pillion

A pillion is a secondary pad, cushion, or seat behind the main seat or saddle on a horse, motorcycle, or moped. A passenger in this seat is said to "ride pillion" or may themselves be referred to as a "pillion." The word is derived from the Gaelic for "little rug," pillean, which is itself from the Latin pellis for "animal skin." One or more pelts would often have been the form a secondary seat took on horseback, and the usage was carried over to motorcycles.

"Bitch seat" or "bitch pad" is vulgar American motorcycle slang for the pillion, as is "riding bitch" instead of "riding pillion". While used currently for both men and women, these terms come from antiquated notions about both gender roles and motorcycling in general. "Riding bitch" is also used in America to denote sitting in between two other people, where there is often a hump in the middle analogous to the pillion. When possible, this is the option avoided in favor of "riding shotgun."

Pillion-riding is associated with terrorist or criminal attacks in some South Asian countries. In Pakistan, for instance, pillion riding is often banned by local authorities around sensitive times, such as the Ashura commemoration, when there have been violent attacks on worshippers.

Safety

Before carrying a pillion passenger on a motorbike, it is advisable to alter the suspension and adjust the headlight as the extra weight towards the back might tip the motorcycle backwards. A passenger will alter the handling characteristics of the vehicle, reducing stability at low speed as well as reducing the bike's braking and acceleration capacities. To carry a pillion passenger in the United States or United Kingdom, one must hold a full motorcycle or moped licence, and there must also be a proper seat and foot pegs for the passenger.

A motorcycle's dynamics will change when there is a passenger riding on the pillion. It is the driver's responsibility to compensate for this and keep both rider and pillion safe. Various points can be observed by the passenger riding pillion to increase safety such as avoiding mounting or dismounting when the driver is unprepared, using any available footpegs, letting the driver lean into curves instead of trying to help, avoiding shifting body weight unnecessarily in a curve, avoiding bumping the driver (especially with two helmets and/or when braking), leaning forward when accelerating, knowing any signals the driver may give and how to give signals to the driver.

See also

• Mounting block

External links and references

• Be a happy pillion "Relax. Lean with the motorbike." and other advice.
• [1] News article on ban on pillion-riding in Peshawar, Pakistan, during Muharram 2004.
• [2]Belgium Electronic music band

Donate to Wikimedia