We are west of Portland 15 miles. We went up the gorge this weekend on the Washington side HWY 14. It was spectacular and talk about some nice curves. We will be looking for riding buddies as the season rolls on.
We have a big ride planned just the two of us next month to Arizona.
That will be my first experience on a long (more than one day) ride. It will be 3 down and 3 back.
If I like that....its Alaska 2007!
# 490
04 Black R1150 R...
06 Black F650 GS
72 Honda CT 90
Life It just gets better and better!
Before I had even ridden my new bike...I had it delivered and I did not have all this knowledge that I gain from riders on this website!
I was taking it off the center stand while standing beside it. I thought it would be a no brainer!
I did not actually drop the bike but I sort of slid it in to me in the garage . Yes, its heavy and it crushed me...both physically and emotionally ...
There I was hollering for help, pinned between the garage wall and the bike....I was not about to let it actually touch the floor so I just let it crush me until my Husband heard me yelping and came to my rescue. How embarassing. It sort of set me up with some early riding anxiety.
So I think I am a bit emotionally predisposed for failure with the center stand!
I really appriciate your thoughts on owners being too anal about the oil in the cylinders. I might be married to one of those people...I will explain to him that he can 'cool his jets' . Good point about the S.
Thank you, thank you, Again!
Carol
# 490
04 Black R1150 R...
06 Black F650 GS
72 Honda CT 90
Life It just gets better and better!
Yes, he was sitting on the bike. I take mine off of the centerstand while on it as well and have never dropped it that way. The rest of the story is I turned around toward him when I heard a metalic sound only to see the bike and him falling toward me, I caught the handlebar and held on to it for all I was worth. The bike didn't hit the ground and I became more aware of the need to put the sidestand up after getting the bike on the centerstand to prevent a similar event from happening again.
I never try to handle the heavy brute unless I'm on it. I've always felt it had a mean streak and would try to pin me to the garage wall if I tried to handle it from the side. Obviously it's true.I always put the side stand out first when parking and leave it there until it's time to go. If it's on the centerstand I won't forget to retract it because it won't start unless I do. If there's a slip, I can lean left and be saved by the sidestand. Usually my departures from the centerstand are powered. When out, I simply put it in gear and drive away. Or if there's something in the way of my rapid departure, I just roll forward enough to come off the stand.
I admired your handling of the falling bike. You were correctly willing to die rather then let it fall and possibly incur cosmetic damage. A matter of priorities.
Last edited by Airman on Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
When I drop my bikes off for work at the shop I'm always early as it's on the way to work. So the chaps are all over the place moving the bikes out on to the frountage. You can't get in the shop before they have cleared some bikes out. So I've had pleant of time to watch these guys hump the bikes around. Of course they make it look easy, but they all seem to have a particular technique which I try to copy. It works for me. They hold the left bar in the left hand and either grab the system case rack or just place a hand flat on the pillion seat. They can move the bike as the wish in compleat control. The left hand is only used to stear all the pushing and pulling is done with the right hand. They use the same holds to take the bikes on and off the center stands. When putting the bike on the stand they do seem to swap use of the hands so the right hand holds the bike steady on balance and the left hand pulls the bike back not up. But I'm not sure I can do that well enought to not fail.
Just to clarify my advice, I recommended putting it on sidestand while getting off the bike, not for getting on and taking the bike off the centerstand. That is another issue. I can just push the bike off centerstand with my legs and weight. Doing the process in reverse could make the process easier for those with either short legs or low weight.
I suppose the suspension can compress enough to make using the sidestand to take it off centerstand an issue, but really, if your suspension compresses that much, you probably have it set too soft or need new shocks!
'02 in black - the real BMW color! (Now gone to a new home)
Vann - Lifer No. 295
I never take it off while sitting on it and everyone I know does the same.
Once a friend of mine bollo***ed me for doing it on his bike - at the time I had sidestand only.
What I meant was - if you take it off while not sitting on it you may have the sidestand if unsure about being able to wrestle it. I have to park in very short spaces so doing it while sitting on it is not an option - has to be very short, very precise ON/OFF.
What's the concern about rolling off the centerstand while on the bike ? I do it under power all the time and don't see the problem. Do they think it will damage the stand ? In the garage I usually roll it forward, (while mounted) with the side stand out. I have never contacted the floor with the side stand and leave it extended while paddling backwards out the door. Or backing it in for that matter.
Now, if I were one of those shop guys Leno was talking about, I expect I'd have to find a method of handling the bike without any support as they have to roll them some distance. Anytime you're handling the bike with no support there's some risk. A salesman at Ridewest BMW in Seattle told me the lads were bringing in a new bike one time, lost control of it and mowed down a whole row of parked RT's and LT's. Little damage as most of them didn't fall clear to the ground, but some tears were shed no doubt.
What's the concern about rolling off the centerstand while on the bike ? I do it under power all the time and don't see the problem. Do they think it will damage the stand ? In the garage I usually roll it forward, (while mounted) with the side stand out. I have never contacted the floor with the side stand and leave it extended while paddling backwards out the door. Or backing it in for that matter.
Now, if I were one of those shop guys Leno was talking about, I expect I'd have to find a method of handling the bike without any support as they have to roll them some distance. Anytime you're handling the bike with no support there's some risk. A salesman at Ridewest BMW in Seattle told me the lads were bringing in a new bike one time, lost control of it and mowed down a whole row of parked RT's and LT's. Little damage as most of them didn't fall clear to the ground, but some tears were shed no doubt.
Nothing in particular - just feels wrong. Also - I have to share garage space both at home and at work, so have to park tight, and can't roll off - will roll off in the wall.
Thanks for your encouragement. I was bruised in the leg, but being an organic being, I repaired. Better than the scrapes that would linger on RR.
My Bike?
A spiteful nature !
She demands to be respected. She expects me to throw myself between her and danger. If I cross her she can be downright onery.
I was mostly embarassed for learning things the hard way. The insight I gain from others on This website keeps me out of a lot of trouble that my determination might push me blindly into. I was mostly embarassed. It has now left me apprehensive about the centerstand. I have never tried the rolling off under power...I will have to get some courage up and try that.
# 490
04 Black R1150 R...
06 Black F650 GS
72 Honda CT 90
Life It just gets better and better!
You'll be surprised how much easier this all gets with time and patience. I think your anxiety is impairing your performance right now. Same thing happens to me sometimes. Don't rush yourself to try the difficult things until the simple things become second nature. Try to keep anxiety at a minimum and enjoy building skills along the way. All this should be fun, fun, fun. Heck, most other makes don't even have centerstands as standard equipment, no law says you got to learn to use yours right this minute. Take care and take it easy on yourself.
(Didn't mean anything about your mechanical eptitude by my last post; many times I've knocked it into first absent-mindedly groping for the centerstand nub with my left foot... )
To see if the lifting handle will make a difference grab the passenger footpeg bracket up by the side cover while putting the bike on the center stand. The wunderlich handle mounts between the two bars that make up the passenger footpeg mount, it flips up to put the bike on the centerstand and down when not in use. Your bike isn't equipped with works lowering shocks? which would make it much harder to get it up on the centerstand because you would have to lift it vs roll it on to the centerstand. As a said eariler I do have one and it does make it a bit (33%) easier to get it on the centerstand, mostly because you have something to hold on to down low to help balance the bike while rolling it on to the stand.
As I tell my daughter, there are worse things in life than being to light weight. My oldest daughter is pretty skinny (5'4" and 85 lbs). At age 14 she used to cry about how skinny she was. At age 16 she's finally caught on that all her friends wish they could chow down on food & still no gain. Of course my daughter's running 5 or 6 miles a day (serious cross country runner) doesn't help her gain weight. She is finally eating though. Come to think of it, even though she has some pretty serious muscles for her frame, she would have a hard time center standing my RR, so I just wouldn't worry about it.
I am resigned to try again later but so far all tips have been tried and I can get it to where it ALMOST breaks over but there is just no getting it all the way.
I lift weights 3 times a week faithfully...and I am pretty buff for an 'old' skinny girl.
I too suffered the wimpies as a kid and now most people wish they woulld have had my problem....still, I am fiercly independent and just did not want this to be a stumbler for me. Luckily my favorite riding partner is my husband and he is always willing to help. I just didn't want to need help!
Guess I could start eatin' chips and soda and watchin' soap operas?
Go for the Kirstie Alley look?
# 490
04 Black R1150 R...
06 Black F650 GS
72 Honda CT 90
Life It just gets better and better!
You cound take a grinder to the centerstand feet... Grind off a sixteenth, give it a try. Assuming your rear wheel is still off the ground, it should be OK.
Just-Beeming wrote:NoRRmad...no offense taken...
Thanks Rob
I am resigned to try again later but so far all tips have been tried and I can get it to where it ALMOST breaks over but there is just no getting it all the way.
I lift weights 3 times a week faithfully...and I am pretty buff for an 'old' skinny girl.
I too suffered the wimpies as a kid and now most people wish they woulld have had my problem....still, I am fiercly independent and just did not want this to be a stumbler for me. Luckily my favorite riding partner is my husband and he is always willing to help. I just didn't want to need help!
Guess I could start eatin' chips and soda and watchin' soap operas?
Go for the Kirstie Alley look?
)