June 21, 2008 Riding a sports motorcycle with a pillion passenger is possibly a more challenging pastime than riding one properly without a pillion. The design of the bike is so racetrack orientated, that adequate provisions for a pillion are indeed, inconsequential other than meeting minimum regulatory standards. Any Yamaha R1, Suzuki Gixxer, Ducati or Honda Fireblade perches the pillion six inches above the rider and 12 inches back. The pillions footpegs require the flexibility of a yoga master to use, and the pillion-handgrips invariably also require the arm-strength and balance of an Olympic gymnast for effective use. Under acceleration, the pillion feels vulnerable and under brakes, the rider takes the weight of the pillion. The main problem is that there’s just no logical place to put an effective, strong and comfortable set of pillion handgrips. Until now – enter the Tankgrip - this is a very good idea.
Riding a sports motorcycle with a pillion passenger is possibly a more challenging pastime than riding one properly without a pillion. The design of the bike is so racetrack orientated, that adequate provisions for a pillion are indeed, inconsequential other than meeting minimum regulatory standards. The main problem is that there’s just no logical place to put an effective, strong and comfortable set of pillion handgrips. Until now – enter the Tankgrip - this is a very good idea.
The Tankgrip is the invention of David Duerinckx from Hoegaarden. Duerinckx likes bikes and riding them was one of the pleasures of his life, but riding alone was not the thing he liked most. Every time he took a girlfriend with him, they didn’t feel the same experience of pleasure and feeling of safety as he did. So he started thinking and created Tankgrip.
A decade ago, Duerinckx spent four months developing a prototype and like all inventors, he found the barriers to commercialisation of an idea are many. The biggest problem in the beginning was the appearance – they originally looked like phone handpieces grafted onto a gas tank. Recent designs have integrated the grips with the handmade shell base and they now look to be an integrated part of the motorcycle.
Tankgrip can be fitted simply and quickly to a motorcycle’s petrol tank. The shell can be made from polyester or carbon fibre, depending on the customer’s preference and bank balance. Sadly, the price of the Tankgrip is high - the Tankgrip manufacturing process is extensive and involves a lot of human labour, so the prices are therefore between EUR 350 for the lacquer-finished variant and EUR 450 for the carbon-fibre version.
Perhaps most telling are the testimonials (in full here).
