Passenger hand holds on top of side cases?

[chrisz]

Hi,

 

I've been riding around with my wife for a while on the R1150RT and she commented that it would be really great if there were hand holds on top of the side cases. She gets tired holding onto me or the holds by the rear trunk for any length of time. Is there such a beast where one could attach hand holds to the side case handles, something like a helmet holder but designed to be used as hand holds? (I'm not sure the case handles are strong enough, but the idea intrigues me.)

[Ken H.]

Well I'm kind of puzzling about why she feels the need to hold on so much, , but I suppose anything you could find to screw on there would work.

[Kathy R]

There's something I just do not like about holding onto the side cases. Those things fall off sometimes. I'd worry about the added pressure on the mechanism that holds them onto the bike. They have a weight limit and that should translate into "no handles please" somewhere in the manual?

 

She could place her hands on your hips or on your thighs for a change. She could place her hands on her own thighs.

 

I'm a big believer in that the passenger should be riding the bike, not the rider. Does she post on her pegs and use her pegs? Active use of her pegs would preclude the need for "posting" on you. Just my opinion though. I'm sure you are just glad she goes!

[Tasker]

Those things fall off sometimes.

 

I agree, especially if she should pull upward for some reason.

 

Could be ugly if she is expecting them to hold, and they don't.

 

If she has to have something to hold onto, other than you, you may consider adding a strap with a handle that would be mounted to somthing sturdy under the seat, then run it up to her location. The handle end of a dog leash comes to mind, as an example.

[ednap]

I have even seen a belt with large grab handles made to wear around the rider's waist My wife did prefer the handles on my old K1100LT rather than the R1150RT but the more she rides with me the less she is 'holding on' so to speak.

[Haynes]

Your wife will enjoy riding more if she remains comfortable on the bike. Holding onto the bike rigidly is not the way to gain comfort.

 

As Kathy R suggested, your wife should relax on the back and spend a lot of time resting her hands on her thighs. This will cause her to ride without imparting any forces on the bike and she will sit in a more balanced state making it easier for you to control.

 

But.... if she is not comfortable riding with her hands in the standard passenger positions, you might look at some other form of making her feel more secure and a grab handle or rail might be just the thing for her. If you're going to mount it on the bike, I'd avoid the side cases or their mountings. They are quite limited in the capacity and shouldn't be used to help support a person.

[philbytx]

Chris,

Do you have a top box???

It definitely adds to the pillions comfort and feeling of security if you have one (and an appropriate back pad) .

[SageRider]

The R1200-RT corrrects that particular shortoming of the R11xx-RTS. Passenger now has a grab bar on each side which is actually beside them rather than behind and beneath them.

Other than that, my wife tried the grab belt worn by the rider with poor results. My wife never did come up with a method that she liked and overall hated riding passenger on the R1100-RT. The R1200-RT still remains to be seen...

[Mike]

There's something I just do not like about holding onto the side cases. Those things fall off sometimes.

 

Kathy, that's the first thing that popped into my head when I started reading this thread. Generally this occurs because the sidecase hasn't been installed properly.

 

However, having said that, I used Bungee Buddies on my RT's sidecases as attachment points for luggage straps. Those straps imparted a lifting force, and I never had any problems with the sidecases. However, just because I lucked out doesn't mean it was necessarily a great idea.

 

The use of a backrest or a topcase makes a passenger feel a lot more secure. Also, while I never explored this, it does seem to me like it would be possible to sew some webbing together to form a couple of loops, attach them under the seats, then have them run either through the front and rear sections of the seat, or hang out the side. They wouldn't feel as solid as a metal or plastic grab bar, but I'd bet that they'd add some additional feeling of security for a pillion who wanted something to hang onto.

[Jerry Johnston]

Take Kathy's advise - she's one smart cookie. I've seen the cases cracked on a Honda ST by the passenger holding onto the side case handles. Old bikes used to have a strap that ran over the top of the seat - perhaps you can make something similar.

[ednap]

That's very true. I added a padded lambswool cover to mine (to match the seat covers) and my wife really appreciated the extra comfort. She doesn't like the bike near as much without the top box fitted.

[alanz]

When I ride with a passenger, I wear a "buddybelt"

It's an adjustable belt with loops for passenger handholds.

 

I originally got it because my then teenage sons didn't particularly like the idea of holding dad around his waist <s>

 

My wife likes holding onto the belt, rather than holding the grabrail on my R1200C. These days, she's the one who reminds me to put on the belt.

 

The belt also give some subtle passenger to rider feedback, a good thing.

 

So, I've been very pleased with the standard version of the belt, and have used it for about 5 years. Your wife might like using one, and they're not expensive.

 

http://www.buddybelt.com/

[chrisz]

Thanks all, good info.

 

Yes I do have a top box (with back rest) and I alway ride with it. I know that my wife likes the fact that there is some support behind her. She just wishes that the back rest would go up about another foot or so as she finds that it only supports her in one area. I've seen a beauty of a back rest attached to a top box, on the 'picture' section of this site, just not sure where to get one in Canada.

 

But I will add a strap (maybe with a handle) between the seat as some have suggested on this forum.

 

Thanks!