Centre stand advice

[Steptoe]

I've just identified a gap in the market....
BMW are missing out on a marvelous opportunity to run a "Put your bike on it's main stand" course, to run alongside their off road courses.

Main stand usage = Beginners, level one and two.

 

[(RIP) Miff]

At least these are the "lightweight" 1200s, not those extra heavy 1100s

 

[Sgt Bilco]

As for riding it off the centre stand

I broke my side stand on a recent trip across the US so had to use the main stand all the time. Most dealers stateside will tell you that riding off the centre stand is the best way to get go and I now do it all the time Did take some getting used to though as one or two witnessed

Method: sit on bike, put gloves on, plug yourself in, engage 1st, rock off it's stand and as the back wheel touches disengage the clutch and bingo

The harder part is getting off with full luggage on. The Charlie Boorman dismount was used to great effect and ensured endless amusement for people watching whilst they waited for me to catch my foot and end up on my arse

Where do I sign up for the Main Stand Usage course? I feel I'm experienced to go straight to level 2

 

[Steptoe]

Where do I sign up for the Main Stand Usage course? I feel I'm experienced to go straight to level 2

There are 12000 members on ukgser, none of whom have asked any questions on how to put their bikes on and off the stand or had any lessons so they'll be a long queue

 

[GrinningGSer]

It takes a lot of confidence to move a big bike around, on and off the stand and also wheeling it around. Practice all of these skills. Practice pushing it forwards and backwards. (IMHO do not use the side stand, i's not worth the potential for trouble in these manoeuvres). Also, try standing directly in front of the bike, grabbing both handlebars and pulling gently towards yourself. All fun.

Also practice real slow speed riding. Many people are surprisingly unable to do the slow speed stuff, like tight u turns. You;ll drop it a few times, but GS's survive lots of drops relatively unscathed. Never stop learning and enjoy

 

[karnevil]

Try walking along side it whilst it is in gear and underpower too.



You do that on the off road course ya know

 

[Mutley]

Please tell me this is a joke and i've missed the punchline...

I don't know whether to or or

 

[Myke Rocks]

Since they redesigned the stand

Hi,

After arriving home at the end of my first ride on my new 1200GS, I put my baby on her centre stand and then spent all night wondering how on earth I'm going to get her down again!

Can any of you offer this moron any advice as to the best way to get her down from the centre stand, either sat on or stood beside her.

Thanks

Since they redesigned the stand back to the way it was on 1100s & 1150s, it's dead easy. Throw something in the top box, climb on, sit well back, start engine, into first & engage launch control.

I did it for years on an 1100, it was how I always came off the main stand.

Myke

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Oh, Dear!

"I have never dropped a bike, ever" ....and I have never had a bike that I haven't dropped at least once! That is why I (nearly) always have engine bars fitted from new. I am surprised that no-one has mentioned the possibility of receiving a nasty crack on the left shin if you sit on the bike and push it off the centre stand - must be just my leg/body ratio or something!

 

[Mr K]

..'kin centre stand lever went up me right Taureg pant leg on Sunday as I wheeled beastie off centre stand.... bit of a quandry....as I hopped ..tactically...

 

[Farmer Palmer]

..'kin centre stand lever went up me right Taureg pant leg on Sunday as I wheeled beastie off centre stand.... bit of a quandry....as I hopped ..tactically...

Did the same to my leg when I was messing about with the sidestand the other day, wacked me in the knee and it hurt like bloody hell......!

I'm a 6 foot 4 and 16 stone 'farmer palmer' and having plenty of spare strength find it's still all about technique. A fully loaded GSA is a heavy and expensive beast to have fall over on top of you so I don't think asking about how to use the stand is a stupid question at all.

Last night I watched a much, much shorter than me neighbour shifting his 1200GSA in the ASDA carpark even with a lowered seat he was right on his tippy toes, he managed fine

FP.

 

[mark2jag]

centre stand advice....

Hi,

After arriving home at the end of my first ride on my new 1200GS, I put my baby on her centre stand and then spent all night wondering how on earth I'm going to get her down again!

Can any of you offer this moron any advice as to the best way to get her down from the centre stand, either sat on or stood beside her.

Thanks

Sit on bike.
Start engine.(Make sure its in neutral!!)
pull clutch lever in.
engage first gear.
while keeping clutch lever in rock bike forwards until the stand is on the point of springing up.
release clutch (GENTLY!!!!!) raise engine speed so as to avoid the bloody thing falling over while your still sat on it, power away and orft you go!!!

SIMPLES!!!...

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING: Neither myself nor ukgser are responsible for any damage howsoever caused by you failing to carry out the previous instructions, in respect of damage to your or other persons property or your own safety or well being.....

Also helps if you have got all your bike gear on already and probably not a good idea to let it tick over for too long or those downpipes get bloody hot and i dont think its too good for the engine either....

Anyway must go look at BMW Off road schools video on how to pick up a dropped 1200GS..........

 

[C-J]

I really can't wait for someone to post up that they've tried riding it off the centre stand for the first time, and collapsed into a big mess scratching their pride and joy...

 

[Wapping]

I really can't wait for someone to post up that they've tried riding it off the centre stand for the first time, and collapsed into a big mess scratching their pride and joy...

It was (I think) the BGT who did just that when on the first Moroccan dash..... But he wasn't riding it off the centre stand for the first time

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Whilst on the subject

If you are 'obliged' to park on a steep camber the whole process becomes very difficult; I have parked on the side stand on a steep camber and then, having got onto the bike found that i have not the strength to pull it to the vertical; I had to get off (carefully) and wheel it gently to a flat piece of road - when, of course a car came along and i have to perform with an audience! Don't laugh - if your panniers are loaded and the road is not flat is it a delicate process!!!!

 

[Cooky]

Hi,

After arriving home at the end of my first ride on my new 1200GS, I put my baby on her centre stand and then spent all night wondering how on earth I'm going to get her down again!

Can any of you offer this moron any advice as to the best way to get her down from the centre stand, either sat on or stood beside her.

Thanks

Steve, I too have asked questions not unlike yours on this forum. One day, and this may have already happened, you will say outloud, "I was a ****".

 

[Giles]

Poor Steve, whilst it was a pretty dumb question he's received quite a hard time. (I seem to remember Snerkler asking how people got water out the air cooling fins after they'd washed their bike ...).

I still love ya Steve .....

 

[Wapping]

Poor Steve, whilst it was a pretty dumb question he's received quite a hard time. (I seem to remember Snerkler asking how people got water out the air cooling fins after they'd washed their bike ...).

....That and whether he should remove his panniers at night

This though did prompt the 'Should I remove my underpants?' thread, so all was not wasted.

 

[Big Lee]

I was once told there was no such thing as a stupid question, only a stupid answer.

Well they were wrong, there is

 

[ducatiparts.110mb]

only a stupid answer

Are you referring to the answers that explain how to do something two days after the Original Poster has said that he's done it?

But being serious for a minute - how did you expect to get it down off the stand?