Dumpimg over new ST

["ann k.curcio" <curcio@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Guys,

I've been reading with sadness and some humor the stories on people
dropping/crashing their new STs.  It is something that everyone lives in
fear of doing and it seems to happen when least expected.  As for the
story of dropping the wife's bike while putting it on the center stand
(names withheld to protect the guilty/innocent) I had this exact same
thing happen to me with my old Yamaha.  After finally righting the beast
and nearly getting a hernia (this is when the thought was heavier must
be better) I decided there must be a better way to get a motorcycle onto
a center stand.  I find that it is easy to maintain balance when
straddling a bike but no amount of pulling on the handlebars while
holding the stand down with one foot will get it onto the stand.  This
leaves you with the next option of standing to the side of the bike and
possibly dropping it as it swings up onto the stand and you lose the
balance.  What I do these days is keep a small piece of 2x4 (12" long or
so) on the floor near my bikes.  When I want to put one on its center
stand I kick the board so it rests lengthwise under the cycle in front
of the rear wheel.  Then, straddling the bike I push/ride it onto the
board like a small ramp.  Now I get off the bike and while maintaining
balance I pull it onto the center stand from the side.  The 2x4 adds
just enough height to make the bike jump onto the stand very easily.
Usually, once on the stand, the rear wheel comes to a rest forward of
the board and the board can be just kicked out of the way.  Sometimes
the rear tire may still have slight contact with the board and the board
gets stuck.  Just give the board a quick kick from the side and it will
pop out.  This all depends on the height of the stand. Ever since I have
started using this method I have not even come close to losing control
of a bike.  I hope this helps save some face, bodywork and money for ST
owners.

Keep the shiny side up,
Dan


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