Todie's Wild Ride- How to Safely Carry a Passenger

This coin is being released to help raise awareness of motorcycles on the roads.
You can help us spread the word of motorcycle awareness by releasing a coin of your own!

This coin is in memory of Todie Phillips of Manitou Beach, MI. He passed away August 12 2008 as a result of a motorcycle accident, he was only 49 years old.

Carrying a passenger on a motorcycle is not like taking someone with you in a car.

A passenger affects the overall handling and dynamics of your motorcycle. Unless you are a fairly skilled rider, you probably should not even consider taking on a passenger.

If you do carry a passenger, you should know and do the following:

Never carry a passenger unless your motorcycle is designed for one, including seating space and passenger foot pegs.

NEVER allow a passenger to sit anywhere except on the area of the seat designated for a passenger.

Make sure that the weight of yourself, your passenger and all gear does not exceed the maximum recommended weight for your motorcycle according to manufacturer's specifications.

Make sure your passenger has proper riding gear. It's just as important for your passenger to be protected and comfortable as it is for you.

Make sure your passenger knows what he/she is supposed to do. Unless the person has ridden with you many times and you know he/she understands the rules, take the time to go over them before you start your ride.

The passenger should:

* Keep his/her feet on the foot pegs at all times, and avoid contact with hot parts.
* Sit still as much as possible, particularly when slowing or stopped.
* Always lean with the motorcycle. This means the passenger's torso should always be the same angle as the motorcycle. They should not lean in or out.
* When in a turn, look over the shoulder of the operator in the direction of the turn.

DRIVE SAFE - GET HOME ALIVE!