Center stand technique? (how to put bike on the centerstand)

[8b]

I have had some other lighter bikes with center stands years back and recall it was not brute strength needed but getting used to how to put the bike on the centerstand. Any tips on how to do this easilly? I did it 1 or 2 times when I had a 1/4 tank of gass, I filled up and now I cant seem to get the knack of it. I cant imagine the extra gas weight is what is killing me?

[hankth]

Try putting your leg that you use to step on the stand with as close to your arm that you are lifting with. Then push down with your leg at the same time you are lifting. This uses your much larger leg muscles to do a lot of the work.
Hank

[ka5ysy]

I put my left foot on the center stand peg and press down until the stand contacts the ground, then rotate the bike up to where the right side of the center stand contacts the ground. This makes sure that both parts of the stand are in contact with the ground; it is much harder to try and pull the bike over the center stand with only the left side touching the ground.

I grab the frame tube with my left hand (the diagonal tube) and pull up and rear while standing with my full weight on my right foot on the center stand foot pad.

If you still have a problem with that, try rolling the bike rearward a little as you stand on the peg; the inertia of the bike will roll it onto the stand much easier.

[Skippy]

I always hold the left side of the handlebar with my left arm and hold the tank or saddle with my right hand(to prevent it from tipping away from me not to hold or pull it). Then bring the centerstand down with my right leg so that it is evenly contacting the floor and then put all my weight on the centerstand while moving the bike backwards with my left arm. I think that all BMW's are very easy to put on the centerstand esspecialy to some lighter bikes I've tried it with(like my sisters gs500).

Good luck it's all in puting the wait of your body on the stand and pushing down with it.

[Caol]

Hmm..

Left hand on handle bar

Right hand on frame below seat

Right foot on centre stand "pedal"

Gently push down with foot and guide the bike upright with left hand until both sides of the centre stand touch down.

Then...

Put all my weight on to the "pedal" and up she pops!


(It does help to be in the 285lb/130kg class! )

[BigEasy]

Caol's technique is much the same as mine but as I put all my weight on the stand I lift the seat frame by standing upright.

[fly]

Caol's technique is much the same as mine but as I put all my weight on the stand I lift the seat frame by standing upright.

Same here

[NCGS]

Hmm..

Left hand on handle bar

Right hand on frame below seat

Right foot on centre stand "pedal"

Gently push down with foot and guide the bike upright with left hand until both sides of the centre stand touch down.

Then...

Put all my weight on to the "pedal" and up she pops!


(It does help to be in the 285lb/130kg class! )

What he said...

[Phillo]

Gee Whiz - I am a 67 year old, 74kg weakling and I have never had a problem getting any of the Beemers that I have had from the first R50 in 1958 till now with my 2007 R1200R. Put the stand down with left foot, place heel of left foot on pedal, push down with your weight while pulling back with right hand on centre of bars and left hand gripping the left side rail - " Voila " it just rolls on providing of course that you have rememberd to select N !!!

[tobes]

I had a heck of a time with this when I first got the bike and eventually stopped in at my dealer and asked the sales guy about it. He’s smaller than me, I’m 5’10’’ 160lbs, and took a GS off the center stand and popped it back up as a demonstration. Pretty much what was said above: left hand on left handle bar grip, right hand on frame below seat, I do right foot on center stand peg, stand all the way up so you’re completely standing off the ground on the center peg and the bike is balanced, then give a tug with the right hand up and back and the bike pops up on the stand very easily. It’s all technique.

[Caol]

That was one of my, very few, disappointments with the R12R. My '73 R75/5 and my '87 K75T both had strategically placed handles that assisted with getting the machine on the centre stand.

Oh well


I'll get over it.....

[NCGS]

Gee Whiz - I am a 67 year old, 74kg weakling and I have never had a problem...

It's guys like you who give me hope that I'll still be riding for many more years. Lord willing, I'm planning to do this stuff for a long time to come (I'm a mere youngster at 58 ).

Keep on keepin' on!

[Skippy]

Caol, you could alsways buy an aftermarket handle and place it yourself on a strategic place, I have seen this at some aftermarket supliers. My K100RS also had one but nowadays it's al about keeping the weight down as this is what most consumers where whining about compared to japanese bikes.

[NeilS]

I've never had any trouble getting it onto the center stand. But getting it OFF is more of any issue for me. I hate to admit it, but once the bike got away from me and tipped over before I could catch it. That was the day before I bought the cylinder head protectors.

I've taken to standing on the right side of the bike and leaving the side stand down. That way, if it tips away from me, the side stand will stop it. It's a bit awkward, but I only use the center stand for maintenance, so it's not a big deal.

Any tips on a better technique?

[hankth]

I've never had any trouble getting it onto the center stand. But getting it OFF is more of any issue for me. I hate to admit it, but once the bike got away from me and tipped over before I could catch it. That was the day before I bought the cylinder head protectors.

I've taken to standing on the right side of the bike and leaving the side stand down. That way, if it tips away from me, the side stand will stop it. It's a bit awkward, but I only use the center stand for maintenance, so it's not a big deal.

Any tips on a better technique?

Neil,
I stand on the left side and also always keep the side stand down when taking it off the centerstand. As I'm taking it down, I pull slightly on the left grip to get the bike going that way as it comes off the centerstand. I never had the bike go the other way doing this, good luck
Hank

[deilenberger]

+1 on Hank's technique. I also leave the sidestand down when moving the bike around in the garage.. a shop owner taught me this. If it starts to get away - just tug it towards you onto the sidestand.

I will note - lowered suspension makes it a bit more of a challenge to get it onto the centerstand since you're lifting/levering it up that much more. The way to make this easier is to put a larger weight on the pedal on the centerstand when pushing down on it. They way to do that is to gain weight. I've managed to balance this out now..

[mogu83]

And all this time I thought I was the only one that left the sidestand down when the bike was on the center stand. I also leave it down when moving the bike around, I figure that way ,WHEN it falls, theirs a 50/50 chance that it will fall the right way.

[celticus]

I always sit on the bike and rock it off the center stand from there. Even with a full compliment of camping gear it works.
30 inch inseam. My legs are perfect in every other way but a little on the short side.
Mark

[NoRRmad]

I sit on the bike, and (feet up,) rear back, then forward against the grips hard enough to push the bike off the stand. As it comes down, I drop my feet off the pegs to meet the ground. It's hard to describe, but easy to do. I got used to this when I was carrying too much gear to get my leg over the bedroll in the back when the bike was on the ground. Now I just mount the bike using the footpegs, while it's still on the centerstand. If you have enough gear aboard, the weight on the rear wheel's enough to let you ride it off -- that is, just put it into first, feather the clutch, and it hops right off the stand.

For some reason, it feels dangerous to try to do that and continue down the street. I always rock it off, meet the ground with my feet, and stop everything with the front brake. Do a shoulder check, then ride away. Once I tried to rock it off with engine power without stopping and I'm not sure what exactly went wrong, but I found myself on my back next to an idling bike on its side. I think maybe the front wheel wasn't exactly straight ahead. I don't do that any more.

[deilenberger]

The roll-off and ride-off was pretty popular on the K bikes until people started breaking the centerstand when they went to put the bike up on it.. guess they weren't made for the extra strain of riding off them. Where I park in my garage - it would be difficult to impossible to do without taking out part of my garage door opening or the M3 that's parked next to the bike.