Getting Up on Center Stand ??

aerotech

Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
15
Location
Monument, CO
Bike
'07 BMW K1200GT
I'll admit I'm a newbie, and I guess I'm a wimp too. Can anyone tell me the secret for getting the bike (04 ST1300) up on the center stand? Both my wife and I together wrestled with this until we were exhausted.

I know this sets me up for quite a bit of grief, but I really want to have some good answers.

Thanks!
 
aerotech said:
I'll admit I'm a newbie, and I guess I'm a wimp too. Can anyone tell me the secrat for getting the bike ((04 ST1300) up on the center stand? Both my wife and I todether wrestled with this until we were exhausted.
I know this sets me up for quite a bit of grief, but I really want to have a good answer.
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Not a whimp. Many of us struggled with it, and some like me still do. Its a matter of putting enough pressure and lifting the bike a bit. Everyone has their own wisdom and they will elaborate.

Welcome to the site
 
Approach bike from left hand side. With right hand grab the pop out handle. With left hand, grab left handlebar. Right foot pushes down the center stand till it hits the ground. Now pull up with your right hand on the pop out handle and put all your weight on the center stand. She should pop right up. Don't worry, I had the very same problem. I thought either I had massive failure or something was broke.
 
Hope this makes sense:
-Leave the side stand down in case you need it.
-Push the center stand down with you right foot, till it touches the ground, make sure both feet of the center stand are on the gound.
-Pull the handle out under the seat with your right hand.
-Try to keep the bars straight.
-Keeping your left hand on the left grip, hold onto the lever with your right hand, and at the same time pull up on the lever and push down with your right foot onto the center stand. Bike should pop right onto the center stand.

It may take several times to get the technique down, but once you get the hang of it, it's quite easy.
 
Aero, two hints, first make sure its in neutral, sorry too easy. Also you need to make it a fluid motion, almost rolling the bike back as you apply all your weight to the peg and pull up on handle. Come on Sundays ride and you can witness it being done,its easy once you get it down.
 
Step down on the stand until it contacts the ground, then push the bike away from you so that both feet of the stand are touching the ground then press down on the stand and pull back. This has worked pretty well for me, hope it helps.
 
aerotech said:
I'll admit I'm a newbie, and I guess I'm a wimp too. Can anyone tell me the secret for getting the bike (04 ST1300) up on the center stand? Both my wife and I together wrestled with this until we were exhausted.

I know this sets me up for quite a bit of grief, but I really want to have some good answers.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I'm glad to read others shared my sense of worthlessness of not being able to pop the bike on the center stand. Some pointers that I picked up on this site:

1. Front wheel straight ahead.
2. Put center stand down, push bike to upright position so both sides of center stand touch.
3. Push down on center stand with right foot and pull back handlebars with left hand and up on pop out handle with right hand.

I saw somebody else do it on an ST and they made it look very easy. :bow1: I followed their example, and it worked. It sure is a da*n heavy bike if you're not doing it right.

Rob.
 
Forget the pop-out handle. I could never get the bike up will all of my weight on the center-stand.

Once I started putting my right hand on the passenger grab rail the bike pops up in place without issue.
 
Thanks much for all these great suggestions guys!

It does appear there is a technique to it. Not just brute strength.

More suggestions are welcome. Meanwhile I'll keep practicing.
 
Just for grins I'll add my .02... I find that I use the grab handle only to steady the bike along with grabbing the left handle bar. Pushing down with your foot on the "pedal" on the center stand is more like "stomping" down, or pressing pretty hard. The bike then rocks backward over "center" on the center stand knuckle, and bingo, its up. Some people try to "lift" the bike onto the stand. It really only requires minimal lifting, more like steadying the bike.
 
If you see someone else do it it will all come together...

left hand on left bar.
right hand on handle.
with right foot step on center stand and make sure both feet are touching.
straight right arm.
straighten back while stepping down on center stand.
Bike will lift; don't use your arm muscles... they're not strong enough for an 700+ dead weight lift.

Mark
 
Lots of downward pressure with you foot and don't LIFT UP on the grab handle, PULL BACK on the grab handle. She'll pop right up.
 
Ditto what Mark an Bones said

the key is hard steady pressure with your foot

Only use the grab handle to start the weight transfer, not to lift the bike, the center stand will do the lifting.

Spencer
 
2 other points. Make sure the ground is level. Even the slightest incline can make it tough. Second, if you have a top box, take it off first. Any extra weight on the rear is a deal breaker.
 
It's all about leverage, and letting your weight do the work.

This is done from the left side. Place bike on sidestand. Gently place right knee againt side of bike/seat while holding left handlebar and handle. Press down on ear of centerstand with right foot until contact is made with ground. Gently push/lift bike to an upright position using knee and arms until other side of centerstand touches ground. This is important -- both legs of centerstand must be in contact with the ground.

Simultaneously, stand with all of your weight on your right foot on the ear of the centerstand, and gently pull straight up on the handle. The bike will float up onto it centerstand with very little effort.
 
WOW, Ithought I was the only one, my solution was to cut an 8 inch by four inch piece of 3/4 inch plywood. (fits neatly in saddle bag) I run the back tire up on the plywood and voila, it is not a strain to pop that baby up on the center stand.
I have noticed that the Wing people have an easier time getting their bike on the center stand.
;)
Hope that helps.
Ridecoach
 
Coming from the concours, the ST center stand is a piece of cake. Tried all the above techniques on the concours, and except for slight slopes favoring me, I could never get it up on C-stand. Call me a wimp, but the concours lacks the low popup handle like the ST, and its center stand pulls the bike higher up. Now the ST is so much peaceful regarding this.
 
Sounds like the technique for the 1300 is retty much the same as for the 1100 then, now all the OP has to do is get it back off the center stand once he's mastered the technique of getting it on:)

(ie dont be tempted to have the bike facing too uphill to make it easier to get on the stand in the first place :rolleyes: )
 
all of you have great ideas but when you are weight challenged getting the proper leverage on thecenter stand is almost impossible...lifting a 700lb bike with a 165 lb body is scary...I have tried and tried and have come very close to dropping it..I find the best way is to use a piece of plywood like someone above mentioned...that extra inch makes all the difference to me. Its like parking on a slight downhill grade..you cannot duck walk a ST backwards uphill with a 30 inch inseam and all 165 lbs tugging at it. I always pick my parking spots carefully.
 
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Geoff said:
you cannot duck walk a ST backwards uphill with a 30 inch inseam and all 165 lbs tugging at it. I always pick my parking spots carefully.
Click to expand...

I have found that it's important to pick your parking spots carefully with this bike no matter how much you weigh. I try to park where I am always backing the bike down hill.

When my bike is loaded for camping it is like having an 80lb passenger on the back seat all the time. I can still get it on the centerstand OK to gas up but it takes concentration.

Gordon
 
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