Riding 2-Up With Your Pet!
Be prepared for your pet to be the star of the show. If done right, not only will your pet love riding but everyone else on the road will love it too.
If you’ve got a four-legged you know the reality of having to cut a riding day short to get home to feed and walk them or, if you’re on a multi-day road trip, find or hire someone to care for them. In my frustration, I eventually went online to see if there was such a thing as a motorcycle pet carrier and, much to my surprise, there several options depending on the size of your pet!
Dori, my little Jack Russel Terroir, has been riding with me now for 5 years and has tens of thousands of miles under her collar. She LOVES it! When she sees me gearing up she starts running in circles and whining with excitement. She goes on most rides with me (excluding my cross-continental trips), even multi-day road trips of up to 5 days.
So, if you are considering riding 2-up with your best friend here’s my tips:
1. Choose the right carrier:
Make sure you order a carrier that not only works for your motorcycle but also the size and needs of your pet while considering the conditions you will be riding in with them. I got Dori a T-Bags brand carrier and, kiddos to T-Bags, it is still in perfect condition 5 years later.
2. Give your pup time to acclimate:
If they get freaked out in the beginning, especially by the noise and vibration, it will be hard to get them to fall in love…take your time – for Dori it took about a week and a handful of treats.
First, I sat Dori on the seat of my motorcycle while I was polishing it in my driveway. The next day I put the carrier on motorcycle and strapped Dori in it for about 20 minutes while doing stuff in my garage - she didn’t love it at first but after a few treats (for sitting and not struggling to get out) she was just fine. No engine on at this point.
Over the next few days, I would put her into the carrier, sit myself on the motorcycle, and then began starting the engine so she would get use to the sound and vibration - while at the same time giving her treats and praising her (still not moving yet). Before the end of week one I began taking her for short rides, 2 minutes the first time, then 5, then 10 and eventually 20 minutes. She went from shaking and being anxious to having her paws on my shoulder to see down the road.
She was in love but, just like a person, it took her a while to understand riding. After a couple of seasons she finally stopped whining when we were stopped at a light - she thought every time I stopped that the ride was over. Eventually she become the best passenger to the point she now corners with me like a pro - looking over my inside turn shoulder.
3. Carry lots of water:
Your pet will need it! In my case I carry a collapsible water bottle and collapsible water bowl.
4. Don’t let them overheat!!!:
For warm riding days I highly recommend a doggie cooling vest (you can see Dori’s in the pics above). The cooling vest is another reason you need to carry a lot of water. The vest works by keeping your pet wet and must be soaked every hour or two.
I also suggest a “My Doggie Place” mat for inside the carrier if you are in temps over 100 degrees F, it can also be soaked and, due to it’s micro fibre design it can provide hours of additional cooling for your pet without getting disgusting and musty.
5. Eye protection:
I have to admit, I eventually gave up on getting Dori to wear her Doggles. She is a very clever Jack Russel and eventually figured out how to get them off in about 3 seconds, as soon as I wasn’t looking. After many attempts to rig them so she could not remove them and several pairs being left on the highway, I finally gave up….but if your pet can tolerate them, I would highly recommend it especially for larger dogs that the same level of protection behind their owners - from flying debris can cause eye injury.
6. Last but not least, be prepared for your pet to steal the show! Whenever I have Dori on the back of my bike almost every driver and their passengers are either taking pictures of her (many driving beside me for extended periods for that purpose), smiling, pointing or giving thumbs up.
Let me know if this was helpful or if you have questions…and please share your pet riding pics with me so I can feature them on social media!
As always, Ride Safe!!!