Parking on Center Stand

[TedG]

Before getting off the bike, I set it on the sidestand.

 

This was the plan yesterday, but for the first time in 30+ years of riding genius boy somehow forgot the extending the sidestand part. As I leaned the bike, I had a moment of, "isn't that leaning a bit much?" followed by the inevitable, "Oh, ____".

 

Much mirth ensued when the family came out to the garage to enjoy Daddy's creative use of venerable Anglo Saxon expressions.

[Quinn]

A question from a newbie (to site and to bike)....how the devil do you get a 700 lb bike onto the center stand? I'm 5'6 and 140 lbs and the only way I could do it was with the assistance of a come-along pulling the back end backwards. There must be some trick or method I'm missing....thanks, -Ben

 

I can give you my routine. Put the bike on the side stand; I leave it in gear. Get off it. Hold the left handlebar pointing slightly away from you. Lower the center stand with your toe while standing the bike upright with the grab handle. Work your whole foot onto the centerstand foot lever; use your knee to help stabilize the bike. At this point it's just a matter of standing on the foot lever while lifting and leaning toward the rear of the bike. The secret for me is to put almost all my weight on the foot lever.

 

As for getting it off the stand: I'm tall enough to straddle the bike and push it off. I've also been known to ride if off the centerstand by shifting my butt toward the rear and popping the clutch. My one experience with taking it off from beside it also let me practice picking the bike back up. The third lesson was to remember to put the side stand out before picking it back up.

 

 

 

 

[tallman]

A question from a newbie (to site and to bike)....how the devil do you get a 700 lb bike onto the center stand? I'm 5'6 and 140 lbs and the only way I could do it was with the assistance of a come-along pulling the back end backwards. There must be some trick or method I'm missing....thanks, -Ben

 

I can give you my routine. Put the bike on the side stand; I leave it in gear. Get off it. Hold the left handlebar pointing slightly away from you. Lower the center stand with your toe while standing the bike upright with the grab handle. Work your whole foot onto the centerstand foot lever; use your knee to help stabilize the bike. At this point it's just a matter of standing on the foot lever while lifting and leaning toward the rear of the bike. The secret for me is to put almost all my weight on the foot lever.

 

 

Easier to do in N

[MontanaMark]

One thing you might consider is if you haven't dropped it yet screwing around with the center stand is about as good a way to do it as any..

 

Yep, done that, just the other day as a matter of fact. Normally, I have the side stand down when I roll it off the center stand, but I was being macho the other day and decided I didn't need no stinkin' side stand. Of course, it got away from me and as I struggled and pulled and almost had it, it fell gently into some cardboard boxes I had stacked against the garage wall. No damage done, but taught me the lesson to put the damn side stand down!

 

I always use the center stand in the garage - easier to check the oil before riding. Use of the center stand while out and about is dependent on the conditions. If I'll be away from the bike for a while, center stand for stability, bag access. If I'm just going into the store for a minute, side stand.

 

Like most rules in life, 'It all depends'...

 

 

[krussell]

Well, I dropped mine Saturday night after a long day teaching and riding. I was fueling. Standard procedure for me is pull in, sidestand down, dismount. Put bike on centerstand, fill w/fuel, move from centerstand -> sidestand, mount, away we go.

 

When moving to sidestand after fueling I dropped it to the left side. I suspect I got my foot in front of the sidestand when moving it off. Went down on the left head protector, which functioned as intended. No damage, a very light scuff on the protector. Picked it up, checked it out, rode off.

 

 

[Paul Mihalka]

Suggestion to those who put the bike on the center stand just to fill it up with gas: Try once to fill it up on the side stand, close the cap, put it on the center stand, open the cap and look. You may be surprised how little you are missing.

[DavidEBSmith]

Suggestion to those who put the bike on the center stand just to fill it up with gas: Try once to fill it up on the side stand, close the cap, put it on the center stand, open the cap and look. You may be surprised how little you are missing.

 

I measured one time on my RT - 0.2 gallons.

 

Not significant unless you've run out of gas 6 miles from the next gas station.

[BluegrassPicker]

Thanks - good to know ...

[knight88]

FWIW, I installed the Wunderlich Side Stand enlarger... I think it made the bike about 100 percent more stable- especially for my passenger when she gets aboard.

Bob

 

++ on that wunderlich it more than doubles the area of the pad except I had to change it once already, I ground it down on twisties its pretty soft aluminum

[knight88]

Suggestion to those who put the bike on the center stand just to fill it up with gas: Try once to fill it up on the side stand, close the cap, put it on the center stand, open the cap and look. You may be surprised how little you are missing.

 

I measured one time on my RT - 0.2 gallons.

 

Not significant unless you've run out of gas 6 miles from the next gas station.

 

Good to know! I'll try it on the sidestand, I only put it on the centerstand for fuel because I thought I gained at least a half gallon more!

[JustKrusen]

Originally Posted By: Paul Mihalka

Suggestion to those who put the bike on the center stand just to fill it up with gas: Try once to fill it up on the side stand, close the cap, put it on the center stand, open the cap and look. You may be surprised how little you are missing.

 

+1

 

I never understood the fassination of the BMW rider and the centerstand.

 

[krussell]

I left one step out my fueling process above. My fascination with the center stand when fueling is that it sets me up to check the oil. As a matter of routine, my final step at every fuel stop is to check the sight glass. My engine is always warm, and it's always been sitting on the center stand for a few minutes while I fill up. It's a great time to do a visual check.

 

I mentioned in my first post of the thread I also like the center stand for luggage access, especially the left saddlebag.

 

After reading the various posts about the instability of the stand, I did some testing. No bike was harmed in this process. I put the bike on the centerstand and got a feel for how much sideways pressure was required to get the bike to move off the centerstand to one side or the other. Then I went to the side stand and did the same thing. Not surprisingly, the sidestand does a great job against pressure from the right. I however, didn't see much difference in the pressure required to the right to get the bike past center.

[Quinn]

I left one step out my fueling process above. My fascination with the center stand when fueling is that it sets me up to check the oil. As a matter of routine, my final step at every fuel stop is to check the sight glass. My engine is always warm, and it's always been sitting on the center stand for a few minutes while I fill up. It's a great time to do a visual check.

 

I mentioned in my first post of the thread I also like the center stand for luggage access, especially the left saddlebag.

 

After reading the various posts about the instability of the stand, I did some testing. No bike was harmed in this process. I put the bike on the centerstand and got a feel for how much sideways pressure was required to get the bike to move off the centerstand to one side or the other. Then I went to the side stand and did the same thing. Not surprisingly, the sidestand does a great job against pressure from the right. I however, didn't see much difference in the pressure required to the right to get the bike past center.

 

I would agree if you're parked dead level, but the least side to side slope is noticeable with the centerstand. Since I have trouble judging level, I'll stick with the sidestand unless I'm in my garage.

 

 

[bayoubengal]

Originally Posted By: Paul Mihalka

Suggestion to those who put the bike on the center stand just to fill it up with gas: Try once to fill it up on the side stand, close the cap, put it on the center stand, open the cap and look. You may be surprised how little you are missing.

 

+1

 

I never understood the fassination of the BMW rider and the centerstand.

 

"Your" RT is on the centerstand as I type...

[JustKrusen]

That bike will never be the same. :-)

[Ken H.]

After reading the various posts about the instability of the stand, I did some testing. No bike was harmed in this process. I put the bike on the centerstand and got a feel for how much sideways pressure was required to get the bike to move off the centerstand to one side or the other. Then I went to the side stand and did the same thing. Not surprisingly, the sidestand does a great job against pressure from the right. I however, didn't see much difference in the pressure required to the right to get the bike past center.

Ah, but you’re missing part of the puzzle – A bike parked on the side stand doesn’t start out at centered. To go/fall over right it first would have to go up to centered, then go over to the right. When you’re on the center stand you’re starting out at centered and over left or over right is the same.

[krussell]

After reading the various posts about the instability of the stand, I did some testing. No bike was harmed in this process. I put the bike on the centerstand and got a feel for how much sideways pressure was required to get the bike to move off the centerstand to one side or the other. Then I went to the side stand and did the same thing. Not surprisingly, the sidestand does a great job against pressure from the right. I however, didn't see much difference in the pressure required to the right to get the bike past center.

Ah, but you’re missing part of the puzzle – A bike parked on the side stand doesn’t start out at centered. To go/fall over right it first would have to go up to centered, then go over to the right. When you’re on the center stand you’re starting out at centered and over left or over right is the same.

 

Actually, I get it, but my wording isn't clear. My take is that the effort to get the bike to fall to the right from the centerstand isn't significantly less than the effort to get the bike to move from the sidestand up to center and fall to the right. Try it. To the left, well the sidestand wins hands down.

[bogthebasher]

For me the danger is getting down off the centre stand. No way my toes can touch the ground if I am sitting on the bike so I have to stand beside the bike to get it off the centre stand. Therefore I only put it on centre when I absolutely have to like checking oil in the sight glass...

[rglassma]

Use what is best for you... Neither will hurt the bike... I have had a bad experience with both side and center stand based on where you are parked. Both are ok..

 

I had an '03 LT for 3 years and used the side stand.... I now have an RT without the smoking issue when on the side stand.

 

Center stand for maintenance, side stand for gasoline fill. Center stand for close spaces.. Get a big foot for the side stand and it will hold up more successfully on softer surfaces.

[Albert]

Ahh yes, 8 pages of the old center stand/side stand debate.

 

30 points to whoever can weave synthetic oil and aftermarket seats into this thread.

[krussell]

A couple of things I forgot to add...

 

I've got a Russell Day Long saddle that is rather tractor seat like. I don't ride off the center stand, I bring it to the sidestand and go from there. When I'm heading off the center stand, I push up against the curve of the seat on the left side to make sure I'm set up properly to bring the bike down to side stand.

 

I previously mentioned that I use the center stand at fuel stops to check the oil. I've been recently told that I should consider synthetic instead of dino oil, and that if I switched I would no longer need to check my oil because you don't burn oil if you use synthetic. If that's the case, based on the zero oil use w/synthetic, and the small difference in fuel load when topping off on the centerstand, I might just try the sidestand for fueling.

 

Further, I'm also told that centerstand stability depends a lot on tires. If you run PR2s, in addition to their superior transaction in wet, dry, gravel, and carpeted conditions, the bike is more stable due to the use of gloficicatep compound in the center tread area. Z6s, Storms, and Roadsmarts are much less stable.

 

 

[krussell]

And...

 

Somewhat seriously, I'm a centerstand fueler / parker. My fuel gauge is stuck on full again. Has read full for the last 3-4 tanks. Any correlation between sidestand centerstand use and having a problematic fuel strip?

[JustKrusen]

Never had a fuel gauge problem on my '06 fueling on the sidestand.

 

I still think the Conti's will give you the most stability while on the center stand.

 

 

[Couchrocket]

I honestly don't understand all the controvesy re putting bike up on the center stand...

 

I do it all the time...

Harley guys look at me funny... but I'm still a BMW'er at heart.

[bogthebasher]

I still think the Conti's will give you the most stability while on the center stand.

 

 

Air pressure suggestion for max centre stand adhesion?