Is a bike with a monoshock safe for a heavy pillion?

Is the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V good for riding with a heavy pillion, as it has only a single monoshock rear suspension? Will the suspension break if a heavy pillion rider sits on the bike? Will it affect the bike’s performance?

Martin, Kolkata

Autocar India says: Monoshock suspension is absolutely safe for riding with a pillion, even if your passenger is on the heavy side. In fact, this type of suspension is used on a majority of motorcycles around the world. To put your mind at ease, consider that even the biggest ADV bikes in the world, made for touring with a pillion and lots of luggage, also use a monoshock.

However, carrying a heavy pillion can upset the bike’s balance and result in very light steering, which can lead to instability. What you can do here is increase the preload at the rear shock. The TVS Apache RTR 200 4V has a 7-step preload adjustable shock absorber, and you can experiment to find which setting works best for you. Remember that adding preload will help when you have a pillion, but a very high preload setting will also result in stiff and uncomfortable suspension comfort when riding solo.

Adding rear shock preload can be a bit tricky with some bikes as the area might be difficult to reach and you may need to use quite a lot of force on the C-spanner to turn the preload adjuster. Moreover, some bikes do not include the necessary tools in the toolkit supplied. It becomes much easier to do this with the bike on the centre stand as the rear shock will be unloaded.  

If you have any difficulty doing this on your own, your local service centre will be able to help. 

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TVS Apache RTR 200 4V

₹ 1,76,434 * on road price (New Delhi)

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