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I read the post above with respect to the lowered version of the F650GS. There are two RTs my garage - the 2007 version belongs to my wife. I lowered it the year after purchase (about 1.5 inches) by replacing the the tele-lever shocks with custom built Wilbers from Germany. I also find that hoisting the lowered RT a fair bit more difficult than the regular bike, especially when fully loaded for touring. I haven't had to resort to the piece of 2x4, but that sounds like a great idea.
I was out riding my 86 R80 on Wednesday night and I managed to put it on the center stand without even getting off. This is a good thing since the side stand is rather untrustworthy.
You don't lift a 500 lb bike onto its centerstand,
you pull it back onto the stand. The sooner you
adopt that language, the easier it will be to get
the bike on the stand. YOU PULL THE BIKE BACK
ONTO THE STAND. Repeat until you understand;
you are not lifting a 500+ lb bike.
mXa
[QUOTE=mXarad;561040]You don't lift a 500 lb bike onto its centerstand,
you pull it back onto the stand. The sooner you
adopt that language, the easier it will be to get
the bike on the stand. YOU PULL THE BIKE BACK
ONTO THE STAND. Repeat until you understand;
you are not lifting a 500+ lb bike.
mXa[/QUOTE]
While technically correct, in the ears of the average newbie this is quite misleading. Way too many, thinking they have to "pull the bike back," end up trying to simply drag the bike laterally backwards, like they are trying to drag a unwilling cow on the end of a rope -- a motion doomed to failure. The reason being, they never realize that in addition to moving backwards, the bike has to rise *vertically* as well, so that it "cams over" the top of the centerstand -- a geometry issue that only pulling backwards doesn't address. If you tell them just to move it backwards, they never get the idea that the bike has to come up enough to cam over the top of the stand.
If you tell them to concentrate on *vertical* motion -- driving their foot into the ground on the centerstand tab while lifting vertically on the handle -- they get the bike up high enough to naturally cam over the stand toward the rear.
Foot goes on the stand to keep it in place, while you
PULL THE BIKE BACK ONTO THE STAND. You are not
lifting a 500+ pound bike with one foot while the other
is on the ground. Concentrate on the horizontal movement
while holding the stand down; it's like counter-steering,
no one believes it until they get it. You pull the bike back
more than a foot in order to raise it two inches, a 6-to-1
mechanical advantage.
[COLOR="Red"]I can't believe we're into page 3 of this discussion without one post that states:
[B]YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT THE BIKE ON THE CENTERSTAND EXCEPT FOR MAINTENANCE![/B]
I have it on good authority from my mechanic Paul that this is true.
Sure has saved me countless hours of grief to know this. And I'm sharing it with you all in confidence.
And, another secret. If someone else puts your bike on the centerstand, the easiest technique of all is to ask them politely to take it off the centerstand.
I can do the technique. I am free to almost never do it.
Life is good.
Voni
sMiling
[/COLOR]
[QUOTE=Voni;561306][COLOR="Red"]I can't believe we're into page 3 of this discussion without one post that states:
[B]YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT THE BIKE ON THE CENTERSTAND EXCEPT FOR MAINTENANCE![/B]
I have it on good authority from my mechanic Paul that this is true.
Sure has saved me countless hours of grief to know this. And I'm sharing it with you all in confidence.
And, another secret. If someone else puts your bike on the centerstand, the easiest technique of all is to ask them politely to take it off the centerstand.
I can do the technique. I am free to almost never do it.
Life is good.
Voni
sMiling
[/COLOR][/QUOTE]
yeah, well the only reason your mechanic understands that is because he remembers his classes in Basic Geometry where he learned about triangles, some from Physics about load-bearing capacities, and probably a Karate class or some Football training (tho knowing Paul, i'm not leaning heavily towards it being Football) along the way where he learned about wide-stances being more stable than narrow stances.
well, that and his usual dose of common sense, and the realization that just cuz you got something does not mean that you have to use it all the time. :D
my 88 is easy as butter pulling back on the center stand.
My Dad's '75 /6 is another story. it seems really goofy but the leverage seems off on pulling it back. Like the stand is almost too tall. it's doable but you really have to wok at it. h
[QUOTE=bikerfish1100;561319]yeah, well the only reason your mechanic understands that is because he remembers his classes in Basic Geometry ... ...
well, that and his usual dose of common sense, and the realization that just cuz you got something does not mean that you have to use it all the time. :D[/QUOTE]
Ah yes-> 'Common Sense', least common of the senses. :bolt
I think Voni missed a few good reasons for using the center stand: 1. checking the oil, 2. packing that left saddlebag - or maybe just getting something, not most things, out, and 3. if you have an early K bike, not having everyone behind you for several blocks wonder when BMW started making diesel motorcycle engines.
My 1992 K100RS seems to have lost the "mosquito killer" function, but I do still often use the center stand - which isn't hard with this bike, unless you are wearing slippers. (No, I don't wear them when riding.)
The side stand (with a pad) is also much more secure if the ground is soft - wet grass, hot asphalt, etc. - or you have to park on an incline. In that case, put her in 1st gear, shut off the engine, ease the bike forward in gear until the rear wheel stops, then put down the sidestand. But you all know that.
[COLOR="Red"]I just check my oil with a hand mirror held at an angle that makes it easy. Just one more of the tools I know how to use!
Packing is an art ; )
Voni
sMiling[/COLOR]
[QUOTE=badgertom;542398]This question has probably been asked too many times, but I need to ask it again. How do I best lift the bike onto the centerstand without dropping it . Last fall I almost lost it. There is a gadget ( bike lift by Wunderlich) for sale which attaches to the side of the bike and is supposed to help im lifting it on the centerstand. Is this worth it? Has anyone tried it.[/QUOTE]
Easiest way??
Buy an LT with a powered centerstand!
When I bought my k75RT last year after not riding for close to 30 years, I had
a very hard time getting it onto the centerstand. It wasn't until I realized that
for some reason I always had the front wheel turned to the left when I got off
the bike. I was not only pulling the bike backwards, but was also dragging the
front tire backwards. I learned to have the front tire straight so that it rolls
back instead of dragging. I always leave the bike on the centerstand, I just
feel safer that way, maybe it's from having gone through too many earthquakes
living in S. California. I just don't trust the sidestand. It wasn't until reading this
thread that I learned that not all later model BMW's come with a lifting handle
like the K75 has.
[QUOTE=DRUDOLPH148006;563402]When I bought my k75RT last year after not riding for close to 30 years, I had
a very hard time getting it onto the centerstand. It wasn't until I realized that
for some reason I always had the front wheel turned to the left when I got off
the bike. [COLOR="Red"]it settles the bike onto the sidestand a bit better & lower- makes mounting/dismounting a 1/4" easier.[/COLOR]I was not only pulling the bike backwards, but was also dragging the
front tire backwards. I learned to have the front tire straight so that it rolls
back instead of dragging. I always leave the bike on the centerstand, I just
feel safer that way, maybe it's from having gone through too many earthquakes
living in S. California. I just don't trust the sidestand. [COLOR="red"]trust it or not in your mind, but a wide 3 point stance (tire/sidestand/tire) is far more secure than a narrow 3 point (tire/left foot of cstand/right foot of cstand)[/COLOR]It wasn't until reading this
thread that I learned that not all later model BMW's come with a lifting handle
like the K75 has.[/QUOTE]
the foldable handle is a (1st gen; at least) K-bike feature. Airheads have loop handles affixed to the frame.
Used to give me all kinds of trouble, second nature now. Used toget my wife to stand on the opposite side of bike in the event lost balance point....
Like so many things, gets easier with practice