Trick to get Bike on Center Stand

The trick is to use your weight, not your muscles.

Even if you are a relative light-weight, it takes the same technique.

Stand on the left side of the bike, lower the centerstand with your right foot.
Press down on the lifting tab, tilt the bike upright while pressing down on the tab, you will feel when both of the centerstand feet are touching the ground.
Put the lifting tab of the centerstand in a position under your foot where you will be comfortable standing on it.
Put your left hand on the left grip on the handlebar, your right hand on the lifting rail under the edge of the seat.
Lean over the bike, put ALL of your weight on your right foot. Yes, the bike will be stable.
Lift a little with both hands, the bike will practially jump onto the centerstand.

Portdave had problems lifing his 750, too. I showed him how to do this.
Then I had him do it with my 900-pound Wing.
Let's just say that he was surprised how easy it is to do with the correct technique.

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Wow, I never knew so many people had trouble getting bikes onto centerstands. My dad can never get his '82 nekkid GoldWing onto the centerstand, but I do it no problem and I do exactly like Steve describes. Never had a bike yet that didn't go right up onto it's stand. Although I DID have a Honda CX500 once that was the most awkward. I think one of the centerstand legs was bent somehow...

[kerrfunk]

I thought the video was helpful.
I'm not real smooth at centering my 1100 but I can do it now. Before I couldn't.

I use the bikes own weight and momentum to do it.

I just walk the bike up a few feet, grab the side/rear handlebar, then walk it backwards really fast, then quickly slam the center stand downwards with my right foot, causing the bike to obviously roll itself back on the stand.(i use my bodyweight and arms to pull the bike back too)

It's a little violent and sometimes scraps my crappy garage floor, but it works!

+ 1

From the Suzuki FACTORY MANUAL, dry weight is 558. Add in 5.8 gallons of gas at, what, 6.5 pounds per gallon?
That would be 34.8 pounds, taking it to 592.8. Add in another 6 pounds or so for the oil and guess what.

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From the factory manual for 82: Dry weight 540 pounds, so I was off, but 558 is for what model? The one I have access to is for a G model, L's heavier? Water weighs 8 pounds a gallon so since oil and gas both float, so 6.5 per gallon isn't likely too far off, making 574.8, and 6 pound for oil? 580.8.
close, but not 600, unless the L is heavier.
(Is boingk's an L?)

Found a frame member to use as my missing lift handle, makes a ton of differance. Still not easy, but much easyER.

Hey, there we go! Good stuff, glad to here some of my advice helped. And yeah, its not the easiest thing in the world to do...but this way you won't throw your back out doing it, either.

As for factory weight, I'll let you know what mine weighs when I go harrass the fellows at the weighbridge out at the tip.

Ten I'll tell you how much I took off it hahaha

Cheers - boingk

[Steve]

Over 600 pounds? Good God! What have you added to the bike to add more than 65 pounds? Factory weight is 535.

From the Suzuki FACTORY MANUAL, dry weight is 558. Add in 5.8 gallons of gas at, what, 6.5 pounds per gallon?
That would be 34.8 pounds, taking it to 592.8. Add in another 6 pounds or so for the oil and guess what.

.

Spyderman showed me how to do it on my big lump of a GS850. It has to be over 600lbs. Good thing because I was wrenching my back every time I did it my old way.

Stand on left side of bike facing bike. Left hand on handlebar, right hand on lifting handle near back below seat. Right foot on centre stand foot thing. Put weight on centre stand and liftup handle. It is that easy.

Thanks Jon.

Over 600 pounds? Good God! What have you added to the bike to add more than 65 pounds? Factory weight is 535.

Not a hassle for me at all with my 850. Stand down, press on the tab with my foot, lift upwards and rearwards from the frame member that descends from near the rear of the tank. Not 'easy' but definitely not like you guys are describing!

Remember, practice makes perfect ;D

- boingk

Found a frame member to use as my missing lift handle, makes a ton of differance. Still not easy, but much easyER.

650 is lighter than an 1100

I had a GS650GLZ and it was a breeze to get it on the center stand. My GS1100GLD is over 500 lbs

I use the bikes own weight and momentum to do it.

I just walk the bike up a few feet, grab the side/rear handlebar, then walk it backwards really fast, then quickly slam the center stand downwards with my right foot, causing the bike to obviously roll itself back on the stand.(i use my bodyweight and arms to pull the bike back too)

It's a little violent and sometimes scraps my crappy garage floor, but it works!

2 Inch platform worked

I put three sheets of plywood (2 inches in all) together so the wheel goes up one plywood sheet at a time. After the rear wheel goes up all three sheets of plywood, the wheel is two inches high. It is then an easy gig to pull the bike backward and it just rocks onto the center stand. Also, once the bike is on the center stand I can remove the plywood platform and keep it inside so the weather doesn't degrade it. Hope this helps. Gord.

No lifting handle extant on mine thanks to PO. It just ain't there.

Spyderman showed me how to do it on my big lump of a GS850. It has to be over 600lbs. Good thing because I was wrenching my back every time I did it my old way.

Stand on left side of bike facing bike. Left hand on handlebar, right hand on lifting handle near back below seat. Right foot on centre stand foot thing. Put weight on centre stand and liftup handle. It is that easy.

Thanks Jon.

I did say my technique might be off. I also said my 850 does NOT have the grab rail or 'lifting bar' as far as I can determine. Grabbing the frame member as was described might help (have to try that) but I definately have the size for the job. BTW, isn't an E model more of a sporting mount? that would mean a higher ride height than the wanabe Harley L model. That might be why. Or I could just not be catching the right angle.
And I am getting it stable. I'm out of practice, not a tyro.

Not a hassle for me at all with my 850. Stand down, press on the tab with my foot, lift upwards and rearwards from the frame member that descends from near the rear of the tank. Not 'easy' but definitely not like you guys are describing!

Remember, practice makes perfect ;D

- boingk