Motorcycle Passengers, Sidecars and Animals: What the Victorian Rules Say

Pillion passenger rules

• The passenger needs footpegs, and their feet must be able to reach them.
• They sit astride the bike, behind the rider, facing forward, with both feet on the footpegs.
• The passenger must wear an approved helmet. See helmet and clothing law.
• Children under eight years old cannot be pillion passengers.

Your bike also needs a seat designed to carry a passenger. Expect it to handle differently with someone on the back, so see loading up and carrying luggage for the handling side.

Who cannot carry a passenger?

While you hold a learner permit or a restricted motorcycle licence you may not carry a pillion at all. That restricted period lasts three years: see the licence steps.

Sidecars

• A sidecar must not carry more passengers than it is designed for.
• Children under eight, who may not ride pillion, are allowed to travel in a sidecar.
• Sidecar passengers must wear a helmet too.
• Your licence assessment cannot be done on a bike fitted with a sidecar.

Carrying animals

Animals must not be carried between the handlebars and the rider. The one exemption is for farmers travelling up to 500 metres on a road while doing farming activities.

Based on The Victorian Rider Handbook (2023, Department of Transport and Planning) and the VicRoads motorcycle pages. This guide covers Victoria: other states and territories have different rules, and rules change from time to time, so check vicroads.vic.gov.au for the latest.