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movin' off centerstand '03 K1200LT

iraon2r

New member
Have 03 K1200LTC, am 5'8", 180#, and INSEAM challenged. I don't have lowered seat (yet). Am looking 4 different methods to get bike off center stand. I'm tired of asking wife for push and her laughing. Tried standing on ground and rocking it 1 time, and the bike leaned up against me, into the metal storage racks, and I've got a scratch to prove it. Hate those slow motion lay overs.
 
Get a Reynolds ride off-less lift,less camming action.You literally ride off it.A bit scary on slippery uneven ground or gravel.
 
Am not familiar with Reynolds Ride-Off. Didn't have this problem with my RT. Do you have a web site add. for them ?
 
Re: movin' off centerstand

iraon2r said:
Have 03 K1200LTC, am 5'8", 180#, and INSEAM challenged. I don't have lowered seat (yet). Am looking 4 different methods to get bike off center stand. I'm tired of asking wife for push and her laughing. Tried standing on ground and rocking it 1 time, and the bike leaned up against me, into the metal storage racks, and I've got a scratch to prove it. Hate those slow motion lay overs.

I never ride off the centerstand.. I just put the sidestand down and lift the bike off the centerstand THEN get on it and ride away. And I never use the centerstand on the road - it gets used in my garage just to save space.

The sidestand is MUCH more stable in most conditions - makes for a much larger triangular footprint for the bike.

I've never understood the BMW rider's fanatical use of the centerstand. For me - it's for working on the bike (removing wheels..) or for use in ideal conditions where the space is limited (my garage..) But - mebbe it's just me.
 
center stand use

I'm 5' 9" and 170lbs and when I get my bike off the centerstand I always have the sidestand down and nudge the bike off to let it come to rest on the sidestand. I also hardly ever use the centerstand on the road (garage use mostly). I will never try riding it off the stand. The only drawback to sidestand use is that your bike will smoke badly when parked on the sidestand. I have found that when you stop your ride before you put your sidestand down that if you will lean your bike to the right for about 20 to 30 seconds before getting off the bike that upon startup you will not have any smoking at all. Something to do with oil draining down into the sump or whatever. It does work to eliminate smoke on startup.:idea
 
Re: center stand use

IRONHORSECOWBOY said:
I'm 5' 9" and 170lbs and when I get my bike off the centerstand I always have the sidestand down and nudge the bike off to let it come to rest on the sidestand. I also hardly ever use the centerstand on the road (garage use mostly). I will never try riding it off the stand. The only drawback to sidestand use is that your bike will smoke badly when parked on the sidestand. I have found that when you stop your ride before you put your sidestand down that if you will lean your bike to the right for about 20 to 30 seconds before getting off the bike that upon startup you will not have any smoking at all. Something to do with oil draining down into the sump or whatever. It does work to eliminate smoke on startup.:idea

Man after my own heart.. and 10 seconds works just fine to eliminate the smoke on startup. I don't even lean it to the right (short inseam) :eek - I just keep it straight upright with my tippy-toes. Nice thing about having a wired in Garmin - you can watch the seconds count down from 30 when the unit is powered off :)
 
I'm with ya

I was a little on the conservative side with 20 to 30 seconds--I'm sure 10 secs will do upright. I got to get me one of those Garmin things!!:wow
 
I am not particularly tall, but do not have any problem getting the bike off the center stand. Just lunge forward, with the sidestand up, and in neutral, and it rolls right off. Hardly travels a foot. I only use it at home, but it is the only way to get accurate and consistent fluid levels, plus makes it easier to check tire pressures, or wash the bike. The bike still deposits black soot on the floor of the garage, and blows smoke, so that is not a consideration. I used to not like using the centerstand because I had trouble putting it up on the stand. Since I learned the technique for putting it up, it is a non issue.
 
LTOwner said:
. . . I used to not like using the centerstand because I had trouble putting it up on the stand. Since I learned the technique for putting it up, it is a non issue.
:confused: :help

I'm a new member and this may have been covered previously, but, what is "the technique?"

I've recently acquired an extremely low mileage '87 K100. My technique to put it on the centerstand is to: grasp lift handle under the seat with my right hand, place left hand on the left handle bar grip, place the ball of my right foot on the center stand, and then snap the bike up and back while placing most of my body weight on the center stand foot lever. It comes up, but not exactly easily.
 
Center stand

Whoa, I just read your message exactly one day after buying a K75. How the HECK do you get that thing up on a center stand?
:banghead
:
 
Yours might be lowered....

If your bike has been lowered as my '92K75RT is, it makes the business of getting it up on the centerstand pretty difficult except on the lawn where the stand sinks in about a half inch. Mine has been lowered by 3/4 inches, which makes the lift to put it on the centerstand a lot harder, so I placed a couple of 3/4inch plywood squares in the garage with a gap between. I park the bike with the front and rear wheels on the plywood squares and the centerstand then is easy to use as it's 3/4inch lower than the wheels. Try it......you'll like it!
 
park the bike with the front and rear wheels on the plywood squares
Good idea, just remember to creep up on the plywood SLOWLY. I once tried parking on a
square of carpet in my garage, hit the front brake, wheel stopped, but my momentum
transferred to carpet with lousy coefficient of friction to garage floor. Managed to
keep it up, but it was a WTF! OH SH** GODDAMITALLTOHE** kind of special moment.

I forgot all about that until reading your post. Thanks for the memories!
 
Have 03 K1200LTC, am 5'8", 180#, and INSEAM challenged. I don't have lowered seat (yet). Am looking 4 different methods to get bike off center stand. I'm tired of asking wife for push and her laughing. Tried standing on ground and rocking it 1 time, and the bike leaned up against me, into the metal storage racks, and I've got a scratch to prove it. Hate those slow motion lay overs.

I thought that the K1200LT had a motorized centre stand. If so, could you not just lower it to the side stand? If not, (and your bike is much heavier than my K100), why not have a couple of buddies spot you (one on either side) while you practise rocking the bike off of the centre stand and lowering it to the side stand. Do keep it in gear while rocking off the centre stand. I had gotten out of the habit of the rock and catch technique and was quite apprehensive of trying it this summer. I had one of my sons on the right side to catch the the bike if it got away from me. It isn't it that hard once you do it a few times, but be certain to have the handle bars aimed slightly left (did it once with them aimed right and my 145#s wasn't enough to keep it from going, going, gone right.)
 
Whoa, I just read your message exactly one day after buying a K75. How the HECK do you get that thing up on a center stand?
:banghead
:

It's all relative, as they say. Compared to my Concours, getting the K on it's center stand is a breeze! I'm not exactly a big strapping type, so I have to get the Connie's rear wheel up on a block of wood to do it (not that this is much help to you ;) )

Once I got the feel of balancing the K evenly on the center stand's feet, it pops up pretty easily using the grab handle.
 
short legged guy

I am one of those short legged, 28 inch inseam guys.
I rock my LT off the center stand, with legs extended downward. I can touch a left toe to the ground to give me some sense of leveredge and feel.

I grab the front brake to keep it from rolling, once the stand retracts. I find it is very controllable. It was a test of faith the first time, but it really is easier. The bike seems to settle momentarily and I have both feet planted pretty good, and it is very much in balance.

I used to stand beside the bike and push it off, with the side stand extended. As long as I used the brake to control the rolling effect, it worked okay. I have warmed up to the idea of straddling the behemoth, when getting it off the center stand. This might not work for everyone, but it sure works for me.
 
As a smaller guy myself, I've learned to use the passenger footpeg as the lift point when putting bikes onto the centerstand. Just make sure to keep your back straight and lift with your legs.

Tom
 
I never ride off the centerstand.. I just put the sidestand down and lift the bike off the centerstand THEN get on it and ride away. And I never use the centerstand on the road - it gets used in my garage just to save space.

The sidestand is MUCH more stable in most conditions - makes for a much larger triangular footprint for the bike.

I've never understood the BMW rider's fanatical use of the centerstand. For me - it's for working on the bike (removing wheels..) or for use in ideal conditions where the space is limited (my garage..) But - mebbe it's just me.

I use my center stand all the time. 2 main reasons.
1st is mine is an 85 k100rs. if you put it on the side stand you smoke out the neighborhood.
2nd is with a full tank of fuel, I picture my gas cap lower than the level of the fuel, and I have seen it leak
 
Remember the weight differential...

When I replaced my original K11LT with my K12, I didn't do due diligence, and thus was surprised by the weight differential and its various implications. Thus while my K75 and present K11 go on the centerstand (for space reasons in my garage), the K12 sits on its sidestand, unless I am going to do some serious work on it, and then I first find a friend....

Larry Johnson
El Paso TX
2003 K12LT
1995 K11LT
1993 K11LT
1991 K75RT
 
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