Rolling the bike off center stand

[aal3]

To get my 1150rt off the center stand, I sit on it and roll it forward. I usually have it in gear, with no brake applied, and this works pretty good, as far a keeping my balance. Last night I rolled it off with the front brake applied, and it was harder to control; it almost wanted to go over to the left side. Without the brake on, there's a little room for the bike to move forward before the gear engages to stop it. But, is that putting too much stress on the gearbox? What's the preferred method?

[deaks]

I'm new to the big bike scene and had a real problem getting my R1100RT off the centre stand. Posted my frustrations here and got some very useful replies, but one in particular from Paul (puddick) was perfect (IMHO):

 

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My method;

Flip out side stand. Cover the centre stand lever with your foot, the one you put your foot on to lift the Bike onto its stand.

Hold the left handlebar and left pillion grab, pull the Bike forwards, as it raises off the centre stand, and just before the stand lift off the ground apply firm pressure down onto the lever. You can hold the Bike upright like this just using your foot! In this position on level ground the Bike is level and won't fall away from you, get the balance of the Bike and raise the foot covering the centre stand lever allowing it to smoothly lift to it's "up" position. Eyeball where the side stand will land, and gently lower the bike onto it. Jump onboard, hike the Bike upright and raise the side stand. Ready to rumble!

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HTH,

Scott

[bmw_rider]

I stradle the bike, in neutral, and cover the brake lever, push it off the center stand and use the brake to control forward movement (IMHO that is what a brake is for, not a transmission).Using this method I can control the bike whichever side it decides to lean toward, but find the vast majority of the time it leans to my left, which is where I want it to go. It may also have to do with the fact that when I parked it went to the side stand first, and was then raised to the center. I have tried going straight to the center stand, but have not been comfortable with the results (tendancy to lean suddenly, and unpredictably).

[Ken H.]

Of course there's two general approaches - take it off the center stand while on the bike, or while along side the bike.

 

I'm of the, while on the bike, persuasion. I've never trusted myself to be able to catch it if it started away from me while I was standing along side.

 

The bike has to roll forward a bit when it comes off. So trying to prevent that is a recipe for a drop. There is always the same distance in front of the bike (presuming nobody has moved something there!) that was gained by put it ON the center stand, available for taking it off. It may seem like you need more space for off than on, but the geometry of it says you do not.

 

So, in neutral or with the clutch pulled in, front brake covered but not applied, rock the bike forward and off the stand, halting the forward motion with the front brake just after it is on the ground.

[johnt650]

I have found that standing beside the bike and pushing it off while covering the front brake works for me. I turn the front wheel slightly away from me to assure the weight comes toward me and not away, and I always put the sidestand up before starting. I have found that if the bike hits the sidestand as it leans toward you it will quickly start moving to the other side. Catching the weight coming toward you is not difficult but if the RT goes away from you it is very hard to stop.

[BFish]

i hold the right rear grab rail, squeeze the clutch and then roll forward. works every time so far.

[BigArn]

Grab the lever you used to get it up on the center stand along with the left hand grip, and roll it forward, then pull towards you, make sure the side stand is down before doing this. I've never dropped my bike this way.

[Al Navecky Jr]

I use the power of the bike to get it off the center stand. At an idle, in first gear, feet or toes\ball of your feet on the ground just ease out the clutch and as soon as the bike comes off the stand pull in the clutch. I will only work if the rear wheel is touching the ground and you are on a hard surface. I started doing this when the bike loaded down, as I had a hard time controlling the bike pushing it off the stand as I can not put my feet fully on the ground. After awhile I was able to just ride off and keep going. I guess I am just a GS wantabe. Some of my friend have tied it and like it also.

[kmaire]

I usually sit on the bike with the clutch pulled in and covering the hand brake.

 

If I need to take the bike off the center stand from the side, I ways turn the bars so the wheel is pointing to the right, so as the bike comes off it always leans towards me.

[Hulka]

I most of the time do the same as "Al Navecky Jr". Get my riding gear, start the bike, mount up, rock it foward with my feet on the pegs, and ride off into the sunset! Works great for me.

[Green RT]

I suspect there is an inseam component to this that is being skipped here or at least not explicitly mentioned.

 

If you can get enough of your feet on the ground to apply some weight to your feet and thus have some friction to work with, it is easier to take it off the center stand while astride the bike. If you are shorter, I suspect that might be hard to do. You would have to shift your weight to one side to get enough traction to push it forward and that raises the danger that it will tip to the other side. For those with a shorter inseam I suspect the only option is to take it off while standing next to it. In that case I found the advice above about using the center stand lever to help balance it interesting but I have never tried it as I have almost never taken it off the center stand when I wasn't astride.

[Don_Eilenberger]

I'm a stand alongside the bike type - with the sidestand down. If it started to fall away from me - I just have to pull it towards me to save it.

 

I also ALWAYS put the sidestand down when moving the bike around.. same reason.

 

A friend who owns a shop, and moves about 50 bikes a day (his shop is too small) showed me this.. and it works great, unless you have a BMW airhead with the self-retracting sidestand (one of BMW's dumber moves IMHO..)

[Boffin]

unless you have a BMW airhead with the self-retracting sidestand (one of BMW's dumber moves IMHO..)

 

Forced on them by EU regulations in the '80s, to tackle the number of accidents where people were pitched off their bikes by extended sidestands.

 

Later this was changed to a requirement for them not to self retract but have ignition cut outs. Ah the joys of Bureaucracy.

 

Andy

[Lineareagle]

I am definitely inseam challenged and have tried various methods to get a clean off the C stand without sweat dripping in my eyes - I've had the loaded bike go both ways on me to the ground.

Driving off the C stand has been an issue because my bike cuts out immediately because the side stand moves and kicks it off. I can do it by holding the side stand with my foot but then the foot ain't there for the possible fall to the left.

Un-ladened without camping gear etc. is no issue but put 150 of gear on it and woe look out. So now it is side stand down, push with clutch in and firm grip on side handle and pull if need be towards myself with the bike stopped by the gear.

Putting the bike ON the C stand is also a sweat maker. I hate that center stand it feels so flimsy and the bike flexes all over the place.

Anyone strengthen the C stand on an '04 RT? If so how?

[AviP]

I'm 5'9", 32" inseam, 150 lbs. So while I don't have an inseam problem, I am still a flyweight. I unload the center stand either way as follows

 

Sit on the bike method:

Side stand up. Gear in neutral. Plant feet firmly on the ground. Push back with feet until bike falls forward off the center stand. Sometimes I might have to rock the bike a bit if the ground is not level.

 

Stand besides the bike method:

Side stand down. Gear in neutral. HANDLEBAR TURNED RIGHT. Grab the side grip and heave the bike off. DON'T USE THE FRONT BRAKE. As it rolls off and stops, lower it onto the side stand. Keeping the handlebar turned to the right and not using the front brake ensures that the bike falls toward you (to the left). Assuming you are not physically challenged as well, this gives you a lot more time to react. If the bike falls to the right, it's always a lost cause.

[bimmers]

Ken H is spot on, Stradle the bike. Gear in neutral, yank it fwd and as soon as it moves apply brake. Try it out without obstacles but of course it need not roll anymore than it did when getting it up on stand. Sitting on the bike you have total control or as much as you have when standing at ta red light.

 

Practice a few times and DO NOT try it standing on side of bike. You have no leverage at all if it starts to lean the other way. The advice to keep foot on centerstand lever is an insurance in one way.

 

H

[Green RT]

Driving off the C stand has been an issue because my bike cuts out immediately because the side stand moves and kicks it off. I can do it by holding the side stand with my foot but then the foot ain't there for the possible fall to the left.

 

Sounds like you may have a problem with the side stand. Is the spring worn out or stretched? I have never had the side stand cut the engine while coming off the center stand. I usually don't ride off with the engine, but I often start the engine before pushing it off the center stand, and I can't remember it ever cutting out.

[Baba_ORiley]

.... I've had the loaded bike go both ways on me to the ground.

.....Putting the bike ON the C stand is also a sweat maker. I hate that center stand it feels so flimsy and the bike flexes all over the place.

 

I'm a noobie, so I'm prone to dumb questions. My '99 is the first motorcycle I've owned with a centerstand.

 

So here comes the dumb question: other than for maintenance issues or to inspect the tires, why mess with the centerstand when the sidestand seems to work fine? It sounds like there are problems getting bikes up on centerstands, problems getting bikes down off of centerstands. Problems that don't occur with sidestands.

 

It also seems that the bike's footprint when parked on the sidestand is bigger triangle (3 parts: the two tire contact patches and the sidestand contact area) as compared the the much more narrow triangle for a centerstand (3 parts: the two centerstand feet, and the contact patch of the one tire that touches the ground). Does that bigger triangle area mean the use of a sidestand is a more secure parking method?

 

 

.

[Ghostdad]

.... I've had the loaded bike go both ways on me to the ground.

.....Putting the bike ON the C stand is also a sweat maker. I hate that center stand it feels so flimsy and the bike flexes all over the place.

 

I'm a noobie, so I'm prone to dumb questions. My '99 is the first motorcycle I've owned with a centerstand.

 

So here comes the dumb question: other than for maintenance issues or to inspect the tires, why mess with the centerstand when the sidestand seems to work fine? It sounds like there are problems getting bikes up on centerstands, problems getting bikes down off of centerstands. Problems that don't occur with sidestands.

 

It also seems that the bike's footprint when parked on the sidestand is bigger triangle (3 parts: the two tire contact patches and the sidestand contact area) as compared the the much more narrow triangle for a centerstand (3 parts: the two centerstand feet, and the contact patch of the one tire that touches the ground). Does that bigger triangle area mean the use of a sidestand is a more secure parking method?

 

 

.

 

You just answered your own question:: ( for maintenance ). I check my tires for wear and possible damage after every ride.. I also do a quick once over of the entire bike to make sure nothing is loose or leaking. I believe in a good P.M.C.S.( preventative maintenance check and service ) It can catch problems before they become a problem... A few minutes checking your bike before and/or after a ride, can save you a lot of wasted time and money on the side of the road.

Dave

[Ken H.]

other than for maintenance issues or to inspect the tires, why mess with the centerstand when the sidestand seems to work fine?

A lot of people think the bike looks better on the center stand, and riding off of it directly looks cool, but beyond that, I'm with you.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

One more argument in favor of the center stand is the soft ground or hot tar situation. If you use the side stand in this situation, the bike can actually sink the side stand in far enough for it to topple over the stand and onto its side where it will assume the resting position. With the center stand, it too will sink into the ground but only so far as the point where the wheels touch down. It won't be very stable but it won't fall over without outside influence.

 

I had this very thing happen to me up in Northern Wisconsen back in '94. I was on my Four Corners Tour on my then new R1100RS. Parked the bike outside a cafe for a lunch break, it was mid August. Side stand sunk right into the pavement and over she went on the high side. We compund our streets differently down in the hot country and it isn't a problem but, up north, they don't plan on many 95+ degree days.

[ElevenFifty]

One more note -

 

I have a short inseam - I use two methods

 

OFF the bike - sidestand down - bike IN GEAR (it'll only go so far) - stand on the left side of the bike - turn handlebars to the right (away from you) - use the handle, lift and push forard . . the bike just drops onto the sidestand.

 

ON the bike - I just ride it off. Sometimes I have to shift my weight aft to get traction on the rear wheel but other than that, riding it off has become the preferred method.

[strat]

When I bought my R110RT the deealer said not to leave the bike on it's side stand for real long periods as oil will seep into the head and you'll be blowing smoke for quite a while. Well I did leave it on the sidestand once at work for the whole day and nothing happened so I'm not too sure about this.

 

Cheers

Cruiser

 

BTW I just rock forward with my weight and go.

[Ken H.]

When I bought my R110RT the deealer said not to leave the bike on it's side stand for real long periods as oil will seep into the head and you'll be blowing smoke for quite a while.

Old urban legend dating back to the early air head days. Hasn't been a factor in many, many years.

[Don_Eilenberger]

Old urban legend dating back to the early air head days. Hasn't been a factor in many, many years.

Actually - was true for all the early K bikes - K100/K75 up until they pinned the rings so the gaps couldn't align. BMW at press deals would run around putting the K bikes on the center stands after journalists got off them - so they wouldn't fog the area when started up. Avoiding it was actually pretty simple - leaning the bike a few degrees to the right for 15 seconds before sidestand deployment eliminates the fogging.. the oil in the cylinder wall drains back into the sump.

[Don_Eilenberger]

One more argument in favor of the center stand is the soft ground or hot tar situation. If you use the side stand in this situation, the bike can actually sink the side stand in far enough for it to topple over the stand and onto its side where it will assume the resting position. With the center stand, it too will sink into the ground but only so far as the point where the wheels touch down. It won't be very stable but it won't fall over without outside influence.

There must be some VERY soft asphalt in the area you park in.. I've never seen one lean far enough over to topple.. if you think about it - it would seem next to impossible on an oilhead since it should come to rest on the cylinder head.

I had this very thing happen to me up in Northern Wisconsen back in '94. I was on my Four Corners Tour on my then new R1100RS. Parked the bike outside a cafe for a lunch break, it was mid August. Side stand sunk right into the pavement and over she went on the high side. We compund our streets differently down in the hot country and it isn't a problem but, up north, they don't plan on many 95+ degree days.

I have frequently seen bikes topple over - when centerstanded in wet conditions. A bit of wind, some soft wet dirt and the bike assumes the prone position. My bike - right next to the prone ones - on the sidestand faired much better.. but I do take care to put a small piece of wood under the sidestand if the conditions warrant it.