I feel likea DUMB A$$

[Apyung]

I tried again today and needed help doing it.  But I think its that i am too focus on it falling.

[geekonabike]

Some say tie it to the back wheel, in the back, and pull it so each side of the string touches the wheel in two places, so when you look from the front you can see if the "plane" the back wheel lies in (OK there are a couple parallel planes, one for the left and one for the right side of the tire) projects forward straight with the bike frame.  It can be very deceiving without some kind of geometric helper, because things look parallel from one angle and off in another.  The taut string along the wheel helps figure out the actual direction of the rear wheel.  If your bike pulls to one side there's a good chance that rear wheel is out of alignment.  Remember if you move one side back to stretch the chain, you have to move the other back just as much or you just changed the direction of the back wheel.

Actually I don't know that much the heck about it, but just what I've read.

FWIW,
Mike D.

[geekonabike]

good job

Thanks!  

Great. How's the calculus coming?

:lol:  Still working on that.

This should make it all clear:
http://faculty.swosu.edu/michael.dougherty/book/book.html

--Mike D.

[xtalman]

I had trouble getting my bike onto the center stand at first too.  After much experimentation, I ended up with this technique:

1) Get on the left side of the bike.
2) Put left hand on left handlebar
3) Balance the bike straight up
4) Push right foot down on center stand, until both pads contact the pavement
5) Put right hand on the rail on the left side of the bike underneath the seat.
6) Bend knees, use your legs to push down, and pull UP on the bike with your right hand, not back.  

I don't have to roll the bike backwards to get it up on the center stand.

You may have to experiment with your body position and hand position relative to the center stand, but the key for me was to pull UP on the bike and push down on the center stand at the same time.

Good luck.