Jim and I were driving in the car on highway I-65 in Nashville when we saw this:
Yes, that’s a dog riding on the back of a motorcycle!
The worst part is the fact that we were going 55+ mph on a major highway that is filled with 4 lanes of fast-moving vehicles.
And this guy passed us! He was going so fast that it was difficult to catch up to him to snap these photos before he exited the highway.
But wait there’s more. You won’t believe what else I saw on this motorcycle…
Two Dogs On One Motorcycle!
As we got closer to the motorcycle, I noticed there was a second dog.
My picture was a few seconds shy of capturing it, but the dog was perched on top of the gas tank — between the windshield and the driver.
I couldn’t tell if he was tethered to the bike. It looked like the dog was just standing there freely. His fur was blowing in the wind.
The dog in the back clearly had the freedom to roam around on top of the piece of luggage he was standing on. In fact, he was constantly moving and looking in every direction. I couldn’t believe his little body didn’t get blown away! But he seemed very sure on his feet. It was clear he had done this before.
I noticed a very long and loose leash tethering the dog riding in the back to the right side of the motorcycle. (It seemed like it would be more useful when keeping the dog tied to the motorcycle while parked, rather than while riding.) If the dog slipped off that piece of luggage, the dog would be dragged behind the bike. The leash was that long and that loose.
In this case, both are small dogs, so they’re lightweight and easy to ride with on a motorcycle. But the wind resistance alone against their little bodies would be enough to scare me. Not to mention a sudden turn or swerve. What if one of those dogs lost its footing?
Plus, this was on a fast-moving highway. We were going over 55 mph when the motorcyclist passed us. Lots of fast-moving tractor-trailer trucks and other vehicles were in the lanes on either side of the motorcyclist:
I couldn’t help but cringe.
Photos Of Other Dogs Riding Motorcycles
I’ve seen stuff like this online before, but never in person.
Trust me, the first time you see it, it’s a little shocking. Still, you can’t help but wonder if you’d ever consider doing the same thing.
Here’s one example:
Here are a few more examples:
These dogs appear to be riding more safely:
Motorcycle Gear For Dogs
I have mixed feelings about dogs riding on motorcycles.
We have a Harley Davidson motorcycle that’s similar to the one pictured next to the red car above.
As much as I like to take my dog riding in the Jeep with me, I can’t deny that I’ve considered finding a way to take our dog with us on motorcycle rides as well.
I mean, it would be pretty great if we didn’t have to find a pet sitter every time we wanted to go on a long trip. (…And we’d save a lot of money too!) Plus, we could be a lot more spontaneous and travel on a whim, rather than only when the pet sitter is available.
That said, I would definitely do everything in my power to ensure my dog’s safety on the motorcycle first.
For example, this motorcycle dog trailer is what our friend uses when motorcycling with her 2 large dogs:
The bottom line… If you’re going to take your dog motorcycling with you, I hope you’ll at least take a few minutes to think of your dog’s safety as well.
That’s why they make the following dog motorcycle gear:
And… I actually love some of these dog motorcycle jackets! Plus, jackets are great for all dogs — whether they ride on a motorcycle or not.
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