Center Stand Trick for new riders or new to center stands

I asked for help about this shortly after buying my first motorcycle and here is a summary of the tips and tricks I got from replies and videos:

A Side stand down
B Stand on left side
C Grab left handle and straighten wheel with left hand
D Lower center stand with right foot while grabbing grab bar or sissy bar with right hand
E Gently rock as necessary to level bike and center stand
F Put pressure on stand pedal (with your right foot) while also pulling up/back a little with your right hand

* Bike should POP up on stand semi easily after a few practices

It sounds like a lots to do. It's simple and basic leverage once you know how

 

NOTE: Make sure you parking spot is mostly level and make sure it's fully on the stand before letting go!!

 

i cant get ahold of my seat grab bar with the built in backrest

 

thats not always true. If it has a shorter back tire or non stock shocks or simply sagging suspension some bikes its nearly impossible. I have had bikes you could stand on the center stand and would come up with 1 finger and others it takes 2 people. i think the longer the center stand is the more force it takes. Have you ever noticed some bikes when the center stand hits the ground before you lift it some bikes barely move backwards when you pull it up on the center stand others you almost have to take a step backwards its all in the leverage . But that is the proper way to put it on the center stand for sure

 

Cutlass I have no other experience/reference to center stands but good info!

BILL since this is your silly post night, I'm not sure if you are being serious. Regardless grab somewhere around the rear of the seat to get some leverage. I grab the aluminum rails that follow under the seat and lead to/turn into the grab/sissy bar.

 

as a "not so big guy".... ive come to look for dips in payvement. i got one in my driveway that goes down about an inch.... as long as its an even dip, and both center stand legs touch at same time, it makes it 50 times easier..... but use as a last resort... wouldnt weant to ride a parkinglot for an hour looking for a dip. lol

 

if you can't operate a center-stand, you shouldn't own the bike. I've seen 70+ year old men throw an 1800 Goldwing on a stand.

 

lol, good point. I also noticed i was always on a hill when i was trying. the guy with the flat surface remark was spot on

 

Quick fix, point the front wheel uphill and let gravity help you. :idea:

 

If your centerstand is placed in a dip then both tires are more likely to be touching the pavement when it is up on the centerstand. This makes it a lot easier for the bike to just fall over. One of my bikes had the centerstand sink into the hot asphalt one summer and it fell over. It only sank less than an inch too.

 

Re: Center Stand Trick for new riders or new to center stand

My K1200 LT weighs 860 lbs with nothing in the side or top cases. I can put her on the stand EVERY time. It's all in the technique. Sometimes it would be easier if I weighed 400 lbs. Or better yet get a 2005 or later LT. You push the button on the right hand grip and the center stand drops down and lifts you, your passenger and the bike onto the stand.

If anyone wants to build up to putting their XJ on the center stand you can practice on my LT. It will make your XJ feel like a moped!

The XJ isl a hoot to ride. I love it every time I ride it!

Loren

 

You could always pull up to the first "Dip" you see and say "Hey buddy, give me a hand putting this sucker up on the centre stand"! :roll: :roll:

 

my very first bike i used to stay on the bike but stand instead of sit. i would use my left leg to push down on the center stand and rock the bike back and forth. the second time usually got it to go.

shortly after i learned the correct method.

i had a ninja once. and that sucker was kind of a bear for some reason. but it didn't have anywhere in the back to grab. other then the rear plastics. so y ou had to be careful to not tear things up.

 

Bob, i put the side stand up before i start pushing the center stand down, i think there's a reason but i don't remember what it is....
Wamaxim, does that bmw have the auto side stand/ clutch thing, pull the clutch in and the side stand flips up ?

 

All you have to do is drive the bike on to a scrap 1X4, sandal, phone book, anything really, and the bike will pop right up.
Get something just smaller than the air gap under the rear tire.

 

Here is a quick video....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC6jGdzn4V4

It's been on here before....

 

Thanks all! I'm a pretty small guy, 5'7 155 pds. and I have to admit, I felt like quite a puss the first couple times I tried to put the bike up on it's centerstand. The key elements that seemed to work for me were a) keeping both arms locked straight, and b) using my foot and leg to push down on the centerstand while standing up straight. It's like you're trying to push the centerstand down into the ground while standing up straight. Arms being locked isn't always necessary, but it does seem to make it easier and give you the required "pivot" of leverage that you need. Good luck first-timers!

Mac

 

Ya Mac,
I know what you are talking about. I just recently purchased my XJ750 Seca and I'm 6'2" and about 230lbs and I have a problem with it myself. Years ago I had a CB750 Honda and that was easier because it had a handle you could grab right on the side of the seat to lift up with as you rocked the bike backwards. That made it a lot easier. I am going to have to study mine to see if a handle grab like that could be added to mine. One thing though I am thinking about is Ihave pulled the airbox out of mine and put separate filter cones on each carburetor. Then I thought about all that wasted space where the air box and filter went. Now I think I am going to put this air compressor I have and air horns in there to let everyone know to get out of my way ))))) hahahaha grunt007

 

lol, sounds like fun grunt, any significance to the name? I was a grunt for a little while, he he! Straight, locked elbows and the pushing the foot into satan's a*8 seems to really do it for me, left hand on handlebar grip, right hand anywhere in the back under the seat I can grab that feels like it won't break, stand up and she goes back.

Mac

 

Why not hook the air horns to the back of your pods, that way when you hit the horn you will also get an instant "Turbo" effect. 8O
This will give you the opportunity to honk at someone as you blow their doors off as you pass them! Just sayin'. :roll: :roll:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Re: Center Stand Trick for new riders or new to center stand

Yea sound easy enough till you have lowerd the bike on both end and the back tire has to go a lot further up. Im 5'6" and it takes two to put mine up, when I was riding it and couldnt touch the the ground, all it took was one foot one hand and up she went. Just thought let people know the ride hight can effect how hard the center stand can be to set.

 

I bought the side grab handle from Len at XJ4Ever for my 750 seca

 

My 650's 'sissy bar'/rear handle raps around to underneath my seat... technique I use seems to be slightly different, might help some people.

I DO NOT straighten the handlebars--extremely hard to keep them straight, resulting in the 'locked arms' method that doesn't feel good and is pretty tough. I stand on the left side, hold it upright, and turn the bars ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT, so that I can push on it and not have to hold it in the middle. Then, I grab the sissy bar where it's underneath the seat, just to the right of it's bolt there. Foot to hold down, lift almost straight up, and it comes right up. Feels like it's a little bad on the back, because it's such a low bike (and I'm only 5'10"), but it's not difficult.

I find the side stand to be preferable in general, though, and generally probably more stable--lower center of gravity, impossible to shove over the kick stand, very difficult to shove the other way. Just make sure you're on level ground, or angled to fit the slant.

 

I learned the hard way to use the center stand. Had it propped on its side once and the beast almost crushed me. I've found that I must put all my weight on the stand and rock the back up.

 

Re: Center Stand Trick for new riders or new to center stand

8O I don't know if I feel like an idiot or a fatass now. I don't even get off the bike. I just stand up on the center stand peg and pull back on the handlebars.

I'm probably both as this is the first bike I've owned and I just assumed this was the way to do it.

 

Want to feel like a wussy and look like a real man (NOT!) -- try doing it BARE FOOT -- I've done it, but only when no one's looking (late at night check the garage before going to bed -- damn-forgot-the-bike-kinda-routine). Having bare toes under there makes one feel real vunerable -- LOL

 

Re: Center Stand Trick for new riders or new to center stand

I did that BEFORE I learned how to do it the right way. I'm not light (or wasn't at the time) and didn't find that way to be very easy...

The closest I've done to that is with think slippers on which was only slightly better than barefooted...

 

Metalbob, everytime I read your sig, I think of this. I'm sorry, I can't hold it in anymore.

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2 ... thing.html

 

I found it was easy to stand on the left side and put my right foor on center stand grab both handlebars and front brake...pull back firmly with one motion and once te innital pull is donw grab the front brake just in case you dont wuite get it all the way up and the brakw will hold it for you until you can rock it on the stand...Im only 160 lbs so it was a getting used to, to learn how to use the center stand but after a day its all about simple leverage...

 

Just take it off for the riding season - saves weight (about 3lbs) -- "we don't need no stinkin' center stand..."

 

I wasn't using the center stand at all mainly coz I tried it once (half-heartedly) and it seemed like quite a challenge. But once I read dwcopple's comment "If you can't operate a center-stand, you shouldn't own the bike" I was determined to use it and I managed to do it today with quite relative ease I must say! So thank you DW!

 

I'll bump this to the top with a comment, and yeah I'm a newb to the forum. I've owned a bike with a center stand for 10+ years, never used it because it was almost impossible to get the bike up. Just picked up a 650, couldn't get it on the center stand, blamed worn out suspension. Tried this technique today, I'm almost embarrassed how well it works. Never thought to grab the rear of the bike and pull up/back. The KZ pops right up too.

 

Yes loads of push down into stand then guide bike back

 

I can do this too but only cuz my bikes are low.

Here's another good vid:

 

Jus wondering, if someone has such a hard time with the center stand, why not just change it?

 

It's a matter of technique, not the stand design. If the center stand didn't work the way that it does (amount of lift) it would be next to useless. Most people think that just pushing down is enough, or just lifting up. On a really light bike that is true, but not with anything heaver than about 4oo pounds wet.

 

I'd just put a swing out stand on it. Can't be that hard to convert maybe a little fab work but nothing real complicated I'm sure.

 

Um... they already come with sidestands. Changing a tire without a centerstand is not a fun job, and neither is an oil change.

 

Not sure if that is the best idea. You're kinda leaning forward a little to hold the brake. Should the bike decide to fall away from you, you won't be able to hold it.

 

Agreed. There is a reason why that little bar on the left side of the bike is called a standing handle.

 

Sounds like you seca is missing the handle on left side?

 

Cool, didn't even know some bikes had that.

Learnt using centerstands on scooters 15 years ago and love them ever since. I dont trust side stands that much. Hell, if my car had one, I would put it up there all the time.

 

I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but I've owned my XJ550K for 31 years. Year in and year out, every time I try to put it on the center stand, I struggled. I would rock, pull, lift, etc. I strained my arms and back. Sometimes i was successful, most times I gave up. I would have my wife come out and help me if I really needed to do it. I used to look at small people putting Goldwings on center stands and think, "How in the world...???"

Then this spring, I was up late, bored and went to Youtube and watched a video similar to the one above. I realized it isn't about strength, but technique. I was inspired to go into the garage at midnight and try it. The bike popped onto the stand almost effortlessly. I sat there and moved it up and down a dozen times with ease. My wife came out to find out why I was laughing and what was going on. She laughed when I told her.

It isn't really about strength in arms or back, but about technique, and using your body weight to push down on the stand with your foot to lever the bike up. Here is what I was missing all those years when I tried to muscle lift and rock it back:

- Start with sidestand down.
- Hold the left handlebar grip with left hand, place right hand on lift rail under the seat, place right foot on center stand "peg"
- Pressing down with the right foot on the center stand peg, slightly lean bike away from you until both feet of the center stand are on the ground. Bike will be verticle. I had always been afraid it would fall over away from me if it tried this. As long as your foot is firmly pressing on the peg planting both feet of the center stand, the bike is surprisingly stable in this position.
- Press down with your weight on the foot peg, use right hand on lift rail to slightly lift and guide. The weight on the peg is the key and will "lever" the bike on the stand, and it will naturally rock back onto the stand with a slight lift of the right hand.

EASY PEASEY! I am embarrassed to admit I couldn't do it all those years

You can see on my avatar I am now proudly able to use the center stand with ease!

 

One of my GSs had old suspension on the front, and the difference that made to pulling it on the stand was substantial. It used to be far, far easier. Now it's got a new pair of legs and I expect it to be back to where it was (where it should be) and if it isn't I'll adjust the c/s to suit.

 

just got a nice grab bar (15$) for my maxim 550 what a difference in the lift. best 15$ I have spent so far , had I known how easy it would make the lift I would have spent 45$

 

I think I will be going out to see if my XJ750 has a lift rail under the seat. I tried putting the bike on its stand for this weekend's oil changes and gave up. It slid a bit on the driveway and I was really nervous about the thought of watching it fall away from me. If it is missing, it will be on my list of future purchases.

 

Your maxim dosen't have a dedicated grab handle for the center stand. You will need to use the lower rail of the passenger grab bar.
Push down with your foot, and slightly lift up and back as you extend your leg. As long as the center stand feet are firmly planted and you keep your weight on the center stand footpad the bike won't be able to tip to the side.

 

The secret is practicing on a regular basis. Some bikes are harder to put on though, specially when the basic geometry has been modified (wheel size, tire size, shocks length, etc). It could be almost impossible to put a bike a its center stand if it's just a bit too long for the rest of the modified bike.

 

Yep; what I wrote up there came true.
Now the GS pops up on its stand like a dream, but it's actually just a little bit too short now, and the tyres aren't lifted off the ground when it's sitting, which will make wheel removal just a touch more difficult outside of the workshop. No matter, I can weld in a pair of adjustable feet that will take care of all eventualities, like shorter / longer suspension, tyre size, etc.

 

As the others have said, it is mostly about leverage; if you use your right hand to try to just 'pull' the bike up, you will probably fail. What worked for me was getting it started on the stand and centered, and (you need good balance for this) actually standing on the center stand with my right foot, and my left foot off the ground. At that point a coordinated push down with your foot and pull up with your right hand and voila!