Sidestand question - Am I too heavy?

Hi all, On past bikes I have always mounted and dismounted with my left foot on the ground, swinging my leg over the rear (normal process). On my ST1300 I find it a bit tricky. Maybe its the width of the beast (recent acquisition) but it makes me twist my ageing back (ouch).

I would love to stand on the left foot rest - hopping on and off, but it is something I have never done on my bikes out of respect for the side stand or the soft ground it may be standing on, and somehow the ST's side stand looks like it is already screaming "no more weight please!!"

So I am hoping many ST owners will respond and say "no problem Duporth, I always do that, the side stand is built by Honda...very strong...".

My question is more about the strength of the stand connection to the bike, not so much the soft ground aspects. Thank you.

I can't answer your question directly but I've seen quite a few riders mount from the left peg, as you describe. Some were a bit on the heavy side of average.

I have been mounting and dismounting by standing on the left foot peg for many years. Never had a problem, but you do have to consider how soft the surface is.
I am no featherweight as I weigh in at 230 lb. My old hips don't like the hurdle position anymore.
The other option is to stand facing the bike and then kick my leg strait forward (Goose step wise) so that it lands on the seat, and then slide forward into the saddle.

I don't like it myself because if for some reason the side stand fails you are in a very vulnerable unbalanced position you may not be fast enough to recover from.. then, the whole bike is on you..

I don't throw my leg over my bike like I could w/Valkyrie or Wing.. I sorta put my foot on the seat and straighten out my leg then slide onto the seat, kinda the same for dismounting.

But, I have seen many do what you're asking about on many different types of bikes.

As I age the standard mount/dismount tends to result in scuffs on the bags. A problem with my left leg makes using the left foot peg more convenient and the bags approve.

An option might be mounting/dismounting from the high side. This takes a little practice to build some muscle memory (since we've been doing otherwise for many years) but the bags like it.

I lift my right leg over the seat with my right hand. I grab onto the pants leg.

If you need to climb on it like a horse, just use the center stand every time you park. The center stand will support the weight and hold the bike steady while your climbing aboard. Like mellow warned, the little, single bolt that holds the side stand on breaks really easy.
If I use my side stand, I get off and on from the right side of the bike (no scuffs on my saddlebags). If I am parked on the center stand I climb up starting with a foot on the foot peg.

i have been using the peg to mount for years.

v8-7 said:

i have been using the peg to mount for years.

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Same here. Probably 200 pounds geared up.

jspringator said:

I lift my right leg over the seat with my right hand. I grab onto the pants leg.

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This is what I tend to do. Have never used the peg.

Gosh dang it guys.... now I have to walk out and try 5 or 6 different mounting styles.... I've got to quit reading!!!

Igofar said:

If you need to climb on it like a horse,

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Lets see...where are those stirrups?

Didn't the Lone Stranger mount from the rear? Vaulting over Silver's top box?

Igofar said:

If you need to climb on it like a horse, just use the center stand every time you park. The center stand will support the weight and hold the bike steady while your climbing aboard. Like mellow warned, the little, single bolt that holds the side stand on breaks really easy.
If I use my side stand, I get off and on from the right side of the bike (no scuffs on my saddlebags). If I am parked on the center stand I climb up starting with a foot on the foot peg.

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I do as Igofar suggested when I park in the garage, as I nearly always put the ST on the CS there. Any other time if I park on the side stand I just hold my breath and swing my right leg over the seat, hoping that I don't scuff the saddlebag.

I'd say most of you guys need to get in shape!

No problem Duporth, I sometimes do that. The side stand is built by Honda. Very strong...

Bush said:

I'd say most of you guys need to get in shape!

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Everything I have to use to get in shape hurts. Knees are shot. Feet are dead. Back left years ago. Brain has no desire, it remembers all the pain from trying.

Never tried the peg method, mounting from the ground has always worked.

i will occasionally put it on the center stand for some reason or another .... but jumping on and then pushing it off ... scares the heck out of me every time! My legs just are not long enough to have full control of the beaST for the entire trip!

Thank you very much ST'ers. Some very helpful insight and a few things I can try. I have no prob reaching the ground with the SS down but my left foot is facing fwd and seems to adhere and remain so, and... twist... ouch. I am say 190lb geared up and 34" inseam. Sort of medium I guess.

On my FJR - a similar prob but I overcame this by standing on the small lever on the SS just above the shoe, to hop on and off. This gave me a slight leg up and allowed my foot to pivot. Next to no additional load on the SS pivot bolt only the shoe itself. I am working on this possibility on the ST.

Anyway guys I am sure many of you are saying 'what a fuss'. I know, I know, and thanks again for patient responses.

D

sah48 said:

i will occasionally put it on the center stand for some reason or another .... but jumping on and then pushing it off ... scares the heck out of me every time!

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Are you saying that you push the bike off of the center stand while standing to the side? I've always pushed it off while ON the bike and feel I have much better control.