Re: [ST] Center Stand

[Michael Young <myoung@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Maybe it's a matter of technique that's missing. I once watched an old
skinny guy, might have been in his seventies, swing off his Gold Wing and
park it on its center stand as easily as if it were a Vespa. I watched
another old guy kick his big bimmer up on its centerstand before
dismounting. I'm not sure if I was shamed into it or was just simply
inspired, but I found I could do it too.

Stand to the left of the bike, both hands in their operating positions on
the grips. The bike is mostly upright, but leaning a bit toward you for
balance. Press the centerstand down with your right foot until the near foot
touches the ground. Now rock the bike upright until the other foot just
touches. Both feet of the centerstand are now on the ground, and the bike is
perfectly upright. Apply a bit of pressure on the stand with your foot to
stabilize the bike. You'll find that you can take your hands off the bar if
you wanted to.

Leave the left hand on its grip, more to balance yourself than to hold up
the bike, and move your right hand to the the lifting rail under the seat.
The bike remains stable because the centerstand is firmly on the ground.
Apply a bit more pressure on the stand if the bike feels wobbly. Now just
lift your left foot off the ground so you're standing with all your weight
on the stand. My 160# is not usually enough by itself to get things moving.
Just pull upward on the seat rail with your right arm. It should feel more
like a pressing action with the leg against a straight back and right arm,
than a curl or dead lift. The upward pressure you apply at the rail
translates directly to that much more pressure on the centerstand, and that
much less weight on the rear wheel. It doesn't take much; if you grunt,
you're working way too hard. As the bike rocks back and up on the stand,
you'll find that you can relax the upward pressure. Part of the art is to
modulate the upward pressure so the bike doesn't bounce against the stop
when it reaches the top.

It might be that sagging springs on older bikes might lower the bike enough
so the centerstand doesn't work right. Pressing on the stand then only
drives it into the ground, instead of levering the bike up. If so, then
maybe you'll have to drive up onto a chunk of lumber first, as you suggest.
I'd be thinking about fixing the suspension well before things get to that
point, however.



- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Benzon" <fast87@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2002 11:01 PM
Subject: [ST] Center Stand


> I was wondering if rolling the rear tire the ST onto a thin piece of wood,
> such as a 1X4, would make it almost effortless to pull the bike up on its
> center stand.
>
> Mike Benzon
>
>
>      *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
*
>       The ST/RS Mailing list is sponsored by Jack Lilley Ltd.
>           http://www.TriumphNet.com/st/lilley for more info
>    http://www.TriumphNet.com/st for ST, RS and Mailing List info


     *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
      The ST/RS Mailing list is sponsored by Jack Lilley Ltd.
          http://www.TriumphNet.com/st/lilley for more info
   http://www.TriumphNet.com/st for ST, RS and Mailing List info

=-=-=-= Next Message =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=