• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

  • Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.

    The Election forum is here: Election Forum

Which Way Do I Turn The Wheel WHen I Park?

lkraus said:
I dug out my digital inclinometer, zeroed it to my generally flat garage floor and placed it on my gas cap to measure the actual angle from vertical on the sidestand.

Wheel to left: 10.9??
Wheel to right: 12.3??

So, turning to the RIGHT should actually be more stable on level ground.
Click to expand...

I disagree because stability is not wholly determined by lean angle. Stability is also determined by how far apart the bike's supports are.

With the front wheel turned left (toward the sidestand), the front tire contact patch moves to the right, so the three points that support the machine (front tire contact patch, rear tire contact patch, sidestand foot) are further apart than if the front tire is turned right. With the tire pointed right, the front contact patch moves left, towards the sidestand. The triangle of support becomes narrower, and the bike is less stable side-to-side compared to a bike resting on a wider triangle.

In the real world, I think the answer depends on the interaction of several factors (levelness of ground, lean angle, whether the front wheel is turned right or left), not just just on front wheel direction.
 
I prefer the straight look so that is where I leave it. If it falls one way or the other after I dismount it oh well. I do turn it to the left when I am refueling.
 
I think Jay, the OP, is learning another valuable bit of information. Ask for the time on this forum and someone will tell you how to build a steam powered wristwatch.
 
I've never thought about which way to turn the front wheel when parked! Now I'm confused. :dunno

My ignorance was bliss. Now I have something else to worry about doing wrong. :laugh
 
AKBeemer said:
I think Jay, the OP, is learning another valuable bit of information. Ask for the time on this forum and someone will tell you how to build a steam powered wristwatch.
Click to expand...

Distilled water or tap water for the steam?:laugh:type

What type of fuel should I use to heat the water?:laugh:type

And what grade and type of oil for the internal gears?:laugh:type
 
dbrick said:
I disagree because stability is not wholly determined by lean angle. Stability is also determined by how far apart the bike's supports are.

With the front wheel turned left (toward the sidestand), the front tire contact patch moves to the right, so the three points that support the machine (front tire contact patch, rear tire contact patch, sidestand foot) are further apart than if the front tire is turned right. With the tire pointed right, the front contact patch moves left, towards the sidestand. The triangle of support becomes narrower, and the bike is less stable side-to-side compared to a bike resting on a wider triangle.

In the real world, I think the answer depends on the interaction of several factors (levelness of ground, lean angle, whether the front wheel is turned right or left), not just just on front wheel direction.
Click to expand...

I've not tried it, but I think I'd have to disagree with you. :)
I'm unable to measure from my sidestand to the frontwheel at this time as the rear portion of the frame is pointed toward heaven as the poor thing sits on it's centerstand & front wheel.

However, I would almost bet you that the contact patch is further away from the centerstand turned to the right than to the left.

If you have time, try measuring....

Ken
 
Ken F said:
I've not tried it, but I think I'd have to disagree with you. :)
I'm unable to measure from my sidestand to the frontwheel at this time as the rear portion of the frame is pointed toward heaven as the poor thing sits on it's centerstand & front wheel.

However, I would almost bet you that the contact patch is further away from the centerstand turned to the right than to the left.

If you have time, try measuring....

Ken
Click to expand...

Ken,

I just went into the garage and put the bike on the sidestand. Using a yardstick on the ground: with the front forks turned left, the distance from the edge of the front contact patch to the edge of the side stand foot was 31 1/4". With the forks turned right, the distance was 29 1/2". That says to me that the stand/front wheel side of the support triangle is a bit wider with the forks turned left. I think (other things equal) that a wider support triangle is more stable than a narrower one.

Admittedly, I wasn't measuring to the center of the contact patch. But I don't think doing so would affect the result. :dunno
 
May I suggest, get yourself a centre stand, and hopefully your worries will go away.

Remember though, after installing or using a centre stand not to post which way to position wheel 'cause you know what will happen onto your thread ....

Will tell you how to strap your motorcycle so it does not fall :nyah

LOL. I love this!
 
35675 said:
... at the BMW Performance Center when I took a course in June, a big point was made to turn the wheel to the right. It was pointed out that this makes it easier to grab the handlebars when you mount...
Click to expand...




Interesting the performance center folks go right. If there is a reach problem, simply turn the bars or do the "police mount" and get on over the right side. This actually works better for me on tall bikes.

Did the BMW folks say "Park" it that way, or "move the bars right before you mount". Having the bars fully right actually makes picking up a heavy bike much easier. I usually warn people to pick up slowly when doing this the first time because we have had people drop bikes to the right the first time they try it.

The simple mechanics of the situation is this:

If the bars are turned right and you are parked on the side stand, it is MUCH easier for the bike to roll off the stand to fall over to the left if someone bumps the bike from the rear. This actually can happen if the bike is idling without the rider on it. I have seen bikes walk themselves off the stand from vibration if the bars are fully right.

Harley figured this out a long time ago. Their side stand features a steel pin that locks it in place as you set the bike down so it cannot be rolled off the side stand if bumped from the rear.


oldnslow said:
Distilled water or tap water for the steam?:laugh:type

What type of fuel should I use to heat the water?:laugh:type

And what grade and type of oil for the internal gears?:laugh:type
Click to expand...

You forgot about spline shaft lube...
 
Last edited:
kind of reminds me of another discussion...
09.gif


<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=GCupSJyA16c&start=73.03&end=165.9&cid=511123"></param><embed src="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=GCupSJyA16c&start=73.03&end=165.9&cid=511123" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
 
My early K-100 and my old airhead have the fork locks on the left side of the steering head. You have to turn the bars all the way to the right to engage the fork lock. If you turn the fork to the left, the left fork leg blocks access to the fork lock.

Now with the V-Rod you can only lock the fork when it is turned to the left. Then again, Harley makes no provision for a center stand (and I have the nicks on my helmet to show for it, sigh, absolutely nothing stays put when you set it on the seat)

In general, if you see something done one way by the Harley crowd, do exactly the opposite and you will be ok. Just sayin' .....................
 
Now that Labor Day is near, I'll have to get in the annual habit of changing the direction.

I wouldn't be caught dead parking my bike with the wheel pointing right after Labor Day.

Who would do such a thing??? :confused:
 
Thanks for that DB! It sure goes against my mental geometry, but I"ve been proven wrong! Yard stick was a good idea...where in the world do you get those anymore?

Ken

dbrick said:
Ken,

I just went into the garage and put the bike on the sidestand. Using a yardstick on the ground: with the front forks turned left, the distance from the edge of the front contact patch to the edge of the side stand foot was 31 1/4". With the forks turned right, the distance was 29 1/2". That says to me that the stand/front wheel side of the support triangle is a bit wider with the forks turned left. I think (other things equal) that a wider support triangle is more stable than a narrower one.

Admittedly, I wasn't measuring to the center of the contact patch. But I don't think doing so would affect the result. :dunno
Click to expand...
 
I 'heard' that parking with the bars turned all the way to the left will cause pre-mature wearing of the steering stops. I always leave 2-3 mm space between the fork clamps and the bumper stop when I park my bike.:brow :wave
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
What I want
Replies
14
Views
1K
ebell
E
brownie0486
Air/oil cooled camhead oil cooler fan
Replies
4
Views
233
brownie0486
brownie0486
S
Timeout? No start with excess hill-hold use?
Replies
5
Views
834
Stebe
S
5
'85 K100RS headlight inop
Replies
2
Views
1K
20774
20774
AntonLargiader
Slipping starter clutch
Replies
9
Views
2K
beemerguru
beemerguru
Back
Top