some protection film on mine.

My wife is 62, only 5'2" tall and she manages to get on OK without hitting the panniers, but she does tend to scuff the seat. I just make sure that I have both feet firmly planted and tell her I am ready for her to get on.
Getting off can sometimes be more of a problem for her, as she has problems with her knees and they stiffen up after a longish ride, but with leaning on my shoulder once I have given her the OK, she can take her time and dismount.

We have done the way described above or:- Bike on centre stand, pillion gets on, then I get on and rock the bike off the centre stand ta-ta :be happy:

I have always found it easier for her to get on first. With side stand down she uses driver pegs and get on my seat and slides back, she is only 5'2'', works for us.

+1 on the side stand method.  Started it when mine got to 71.  She uses the bars for support when swiinging on and I cover the front brake.  Gets off after me . Just swings right leg over and slips off side saddle like.  Bike never moves. 

+1 on side stand method. RoRo gets on first using my pegs then slides back. Gets off after I do.
I have the front brake covered.
She suffers from lower back & hip pain due to 36 years as a Midwife 

Sounds interesting. When the misses is on and you get on what's the weight transfer like - getting it upright off the side stand.

Not a problem really, always try to stop on the level....

So the side stand is strong enough to take the weight then ? Mines a 2010 model

I don't think it makes much difference to it.  The bike tends to go more upright as the pillion gets on so the extra weight is mainly directed down .

I have taken my wife abroad on the bike every year for 30 years and, until last year all I knew was that she would wait until I was settled with both feet planted and front brake on before she got on (all as instructed). I knew that she put her left foot on the left pillion footrest and her hands on my shoulders, and that I then had to lean forward until she was seated. Never seemed to be a problem (my wife is now 65).


In September 2015, my brother's partner was going to join us for the first time and asked how she was supposed to mount. I was amazed to hear my wife describe the above procedure then say that she swung her leg over the top box (now my having to lean forward made sense !). She's not tall and wouldn't claim to be supple, so it had never occurred to me that she would manage to swing a leg over the top box !
Anybody else's pillion use the "swing leg over top box" technique ?