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Just found Tommy's ride and slide photo

I had a low speed off way back when with the girlfriend on the back. No big deal and it didn't put her off marrying me but... My biggest fright was as a puny 18yrs apprentice shipwright, I was coming home from my birds house when I saw one of my workmates staggering home drunk. I stopped and asked if he wanted a lift (always seemed to carry a spare lid then). Big Stan gets on the back. Now, I was 5'8 and about 11stone, Big Stan was about 6' 8 and around 20 stone, extremely drunk and wobbling all over the place. Never came off, but the worst 5 mile pillion ride I've ever done.

There are some decent good people about Mike and glad it turned out alright. Has anybody had any pillion 'mishaps'? well yes, only the once, fortunately it all turned out 'ok' albiet a very frightening experience. it was also about twenty years ago, when I offered to take a nurse colleague out on my 400/4, as she'd never been on a bike before and admired my bike parked outside. I took the bike out through the countryside of West Sussex and ended up about to join a straight stretch of dual carriageway along towards Chichester. It's a T junction and the road is clear both ways save for a left hand drive gutter sweeper parked in a layby down the road. There was no showing off but i pulled out and opened up the throttles as the road was clear. Then to my horror, that street sweeper pulled out across the road heading for the gap in the central reservation. It was a 90 degree turn and the driver was in the left seat! If i'd braked there was insufficient distance to stop so it was a split second decision to aim the bike at the decreasing gap and to lay the bike down which grounded the off side peg and we shot under the raised cab of the street cleaner. I've no idea how I came out unscathed as I righted the bike on the other side and went over to the side of the road. The guy got out of his cleaner and exclaimed he just didn't see me pull out of the side road. My nurse colleague said it was so exciting and didn't see the danger in the situation. Personally I was white as a sheet and never took another pillion again!

Cheers Blacky. Mike.