Driving off the centre stand

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

Tunneruk has set the scene.

A crowded motorcycle bay in Central London, probably with a downhill camber by the rear wheel to allow drainage. Loud revving, up she goes.... Whoa! Down she comes, sideways. I hope he leaves a nice note giving his insurance details to the bikes on either side that he's demolished.

It strikes me that if he has enough room to slide in, climb on and ride it out off the main stand, there's probably enough room to stand alongside and rock it off its main stand as normal, though it is less exciting.

Sensibly, the stand at the front push-pull method is probably easiest and a lot less noisy.

Fella, you're working on the assumption that the bike will be crammed into a parking bay in central London. If the bike is parked in this scenario then of course it's highly likely to end in disaster!
I never once parked my bike in central London ........ I did however park it on the path along my lawn and had to fill a cylinder sized indentation in my lawn with top soil after one unsuccessful attempt!
If I had another 12 (which'll never happen) I'd continue to use this method, but only when it's realistic to do so!

 

[Bails]

Cos in some central london parking you don't have the option to use the side stand - nor room to stand by the bike.

Hands on bars (make sure lock is off), feet on ground behind pegs and push forward. Don't bother trying to lift up.

I could put my R on the centre stand whilst seated - that's much more useful. But I can't do it on the GS - not tall enough and I'm 6'1".

So if no room beside the bike how do you get it on the stand ??

 

[JayC]

So if no room beside the bike how do you get it on the stand ??

You don't , it's already on the stand from when you arrived at sparrow fart o'clock and nobody else was parked up. It's when you get back to the bike and the whole nation has descended upon your parking area and leaving you little to get hold of other than the front end of the bike.

 

[The Grey One]

Perhaps because of the extra weight there is additional and unnecessary wear to the pivot points !

As far as I know I weigh exactly the same whilst riding it off the stand as I do when sitting on it and rocking it off. Have I missed something?


John

 

[Wingless]

I think you probably have.

Take a look at the owner's manual.
I suspect that it will recommend standing to the nearside of the bike, holding the handlebar in L hand, grabhandle in R and rocking the bike off the stand.

Either of your methods puts extra strain on pivot points and stand.

Interestingly there is a current thread in ' Projects and Restorations ' where 2 posters discuss repairing bent stands.

 

[Jumblemo]

I think you probably have.

Take a look at the owner's manual.
I suspect that it will recommend standing to the nearside of the bike, holding the handlebar in L hand, grabhandle in R and rocking the bike off the stand.

Either of your methods puts extra strain on pivot points and stand.

Interestingly there is a current thread in ' Projects and Restorations ' where 2 posters discuss repairing bent stands.

I'm happy to pay for the impact of wear to achieve this, after all we create wear every time we ride our bikes. But I don't want the impact of a catastrophic failure such as a side stand breaking when mounting the bike. If it wears the pivot points of the centre stand causing the need for a purchase every 10 years then so be it.

 

[Wingless]

I don't seek to tell anybody how to mount their own bike. You pay the money - you do what you like with it.

The poster asked what damage could he be doing to it by mounting it in a certain way. I offered an opinion.

You state that a sidestand could fail but obviously don't consider that you could be doing cumulative damage to your centre stand causing subsequent failure by sitting on it and rocking it onto its wheels.

At no time did I suggest using the sidestand.

Ideally, once you have stood beside it and rocked it down onto its wheels, you hold the front brake with your right hand and swivel on your left foot to mount the bike.

Please note the bold font.

I appreciate there are occasions when you have to modify your technique.

Each to their own.

 

[aspiring]

I'm happy to pay for the impact of wear to achieve this, after all we create wear every time we ride our bikes. But I don't want the impact of a catastrophic failure such as a side stand breaking when mounting the bike. If it wears the pivot points of the centre stand causing the need for a purchase every 10 years then so be it.

so you cant mount your bike from standing on the floor? you dont want the sidestand to fail but you dont mind the centre stand failing? you cant stand beside your bike to rock it off the stand,do you mount like the lone ranger (from the rear)? pun not intended but i suspect there was that one time in the dorm.its a fucking idiotic caper from start to finish.grow the fuck up and maybe re_take your CBT,they will tell you all about getting your bike off its stand.....merry christmas

 

[Jumblemo]

so you cant mount your bike from standing on the floor? you dont want the sidestand to fail but you dont mind the centre stand failing? you cant stand beside your bike to rock it off the stand,do you mount like the lone ranger (from the rear)? pun not intended but i suspect there was that one time in the dorm.its a fucking idiotic caper from start to finish.grow the fuck up and maybe re_take your CBT,they will tell you all about getting your bike off its stand.....merry christmas

What a **** you are. Happy Christmas any way

 

[Old Wobbly]

I recall reading on here a while back that a few folk have mastered the technique of riding from the position of being seated on the bike with the centre stand down.

Do you do this with your LC? What's the technique?

I regularly ride off the centre stand, particularly after filling up. Did the same on the WC I rode when my GSA was in for a service. Just stand up with extended arms and rock forward in 1st - simples and no disasters to date (I hope that's not jinxed me!).

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Can't see the problem

 

[Jumblemo]

I don't seek to tell anybody how to mount their own bike. You pay the money - you do what you like with it.

The poster asked what damage could he be doing to it by mounting it in a certain way. I offered an opinion.

You state that a sidestand could fail but obviously don't consider that you could be doing cumulative damage to your centre stand causing subsequent failure by sitting on it and rocking it onto its wheels.

At no time did I suggest using the sidestand.

Ideally, once you have stood beside it and rocked it down onto its wheels, you hold the front brake with your right hand and swivel on your left foot to mount the bike.

Please note the bold font.

I appreciate there are occasions when you have to modify your technique.

Each to their own.

This misses the point. There are times when I want to mount the luggage loaded bike by using the peg. This is due to the position of my luggage, the height of the bike and the length of my legs. I don't wish to do this on the side stand because they can and do bend, and the centre stand is fully capable of taking this load by comparison. However, once on the bike I have not been able to reliably rock it forward off the stand due to the geometry and again the length of my legs (31in inside). So i have asked the reasonable question of those who have already developed the technique to drive (or ride if it pleases Miff - though I still hold to 'drive' as the verb suits the action better) the bike off the stand how they achieve this. And many it seems do.

However, as is the nature of this forum, and despite the few who engage intelligently, it leads to commentary from the pedants, self-declared experts and those who get the horn from berating others.

So thank you to those who can be constructive. It is appreciated.

 

[Jumblemo]

I regularly ride off the centre stand, particularly after filling up. Did the same on the WC I rode when my GSA was in for a service. Just stand up with extended arms and rock forward in 1st - simples and no disasters to date (I hope that's not jinxed me!).

Thank you. I hadn't considered standing. I will try this.

 

[cookie]

Leave the bike on the side stand and mount using the right hand footrest

No strain on the side stand that way, but does require some skill.

 

[Jumblemo]

Leave the bike on the side stand and mount using the right hand footrest

No strain on the side stand that way, but does require some skill.

Ok...I'll admit I hadn't considered that....

 

[Beemerman59]

Leave the bike on the side stand and mount using the right hand footrest

No strain on the side stand that way, but does require some skill.

I tried that when I was fully loaded with camping gear and had just fueled the GSA up. Ended up bringing the bike too far past upright and bringing it crashing down on the other side.

 

[aspiring]

I tried that when I was fully loaded with camping gear and had just fueled the GSA up. Ended up bringing the bike too far past upright and bringing it crashing down on the other side.

seriously? who could have forseen that?

 

[WindyChuffer]

Cos in some central london parking you don't have the option to use the side stand - nor room to stand by the bike.

in which case a slight wobble when riding off the centre stand will result in a game of Dominoes. Sounds pretty fekkin daft to me in this situation.

 

[iandavid]

This misses the point. There are times when I want to mount the luggage loaded bike by using the peg. This is due to the position of my luggage, the height of the bike and the length of my legs. I don't wish to do this on the side stand because they can and do bend, and the centre stand is fully capable of taking this load by comparison. However, once on the bike I have not been able to reliably rock it forward off the stand due to the geometry and again the length of my legs (31in inside). So i have asked the reasonable question of those who have already developed the technique to drive (or ride if it pleases Miff - though I still hold to 'drive' as the verb suits the action better) the bike off the stand how they achieve this. And many it seems do.

However, as is the nature of this forum, and despite the few who engage intelligently, it leads to commentary from the pedants, self-declared experts and those who get the horn from berating others.

So thank you to those who can be constructive. It is appreciated.

Always did it on my old Triumph, although didn't drive off. Geometry was such that you sat on the bike on the centre stand and just rocked it back and forth once and she popped of the stand. Balance with both feet and start her up. Not done it yet on the GS but guess I'll give it a try.

Interestingly, here in Japan the test requires you to mount and dismount with the bike held upright and NO use of stands. Use a stand, either side or main, and it's a definite fail. You see little Jappies getting on Harley's twice their size without using any stand with absolute finess.

 

[Engineer]

I recall reading on here a while back that a few folk have mastered the technique of riding from the position of being seated on the bike with the centre stand down.

Do you do this with your LC? What's the technique?

Why ride of the centre-stand? utterly pointless - just take the bike off the stand, start then engine and ride off normally.