Topic: Center Stand vs Side Stand

[shinyribs]

True. It was a rhetorical question to perhaps give insight to my way of thinking.Not an open invite to yet another snarky remark.

My my, you are a little touchy, sounds like you need to eat a cupful of cement. I wasn't being snarky, I was simply explaining to you that without a good push your bike won't fall off the CS.

Uh,Thanks? 

[BeSeeingYou]

Hell, I can't even get my 750 on to the damn CS!

It's all I can do to get mine up on to the CS. I have to put as much effort into it as an Olympic power lifter. Of course, I weigh about as much as Piglet, maybe less.

I find it easier to get it on the CS while straddling the seat, stepping down on the stand and grabbing the seat rail on both sides and pushing with my legs.  No problems with my 160 pounds but I have long legs and I think that's the critical thing for that method.  Always done it this way but I don't think it's the standard technique.

[Dimitri13]

Easiest way to center stand any bike, regardless of bike weight or rider strength.

[Accolay]

If I'm sitting on the bike, I put my left foot on the left side of the centerstand, then in one motion put pressure on it while holding the front brake. If I'm off the bike, I do about what the video just posted does.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Hell, I can't even get my 750 on to the damn CS!

It's all I can do to get mine up on to the CS. I have to put as much effort into it as an Olympic power lifter. Of course, I weigh about as much as Piglet, maybe less.

You are using the wrong technique.

[MCRider]

Hell, I can't even get my 750 on to the damn CS!

It's all I can do to get mine up on to the CS. I have to put as much effort into it as an Olympic power lifter. Of course, I weigh about as much as Piglet, maybe less.

You are using the wrong technique.

The ZEN of CS use: put your mind power into pushing down with your leg. Not pulling up. Your leg is stronger than your back. Your back and arm are simply connectors in the exercize.

Push down with your leg. Since the stand won't go thru the floor, the power is transfered thru your back and arm to raising the bike, and pop its up.

[70CB750]

Gotta admit I had to watch youtube how to to figure out the CS. But it really works with minimum effort.

[MCRider]

Gotta admit I had to watch youtube how to to figure out the CS. But it really works with minimum effort.

The YouTube guy is saying what i'm saying without knowing it. The thought process has to center on the leg pushing down, not the upper body pulling up.

On a side note, back in the day, when we had to push 20-30 used bikes out of the building every morning and back in at night...

If you've got the bike backing up slowly, even for just a few feet, if you slam down the CS it will pop on the stand with no effort at all. This WILL NOT WORK on a polished cement floor, the stand will just slide. But asphalt or a rough finish concrete floor works pretty neat.

[bjatwood]

I usually shut the fuel off about a mile from home and run the bowls down.

That's exactly how I do it John. Never had a issue with it.
You could dip the bottom of the centerstand in some of the "tool plastic" in black. The kind that you coat tool handles with, to keep from scratching the floor. A bonus to this would be less slipabilty with the bike on the centerstand too.

[DJ_AX]

I usually shut the fuel off about a mile from home and run the bowls down.

That's exactly how I do it John. Never had a issue with it.
You could dip the bottom of the centerstand in some of the "tool plastic" in black. The kind that you coat tool handles with, to keep from scratching the floor. A bonus to this would be less slipabilty with the bike on the centerstand too.

Two very good ideas right here...

[Magilla]

I use my center stand just about every time I am going to do any kind of work on the bike.  So that is most of the time as I still don't have it running 100% yet.  If I park at work or at a store I use the side stand.  If my bike were running at 100% and I did not have to work on it at all I would probably use the side stand most of the time.

[Fritz]

Well I think that I used my CS too often.

This is how it looks since yesterday

[Johnie]

Never thought of the tool plastic...great idea.

[Magilla]

OK I have a center stand story to tell.

One time we were in Laconia for bike week.  We were riding back form North Conway and the Sky's opened up.  It was a massive display of thunder, lightning and rain.  It got so bad that we had to pull over.  There was nothing near us, no buildings of any kind, so we started to huddle next to the road.  Over the next 1/2 hour of unrelenting rain more and more bikes pulled over along side of ours.  There were a few dozzen of us there with our gleaming Harley's sitting road side watching mother natures display of raw power.

Then this poor stupid little bastard on a Japanese bike pulled in.  I don't think anyone cared that he was riding a Japanese bike except him.  Instead pf putting it on the side stand he felt the need to get it up on the center stand.  The problems he faced were massive rain, slippery grab rails, a body weight of about 125, a large crowd and lack of common sense.  At his first attempt to pull the bike on the CS the bike leaned away from him and he had to shift his body weight back to keep it from flopping over.

Each time he tried to get it on the CS it pulled away just a little bit further.  Each time he bent, arched and manipulated his body to offset the weight issue and each time he caught it just in time.  That is until the final time.  On what had to be at least his 8th attempt the bike slipped and leaned way over to the right.  He held it for all he had but this time his 125 body was no match for the 500+ bike.  Instead of just letting it go he held it to the last second so it catapulted him up and over the bike.  Then it got bad.  Because of where he selected to do this there was a cliff/muddy hill on the right hand side of the bike.

This poor bastard flew over the bike, hit the hill about 10 feet down and rolled all the way to the bottom.  After we about wet ourselves a few of us went over, picked his bike up and put it on the center stand for him.  It was sitting on the CS when he made his way back up the hill.  The good news is that with all the rain it washed the mud off him quite quickly.  We all (including him) had a good laugh and after about 15 minutes the Sky's cleared and we all went on our way.

the moral of this story is:  There is a time and place for the CS verses the SS.  Use them accordingly or risk having people laugh at you while you tumble down a muddy hill.

[socalenduro]

I thought for sure that that story was going to end with 20 bikes laying on their sides

[lone*X]

I usually shut the fuel off about a mile from home and run the bowls down.

That's exactly how I do it John. Never had a issue with it.
You could dip the bottom of the centerstand in some of the "tool plastic" in black. The kind that you coat tool handles with, to keep from scratching the floor. A bonus to this would be less slipabilty with the bike on the centerstand too.

I don't think the tool handle coating would be a good idea.  While it would be nice if the only time you ever used the center stand was when it was on your nicely finished floor, the real world would likely be a different situation.  Road grit, sand, concrete chips, gravel, and anything else that you can find in a parking lot or road side would likely imbed in the coated surface.  That would probably do more damage to your flooring that the bare steel of the center stand.   

[cabrala]

the moral of this story is:  There is a time and place for the CS verses the SS.  Use them accordingly or risk having people laugh at you while you tumble down a muddy hill.

Hope you don't mind if I take that as my daily lesson of the day. 

I can envision you telling this story as if it is one of the new DirecTV commercials...
DIRECTV - "Don't Wake Up in a Roadside Ditch" 2012 Commercial

[myhondas]

OK I have a center stand story to tell.

One time we were in Laconia for bike week.  We were riding back form North Conway and the Sky's opened up.  It was a massive display of thunder, lightning and rain.  It got so bad that we had to pull over.  There was nothing near us, no buildings of any kind, so we started to huddle next to the road.  Over the next 1/2 hour of unrelenting rain more and more bikes pulled over along side of ours.  There were a few dozzen of us there with our gleaming Harley's sitting road side watching mother natures display of raw power.

Then this poor stupid little bastard on a Japanese bike pulled in.  I don't think anyone cared that he was riding a Japanese bike except him.  Instead pf putting it on the side stand he felt the need to get it up on the center stand.  The problems he faced were massive rain, slippery grab rails, a body weight of about 125, a large crowd and lack of common sense.  At his first attempt to pull the bike on the CS the bike leaned away from him and he had to shift his body weight back to keep it from flopping over.

Each time he tried to get it on the CS it pulled away just a little bit further.  Each time he bent, arched and manipulated his body to offset the weight issue and each time he caught it just in time.  That is until the final time.  On what had to be at least his 8th attempt the bike slipped and leaned way over to the right.  He held it for all he had but this time his 125 body was no match for the 500+ bike.  Instead of just letting it go he held it to the last second so it catapulted him up and over the bike.  Then it got bad.  Because of where he selected to do this there was a cliff/muddy hill on the right hand side of the bike.

This poor bastard flew over the bike, hit the hill about 10 feet down and rolled all the way to the bottom.  After we about wet ourselves a few of us went over, picked his bike up and put it on the center stand for him.  It was sitting on the CS when he made his way back up the hill.  The good news is that with all the rain it washed the mud off him quite quickly.  We all (including him) had a good laugh and after about 15 minutes the Sky's cleared and we all went on our way.

the moral of this story is:  There is a time and place for the CS verses the SS.  Use them accordingly or risk having people laugh at you while you tumble down a muddy hill.

Now I see that as a standard HD riders point of view. Just sit there and watch a fellow biker having problems and not go over and offer to help. Wouldn't be right for a HD rider to help a non-hd rider out. NO...had to wait until after he lost it to do that......in fact, I impressed that you all even did that....Would of figured the bike would still be sitting on it's side when he got back up the hill.

[shinyribs]

I thought for sure that that story was going to end with 20 bikes laying on their sides

I thought for sure that story was going to end with someone helping him...before it was too late. I'm not sure I would have told that on myself.

The moral of the story is: people are rude and selfish.

Sorry if I did not see the humor in that story. I hope someone lets you drop your bike and laughs at you while doing so. Karma....

[bjatwood]

I can't even get a "rubber down" wave from HD riders when I'm cruzin on the GoldWing! They must feel intimidated by the boxer 6! LOL

[750K]

I don't wave back, might nod once and awhile. Just because I ride doesn't mean I'm your homie, on the flipside I will stop and help someone on the side of the road that's broke down anytime and let people in when in traffic for the most part.

What kind of bike someone's riding makes no difference to me. As the saying goes, don't bro me if you don't know me.

[DJ_AX]

Most of the Harley posers here are just so fcking cool! :-)
I live in an area where a very high concentration of them ride... it's great. In a humorous way.
They get home from their 9 to 5, change out of their Docker's, into the leather Harley Chaps and the rest of their $1000 Harley costume. The sorry excuse for a helmet is not in fashion anymore. Colorful black and orange bandannas are now the IN thing. They ride their bikes and play their roll.
Most are too busy looking like bad asses and seem to try to ignore me. Some will snicker in an angry sort of way.
I give 'em a smile, laugh, and a head nod anyway... but they don't get the joke.

And occasionally, I do meet NON posers. Bikers... that currently ride a Harley. They know what I'm riding. :-)

Whoops ... another thread drifts to THIS conversation ... lol.

Oh yeah...
Centerstands are cool!
For those that appreciate functionality, usability, and simple logic.

I also make it a point to stop and help anyone when I can. Years ago I ran out of gas once and while pushing it and many other riders just rode on by. Biker wave is cool guys but come on how 'bout some legitimate courtesy? Yesterday I stopped to help a couple of kids on some old Yamaha mopeds. ... :-) they ran out of gas.

[cabrala]

Sure Magilla and his Harley crew could have been a bit friendlier and helped out at the first sign of struggle, but the more overt point here is... In a rain storm that forces you off the road, why are you center standing your bike? No need to get fancy, just put down the side stand and get the Hell out of the rain.

I personally use the CS the majority of the time, but there is most definitely a time and a place for the SS. In all reality though, I'd be pretty pissed if my bike hit the pavement without some help 

Oh, ethics...

[grachman]

I use my SS only, but that's only because I forgot to send the CS to powder coating.  Ooops.  I do feel bad for my CS every time I see it sitting on the garage floor all rusty, like it doesn't matter at all...looking up at me with teary eyes saying..."how come i don't get to ride with you anymore? do I mean nothing to you?"   

Seriously guys?  If you can't figure out how to safely and easily work on or park your bike with either a SS or CS, you should seriously consider a different mode of transportation or hobby.

 

[cabrala]

I use my SS only, but that's only because I forgot to send the CS to powder coating.

Does powder coat hold up on the center stand "feet"? I'd imagine scuffing and cracking on first park...