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2 up riding 1999 R1100S

spuglisi

New member
Good morning,
So I parted with my R75/6 and joined the 21st Century (almost) with a beautiful, black R1100S. City and touring lids for the panniers. My question is just how does my lovely bride of 45 years manage to get herself hoisted up on this motorcycle. Even without the panniers it is not pretty. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 

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Rider sits astride the motorcycle and firmly braces it with his legs and arms.

a. If possible passenger raises right leg high and slides up onto the seat

or

b. Passenger places left foot on passenger footpeg and steps up while swinging the right leg over the seat.

B is easier for the passenger. A is easier for the rider.
 
Congratulations on buying the most beautiful BMW bike ever made. Not that I'm biased or anything. :D

Further to what Mr. Glaves has said, Method "B" is the easiest way is for the wife to mount up. Like she's getting on a horse....left foot on peg, bracing herself using the rider's shoulders, swing right leg over the saddle.

Oh, and that's pretty much impossible to do with the luggage mounted. In that case Method "C" might work - She mounts up first on the rider's seat and then slides up onto the passenger seat.
 
mounting up R1100S

Gentlemen thank you both. Your advice is very much appreciated. We're going to work on cowboy style (without panniers) first. That should work for the jaunt out for breakfast. The technique of allowing the passenger to mount first and slide back was very doable on the R75. It was the only way we could ever mount with the bags. With a bit of practice, maybe some more yoga lessons, that just might do it for the new bike also. Those footpegs have some altitude compared with the airhead. I bought the 1100 for longer distance trips so mounting with the bags, touring lids and all, is a talent we have to master.

Thank you both again. And yes, the motorcycle is beautiful. dual disc brakes, clip-ons, 100 hp, 6 speed, I am in love.
Steve
 
Rider sits astride the motorcycle and firmly braces it with his legs and arms.

a. If possible passenger raises right leg high and slides up onto the seat

or

b. Passenger places left foot on passenger footpeg and steps up while swinging the right leg over the seat.

B is easier for the passenger. A is easier for the rider.

My wife uses a variation on b., grabbing her right ankle to help lift it over the seat, left hand on my shoulder for balance.

It still isn't pretty.:eek
 
We're going to work on cowboy style (without panniers) first.

In my book, "cowboy style" means taking a run at the bike from the back, planting one's hands on the tail piece, and vaulting onto the seat. Just like the Lone Ranger. Send video if you decide to give this a try. :D

On another note, I don't know if your bars are positioned above or below the triple clamp. If they're below, and you find that the forward lean is a tad too much, its a 15 minute job to move the bars above the triple clamp. Enjoy your new ride. :thumb
 
2 up riding 1100s

Good morning and thank you for the reply. "cowboy style" was probably an overly ambitious term. I can't imagine running towards the bike under any circumstance. We'll see how method "C" works. The clip-ons are below the clamp. I think that is the factory location. The riding position is taking a bit of getting used to but I did have low bars on my R75 as well. I certainly enjoy the windscreen, and brakes, and HP, and transmission, and ...... I didn't know what I was missing for this past 2 years.
Steve
 
My wife uses a variation on b., grabbing her right ankle to help lift it over the seat, left hand on my shoulder for balance.

It still isn't pretty.:eek

The grab-the-ankle-and-lift method is the one I use to get into the saddle because I have aging, cr^ppy knees and a backrest in the way - can't swing a leg over the pillion. Actually, I first kick my right foot toward the saddle as high as it will go, THEN catch the ankle and hoist it over. It works on the first try about 80% of the time, depending on which set of riding pants I'm wearing - the vented, looser ones make it easier.

And no, it isn't pretty. (Or dignified, for that matter, but I gave up on that some while ago...)
 
...can't swing a leg over the pillion...)

When I have the seat pack on the pillion part of the saddle, I get my leg over the pack by bending my knee back as far as I can, pulling my lower leg almost parallel with the upper, and then swinging both over the pack. That works well.
 
2 up riding

Good morning all and thank you for the advice. I am please no one suggested I bought the wrong machine. I have had my doubts once Kathy and I started doing the gymnastics. Sound like the best approach, with bags and very wide lids, is to let her mount first, kick stand down, using my footpeg as a step. I'll help stabilize the bike. I have also read that relying on the kick stand should be accompanied with locking the transmission. Makes sense, as less chance of rolling of the stand. I've done that before on the downhill. I can lift my foot up and over the center of the saddle (on a good day) without swinging over bags or passenger. On a bad day, more stretching should do it.
Steve
 
I have also read that relying on the kick stand should be accompanied with locking the transmission. Makes sense, as less chance of rolling of the stand. I've done that before on the downhill.
Steve

I think it is a good idea to get in the habit of always leaving the bike in 1st gear when on the sidestand. It is just a good habit. Otherwise, sooner or later a rolling bike might bite you.
 
Boy have you got that right Paul. One time after I was stopped by the highway patrol my bike took off while I was retrieving my docs. We both watched as it fell on the right ride, busted the mirror and the footpeg. He reduced the ticket from a $200.00 one to a wasting fuel, $55.00, but the BITE still cost over $200.00.
 
Try this..... Stand straddling the bike. Have your pillion use the driver peg (your peg) as she gets onto the bike. It a MUCH shorter hoist up for her than using the passenger pegs.

p.s. Congrats on 45 years!
 
pillion passenger

Good morning,
Thank you all for your advice. Great suggestions and with good humor. I have come to the right place for help indeed. Kathy and I are off for a brief vacation. When we return, It will be "2 up practice time". I'll post our results.
Steve
 
I think it is a good idea to get in the habit of always leaving the bike in 1st gear when on the sidestand. It is just a good habit. Otherwise, sooner or later a rolling bike might bite you.

+1

For the past couple of years I routinely park by putting the sidestand down in 1st to kill the engine. (It only took me a few months to routinely remember why it wouldn't start immediately.)
 
R1150rt pillion technique

I am vertically challenged riding an 1150rt. I stand 5f6 and with the seat set to the lowest setting, I am still not flat footing when both feet are down. Initially, my wife was using the swing the leg over but with the big top case somewhat in her way, we have tried to perfect technique A. Until we settled on this method, she and I would observe how other riders were mounting and we would often critique.

I make sure I am ready by having both feet firmly on level ground and her always mounting from the left side. Upon my signal, she places her left foot on the peg, left hand on my shoulder, and smoothly stand up on the peg and lifts her right leg over the seat. She also avoids pulling herself on or any other violent action which will throw us both off. I also told her to keep shoulders over the seat so as her centre of gravity will not tip the bike either left or right. I can't emphasize enough but what throws me off balance is sudden movements which surprises me. I am happy with how we've worked together on this method and I know she is more comfortable as we continue to improve.

Good luck with your new adventures

Sunny
 
I think it is a good idea to get in the habit of always leaving the bike in 1st gear when on the sidestand. It is just a good habit. Otherwise, sooner or later a rolling bike might bite you.

Me, too. I call this "Park"
 
2 up riding trials

Good morning,
Yesterday was "2 up training day". Without panniers. No issues. Passenger mounts from rear using foot pegs. Rider already mounted. With panniers, bike on side stand, passenger (Kathy) uses riders foot peg as a step, lifts right leg up and over seat, slides back up on the pillion. No contact with the panniers at all. Rider (that's me) mounts by lifting right foot over saddle. (Stretching exercises recommended). Dismount in reverse except Kathy "side saddle" completes her dismount. Voila! Not as scary as I feared. Now as for the saddle. I ordered a Sargent. Hope that keeps us both where we belong, in the seat instead of straddling the fuel tank.
Steve
 
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