How to ride as a passenger on a Crotch Rocket?

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My fiancee just got back from Iraq and he asked if I wanted to go out on the bike (crotch rocket) sometime this week. He has been riding since he was 18, (now 23), but I have no clue how to ride as a passenger. any one have any help on this. I really want to go out with him on it, up to this point I have been really scared to get on the back of the bike, and it had to do with my parents, since there is a 3 and half year difference between him and me. So they didn’t trust him, but being 19 now they are not caring. So can someone please help me knowing how to ride on the back of the bike.

1. Is it better to hold on around their waist?

2. Do I help with the turning of the bike, when he wants to make a turn?

3. Getting on and off the bike, any certain way to do that?

4. Would tennis shoes be fine to wear as a passenger?

Any other info you have will be great!

11 Answers

  1. 1. You have to be comfortable, if you want to hold his waist (and he agrees with this) you can do that. I prefer for passengers to have one hand on my waist and one hand on the back of the tank – this gives the passenger a way of supporting herself so she does not slide into me when braking. Some passengers prefer to hold the grab rails that most sports bikes have at the rear of the saddle, these are designed for passengers but do not give significantly better grip or comfort.

    2. You do help turn the bike by not fighting the rider’s input, as he leans into a corner, it is natural for a novice pillion to move in the opposite direction to try to remain upright, upsetting the turn.

    3. When he is on the bike and gives you the nod, standing on the left of the bike, swing your leg over the saddle, position your right foot on the peg, settle onto the saddle and lift your left foot onto the left peg – do not launch yourself at the bike or catch the rider unawares – you can fall off the other side by doing that. If you cannot swing your leg over (because of a top box or similar obstruction) you might need to adjust the technique as long as you don’t jump on and the rider is braced whatever is easiest for you is best.

    4. No, tennis shoes will disintegrate on contact with the road in the event of an accident and they offer no protection to your lower leg, when your feet are on the pegs they will be tightly bent, leaving your ankles bare, getting hit by a piece of gravel at 50mph smack on bare skin is not fun.

    When you get to a stop sign or red light do not put your foot down, let the rider remain in control of the weight; if you find that you are bashing helmets when he pulls away or stops that is often his fault tell him to short shift on acceleration; watch the road ahead so you can anticipate braking or acceleration so you can brace yourself against the back of the tank under braking or against his waist under acceleration.

  2. Pictures Of Crotch Rockets

  3. For experienced riders a crotch rocket is a very natural riding position. Really a perfect riding position and at speed extremely agile. For an inexperienced rider it is going to be a bit tougher, especially at slow speeds and a good 600 will be a real handful that can easily get away from you with the twist of a wrist. Bike Week sounds like a zoo. Personally I would say to back off of this plan.

  4. As a rider who likes to ride people, I prefer to be held around the waist. Especially for cornering. I always tell my passenger to lean a little with me in the direction I lean when making a turn but not too much. I actually rode someone the other day who was afraid and kept leaning the opposite direction of me. That made it difficult for me as the driver and felt unbalanced.

    Get on the bike from the left side. BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN YOURSELF ON THE EXHAUST when getting on and off. Especially if the exhaust is on the side. If you don’t know where the exhaust is then ask him.

    I wear tennis shoes as a driver and most of my passengers wear them as well. It’s of course safer if you have on steel toed boots, maybe less desirable. That decision is up to you. Just please cover up all exposed skin and ALWAYS wear a helmet. Hold on a little tighter and get a little closer if he speeds up.

    I think you will be fine. He has 5yrs exp riding. As long as he knows the limits, enjoy! Good luck.

  5. Certain sport bikes make for less comfortable riders than others. Replica racers and 250s aren’t the most comfortable thing for a passenger to ride on. However, larger sport bikes and sport tourers can range from ‘pretty comfortable’ all the way up to ‘real comfortable’ (SV650 up to FJR1300 for instance.)

    1. Waist or belt/belt hoops

    2. Yes, but not as much as the front rider

    3. Wait until he’s on and tells you when to come on.

    4. If you must. (But the more studier the clothing the less you’re going to regret if if you get in an accident.)

    PS It’s ‘sport bike’

  6. The reality is,… its a sportbike: not designed to carry passengers.(comfortably or otherwise) The first order of business would be to make sure you have a butt the size of a postage stamp, and have buns of steel….. as to the additional details:

    1. don’t hold on around his waist. hold on to his belt loops

    2. when turning, lean into it with him, but not further than him; kind of like dancing. let him lead just slightly.

    3. get on the bike like a horse: grab a peg with one foot, hike yourself up and over.

    4. if you are in full safety gear, then tennies would be out of place, right? No you don’t have to be clad in leather, but sensible shoes, or hiking boots is the order of the day.

    5.Under the heading of any other info would be great… and this is most important: tell future hubby to jet the sportbike and get something passenger friendly. the sportbike is really an immature selfish little machine. if he must keep this esoteric machine and you must ride with,…. ride safe, stay alive.

  7. Don’t worry it is not scary or difficult at all. Just hold on and enjoy the ride. It is a lot of fun.

  8. No sudden movements, especially in a corner.

    And no exposed skin. Helmet, boots, jeans and a jacket.

  9. Hi, just wanted to mention, I enjoyed this discussion. Very valuable replies

  10. I’d like to see the answer to this too

Relevant information

Do you love riding bikes, especially crotch rocket bikes? But don’t know how to ride well and like a pro? If your answer is yes, then this pro guide on how to ride a crotch rocket motorcycle is for you. Riding any bike or vehicle like a pro is a dream for many. Maybe you are no exception.

This motorcycle is basically a sports bike. Due to its aerodynamic body shape, the rider can easily lean forward and down. It’s a tremendous bike especially for speed, not for comfort. Since it is a dynamic bike, you should know how to operate and control it. 

In most cases, people who are new to riding a motorcycle face lots of problems like how to operate and handle it. In this article, you’re going to read the most informative guide about riding a sportbike.

16 Steps To Ride A Crotch Rocket Motorcycle Like A Pro:

VIDEO

Almost every rider wants to ride a bicycle safely and efficiently. But there are lots of issues that should be considered before riding a motorcycle proficiently.

So, I arranged this article about how to ride a crotch rocket motorcycle with all the subtle topics, steps, and common mistakes. Hopefully, this article will help you out to take your ride to the next level.

Step 1-Take It Easy:

The first thing is first. If you are determined enough to learn, you need to work hard. Whenever you’re going to start any job or anything, you need to be calm and cultivate. Don’t be in a hurry and never give up.

Everything takes time. Before you’re going to start riding a motorcycle like a crotch rocket motorcycle, you need to take it simple. The more you take it simple, the more you release pressure. By doing this, you can upgrade your level. 

So never take it as a trial, take it as your passion. If you don’t make it simple, you never get your job done.

Step 2- Know The Basic:

The second and most crucial is to accumulate knowledge about riding. “Knowledge is power” – is a famous quote of all time. You can apply and implement this here. Before riding a motorcycle or anything you have, you need to have a clear idea or thoughts about it.

For instance, first of all, you need to know how to handle and keep balance. Moreover, you know how to get into a motorcycle, how to shift, how to brake, what gear is needed. You may take help from an expert or the internet. If you don’t know these basic things, it will not be possible to ride anything, not just a bike.

Step 3- Know The Structure Of Your Motorcycle:

Can you imagine what structure means? It means the whole body information. Before starting a new journey or riding like a pro, you must have a clear concept of the bike’s body parts. It helps you a lot to perform a quality and safe ride.

For example, if you don’t know where the clutch, front and rear brake, gear, and ignition part are located, you will fall in danger. So these are the basic things. And knowing the part section is obligatory.

Step 4- Cover You Up With The Necessary Costumes Or Gears:

Safety is vital. Undoubtedly, covering you up with the necessary costumes is mandatory whether you drive a car or bike. Gears like helmets, jackets, gloves, and shoes are the main things to consider. If you are a fresher or first time on a motorcycle, you need these gears for optimum safety. The more gear or protective things you wear or carry, the less likely you are to be harmed. So wear as much gear as you can. Here are some recommended gears you should consider:

  • Helmet: The most crucial and safest thing is a helmet. It protects your head and mouth surfaces from serious injury, yet you commit an accident. So it is highly recommended to take this gear before getting into the motorcycle.
  • Gloves: The second most obligatory thing is gloves. Hand gloves are much needed when it comes to handling and braking. If you won’t be able to handle and grip the clutch firmly, you can’t ride the bike safely. Consider gloves that are breathable and compatible in the summertime.
  • Jacket: It saves your body parts from harmful road objects. Make sure the jacket is breathable, comfy, and has a removable liner on the inside so that you can ride with full relaxation.
  • CD-rated armor: Keep this is better but not mandatory. If you want to make sure the safety of your elbows, shoulders, and back, keep it. It protects you when you go down and turn stunningly.
  • Shoes: Shoes play a vital role to protect your feet and fingers from damage. But before wearing shoes, choose to wear closed-toed shoes. Shoes allow you to break perfectly.

Step 5- Learn About The Clutch And Brake Lever:

Now, move on to the real things. On the left side of a bike, you can see the foot-peg on the downside. Also, there is a shifter along with the footpeg. Here you can shift gear from one to six.

If you are new to riding a motorcycle and not familiar with it, don’t worry. You will be familiar after riding the first couple of hours or days. There is a handlebar grip and a clutch lever as a control unit on the upper left side. With the help of the clutch, you can engage and disengage as your preference. Here, there may be a low beam or high beam selection.

Step 6- Learn About Brake And Throttle:

In the right section, there is a handlebar grip and throttle (accelerator or pickup). You can up and down the speed by this. Likewise, there is a hydraulic brake right there. You can use this brake to stop power from your front brake.

On the downside, there is a right peg and rear brake control. Here you need to push down to rear brake control. But remember one thing, always hop onto your bike from your left-hand side.

Step 7- Getting On And Starting The Bike:

Now time to get into the motorbike and make your position stable. Now pick the clutch and start the bike. Make sure you are on the motorbike from the left side. Now keep your left hand on the left control bar for a firm grip.

After that, go ahead and put the kickstand up. And keep the bike in the right position. Finally, turn the key on the starting position of the bike.

Step 8- Give It A Little Bit Of Gas

Another thing before getting on the bike, start your engine for a while. If you let your engine run for a couple of minutes, the engine will run smoothly. Also, it helps you to have superb riding till the end. It amplifies engine efficiency and workability.

Step 9- Applying Throttle In Gear (Throttle Control And Starting/Stopping):

Well, now you need to give throttle to accelerate the bike. But keep in mind whenever you give throttle, you need to let the clutch go. You can’t hold both at a time. After going ahead, give your hand in throttle and leave the clutch. Keep the throttle in lower motion. Don’t give too much throttle at the very beginning.  

Step 10- Keep Calm And Pay Full Attention:

Keep your mind calm and focus keenly. According to the rule of thumbs, if you’re starting a new thing, you need to be more focused. So never let your attention go. Otherwise, you are going home with an empty hand. If you are confident enough and pay full attention, you will be satisfied.

Step 11- Keep The Gear In A Neutral Position:

Now, look at your ignition system. Here your key goes. Before getting into the motorcycle, make sure the gear is in a neutral position. If the gear is not in the neutral position at the beginning, the riding experience will definitely ruin it.

By doing this, you can engage the transmission in the engine. Then look at the gear meter. If the gear is in the first position, it is right. So if your gear is in the neutral position, you are all done for a start. Remember to pull the clutch before starting the bike. After starting the bike, let the clutch out. You may warm your bike up for a while.

Step 12- Clutch And Get Rolling:

After warming up, you are ready to go. Here you need to find out where the clutch engages. Then start to move forward. Make sure the gear is in one position and shift the bike consistently. This time, let the clutch out and roll it here and there. Then go to the throttle to accelerate. Focus on the balance. If you balance and grip the throttle genuinely, you can make your ride comfortable. 

But keep in mind not to give throttle instantly. You can move the clutch very slowly. Moreover, make sure you always have your hand on the front brake. Always keep pulling the clutch and replying to the front brake.

That way the engine stops sending power to the transmission and stops the forward movement. Be cautious, don’t let the clutch out too rapidly. But don’t worry about that, it doesn’t hurt the bike necessarily at all.

Step 13- Braking Properly:

Undoubtedly, this is a breathtaking and crucial thing to consider. Now, you need to stop or slow down the motorcycle. Do you want to stop your bike gently and without leaving any damage? Don’t worry.

Here you need to pull the clutch again and stop applying throttle. Furthermore, you must apply the front brake. If you want to stop quickly, you can apply the rear brake. This way the bike will slow down or stop. Then you keep your both feet down.

Step 14- Shifting The Gear And Pulling The Clutch Genuinely:

The next thing you need to do is shift on the motorcycle. Maintaining momentum properly can take you to the next level. If you want to ride like a pro rider, you need to hold the nerves.

If the RPMs are high enough, you are ready to shift your bike into second gear. In this case, you need to let the throttle out and pull the clutch. This way you can gently increase the gear from first to last.

Step 15- Turning The Bike Gently:

So far, you may have learned to start the bike, pull the clutch, give throttle, and shift. But the next significant thing is turning the crotch rocket bike sharply. When you ride on the corner side, you need to turn the bike left to right.

To turn the motorcycle safely, slow down your bike. Now push the right handlebars to the right. If you want to turn the bike left, push the left handlebars to the left. It is very simple and straightforward. 

Step 16- Hire An Experienced Or A Pro Rider:

It is the final treatment. If you can’t do it by yourself, hire an expert to teach you. It will be easier and safer. He will teach you the basic formula and give you the right direction. However, by applying these methods and formulas, you can comfortably ride a motorcycle.

8 Things To Consider Before Starting Ride On A Crotch Rocket Motorcycle:

It is an awful thing to ride a motorcycle without any experience or less knowledge. Undoubtedly, bike accidents are very dangerous. So before starting the journey of riding a bike, you must consider some things. In this section, you’re going to learn about them. So let’s jump into the main idea.

1. Bike Tires

It is a crucial and monumental consideration before riding any bike. If this stuff goes wrong, your total riding experience will go wrong.  It is a tough task to find out the best tires for your bike. Invest money on tires. It will provide you with the best ride experience. So think before installing tires. Most importantly, make sure you’re installing both tires.

2. Check The Tire Pressure

Checking tire pressure at regular intervals matters a lot. So before planning a long ride, check the tire pressure and set them according to the owner’s manual.

3. Wear Earplugs

Well, in most cases, the helmet is not adequate to protect your mouth surface, especially earing. In this regard, you need to wear earplugs to protect your ears from bittering sounds. It helps you a lot to experience better riding. No disaster sounds and no unmelodious sounds. So enjoy a peaceful as well as blissful riding till the end.

4. Don’t Ride With A Dangerous Rider

Sound wired? Not at all. It is the most common mistake a rider makes. Most of the time, a beginner goes for a ride with a crazy rider. It hampers your riding tone. A crazy rider can ride recklessly. Often you may think if I can do the same! By thinking and doing this, you will fall into the trap. Sad but true, this will increase the possibility of death.

5. Mastery In The Brakes

Consider this to eradicate hassle and sudden accidents. If you don’t have a keen idea about the brake, you can’t handle or even turn the bike properly. So, learn how to use the brake and become a pro user.

6. Fitness

It matters a lot. Suppose, you have a heavy-weight or large bike. So to maintain and control it properly, you need to be a competent one. If Your body shape and size match your motorcycle, it will be easy to handle.

7. Buy Motorcycle Insurance

Another serious thing is buying motorcycle insurance. Before going out with your bike, make sure your bike is insured. If you are a new driver, an accident may happen suddenly. At this stage, to save yourself from danger, keep the bike insurance paper and related documents.

8. Know Your Personal Limit

What does it mean? Well, if you are going to take a corner, you need to know about your speed. Only you know how fast you can ride a bike. So keep the speed as needed. Don’t gear up too much while cornering. Keep it less than you can control.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

How Do You Shift Your Crotch Rocket Motorcycle? (5 Steps)

If you have a crotch rocket bike, you have 6 gears. To do this:

  1. Start from the neutral position: After getting on the bike, never shift your gear too much. Make sure you keep your bike in a neutral position.
  1. Let off the throttle and pull the clutch: To improve your riding skill, you have to know about clutch and throttle. However, after keeping your bike in the neutral position, let off the throttle and pull the clutch. 
  1. Put your foot underneath the lever: Now up your foot and keep it in a shifting position.
  1. Now give a little bit of pull while leaving the throttle: At this stage, let off the throttle and consistently pull the clutch.
  1. Finally, slowly release it and do this continuously to gear up to sixth. By doing these, you can gear up.

How Do You Ride As A Passenger On A Crotch Rocket?

Riding a crotch rocket motorcycle with a passenger is full of fun. But before enjoying this fun moment, you need to know some phenomena. These things help you a lot to ride with passengers like a pro. Here are the 3 most effective tips on how do you ride with a passenger:

  1. Improve your handling: Well, it is the first thing you should mind. Passengers affect motorcycle handling most of the time. So mastery of handling is crucial. It helps you to accelerate, decelerate, and turn the bike effortlessly. The more you are capable of handling superbly, the less you harm both you and your passenger.
  2. Listen to passenger instructions: It may sound wired to you, right? But it is the common mistake a rider does is they don’t listen to passenger directions. This is why, most of the time, passengers get scared and have a chance to commit an accident.
  3. Adjust the for the passengers: It matters a lot, you know? You need to make sure where passengers keep their feet and how they seat.

Is A Crotch Rocket Comfortable To Ride?

A crotch rocket motorcycle is a comfortable edition for many. But for beginners or many intermediate riders, it can be a hard nut to crack. It depends on some things. For instance:

  • Shifting gear: If you have all the required knowledge about shifting gear, you will complete the job done effortlessly. But if not, you don’t enjoy the real fun.
  • Braking properly: If you make sure, you are a genius at braking properly, you are going to have great fun. Comfortable riding mostly depends on how you brake while turning or cornering.
  • Fitness issue: If you are fit enough and have the strength to handle a sportbike, you can comfortably ride them.

Which Crotch Rocket Bikes Are The Best For Beginners?

Right now, there are numerous sports bikes available. Some are at high RPMs and CCs. And some are at the lower rate. Here are the 5 best bikes for beginners.

Crotch Rocket Motorcycle Models Special Features
KTMRC390 It comes with an anti-locking braking system and a single-cylinder.
Suzuki GSX250R It has a sleek, sporty look, and a parallel-twin engine with low to medium range torque.
Yamaha MT-09 It features a high-range engine with a 3-inline cylinder.
Honda CBR300R It has a computer-regulable modern advanced electronic ignition system.
Suzuki Hayabusa With sufficient power, swiftness, and extreme sporty performance, it provides a tremendous riding experience all the time.

Final Thoughts

Riding a motorcycle is more than a job. It is not a sitting duck. You need to be determined and eager to learn. Quality and safer rides mostly depend on shifting, giving throttle, and pulling the clutch properly. If you fail to do these, you will never be a pro rider.

So far, you may have understood a lot about how to ride a crotch rocket motorcycle. There are numerous issues you have to consider before riding a sportbike. Hopefully, all of the guys enjoyed this basic to advanced guide. Wish you a better and more enjoyable ride.

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