Side Stand advice

[Hairyweasel]

I have damaged my left elbow, currently I'm 6 days in to a 12 day trip and it's getting worse every day.
The worse part is when the wife gets on the pillion, due to her mobility problems it's not easy for her and puts a lot of strain on me holding the bike up.
A mate of mine works for Triumph and he says they teach / endorse leaving the bike on the side Stand whilst the pillion mounts (with the rider in place but not supporting the bike weight too much).
The triumph stand looks like a solid bit of kit and is tested to take that level of use (mate is a tester) but the BMW one doesn't look as strong.

Neither myself nor the Mrs are small people so before I risk snapping the stand off I thought I would ask on here if anyone does mount the bike this way.

 

[dave hendy]

I take it you are luggaged up as well? I wouldn't want to risk it, can't you just find a curb or something higher your wife can stand on to make it easier for her to get on?

Good luck!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Oldrat]

Hiya,
Not sure I'd trust the side stand, granted I sometimes mount my GSA standing on the peg on its side stand, but wouldn't trust it with the weight of a pillion as well.


How did you mount the bike upright before. Apologies about sucking eggs and all that..
I find the following helps, legs straight, feet fairly wide apart, but not so much as prevents you holding the bike seat firmly with your thighs. That position keeps the bike pretty rigid with your legs taking a fair amount of the strain.. Arms straight too and front brake on.

if you are doing all that, then kerbs and logs



....
but of course if you have luggage and packed to the hilt it'll always be a challenge.
sometimes just getting it upright with luggage on can be a PITA. I used to have a side stand enlarger which had a 2cm lift on it, that helped.

HTHs

 

[Hairyweasel]

That is how we mount the bike but I can't hold it without using my arms as well.

 

[Neil W]

Done it for years with the r1150gs ,r1200gsa TC and the r1200 gsa LC when fully loaded and touring .

I get on first ,bike is on the sidestand and my wife gets on using the pilion footpeg on the left hand side , most of the weight of the bike is being supported by the sidestand , the rest by me with zero problems .

 

[Deleted account 181015003]

I have damaged my left elbow, currently I'm 6 days in to a 12 day trip and it's getting worse every day.
The worse part is when the wife gets on the pillion, due to her mobility problems it's not easy for her and puts a lot of strain on me holding the bike up.
A mate of mine works for Triumph and he says they teach / endorse leaving the bike on the side Stand whilst the pillion mounts (with the rider in place but not supporting the bike weight too much).
The triumph stand looks like a solid bit of kit and is tested to take that level of use (mate is a tester) but the BMW one doesn't look as strong.

Neither myself nor the Mrs are small people so before I risk snapping the stand off I thought I would ask on here if anyone does mount the bike this way.

If its getting worse each day take a couple of days off the bike and see if your condition improves.

 

[Sea Dog]

^^^^ What Neil W said. You may want to add a side stand foot enlarger for softer surfaces once you get home, but you'll be fine as long as you take the surface into account.

Incidentally, before I bought textile trousers to replace my leathers, this was the only practical way for me to get on the damned thing!

 

[auf_wiedersehen_pet]

When I'm fully loaded my pillion (daughter - 9) gets on first and off last as we use bags on top of the panniers and it's impossible for her to get on when I'm blocking her access to the seat. Her weight is only a small % on a fully loaded GSA. Admittedly, not a adult though.

 

[J biker]

Also use the sidestand down technique to take some (but not all) of the weight off. No issues and makes it easy for rider and pillion.

 

[matchlessman]

I agree, Sidestand down to take some of the weight and pillion can use the footrest to step up. If you feet are on the floor then theoretically the stand will only be taking the pillions weight in addition to luggage etc. If you have ESA can you alter the height to make it easier?

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

 

[SynchroGS]

+1 for the pillion getting on first with the side stand down


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AP11 LAD]

The side stand are very strong. A technique to reduce the strain on side stand is to first off lower your suspension to single rider only, which puts bike more upright and as such reduces strain on side stand. Hold bike whilst pillion gets on. Then you get on and straddle bike whilst putting suspension on pillion and luggage. When getting off just reverse the procedure

 

[tanneman]

Yes, that is how we mount. Been doing that for 2 years on the LC GSA with or without luggage and before that a hexhead GSA with no I'll effect. Just brace against the bike when the missus takes a step.

Nutty takes crap photos

 

[Alf Garnett]

Sidestand down left leg on the peg get me leg over...done it for years on all GS,s I have owned. Simples no problem

 

[Phill Elston]

My Mrs is about as gainly as an LSD ridden hippo (no, she doesn't read this forum) and her getting on the bike after me just ain't happening - no way, no how! So, bike on side stand, she clamber aboard using the front pegs and then shuffles up n back. I then do a "leg up hop forward" thing... (reverse the procedure for the dismount)

I'm taking a blind veteran on the "Ride for Life" next month and intend using the same procedure for that.

 

[kurienp]

+1 for the side stand mount. Though currently don't have any issues with my arms etc I still use the side stand technique when my wife gets on the bike. It is always good to keep that down when the pillion mounts as a safety mechanism.

 

[Hairyweasel]

Cheers guys.
We set off just after my last post and tried it. What a revelation. I was shitting myself but it worked perfectly. Zero extra pain too.

To whoever suggested a few days off, my elbow has been bad for a few months now, this trip is just aggravating it so it's not worth binning a few days of our holiday over but thanks for the advice anyway.

 

[The Enthusiast]

Hi

I'm a big 20 something stone bloke and with 30" inside leg struggled getting it over ( Ooh Er Mrs ! ) the adventure , dealer said no problem standing on left peg to get on the bike and its how many people get on , particularly the GSA but the Gs as well. I was a bit dubious but they said they have never had a side stand fail as yet ( watch this space) and if it did they would replace it under warranty. Anyway No problems so far and watching many other GS ers, it does appear to be how many mount and dismount the bike. May or may not be right way but hey ho, time will tell but I'm not going to worry about it.

 

[younger06]

I'll see your 20st and raise you......

I've been using the sidestand to get on my Hexhead for 2 years now (50,000kms) and no problems so far.

Sent from a OnePlusX.

 

[Deleted account 181015003]

Cheers guys.
We set off just after my last post and tried it. What a revelation. I was shitting myself but it worked perfectly. Zero extra pain too.

To whoever suggested a few days off, my elbow has been bad for a few months now, this trip is just aggravating it so it's not worth binning a few days of our holiday over but thanks for the advice anyway.

I assumed from your first post you had just injured your elbow and the reason I suggested trying to give it a rest a rest