#OneJob - The Pillion Post

Your rally blog scribe (Jennifer) and Kirsten in Ireland, 2017

Kirsten and I have been riding two-up for many years, including through central Mexico and all through Ireland. The Ireland trip was organized rally style by none other than Chris! The riders, most IBR veterans, enjoyed a fantastic week in 2017 making a loop of the Irish Isle. This week, I’ve been hearing from some of our favorite two-up teams and IBR vets interested to see the set-up of this 2023 team. Every pillion can tell you about comfortable rides, issues with trunk hinges jamming them in the back, helmet knocks when they doze off for a second, and riding long miles with the up-close view of the back of the pilot’s helmet.   

Every pillion has their own method for getting on the bike, and it’s a topic of conversation. I spoke with Greg and Pat Blewett in Pittsburgh and Pat’s method has evolved over the years and many successful IBRs. When we were riding in Ireland, Jon Goode (2023 IBR rally staff) and Ande Bergmann had an amazing system where Ande grabs Jon’s arm and he sort of flings her onto the back of the bike. Apparently they were watching a video of SEAL teams hauling people into a life raft and inspiration hit!

Jennifer and the GSA

The BMW GSA pillion seat is roughly level with my elbow, so it’s a climb. Kirsten stabilizes the bike and I step left foot on the peg and launch up, swinging the right leg over the side. One big difference Kirsten has reported on this ride, Chris is much taller than me, his shoulders almost at her head. A plus for him - he can see nearly over the top of her head. Down side- the center of gravity is much higher on the bike. It’s been a lot of work keeping the bike stable as there is no neutral movement that he can make. There’s been no bike dropping though; their refrain is Irish for “knock on wood” - touch wood. Unlike many other experienced two-up teams who have been riding together for years, Kirsten and Chris are mainly solo riders riding together for the first time on this rally. It has been an adjustment for them both.

There is something that all pillions know: The pillion must feed the driver.  #onejob 

Lynda Lahman, part of the two-time, two-up IBR veteran team with Terry has found proteins & carbs that work in an easy-to-pass-to-the-front-of-the-helmet-without-getting-blown-away form. Ande, in addition to routing and completing rally paperwork, takes tourist photos and generally keeps connected, all from the pillion seat. (Jon is forbidden from touching rally paperwork.) Kirsten and Chris had a few conversations about what to eat on a rally. Despite the fact that this rally is taking them to food places, rally riders don’t spend a lot of time off the bike eating. Kirsten said that sometimes the hand comes around with a handful of Planter’s peanuts. Yesterday, there was part of a PayDay bar. They are filling up the two-person hydration system at every fuel stop. But other than that, here on Day 7, they are drinking out of the same can of Coke.   

Where there is sheep, there is...

...a pillion dismount hazard.

After joining several other riders on Leg 2 on the combine driving simulator bonus, which also offered the opportunity for a "real" breakfast at their cafe, Kirsten/ Chris rode through some very chilly temps on the way to the Denver checkpoint. (Kirsten needed heated gear, Chris was nicely chilled.) Once again, they accomplished all the points they were aiming for on Leg 2 and made progress on their BINGO card. They are currently the 2nd two-up team. It looks like James and Bobbie Jackson are having a heck of a rally, currently sitting in 15th position on their 2021 Honda GL 1800. 

Rally packs were distributed for Leg 3 at 4 a.m. Denver time this morning. The public SPOT page showed the starburst of riders leaving the barn for the longest and highest point-getting leg of the rally. This is the time to keep the wheels rolling and the snacks coming!

The pillion's view, Ireland.