Getting Up on Center Stand ??

[mageerc]

I have nothing much to add to what others have said about this matter save to say that after a bit of practice, the only time it will be difficult to get this behemoth on the center stand will be when it's loaded for a trip and you have a flat rear tire. The best of techniques are basically worthless then and it becomes a mind over matter thing.

 

[kwslhs]

I never put a bike on the center stand while standing astride.

Too much risk of my letting it fall over going away from me.

I straddle the seat (standing) and pop it up.

Surely I'm not the only one?

 

[st11ray]

Damn Kdub you must be as big as Shaq to be able to do that!

 

[MidLife]

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

I used to fight the loaded bike on the CS for squeezing as much gas as possible in the tank. I don't anymore and did not see a noticeable difference in range! Makes for quicker, safer and less strenuous gas ups.

 

[Danno]

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.

Try it with 142 lbs!I have never weighed much more than that, but I guess riding for the last 35 years, I just figured out the leverage thing.

 

[drrod]

I too struggled until I learned to push down with my foot on the CS. Pops right up. Seems my arms are only needed for steadying it.
Rod

 

[ST13Fred]

The plywood technique works great and is only needed when parked at home, in the garage. When out 'on the road' there is no reason to wrestle with this heavy bike; use the side stand only. When I come home, I put the side stand down, get off the bike to back it onto its' plywood and main stand, leaving the side stand down. When I roll it out of the garage the side stand is down and goes up when I finally get on the bike. In short, the side stand is always down until I am ready to put the bike in gear and start down the road. The side stand on this bike is shorter than other bikes I've owned, so there is no danger of it catching something (high) and rolling over on the R/H side.

 

[MeticulousRhino]

I too struggled until I learned to push down with my foot on the CS. Pops right up. Seems my arms are only needed for steadying it.
Rod

I find that the lever provided by Honda on the ST1300 is useless and it is much safer for me to use the passenger grab rails. I make sure that both sides of the center stand are touching the floor and that they are holding the bike up straight. I then push down with my right foot on the center stand lever and pull the passenger grab rail up with my right arm. Goes up like a treat even when loaded.

If the ground is soft, I use the side stand with a 4" x 4" (or so) metallic plate I carry in the right hand side pocket.

 

[maxib]

The side stand on this bike is shorter than other bikes I've owned, so there is no danger of it catching something (high) and rolling over on the R/H side.

Just to set the record straight it can and did happen to me. A truck was parked next to my drive so I couldn't see the street, and just riding out into the road would be suicide, so I thought I would walk the bike out into the street using the truck as a shield, get on and then be able to see both ways into traffic before pulling out.

As soon as the front wheel transitioned to the street, the sidestand "highsided" on the curb at the end of the drive and over she went onto the right side. Damage only to the tipover wing cover.

Just wanted everyone to know it CAN happen.

Now send me my tipover lighter.

 

[Deleted member 5682]

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.

I had similar struggles when I first brought my '03 home.
So, I want to weigh on on skid's technique...

I use a "rhythm" method... no birth-control innuendo intended!

(1) I get everything aligned with the center stand touching the garage floor.

(2) The first time I press down with my foot, I know the bike will come back down and roll forward a few inches.

(3) With a good grip on the left handle bar and left side grab-handle, reverse the momentum to the rear and press firmly on the center stand pedal ---

POP!!.... Up she goes... easy as pie!

 

[MeticulousRhino]

I have could the side stand many a time in the same fashion although I have been luckier than you have: I never dropped the bike. I now flip back the side stand whenever I need to move the bike and then bring it back out when needed.

It may be a rather difficult operation at times but at least I am not caught out, I can only blame my clumsiness if I drop it!

 

[sandman]

I used to fight the loaded bike on the CS for squeezing as much gas as possible in the tank. I don't anymore and did not see a noticeable difference in range! Makes for quicker, safer and less strenuous gas ups.

After 3 years of putting the ST on the centerstand anytime I leave it parked for the day, when I gas up and when parked in the garage at home I never have a problem getting it up there. I do pay strict attention to making sure the wheels are straight and that both feet of the centerstand are on the ground before applying lift. With a little practice you guys won't have a problem either. It's just the first few times and the fear of dropping factor you have to get past.

GO FOR IT!

Gordon

 

[frank123]

As others has mentioned it is very impotant to KEEP THE FRONT WHEEL STRAIGHT AHEAD before and during operation, otherwise you end up fighting with your front tire's friction force. Once you do that you shouldn't need much effort to get it up.

 

[Sloan]

I saw a 175 pound guy put a 'Wing on the center stand at the local dealer while a 300+ pound dude looked on in amazement. He showed him twice and told him to practice his technique because if he was working hard, he was doing it wrong!

 

[Mcreviver]

Why doesn't some genius figure out a way of incorporating some sort of mechanism that would give you a mechanical advantage, greater than the leverage of your foot and weight applied to the center stand? A parallel shaft mounted in front of the center stand pivot point, with a small gear on it that would engage a larger gear on the center stand pivot shaft. Fold out a lever and operate it three or four strokes and you could ratchet the bike up a little at a time instead of brute forcing it all at once. Maybe even make it so the stand was lockable in the down position, for discouraging thieves.

 

[c-lapier]

Don't listen to these guys or you risk serious injury or worse <drop-the-bike>. The bike has to come back and up. After straightening the bike on the centerstand use your LEFT foot to push down on the centerstand, and pull back on the assist handle toward your RIGHT foot. It's called leverage. It's what I used to by my million dollar house, just before bankruptcy.

 

[Hondog]

It's all about pushing down with the foot. Not pulling up with the handle. I only use the handle to steady the bike.

 

[STPaulK]

As others probably pointed out, it gets rough when the rear tire becomes really squared off and no tread left. Not that I run tires down this far....

 

[TimBC]

It's worth noting that if you have to do what I did and use a metal plate under the center stand to protect the garage floor, then you will find it just a tad harder to get the bike up on the stand because the plate, thin as it is, changes the angles and reduces your leverage.

But the technique described here works.

I don't like pushing with the left foot, though. If the bike doesn't go onto the stand, but comes back down, you're stuck with both feet parallel to the bike, and risk losing your balance if it tips a bit.

 

[Rolando]

Getting Up on Center Stand

I read though this thread and then went and tried to put the bike up again. I think I have a slightly different way to explain the technique. I'm short and light. The last few times, I've even put the bike up on the centre stand using sneakers and on a cobbled surface that makes it harder than any smooth surface. Try this:

- Position the steering and front wheel facing directly forward.
- Pull out the black assist handle with your right hand.
- You can put your left hand on the left handle bar.
- Push the centre stand down with your right foot until it touches the ground.
- Balance the bike toward it's right hand side forward from you, just enough so that both sides of the centre stand are fully and squarely on the ground.
- Step on the centre stand with your lower leg at an angle towards the rear, so your knee points directly towards the assist handle you have on your right hand. (Your whole body can stand on it diagonally at about 45 degrees.)
- Push diagonally down and forward with your foot on the centre stand and at the same time pull the assist handle BACKWARDS (NOT UP).

You will be pushing with your right foot at an angle forward, rather than down. You will be pulling with your right hand rearward rather than up. The angle of force on your foot pushes the centre stand forward, so it rocks the bike rearward into position. Your hand will be pulling the bike to the rear, rather than up, so it rocks into position. The object is to move the bike back, not up.

There you have, even a short, light and not very strong person with flimsy tennis shoes and an uneven cobbled ground can put this massive bike on it's stand easily. Try it out. It's all technique and very little muscle.

Think of pushing the centre stand forward with your foot (rather than down) and pulling the bike back with the assist handle (rather than up).

Look at the centre stand carefully when it's not being used: It's a kind of rocker.

When you push diagonally down and forward on the "pedal" that's on the left hand side of the centre stand for you to push with your foot you are generating a leverage force to push the bike back, rather than up. The assist hand is there also in such a position that you can pull the bike back onto the centre stand, rather than up.

Avoid trying to lift your motorcycle as I used to. It's a heavy object. One can get hurt.

Rock it backward. Easy as pie.

Happy riding.