Centre stand

[Boudica]

I am a big lad but I have never easily managed to get my ST 1300 on the Centre stand.

Is there a technique or is there something that normally breaks or gets worn...

 

[Uncle Phil]

I throw my ST1100s up on the center stand all the time.
It's more of a 'technique' and there is a video on this site about how to do it (IIRC).

Putting ST1300 on center stand | ST1300 Related | ST-Owners.com

 

[dwalby]

FWIW, I'm a small lad and can put my 1100 on the centerstand barefooted. Make sure the front wheel is pointing straight ahead, push down on centerstand, pull handle firmly backwards to put bike on stand.

 

[SupraSabre]

Here you go!

Just know, when the saddlebags are on, there's more weight. With a topcase, even more weight. If any of those have stuff in them, more weight!

 

[billo]

That drove me nuts at first too. No need to lift or steady the bike once the stand makes square contact. Stand on the lever with the ball of your right foot, heel dropped even with the toe. Use a constant backwards pull on the side lever. Your other hand keeps the bars straight. It helps if you lean to the right, pushing against the lever to pull the bike back. Should pop right up.

 

[jfheath]

Left hand on left bar. Right hand on the side handle. Right /left foot on the centre stand. Press centre stand onto the ground so that both feet or the stand are firmly planted. The centre stand is now balancing the bike.

Step up onto the centre stand and at the same time lean towards the back of the bike - get as much of your body weight to the rear / of the bike, pulling backwards on the bar, and on the handle and pressing down hard with your foot. It helps if the bike isn't in gear, because the bike will be wanting to move backwards before the back wheel lifts off the ground.

But it's not as easy as some people make it look - but it goes up pretty quickly once you get it moving.

 

[Kevcules]

Dave's video is an excellent "how to" for putting the bike up on the center stand. I struggled also when I first got the big heavy bike.
The best description of what you're trying to do is while holding the grab handle, try to put your foot through the floor.

 

[Larry Fine]

I think about it as maximizing the distance between the handle and the foot-pedal, separating them.

 

[SMSW]

FWIW, I too struggled to put my ST on the center stand. Cranking in some preload lifts the rear but for a short guy like me, that made it difficult at stoplights and signs. For a while I had a board (3/4" thick) with a wide bevel on one end. I rolled the bike backward up onto the board (rear wheel) and this made doing the center stand almost easy.

Then one day I saw an ad here. A fellow short guy had cut the foot pedal off a center stand, and had his brother weld in a 2 or 3" piece. This lengthened the lever arm he said, but he never installed it because the bike grew heavier and taller as he aged. I bought the modified center stand, had it powder coated, and installed it. (Hint: lubing the axle of the stand makes a significant difference.). The extended pedal arm (for lack of a better name) worked like magic. Yes, it stuck up into the pillion rider's foot space, but I ride alone, so it made no difference. I sold my bike with the OEM and modified stands because it grew taller and heavier as I got older.

I don't expect anyone to be as crazy as I am and do this mod themselves. However, when I lowered my VStrom, I cut and welded both the center stand and side stand to deal with the lowered bike. It is not rocket science - if you do your own maintenance you can do this mod yourself.

 

[rdmnt2002]

Hi All,

I park mine in the garage with a tire wide 1/2 inch piece of plywood under the rear wheel. Having the rear wheel up a half inch makes getting the old girl up on the center stand much easier.

Hope that helps.

Ray

 

[Fawlty]

Hi All,

I park mine in the garage with a tire wide 1/2 inch piece of plywood under the rear wheel. Having the rear wheel up a half inch makes getting the old girl up on the center stand much easier.

Hope that helps.

Ray

This also works with the plywood under the front wheel.

 

[ST Gui]

I think about it as maximizing the distance between the handle and the foot-pedal, separating them.

I do the same. My right arm is straight while holding the grab handle. You're not actually lifting the bike with your arm. Using the leg stretches the distance which raises the bike.

Without holding the handle you're relying on weight alone to raise the bike. Trying to lift the bike with your arm while standing on the tang of the center stand fails to make the most use of your quads.

Also make sure tire tires are properly inflated. Otherwise you have to raise the bike even higher to get it over the tipping point. Personal preferences and tire specs aside it would be somewhere around 40lbs. Or

42.