Dog Motorcycle Riding: Do You Think This Is Safe?

Jim and I were driving in the car on I-65 in Nashville the other day 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 transport. 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.

 

Other Dogs On Motorcycles

I’ve seen stuff like this online before, but never in person.

Trust me, the first time you see it, it’s shocking. Still, you can’t help but wonder if you’d ever consider doing the same thing.

Here’s one example:

~ via Karen Zampa Katz

 

Here are a few more examples:

 

These dogs appear to be riding more safely:

 

Dog Motorcycle Safety Tips

I have mixed feelings about dogs riding on motorcycles.

We have a Harley Davidson motorcycle that’s similar to the one pictured immediately above.

As much as I like to take my dog riding in the Jeep with me, I can’t deny that I’ve considered taking him with us on the motorcycle 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.

Truthfully, when you get right down to it, dog motorcycle rides probably aren’t in my future.

If you are going to take your dog for a ride on your motorcycle, I hope you’ll at least take a few minutes to think of your dog’s safety on the bike as well.

That’s why they make things like:

• Dog motorcycle carriers
• Dog motorcycle helmets
• Dog motorcycle goggles

And… I can’t help but admit that I actually love the dog motorcycle jacket! It’s great for all dogs — whether they ride on a motorcycle or not.