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Centerstand

B

badgertom

New member
An earlier post talked about getting a bike off the centerstand. My problem is getting the bike on the centerstand. I weigh 140 lbs (I lift weights and am in good condition) but I can't get the bike on the centerstand no matter how hard I pull, tug, lift..... I folllow instructions by standing next to bike, place my left hand on the left grip ( straighten out bike), push down on the centerstand with my right foot,
with my right hand I grip part of the frame , and pull back..like crazy. Nothing happens. Help.
 
Man, I wish I weighed 140 lbs again. :thumb

I can't believe it takes 50 lbs of belly fat to lift a BMW onto its center stand. Maybe it's a balance thing. :dunno
 
dachstom said:
... I place my left hand on the left grip ( straighten out bike), push down on the centerstand with my right foot,
with my right hand I grip part of the frame , and pull back..like crazy. Nothing happens. Help.
Click to expand...

Try facing the bike hands placed as you noted. Then use your left foot and shift your weight to the right while pulling back. Don't try to lift the bike. Try to "pull" it onto the stand.

Keep the side stand down until you get the hang of it. Just remember, don't try to lift. You'll hurt just "yo'sef"!

~ Jim
 
Center

Make sure you have the bike strait up. I push the center stand down with my right foot on the foot bar of the center stand till it touches the ground ( left leg of the stand) then push the bike away from me till the right leg of stand touched the ground. Step down on stand lift up and back on bike.:wave
 
Another point to remember if you have a bike with saddle bags and travel trunk, either have the bike in neutral or pull in the clutch. with weight on the rear, the rear wheel does not come up easily and puts enough drag that I have trouble at 225# with the bike in gear! With the clutch pulled in, it is a piece of cake.

Steve
 
Goibnui said:
Another point to remember if you have a bike with saddle bags and travel trunk, either have the bike in neutral or pull in the clutch. with weight on the rear, the rear wheel does not come up easily and puts enough drag that I have trouble at 225# with the bike in gear! With the clutch pulled in, it is a piece of cake.

Steve
Click to expand...

that's what i was thinking. despite never having an issue with putting my GS on the stand, a few times i was trying to pop it up onto the stand wondering why it wouldn't go. a quick check to notice it was still in gear made me feel pretty dumb. oh well.

interestingly, my old airhead RS was much more of an effort to get it on the centre stand than my big GS. Even fully loaded the GS almost gets onto the stand itself. I barely have to lift it.
 
centerstand

You are not using the correct technique. The secret to putting a bike on the center stand is to use your foot to push down on the centerstand lever while gently pulling up and back on the bike. I ride a bike from the 70's that weighs in at about 550 lbs. Many people are amazed at how easy I put it on the center stand. But if you let your foot do most of th work, you will find it much easier. I'm buying a new GSA and recently tried its centerstand. Compared to what I face with my antique Honda, the BMW feels like it weighs about 100 lbs. I could not believe how easy it goes up. It is almost as if it goes up by itself. Once you get the technique down, you will laugh at others who struggle to get their bikes on center stands. Oh, by the weigh, I'm a little guy, 5'6.
 
stkmkt1 said:
You are not using the correct technique. The secret to putting a bike on the center stand is to use your foot to push down on the centerstand lever while gently pulling up and back on the bike. I ride a bike from the 70's that weighs in at about 550 lbs. Many people are amazed at how easy I put it on the center stand. But if you let your foot do most of th work, you will find it much easier. I'm buying a new GSA and recently tried its centerstand. Compared to what I face with my antique Honda, the BMW feels like it weighs about 100 lbs. I could not believe how easy it goes up. It is almost as if it goes up by itself. Once you get the technique down, you will laugh at others who struggle to get their bikes on center stands. Oh, by the weigh, I'm a little guy, 5'6.
Click to expand...

+1. The harder you step on the center stand, the easier she goes up.

Ralph Sims
 
I had a heck of a time learning to get my Roadster up on the center stand. Here is the drill:

1 Stand at the left side of the bike while it is on the SIDE stand.

2 Push the center stand down with your RIGHT foot until it contacts the ground.

3 With your left hand, and still holding the center stand down, push the bike, over, away from you, carefully, until BOTH legs of the center stand contact the ground.

4 Now, with your right hand, pull rearward on the bike's frame while pushing downard on the centerstand.

5 Notice, I did not sat to pull back on the handlebar; this is not needed. when you do the procedure correctly.

The motorcycle will easily rotate up on to the centerstand.

The trick is to get BOTH legs of the centerstand to contact the ground. The first time you do it, it may feel as though you are going to push the bike over and lose it.
 
focus on the FOOT

not the arms

i can put most bikes on their centerstand using my hands just for balance, push down hard with your foot, you're using it as a lever. when you get good, you can do it barefoot.

don't ask me how i know.
 
No sweat. I finally got the technique down. The bike goes up like a charm. Thanks for all the assistance. ( Now I don't feel like a whimp).
 
Goibnui said:
Another point to remember if you have a bike with saddle bags and travel trunk, either have the bike in neutral or pull in the clutch. with weight on the rear, the rear wheel does not come up easily and puts enough drag that I have trouble at 225# with the bike in gear! With the clutch pulled in, it is a piece of cake.

Steve
Click to expand...


You actually do that with the bike in gear???:dunno
 
dzimbric said:
You actually do that with the bike in gear???:dunno
Click to expand...

You don't? :dunno I never walk away from my bike unless it is in 1st gear. I rarely use neutral.

I don't even squeeze the clutch when I do the centerstand thing. . . maybe it would be easier if I did.

P
 
shoeman said:
Where do you grease the centerstand?
Click to expand...

c-stand is bolted to frame using a large, internally threaded bushing with o-ring. slight smear of grease along the bushing/o-ring area. bolt holding bushing in probably uses an allen head socket, bushing might only be flat on 2 sides (mine is), so open end or adjustable spanner is necessary to hold bushing in place.
 
I get the bike straight up, with both feet of the centerstand firm on the ground, my right foot pressing down on the centerstand foot rest. On most bikes I can hold the bike up this way without my hands. But I steady it with my left hand on the left grip (but it does NO pulling/lifting), and my right hand finds a low solid point on the side of the bike. Then in ONE firm motion I stand in close to the bike and push down hard with my right foot/leg and FOLLOW THROUGH. My right hand/arm do very little lifting.

My R1100RS gets on the centerstand VERY easily. I have no trouble getting a R1200RT or R1200GS on the centerstand, both are easy. I can even get a K1200LT on the centerstand, with a bit more effort. By the way, I'm 5'-6", and wiegh about 180lbs. Lots of leg strength helps.
 
Spidereyes said:
I had a heck of a time learning to get my Roadster up on the center stand. Here is the drill:

1 Stand at the left side of the bike while it is on the SIDE stand.

2 Push the center stand down with your RIGHT foot until it contacts the ground.

3 With your left hand, and still holding the center stand down, push the bike, over, away from you, carefully, until BOTH legs of the center stand contact the ground.

4 Now, with your right hand, pull rearward on the bike's frame while pushing downard on the centerstand.

5 Notice, I did not sat to pull back on the handlebar; this is not needed. when you do the procedure correctly.

The motorcycle will easily rotate up on to the centerstand.

The trick is to get BOTH legs of the centerstand to contact the ground. The first time you do it, it may feel as though you are going to push the bike over and lose it.
Click to expand...

Great advice above. The only thing I'd add is to make sure the front wheel is centered (i.e. straight) and not turned to the left. With the front wheel aligned with the rear wheel it goes up on the stand much easier. I use the plastic handle from the top case rack with my right hand and keep my left hand the left handle bar grip pulling in the clutch lever. Pull back as you push down on the center stand with you right foot.
 
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