Today I went to pick up my 05 GS500. My older brother rode it home safely. Did a few practice drills with him and my other brother and found out that I dont have good balance. Then later on in the night I dropped the bike trying to get it onto its center stand. All is good except a couple scrathes on the handle bar and brake. Has anyone else ever dropped their bike trying to get it on to it's center stand? I look forward to learning how to ride it and eventually riding it on the road and commuting. :)
I still can't get my bike on its centerstand without help :) I've dropped my bike twice, once when I thought the bike was in neutral and I let go of the clutch, and once trying to get it backed out of a parking spot. Here is the handy dandy diagram:
http://www.shaykai.com/pics/ben/MC/bikedropped.jpg
Congrats on getting the GS, I'm sure you will love it. It definitely has enough power for all but the most suicidal speed demon. You should post some pics of your bike if you get a chance and you have a camera.
Scratches = Battle damage = awesome :)
It gives the bike character.
Shaykai
here's a thread where I asked the same question (http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10178&highlight=center+centre+stand)
QuoteHas anyone else ever dropped their bike trying to get it on to it's center stand?
Been there, done that. In fact, the ONLY way I've dropped my bike is with the centerstand. I was trying to get it off the stand though.
I dropped mine on day one putting it on the centrestand, in a similar thread I said "don't worry we've all done it" which provoked a chorus of "OH! no we haven't" Plenty of us have.
You will find lots of useful threads about putting it on the stand, it not difficult, it's a confidence thing realy and yours has taken a knock. Look at the threads and see what suits best, search "Centrestand" will reveal a lot. I always sit on the bike when taking it off as that too can be tricky first few times.
Enjoy the bike.
Putting the bike on the centerstand is the hardest thing I've done. If you try it on soft ground it is almost impossible. The easiest way is to position the bike up a slight hill and then throw your weight down on the stand, pulling back at the same time. As far as dropping the bike don't worry about that. You'll get better with your balance the more experience you get.
Derek
Emphasize the weight you put on it with your foot. Or at least that works for me, as I'm over 200lbs. I am not a weakling, but when I tried to use more arm pulling strength and just a little weight on the stand, I couldn't do it. All centerstands I've used are this way: the more important part is what you do with your foot on the stand. I knew something was wrong with what I was doing when I struggled on my Elite-80 scooter, and saw skinny Asian females doing it with no problem. Once you figure out the mechanics, it's much easier, though admittedly it's scary with a motorcycle since you don't have to tip it far to the side before it takes a dive to the floor.
FWIW,
Mike D.
The ONLY time my bike has been down was trying to put it on the stand.
Hey guys,
To anyone who breezed past raylarrabee's post, go back and click the link. there are great directions on there for putting the bike on tthe centerstand. When I first got mine, I needed help flipping it up because I was doing it wrong. Now it's wicked simple. My wife could do it, and she's 100lbs soaking wet.
seriously, it's all about *vertical* force. go back and read ray's link thread, and focus on pushing your foot into the ground.
Regards,
Riz
:thumb:
Yeah, I've dropped mine while attempting to get it on the centerstand. I still can't do it unless somebody helps me. And yes, I've read the directions many times, and I still can't do it. :dunno:
You'll figure it out eventually, Laura. My mechanic showed me many times and I still didn't get it. I assumed it was because he was much stronger than I. I think one day when I was mad at the world I did a slow-motion stomp on the stand, and voila, the bike nearly popped right up on it. Just a little pull on the back and it worked fine. Once you "stumble" into it, you think "DUH!" Kind of like calculus.
--Mike D.
Holy crap!! I just went down to the garage and tried it again, and I did it!! :mrgreen:
Quote from: LauraHoly crap!! I just went down to the garage and tried it again, and I did it!! :mrgreen:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
good job :thumb:
Quote from: LauraHoly crap!! I just went down to the garage and tried it again, and I did it!! :mrgreen:
Great. How's the calculus coming?
--Mike D.
Once forgot to put the sidestand down but grabbed the handle bar just before it hit the ground so very little damage done. Lukely did this in the garage so no one saw it. :)
i feel like a dumbass sometimes for slightly loosing balance and putting both feet down when stopping at a stop light, im pretty sure my bike pulls a little to the right after i went down on the right side and bent the handle bars.
could just be me...
Quote from: '04gs500fi feel like a dumbass sometimes for slightly loosing balance and putting both feet down when stopping at a stop light, im pretty sure my bike pulls a little to the right after i went down on the right side and bent the handle bars.
could just be me...
if you look down at the wheel, your feet, instrument panel, a car in front of you, etc...when you're stopping, it's easy to lose your balance. always look straight ahead!
Quote from: '04gs500fi feel like a dumbass sometimes for slightly loosing balance and putting both feet down when stopping at a stop light, im pretty sure my bike pulls a little to the right after i went down on the right side and bent the handle bars.
could just be me...
You should check the rear wheel alignment. Tie some string to the front on the front wheel and pull it straight back against the rear wheel. Do this on both sides to see if wheel is straight.
ok thanks, i will give that a shot!
Quotegood job
Thanks! :)
QuoteGreat. How's the calculus coming?
:lol: Still working on that.
I tried again today and needed help doing it. But I think its that i am too focus on it falling.
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.
Quote from: LauraQuotegood job
Thanks! :)
QuoteGreat. 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.
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.