Long distance tour with junior pillion

[Sinbad]

Hi, I am looking for some advice or to hear of your experiences.

I am fairly new to riding having been on two wheels for just under two years. However I have racked up some 25k miles on all types of road and done 2 days of advanced training. Recently I started taking my 11 year old daughter on the back for sbort trips and we are now planning a trip to scotland in the summer which would be 500 miles each way and of course the bike is my fidst choice. Having done the training days I know I can handle a full day in the saddle but am unsure if my daughter would be able to deal with the reality of it.
Ic we do go on the bike I was planning on splitting the journey across two days and into 90 to 120 sessions with 45 minutes breaks.

Would love to hear your experiences and advice.

Thanks in advance

Sinbad

[ghostbiker]

Well i did a weeks touring round holland with my 14 year old daughter (back then anyway) a couple of top tips is make sure she has a MP3 player and comfortable ear phones. a topbox realy helps them get commfy and relax on the bike. if no top box then the waist grippers.
Take your key on when to stop from her, some days my daughter was happy to ride all day with no stops other than fuel, other days 100 miles and a break was wanted.
make sure she has good gear, a cold/wet pissed off daughter isnt a good combo :P

[Sinbad]

Thanks Ghostbiker. Already have the box, having heard so many horror stories of pillions flying off the back....

Sure these accidents have alot to do with riding style but once that image is in your head, there is no getting rid of it.

[paul1606]

If moneys not an issue think about an autocom or similar ,i go with my son on the back though hes older than your daughter we listen to the mp3 i find it makes the ride more interactive for the pillion,cos lets face it we,re ok and occupied they must get bored shitless especially at that age. Plenty of stops work for me ,been to scotland twice AWSOME roads

[Kosmic Kartman]

Work it around your pillion. If they are not alert you will need to take care and caution. You need to be receptive as to how alert you pillion is. Short bursts with lots of stops is better to keep them alert and comfortable if they do get tired. Fatigue is what you should be looking for. Long haul is different to a blast around the block, or a trip to the coast and should be treated as such.

[Grahamm]

I'd agree with the above comments, I'd also suggest that you start going on day-out rides, going further each time to get her used to longer rides to get a feel for how long she can manage.

[Tmation]

Agree with above, build up some distance over a few months. Crash Helmets and clothing can be a bigger problem than you think, make sure they fit well and are comfortable, oh and they are waterproof. Water/food/pee break every 1.5 to 2 hours (fill up fuel) helps.


Good luck and enjoy...(don't forget the insect repellent for Scotland in the summer  )

[Sinbad]

Thanks for all the great tips guys. Glad to see no one thinks I am mad to be considering the trip. My daughter is really looking forward to it. Have helmet and jacket sorted, just need boots, trousers and waterproofs.intercom sounds like a good idea as does doing some long rides to get her used to being in the saddle for long periods.

Please keep the advice and experience coming.

Many thanks

Sinbad

[lardarse]

Hi Sinbad!

On the topic of intercoms, as posted previously, don't scrimp on the cheap and cheerful ones you see on fleabay. Buy a well known brand, such as Autocom etc.. They have shot up massively in the last 3-4 years unfortunately.

It's worth the time also to really plan out the installation, both on the bike and in the helmet, as being 1/4" out with the earpieces can mean really bad results. Sometimes an MP3 player/ipod (which can be incorporated into intercom installations) will not like the vibration from a bike if you place it under the seat, and will stop playing.

If you are going to buy an intercom, I would reccomend chainspeed, as their after service and advice was superb.

Hope to have helped.

Kev