► Centre and side stands

[moody]

Hi, Hi

That Center Stand is standard?

It looks way way better built than the one of the 800.

Regards

Fran

The centre stand was ordered as a factory fitted extra and, despite looking good, it's really difficult to use!

I never had any problem getting my old 650 on/off the stand and could even manage to get my husband's 1200 off the stand but I am really struggling to get this bike on or off it's stand ( and it isn't the factory lowered bike)


I have never had any problem getting a bike OFF its stand before.
I am hoping I will soon get the knack.

 

[Tim Cullis]

Getting it on the centre stand is real difficult as you can't place your foot on the step until the stand has been lowered slightly. Using the ball tang, bring the stand down as the ground then push the bike slightly backwards to keep it down whilst you move your foot to the step part.

The bike often moves forward when I try to get it off the stand, just stick your foot on the ground ahead of the stand to prevent this.

Tim

 

[Fruitcake]

Getting it on the centre stand is real difficult as you can't place your foot on the step until the stand has been lowered slightly. Using the ball tang, bring the stand down as the ground then push the bike slightly backwards to keep it down whilst you move your foot to the step part.
Tim

yep - i found it difficult at first too - ended up with a huge bruise on the back of my calf from the footpeg from trying to get my foot on the step part.

 

[moody]

Getting it on the centre stand is real difficult as you can't place your foot on the step until the stand has been lowered slightly. Using the ball tang, bring the stand down as the ground then push the bike slightly backwards to keep it down whilst you move your foot to the step part.

The bike often moves forward when I try to get it off the stand, just stick your foot on the ground ahead of the stand to prevent this.

Tim

That's what I was doing wrong - I must use the step next time instead of the footpeg.

There isn't really anywhere useful to grab to lift the back at the same time is there?

 

[blackie]

That's what I was doing wrong - I must use the step next time instead of the footpeg.

There isn't really anywhere useful to grab to lift the back at the same time is there?

Just grab the passenger grab bars and put put your weight on the step. It goes up easy enough, in fact other than the navigation from the tang to the step its the easiest centrestand i have ever used!

 

[moody]

Just grab the passenger grab bars and put put your weight on the step. It goes up easy enough, in fact other than the navigation from the tang to the step its the easiest centrestand i have ever used!

Passenger grab rails are too high to grab comfortably - you must be taller than me. I could do with something a little lower.

 

[Micky]

There isn't really anywhere useful to grab to lift the back at the same time is there?

I use the pillion footpeg to grab hold of.... works just fine, like a lifting handle, nicely placed for a likkle ol' man like me



www.adventure.gs

 

[Tim Cullis]

Beware of side stand when loaded up with luggage

I went to Horizons Unlimited at Ripley last weekend, so the F650GS had lightly loaded panniers and top box, then a roll bag and folding chair across the pillion seat. A reasonable load, but nowhere near as heavy as the loads I've carried on the 1200GSA.

I parked up at Box Hill on a very slight slope (almost flat) and when I got off, the whole bike rotated around the side stand. The front wheel went up into the air and the rear headed towards the tarmac. Fortunately a mate saw what was happening and stepped in.

It seems to me that the side stand is located too far forward. This might be a problem that is only applicable to the F650GS, it might be the F800GS dynamics are different.

Tim

 

[freeloader]

Oh dear...

I suspect the 800 may be worse in this respect.

I've yet to test my theory, but with a bigger front wheel, unless the sidestand is longer on the 800 (and a look at the parts fiche suggests it isn't), its lean angle will be further from the vertical, and it'll be more nose-high than the 650, therefore more likely to exhibit the same behaviour than the 650 is.

One thing I don't like about the 800 is the extreme forward rake of the side stand when it's down. Now that you've experienced this phenomenon, I suspect I'll be using the centre stand more often!

 

[cookie]

airheads are very prone to doing that.

stand was way too far forward and didn't keep the bike upright enough. sounds like bmw haven't learnt much from past experience

 

[Tim Cullis]

Ok I'm having some trouble trying to visualise this....
So was the bike parked nose towards the peak of the hill?
and was it parked on the right or left side of the road?
Helps me get a better idea of where not to park

There was a slight camber to the left side, but so slight you would almost regard it as flat. The problem isn't caused by excess ground slope, it's due to having the weight on the back of the bike.

Edit: I've just been sent a photo taken at the spot when we were about to start off again.

Tim

 

[MikeP]

I don't think that it's just the new 650/800 twins. My nephew's Dakar very nearly did the same thing when loaded. It was on the Chunnel and a small rocking motion when crossing points or something nearly tipped it over on the stand side (the front lifted).

I reckon that any bike with a reward weight bias (relative to the side-stand pivot) will do the same. Add a load to the rear and it will be more likely.

 

[BM_donator]

Flexible

is how I'd describe the side stand when loaded with top and side panniers.

First time I saw it bend under the weight when parked on a slight downward camber I was concerned that the "flex" may turn to a shear or a snap, so have parked it on a flat or slight upward camber since whenever loaded.

 

[TERRY RYAN]

SW Motech Centre stand

Today my S W motech centre stand arrived
not had chance to fit it as yet but here is a quick picture of it not fitted


anyhow does anyone know how to get the spring fitted seems like a hell of a lot of pull to get it to fit over the stand recess is there a easy way

I can feel a black eye coming on already

 

[Uinneag]

See here

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

KTM exhaust spring puller usually does the trick

 

[how much]

usefull way of putting springs on stands...... get a 6mm cable tie and make it into a loop, hook the spring with the tie and hook a suitable "handle" (screwdriver,ratchet etc.) and pull the spring on with that, once the spring is on just cut the cable tie to remove it

cheap and cheerfull



how much

 

[TERRY RYAN]

Looks good.

How much and from where?

Also is that a Trax pannier in the background?

Yep Trax Top Box in Background
and centre stand both from Nippy Normans

 

[TERRY RYAN]

This might seem like a silly question but what is the advantage of having the SW Motech stand over the standard one?

I'm ready to be enlightened

I suppose it personal Choice
I think the BMW 800 stand Looks
farm yard ish plus its a bit of a git to get on and of stand
so I went for the Sw Motech one looks more compact and better to get
on and of stand

 

[chrisjk]

As Terry says, the stand is not the easiest to find with your foot, on the 800. On the 650 it's very close to impossible. It's things like this that reveal some aspects of the bikes' design that have been really hurried and which have suffered as a consequence. The design is pure and simple crap at a place where the average owner will encounter it virtually every time they ride the bike - certainly every time they use the centre stand.