No more 4 pt turns to get into the garage...........

[USAF1]

Yesterday they had a Vendor Fair at one of our local dealerships....(South Sound BMW in Fife, Washington) and a couple of the things that really caught my attention were the LD Comfort riding underwear......I just gotta get a pair................AND a motorcycle turntable with a 1000 Lb capacity!! And like they say in their brochure...Ride In....Rotate in Place......Ride out!!

 

This is copied right from their web site......

 

The TAB-ST Motorcycle Turntable; 16 inch diameter and less than 1/2 thick. Stainless Steel and HDPE disks provide smooth low fricting rotation for your Center Stand motorcycle. Nonskid rubber top and bottom provide good traction on your garage or carport floor. Price includes shipping by UPS to US locations; Add $10 for UPS delivery to Canada.

 

The gentleman that had the booth doing a demo on an R12R, I think, and really didn't show the effectiveness of his product because you practically had to jump on the passenger seat to get the front tire off the ground before you cold rotate the bike around............. difficult at best!! Then one of the byestanders said something like "What you really need here is an LT..." and before I could think about it, my arm shot up in the air and I hollered out that "my bike is right outside.....c'mon, let's go...". So...outside we all went. Maybe 10 folks in all......... We found a halfway flat spot on the asphalt, and he laid his disc on the ground and I drove up over it....after a couple of tries, we had the centerstand pretty much in the middle of the plate, and I hit the button, raising her up off the ground. Normally with these big-ass 205's, I only have about an eighth of an inch clearance, but with the half inch of the plate there was plenty of room to drop the rear end a bit and spin the bike 180 degrees!! Even had a little bitty lady there push down and rotate it!!! NICE!!!! I was so glad,.................. I bought one!! Today, after church, I moved some stuff around in the garage......measured where the plate should go....laid in on the floor......measured again.....moved a few more things.....drove the bike up over it (you can't hardly feel it..) hit the centerstand button and brought it right up.....dead center on the plate....got off and spun it around 180 degrees, headed back out the door!! No more of those 4 point turns and backing it into the garage over the gravel driveway!!!

 

 

Though their website doesn't give a lot of info...and I couldn't find a video....you can see what they do have at www.Turn A Bike.Com .

 

I love this thing.......and am glad that somebody finally figured it out!!

 

 

Though the bike isn't EXACTLY centered in this foto.....the plate still worked beautifully. If this ain't slicker than snot on buttered toast, I don't know what is......unless it's on the glass door knob!!

 

 

 

Pat

[kioolt]

If I needed to turn my bike around in the garage that would be nice to have. There is a link to a video at the bottom left of the screen.

[Nevets]

Wow, nice! Sounds like something I should have, after leaving a dent in the wifes car while turning around in the garage.

[Marty Hill]

Pat,

That really looks great. I know it solves a real problem/I never made it in only 4 turns.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

$185?????!?!?!?!?

 

I made one of these for myself back in Y2K. Parts #6031K19 (turntable bearing, $10.53) and #9246K13 ( 1' square of 1/4" thick aluminum, $21.91) from www.mcmaster.com, plus a couple of bolts. OK, so I had to trim the aluminum on a bandsaw. But I still think I came out way ahead...

 

Hmmm...business opportunity?

[NoHeat]

I made one of these for myself back in Y2K. Parts #6031K19 (turntable bearing, $10.53) and #9246K13 ( 1' square of 1/4" thick aluminum, $21.91) from www.mcmaster.com, plus a couple of bolts.

 

Nice, Mitch.

 

But couldn't you do it even more simply and cheaply by using just the $10.53 turntable without the aluminum plate? The $10.53 turntable is a ring with an OD of 12", ID of 6". Your centerstand is about 11" wide, so it seems to me that it will fit nicely onto the ring without needing your aluminum plate between them. The bolt holes in the turntable won't be needed but OTOH they shouldn't pose a problem because they are no bigger than 0.28", which is much smaller than the centerstand foot that needs to rest on that surface. I missing something?

 

 

[ESokoloff]

Hmmm...business opportunity?

 

[Stan Walker]

I must be doing something wrong.

 

I ride my bike up the driveway to the garage. When it's time to leave I back my bike down the driveway and turn onto the street facing which ever way I want to go.

 

Stan

[Penrod]

I bought the Wunderlich Easy Park. It allows you to do much more than rotate. I can roll the bike into a corner or anywhere I need to in my garage. For a few bucks more you get much more. Go to www.bmwscruz.com and look under the Wunderlich link for "Easy Park".

[ESokoloff]

I must be doing something wrong.

 

 

I shoehorn 3 bikes & 2 cages into my garage (along with all the other normal "stuff") so something like this would be useful.

[Eschelon1]

Do I hear a Bee Gee's soundtrack in the background?

 

 

Sorry, I couldn't resist. But I've often thought about gettin one of them things there, just never got around to it. I wonder if I could make one with a piece of 3/8" plywood and a small pan head bold as a rotator...

[russell_bynum]

Why not just ride into the garage, hold the front brake, do a 180-degree donut burnout?

 

 

I swear, you BMW guys are always trying to over-engineer everything when there's a perfectly simple solution to be had.

[Boffin]

Why not just ride into the garage, hold the front brake, do a 180-degree donut burnout?

 

 

I swear, you BMW guys are always trying to over-engineer everything when there's a perfectly simple solution to be had.

 

Or roll in a bit faster, stoppie the bike, throwing in a 180 twist. Simple really.

 

Andy

[KDeline]

Why not just ride into the garage, hold the front brake, do a 180-degree donut burnout?

 

 

Doesn't everybody?

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

I made one of these for myself back in Y2K. Parts #6031K19 (turntable bearing, $10.53) and #9246K13 ( 1' square of 1/4" thick aluminum, $21.91) from www.mcmaster.com, plus a couple of bolts.

 

Nice, Mitch.

 

But couldn't you do it even more simply and cheaply by using just the $10.53 turntable without the aluminum plate?

 

The top and bottom races of the turntable are made from stamped sheet metal. You need the aluminum plate to distribute the load of the centerstand feet over a wider area; without it, the c-stand would wreck the upper race of the bearing in fairly short order.

[Ken H.]

Oh come on guys, you're slacking! These thingys are nothing if not motorized! I want one that spins my bike around as I close the garage door, so it's pointing out and ready to go the next morning.

 

I'll expect drawings from you by Wednesday Mitch.

[NoHeat]

Oh come on guys, you're slacking! These thingys are nothing if not motorized! I want one that spins my bike around as I close the garage door, so it's pointing out and ready to go the next morning.

 

I'll expect drawings from you by Wednesday Mitch.

 

why wait till next morning?

 

here ya go:

 

motorized motorcycle turntable

 

Just power it off of your garage door motor, and adjust the variable speed to get the desired 180 degrees of turn during the time it takes for the door to close.

 

[Bob Palin]

I shoehorn 3 bikes & 2 cages into my garage (along with all the other normal "stuff") so something like this would be useful.

With all those vehicles in there you still have room to swing a bike round? Hardly shoe-horning in that case.

[Lets_Play_Two]

I shoehorn 3 bikes & 2 cages into my garage (along with all the other normal "stuff") so something like this would be useful.

With all those vehicles in there you still have room to swing a bike round? Hardly shoe-horning in that case.

 

No way I have enough empty space to spin a bike with two others and a car in the garage. Now maybe the solution is a motorcycle-only garage!!

[Lone_RT_rider]

No way I have enough empty space to spin a bike with two others and a car in the garage. Now maybe the solution is a motorcycle-only garage!!

 

 

That's our solution! 4 Motorcycles, one sidecar, 4 bicycles, one air compressor, 6 foot tall roller tool chest, a fridge and a stand up freezer, workbench and a 2 complete walls of shelving units.

 

Man it's getting tight in there!

 

Shawn

 

P.S. There are more toys in the crawl space to.

[ESokoloff]

I have good access to 2 of the bikes. The 3rd bike can only be accessed with the car out of its bay with or without this device.

A turn table would help a lot but the ultimate $$$olution would be a cart device (or 2) but that will have to wait for now.

[Smoky]

Hey Mitch, (and other engineering types),

 

How about a way to fasten that turntable to the bottom of the centre-stand? Then it would always be there, park the bike anywhere and spin it like a top?

[USAF1]

Pep.....

Man.....you were born way ahead of your time, huh?

Your idea sounds pretty good.....but would it take a thousand pounds on a consistent basis? I only paid $150...and my left testy clee

 

Stan

Be glad to swap driveways w/you anytime.....

My driveway is 150' long, with a slope, and is mostly -5/8ths gravel.....and not wide enough to do a U-turn.

 

Penrod

Your suggestion is only rated for 880 lbs. Now, if I still had the RT.........

 

Smokey

 

Pat

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Why not just ride into the garage, hold the front brake, do a 180-degree donut burnout?

 

Just about the time you get to 90-degrees, your front wheel will slip, then hop, and then you'll do a wheelie right through the side of your garage.

[ESokoloff]

This device looks more applicable to my situation.

Found that & much more here .

 

[/end hijack]

[Ken H.]

motorized motorcycle turntable

OMGAD, and I was just joking around. That's hilarious. Sorry Mitch, someone beat you to that money maker!

[bross]

I shoehorn 3 bikes & 2 cages into my garage (along with all the other normal "stuff") so something like this would be useful.

With all those vehicles in there you still have room to swing a bike round? Hardly shoe-horning in that case.

 

No way I have enough empty space to spin a bike with two others and a car in the garage. Now maybe the solution is a motorcycle-only garage!!

That's what I was thinking, there's no way I ever have enough room to swing a bike around. And for the summer that side of the garage is motorcycle only!

[ncsonderman]

I must be doing something wrong.

 

I ride my bike up the driveway to the garage. When it's time to leave I back my bike down the driveway and turn onto the street facing which ever way I want to go.

 

I want to agree with Stan, and would except mine went down last year while backing down the driveway. I can relate that to not bedding the brake pads in following a tire change though

 

Stan

 

Backing down a slop can be tricky. I've seen TWO bikes dropped in the last week doing just that. They made their turns a little too early and down they went.

 

My driveway is on a slop. I always turn it around in the garage.

[Nevets]

OK, I watched the video at turn a bike.com. Why did she open the garage door, enter, close the garage door, rotate the bike and then reopen the garage door to leave?

 

check this out also: another method of turning

[bross]

OK, I watched the video at turn a bike.com. Why did she open the garage door, enter, close the garage door, rotate the bike and then reopen the garage door to leave?

 

check this out also: another method of turning

I've seen guys turn their naked bikes around on their side stands, and I've used it with the dirt bikes but sure wouldn't want to try it on the RT. One of the guys posted a video of it:

Turn on the sidestand

[kpjensen]

OK, I watched the video at turn a bike.com. Why did she open the garage door, enter, close the garage door, rotate the bike and then reopen the garage door to leave?

 

check this out also: another method of turning

I've seen guys turn their naked bikes around on their side stands, and I've used it with the dirt bikes but sure wouldn't want to try it on the RT. One of the guys posted a video of it:

Turn on the sidestand

 

Thats how I do it, except on the center stand with the RT.....

[russell_bynum]

OK, I watched the video at turn a bike.com. Why did she open the garage door, enter, close the garage door, rotate the bike and then reopen the garage door to leave?

 

check this out also: another method of turning

I've seen guys turn their naked bikes around on their side stands, and I've used it with the dirt bikes but sure wouldn't want to try it on the RT. One of the guys posted a video of it:

Turn on the sidestand

 

Thats how I do it, except on the center stand with the RT.....

 

I do that as well, with all the bikes. Not in my garage, because I've got expoxy coating on the floor that would get torn to hell with that manuver.

[philiph24]

have a look on here www.biketurner.co.uk ive got one of these if you have got the room its ideal.

[David Sharpe]

Don't mean to rain on anyone's parade. But I just spin my bike on its center stand to turn it around in the garage. No muss no fuss.

[Tank]

Well ,I'll be darned, I've done that (turn on the center stand) but havn't made a habit of it as i had concerns about center stand taking that abuse. As in a weight issue.

[Nevets]

Well ,I'll be darned, I've done that (turn on the center stand) but havn't made a habit of it as i had concerns about center stand taking that abuse. As in a weight issue.

 

Yea, I agree with your assessment. The center stand is most likely not made for that abuse (twisting motion). However, if the price of a replacement center stand is less than $183....

[Lone_RT_rider]

Well ,I'll be darned, I've done that (turn on the center stand) but havn't made a habit of it as i had concerns about center stand taking that abuse. As in a weight issue.

 

Yea, I agree with your assessment. The center stand is most likely not made for that abuse (twisting motion). However, if the price of a replacement center stand is less than $183....

 

Steve,

 

While center stands might not be 183, I am pretty sure the bodywork on your bike might cost a bit more than that when/if that centerstand breaks.

 

Shawn

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

While center stands might not be 183, I am pretty sure the bodywork on your bike might cost a bit more than that when/if that centerstand breaks.

Shawn

 

And the bodywork of the car the bike tips into, or the drywall the handlebar punches through...

 

I used to do the centerstand-twist thing. Tried to alleviate the stress on the stand by picking up the left side of the bike (via bar and lift handle) so most of the weight was borne on the opposite leg of the c-stand. Made it easier to spin, but I never felt comfortable with the whole thing. The turntable made it effortless.

[dwillie]

http://www.cycleslider.com/cycle-slider.htm

 

Here's my solution. The slider works smooth and easy, and I can move it forward or backward, even in a circle. I can roll the bike right up next to the garage wall. I noticed they've increased the price quite a bit since I bought one. The new price seems high, although it really does work well. YMMV dwillie.

[alanz]

I've had a CycleSlider for several years. Aside from being able to turn the bike around in its own length (my garage width turning space is bike-length plus about 3 inches), it's nice to be able to simply push the bike to the side of the garage to get to snowblowers, or to park another bike alongside it.

 

I made some photos a couple of years ago, if anyone is interested, click here.

 

[Tapatio]

I found moving my motorcycle into and out of the garage a difficult so I purchased a used space shuttle tractor. Works great but it takes a few days to move it into place. Here's a picture of me guiding it into position.

 

[russell_bynum]

I found moving my motorcycle into and out of the garage a difficult so I purchased a used space shuttle tractor.

 

 

I'm not interested unless it has onboard GPS.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

I found moving my motorcycle into and out of the garage a difficult so I purchased a used space shuttle tractor.

 

 

I'm not interested unless it has onboard GPS.

 

You won't need GPS; trust me, you'll know where it is.

[russell_bynum]

You won't need GPS; trust me, you'll know where it is.