Observations by a rookie pillion rider

Note: A pillion is an extended or additional cushion on the back of a motorcycle to allow for a passenger. I didn’t know this, and apparently I’ve been “riding pillion” this whole time!

I never imagined myself on a motorcycle, neither as a driver nor a passenger. It just never came to mind as something I might be interested in. But here I am today, with a partner who loves his Black Edition Kawasaki—which we jokingly/warmly refer to as “Bikey”—browsing the local online classifieds for motorcycle jackets, and now regularly hopping on Bikey for little excursions in and around the city. Here is yet another instance in which I’ve glimpsed into a world previously unknown to me.

The “secret” wave

Did you know that motorcyclists signal to each other to acknowledge their mutual motorcycle-ness? I certainly hadn’t, not until I sat on the back of a bike. When I first started tagging along for rides, I noticed that when someone was coming toward us from the opposite direction, Max would stretch out his left hand to the side, index and middle finger extended—a little wave that the other driver would return in kind. I soon learned that slight nods of the head are also permissible as a form of greeting.

This to me felt very reminiscent of seeing someone coming in your direction from the other end of a very long hallway. You know you see each other but are still not at an appropriate distance to do or say anything. The anticipation of the interaction is anxiety-inducing (at least it would be for me!). Will they wave back, or won’t they? Sometimes they don’t, mostly they do. I think about the shy motorcyclist, though, who has maybe tried to wave to fellow bikers once or twice but for whatever reason was not acknowledged in return and thereafter elected to avoid feeling rejected by never waving to any other biker again. Maybe I’m overthinking this (as if I myself were the shy motorcyclist).

Anyway, riding a motorcycle is like being part of a not-so-secret secret club. Mopeds, by the way, are not allowed in the club! You do not wave to them, which always makes me wonder if motorcyclists sometimes wave to mopeds by mistake (and I imagine them consequently to be disgusted by said mistake)? Because to me, they all look the same from the front. But perhaps a motorcyclist’s eyes are more discerning than that of a layperson such as myself.

The gear, a.k.a. I now understand the inspiration behind fashion moto-jackets

Modern motorcycle jackets have protectors in the elbows, shoulders and back. There are no metal parts near the bottom of the jacket to avoid scratching the machine when the driver leans over it. You also need to wear gloves that have hard shells over your knuckles and the outside of your thumbs. I learned that kangaroo leather is often used in motorcycle gloves for its toughness and dexterity. Pants also have protectors over the kneecaps and sometimes the hips. In the summer, it’s important to wear clothes with vents that you can unzip, otherwise it gets pretty sweaty! And shoes should cover your ankles. Leather is good in general for its resistance to abrasion. Denim is the next best thing, and denim interwoven with heat-resistant Kevlar is even better. And the helmet! All I can say is that for people with big cheeks like me, it takes some getting used to.

There is a potential market for femme motorcycle apparel

Maybe I’m ignorant, but my Google searches and occasional trips to the motorcycle shops with Max did not produce many attractive results for women’s gear. There are also simply not as many options out there for ladies as there are for men. What do you do when you don’t want something with atrociously tacky swirly designs, yet also don’t want something so hardcore and race-y? I know motorcycle gear in general tends to have big brand logos emblazoned across the fronts, backs, and sides. Sometimes it’s cool and I could get used to it. Other times I think it would be nice if there were some more muted and sleek options out there. And don’t get me started on the shoe selection! If I cared enough about motorcycles, I might have started taking matters into my own hands and designed something myself.

I’m still not used to the curves

I was super uncomfy with it when I first rode pillion a year ago. Admittedly, I’m still not 100%, though I do squeal less now. As a passenger, I’ve learned it’s important to lean together with the driver in the direction of the curve as you round corners. It felt very unnatural for me at first, and early on my remedy was to turn my head in the opposite direction so I couldn’t see the bike leaning as much as it was. Today, I don’t need to do this anymore, but my stomach still does loop de loops during low-speed turns, when it feels like we could just tip over.

It’s not that comfy, but the views may be worth it

Being a passenger is fun for the first 15 minutes. I like looking at everything whizzing by. I am intrigued by this version of me that I see in the glass windows of storefronts, with my helmet, on the back of a bike, hanging onto Max for dear life. Funny how I got here!

Then my butt starts to hurt and I have to fight the urge to wiggle around to get comfortable. My head gets sore from being turned to the left all the time. My shoulders get tight, my hands get tired, and I try not to think too hard about if I were to lose my grip by accident. We are currently thinking of innovating a way to make hanging on easier.

Though motorcycles are really not my thing, at the end of the day, I do appreciate what Max’s Bikey has afforded us. We can move around independently, to places just out of reach by public transportation, and just riding around on a sunny day without a particular destination is a nice way to dispel the corona blues. We’ve wandered out to lakes, driven out across the city to get cinnamon buns, and most recently, visited an unbloomed cherry blossom avenue in Teltow. What’s next? Only warmer weather can tell! I’m just happy to go along for the ride.