Shifting Gears Episode 8 Co-Rider Comfort

So Ken, this week on “Winging It” we want to talk about the co-rider and you know that person back there is important because on the new Gold Wing they’ve added a heated seat environment so that they can be just as comfortable as you are up front.

Ken

That’s right and I mean, you’re a tag team on this and the co-rider has inputs and safety inputs and their enjoyment of the ride is just as important so they’re now moving those creature comforts to the back.

Dave

Right

Ken

So yeah, the new ones.. heated seat, heated back.. it’s incredible what they’re addressing on that aspect.

Dave

Now, this is your personal Gold Wing… how many kilometers to you have?

Ken

About a hundred and sixty thousand..

Dave

Still working on it.

Ken

That’s right.  That’s right.

Dave

But you have added an after market saddle and you were telling me earlier that the reason for that was so that your co-rider could sit upright.

Ken

Yeah the ergonomics from the original manufacturer were a little too sloped for a lot for a lot of the public so a lot fo the aftermarket seats address that issue making it more upright because the passengers were starting to slide in it.  It’s one thing to design a bike but then when you live in it there’s always room for improvement no matter who it is.  SO that was a big improvement there for making the comfort long term.

Dave

Living in it.  You said to me earlier that you also have the option now of adding arm rests for the passenger.

Ken

Yup. They’re on and off in about five minutes, I just don’t have them on today, but they mount on here for the passenger to have somewhere to rest their forearms and they swing out of the way for easy mount and dismount off the bike.

Dave

What I’ve noticed here today is that you’ve got different foot pegs for the co-rider.

Ken

Yup. Just like the rider every so often needs to change his foot position for the long rides, they came up with this ingenious design for the passenger and that can all be put up with their foot, they don’t have to reach down with their hand like I did but it allows them now to just move their body position around a little bit, a little change of posture does an immense difference and then I always suggest that you put them back down into standard postion when we come into traffic.  Again, just kick that back down and you’ll end up with the original look floorboard – support their foot in the normal position.

Dave

While you were bending down there I noticed you’ve got volume control here… you guys are communicating with each other via CV.

Ken

When you’re on the upper plateaus they add all the electronic toys so GPS, intercom, stereo… you name it, its got it.  So there’s not more yelling, we talk to each other civiliy.  And these ones have sensors on board that it doesn’t necessarily need a press to talk to intercom… it just realizes you’re talking and suppresses the music.

Dave

Very cool.  And I guess lastly, you’ve got these deflectors here… does that actually allow you to flow air to your co rider or deflect it away from your co-rider?

Ken

You can aim them anywhere you want.  They’re sort of like the old-school thought of no draft windows that you used to have on cars – you no longer see- but it takes the ergonomics of the way the where the wind is flowing around the bike and aims them where you want them.  It can be a plus or a minus depending on where the environment is that you’re riding in that day.

Dave

So you can channel cool air or warm air to your co-rider.

Ken

And deflect the rain around if you’re running into that too.  It makes you a wider screen up front.

Dave

Wow.  Have you ever played with wind screen heights to help your passenger.

Ken

After market will allow you… after market will allow you a lot to play with but we’ve stuck with this one because now there is that adjustment from the factory that allows that I might want to deflect that turbulence when you’re on the interstate but I want it down for a little more wind on the back roads.

Dave

Man I just love the fact that you can customize this motorcycle, not only just for yourself but also for your co-rider… it’s very cool.

Ken

They’re very key to a good ride.

Dave

Nice job.

Ken

Thank-you.

Dave

Well done.