SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Wife on the back
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1253406396

Message started by voldigicam on 09/19/09 at 17:26:36

Title: Wife on the back
Post by voldigicam on 09/19/09 at 17:26:36

By way of reference, wife is 45. Two years ago she rode a bicycle in company with that Armstrong guy. Long ride, very nice. She's an excellent rider. Then had her face bashed in and ligaments in hands torn in a dog caused wreck. Minor brain damage. Now has most feeling back, but still has numb face and some short term memory loss.

Then this year, crashed our scooter at about 30 mph.

So she's got some issues with two wheels.

Has ridden the back before, short distances. Maybe 30 miles today and she really figured out how to get into it. Relaxed, had a good exciting time. Challenging for me, riding slow enough!!! But it was fine. Got up to 47 mph.

Wondering how well the S40 will really double on longer rides. If she likes this. Maybe I would need to get a bigger bike. What think you, the assembled mass of 650 single experts?

She was OK with maybe heading up to the Tallassee store tomorrow. Perhaps I'll run her up to the overlook on 129 ("Dragon"). Funny that our local road has become famous!

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by boofer on 09/19/09 at 17:35:31

voldigicam,
Sorry to hear of your troubles. Some famous dead poet said "Troubles come not singly but as sparrows."

I can't exactly answer this, but I am surprised by the number of LS650s on the internet with sidecars. That has to say something about the capacity our little single has to meet the challenges we throw at them. Boofer

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by runwyrlph on 09/19/09 at 17:38:18

i just got my wife on recently. she had never been on a motorcycle before 2 weeks ago - i'm starting slow taken a couple short rides- hoping she'll get addicted

i wouldn't mind getting her a bike of her own if she wants - have to be a rebel 250 so i won't feel threatened! ;D

as far as power i thought the 650 did fine, we haven't been over 60 2 up, though

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by voldigicam on 09/19/09 at 17:41:31

I didn't notice any power trouble. Front end felt perhaps light, or perhaps not as steady as would be ideal. But it feels that way with me solo, too.

I suppose we can do a longer bit tomorrow. On the East Tellico Parkway I can cruise at 45 and hit 55 if I want. See how it all works. And certainly along the Tennessee finger lakes will be good. If we go early, I might be able to go up the Dragon a little further than the overlook before the traffic gets up. I just worry about the traffic there. Lots of flat landers doing dumb in a no dumb zone. It's that rep.

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by photojoe on 09/19/09 at 17:48:28

I've had a fair amount of experience riding 2-up until Shar got sick earlier in the year and is unable to walk without the use of a cane let alone ride.

I had no problem on 2-up short rides with her on the Savage. She eventually took the course and got her mc license with the intention of getting her own bike. Then she got sick and hasn't been on a bike since last year.

But, back to the case in point; The Savage was fine 2-up for short hauls of under 100 miles. Any longer and it starts to hurt. It hurts me, Shar and everything on the bike works a lot harder 2-up. Brakes, clutch, shocks and loss of speed. So, I've been riding solo most of the year and have become convinced that this bike is best ridden that way. Actually, I was asked to give one of Shar's friends a ride home a couple of weeks ago, and noticed immediately how hard the bike was working 2-up. What a difference!

I'm still looking for an Intruder. Either a 1400 or 1500cc because I do enjoy riding with Shar and want her (and me and the bike) to be comfortable. It's killing her not being able to ride and looking out the window watching me take off is not making her feel any better. I figure with an Intruder, she would be comfortable enough to sit for a few hours, especially the Intruder 1500 LC. I'll keep the Savage, but will have a bigger bike for 2-up and long haul riding soon. Actually I'm playing e-mail tag with someone who has a '96 1400 for sale, but he's asking too much for it. It needs a lot of work. The search continues.

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by PTRider on 09/19/09 at 19:26:57

Quote:

If she likes this. Maybe I would need to get a bigger bike.

If the Savage / S40 is too small for you two comfortably, two bikes I really like are, cruiser--Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic, and enduro/adventure touring--Suzuki V-Strom 650. I bought the V-Strom.

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by flcruzr on 09/19/09 at 19:42:09

I have had no issues riding 2up on my bike. My wife is 5', 120 and i'm 5'11, 170 we have gone on 100 mile trips and have gotten up to 80mph with some slight pushing but 65-70 was no problem. My wife's butt was numb after 40-50 miles but overall it is possible to ride 2-up.

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/20/09 at 00:04:51

The bike will tolerate the load much better than the wife will tolerate the seat. Someone has a special attachment, called the butty buddy or something like that.

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by voldigicam on 09/20/09 at 02:49:12

My wife's seat has extra padding installed. Not the bike's seat . . .

I doubt we'll run long distance. Might run up to the overlook on the Dragon today, maybe 60 mile RT. Most at moderate speeds. Will see how she does! And how I do. I get tired after 100 miles anyway.

Should be interesting.

I'd considered the Vulcan and V Strom both. V Strom looks great to me!

Harley Dyna Wide Glide looks good, too, but $$$$$$

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by drharveys on 09/20/09 at 03:32:00

My wife finds that the rear suspension transmits too harsh a ride over bumps and potholes. She'll hop on the Savage for a quick hop in the neighborhood, but anything longer requires the Triumph.

The Triumph is a much better bike two-up.

Both bikes have Hagon shocks -- the Savage bottomed out pretty badly on the stock shocks, and the Triumph was too soft, producing an interesting pogo-stick effect when ridden over a bump with both of us aboard, They also have fork braces. It made such a difference in the handling of the Savage that I popped one on the Triumph on GP's.

Hope this helps -- Sorry I can't give any advice on a larger cruiser style bike, except to say that my son-in-law's Honda Shadow Ace 750 performed quite nicely with both of us aboard.

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by 23Skidoo on 09/20/09 at 03:59:06

My wife is always on the back of our savage her main complaint is that the sissy bar is too low and jabs in her back, strangely we've covered 150 mile distances and she hasn't complained about the seat, I don't think I'd last 5 minutes before getting off and hitching a lift.....

For me riding yes the front end does feel lighter, but worse I do notice the lack of power when say pulling out from a side road but the bike handles well whilst on the open road and has enough grunt to keep up with the harley guys when we scoot down to the coast on a Sunday.. And they can sure hear us coming since I knocked the baffle out of my slashcut... ::) All in all I'll be getting something bigger next year for the both of us and keep the savage for my daily hack..

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by Demin on 09/20/09 at 06:17:37

Me,and the ex have put 100+ miles on.I'm 6'33" 270,she was 5'3" 105.

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by voldigicam on 09/20/09 at 09:09:56

All up with gear, we're probably 380 lbs including tools etc. That's about all I'd think about carrying.

I tried a 100 pound person and hardly noticed anything! But my wife would like object to me acquiring a regular 105 blond surrogate . . . .

I'll eventually get a fork brace and other goodies. Money is just tight still. At least the bike is cheap to run!

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by SmilinLDR on 09/20/09 at 13:04:01

Did 65 mi 2-up from Loveland to Denver, bike did well and was able to keep 70-75 most of the way. Quiet windless night, into the wind would have been a different story.

Title: Re: Wife on the back
Post by Hard Corps on 09/20/09 at 13:24:29

How 'bout putting her on the front?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2676/3783639108_5ec2af2ac4.jpg

We rode about 40 minutes up into downtown Kansas City for a meet-up with a group of pro/semi-pro photographers my wife is a part of. They loved the bike and started taking pics. It was my wife's first time on a bike in about 9 years. She loved it, too, but after the ride home, complained her butt hurt. Now she wants her own Savage.