Tina and I have almost 30 years of two-up riding together and somewhere on the far side of 100K doing so. Riding together is one of our favorite things to do and even after all this time, we still love to get out on the bike and go for a ride. It doesn't have to be a long ride, it can be a 20-mile round trip for ice cream or it can be a 400 mile day to the Sierras and back. Either way, it's a great way to spend time together without the distractions of anything else.

Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Be sure your passenger has adequate gear. This means more than a helmet. You want gear close to or equivalent to your own. If you fall off, you hit the ground with the same force as passenger or rider.

Prior to riding, explain some ground rules and how motorcycles work. Be sure to point out the following:

• Point out what's hot and what spins.
   
• Point out where to hold on and how to do so.
   
• Remind them that their feet stay on the pegs at all times unless they're getting off or on the bike.
   
• They only get on or off the bike when you say it's OK.
   
• Explain how to mount the motorcycle. Left hand on your shoulder. At your sign (a nod for us), they put their left foot on the peg and swing their right leg over. Encourage them to try not to pull on you, which will pull both of you over onto the ground. You should brace yourself with your left leg and get ready before you give the nod. Sometimes, a curb makes this easier.
   
• When we arrive, Tina puts her left hand on my shoulder and says "ready?" before she gets off. That way, I'm ready for her and she can get off safely. These two routines, getting off and on are vitally important to keeping your bike's bodywork off the ground.
   
• Agree upon a few signals for the passenger. Make sure you have an "I have to pee," "You're going too fast" and "I want to stop" signals worked out ahead of time. For us, the "I have to pee" is her touching the inside of my thigh, "too fast" is her squeezing me with her legs and "stop" is her putting her right hand over my shoulder and making a chopping motion.
   
• If I'm getting ready to pass a car, I hold up my left hand make "pull the trigger" motions. Tina knows I'm going to add a whole bunch of throttle and she needs to get ready. She'll hold me by the sides of my waist and lean forward. Wrapping her arms around me makes it difficult for me to operate the bike, but if she holds onto my waist she can sense what she needs to do without affecting me. Save the "pulling the trigger" motions until you've been riding together for a while.
   
• Have your passenger look over your right shoulder on right turns and your left shoulder on left turns.
   
• Remind her that the bike will lean and that failing to lean will make bad things happen. She needs to stick with you, even though it feels weird. Remind her to look up the road when you're cornering, she'll feel better than if she's staring at the pavement right next to the front of the bike, which is getting closer every time you go around a turn.
   
• If you have a backrest, install it. Passengers love knowing that they won't fall off the back. If your passenger is relaxed, she will help you be smooth.

In general, try riding around a parking lot together for a little while, or just up and down your street. From there, take a short ride to somewhere close. Think of something like 5 miles away, on a country road or lightly traveled road to a specific destination. She'll know what the duration of the ride will be ahead of time, which will help. At the terminus (while you're eating your ice cream or having coffee) allow ample time for relaxation and hanging around. Then ride home, ensuring that the ride out was comfortable and she's comfortable on the return. The speed limit will be plenty. For someone that isn't used to riding a bike, the speed limit will seem horrifyingly fast and exposed. Go at a reasonable pace. I give Tina a pat on the thigh with my left hand after we get going and she gives me a thumbs up over my left shoulder if she's all good.

Ok, so that's a bunch of stuff for the passenger. But, as the rider, you have a significant responsibility to be as absolutely smooth as possible. Feed the throttle in small increments and slow the bike using engine braking when possible. Shifts should be smooth and cornering lines should be the classic arcing line. You have added a significant amount of load to the bike (even for light passengers) and the bike will want to be treated smoothly. Shifting should ideally feel like an automatic transmission.

You should add preload to the rear shock to handle the passenger. Be sure to remember how many turns, clicks, whatever you added so you can set it back to solo settings easily. Tire pressures may need to be increased as well, so be sure to check under the seat for the bike's recommended inflation rates.

If you and your passenger are clunking helmets, you need to step up your game as a rider and get smoother. You'll discover that your ability to ride smoothly with a passenger will bring you enormous benefits when you ride by yourself. If the bike isn't getting jerked around, up and down, fore and aft, you'll be faster and more in control.

Riding together for us is one of the most enjoyable things we do. We started riding together when I was 19 and she was 17 and even today do many of the same kinds of things we did back then. A ride to lunch, breakfast or just out for an afternoon ride is still a hugely romantic interlude. We're away from all other distractions, moving together down a beautiful road. It's just like ballroom dancing for us. We're in motion, with the enjoyable music of riding carrying us.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. After a while, you'll need to coach her to give other riders a cheery wave as you catch and pass them.