embarrassed to say... Help me with center stand!

[henzilla]

Hmmm.... so when I lose balance the bike falls on me ? That seems a bit dumb to stand under a 600 pound bike wanting to take a nap, when one loses balance !

In legal terminology that is known as "Assumption of Risk"

I think I will continue to mount up and roll the bike forward off the center stand.

If my GSA is ever on the centerstand, I put the sidestand down before I roll it off, in gear with clutch pulled...if it gets wonky, I let out the clutch and rest it on the sidestand...EZ-PZY

And be careful...the small bolts on the centerstand will break if you roll off enough times...seen about 6 bikes since my 05RT broke one and I quit doing that.I only weigh 190 and ride one up.
One set I replaced, the rider weighs maybe 150 and never rides off the stand...still broke. Your luck may be better...but they are a weak link and posted about here before. I think it was Greenwald who drug his down the road? The 1100's were a lot stouter and seemed to last a long time of rideoffs. In my old business it was called "Risk Assesment"

[jaherbst]

no truth to the rumor of higher oil consumption on startup due to oil seeping thru the downward side rings then?

Balderdash!

Jack (72 year old side stand user--except in the garage for space or maintenence)

[TinyTrains]

No smoking on my R1200R when on the side-stand (unlike my K75).

I too put the bike on the side-stand before dismounting, and then put it on the center-stand if desired. Swinging my 30 inch legs over the BMW hard cases makes it too hard to maintain balance while holding the bike on one foot.

[ANDYVH]

I doubt it is oil seeping past the rings. The crankshaft centerline is well above the oil sump level. There "may" be some oil in the cylinder that has splashed up behind the piston, when the engine was turned off. More likely it is oil mist in the airbox from the crankcase breather that has condensed in the airbox and dribbled into the LH intake tract. The fact that bikes parked on the sidestand don't smoke every time seems to support that it is oil mist in the airbox.

[dancogan]

If my GSA is ever on the centerstand, I put the sidestand down before I roll it off, in gear with clutch pulled...if it gets wonky, I let out the clutch and rest it on the sidestand...EZ-PZY ...

+1

[BCKRider]

I believe what many are saying is "have a set routine for common situations" and "use your brain for the uncommon."

My "always" solution is to deploy the sidestand before dismounting in a place where the ground will support the bike at least for a few minutes. I also do that in "the bike shed" though I normally pull it up on the center stand after dismounting. (A grungy piece of 3/8" plywood is under those center stand feet.) I don't put the bike in gear here because I have a board on the floor which prevents the windshield from rolling into the shelving I installed.

Tried the "leave it in gear" yesterday when I gassed up on the center stand. Rolled it off the stand from the side and it came to a sudden stop. Not that gas stations were a problem but still a good idea.

And just remember if you ever have to park your bike in high winds, having it in gear, pointed in the direction of the wind, with a good pad under your sidestand probably gives you the best chance of not having a suddenly horizontal bike.

[Paul_F]

When I first got my K100, eight years ago this September, I couldn't get it onto the centre stand. My local dealer replaced lots of stuff, including the centre stand, but still, little success with the centre stand lift. It was even suggested by one of the dealer's employees that I should get a gym membership (actually, I had been working out for over a year and was quite fit). Despite the winter to practise the centre stand technique in the garage, success came very seldom, but my body, especially my back, became quite sore.

In the spring of 2005, while the bike was at a Honda shop, the big burly mechanic cursed as he attempted to centre stand the bike. His analysis, which was correct (and missed by my dealer) was to replace the worn shock.

Problem solved.

[sloride]

Whenever I intend on shutting the bike down I put the side stand down while in gear with the clutch in. This kills the engine. I dismount with with my weight on the left footrest and turn the ignition key off. If in the garage after I dismount the bike goes on the center stand.
I take it off the center stand by sitting on the bike with the the side stand up and rocking it off the center stand with my hand ready to apply the front brake.