• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Speaking of center stands

  • Thread starter Thread starter Hinermad
  • Start date Start date
I'm over 300 pounds so I thought just standing on the center stand peg (and maybe rocking the bike back a bit) should have popped it up onto the stand. No dice. I suspect my rear shocks are shot. They don't feel too bad when I'm riding, but with my weight I'm sure I'm compressing them pretty well as it is when I'm mounted.

Salty_monk, I'll keep your advice in mind about the longer shocks. How does that improve performance? My impression is that a lower CG makes the bike more stable, but clearly I'm not the expert here.

Boriqua, I took it in the same way you meant it, in fun. My history is not your fault. Still buds! But for some reason I assumed I needed a palm-down grip to actually lift the bike (I know, fat chance with a 750) onto the stand. As a previous poster pointed out, as long as both feet on the stand are planted the bike won't tip, so I can turn toward the back and get more leverage on the sissy bar rail. (I learned on a 450 which I could -almost- pick up and carry by myself. I'm sure I learned a few bad habits that way.)
 
I am currently in love with my new Hagon shocks .. they are only 1/4 inch longer than stock but priced right and a nice ride so far. I was already kind of balls of feet at lights if I try and put both feet down but I am a one foot down guy anyway so the height usually doesn't bother me much. Except for dropping the bike off the center stand I rarely have both feet down.


http://www.davequinnmotorcycles.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/HAGON_TWIN_SHOCKS.html
 
Hinermad said:
I'm over 300 pounds so I thought just standing on the center stand peg (and maybe rocking the bike back a bit) should have popped it up onto the stand. No dice. I suspect my rear shocks are shot. They don't feel too bad when I'm riding, but with my weight I'm sure I'm compressing them pretty well as it is when I'm mounted.

Salty_monk, I'll keep your advice in mind about the longer shocks. How does that improve performance? My impression is that a lower CG makes the bike more stable, but clearly I'm not the expert here.

Boriqua, I took it in the same way you meant it, in fun. My history is not your fault. Still buds! But for some reason I assumed I needed a palm-down grip to actually lift the bike (I know, fat chance with a 750) onto the stand. As a previous poster pointed out, as long as both feet on the stand are planted the bike won't tip, so I can turn toward the back and get more leverage on the sissy bar rail. (I learned on a 450 which I could -almost- pick up and carry by myself. I'm sure I learned a few bad habits that way.)
Click to expand...

At 300lbs you can certainly just lever it up with the center stand. Just get the 2 feet of the center stand on the ground solid and stand on it. That is critical. Use your hands just to keep the bike steady. It will literally POP onto the center stand.

Now about those leaves in your bike in the pic ... :)
I think we need to talk LOL
 
If I ride up onto both 1.5" thick blocks, push down on the stand lever with my left foot, and rock back very firmly at the same time it's not even necessary to get off the bike to raise it up on the center stand. I'm much lighter than most here too and with original shocks they're pretty tired and saggy. The angled cut on the end really helps.


 
Boriqua said:
At 300lbs you can certainly just lever it up with the center stand. Just get the 2 feet of the center stand on the ground solid and stand on it. That is critical. Use your hands just to keep the bike steady. It will literally POP onto the center stand.
Click to expand...

No it won't. I've tried repeatedly. That's why I asked. I suspect the shocks are shot, and it sits too low for that to work.

Now about those leaves in your bike in the pic ... :)
I think we need to talk LOL
Click to expand...

This is a bike that's already been stored for winter. There was 3" of snow on the ground at that point, and we got another 8" last night. I only peeled the cover back to take the photos that someone else requested.

Just be glad there weren't any walnuts in there. The local squirrels love to store nuts on a covered motorcycle.
 
If you'd like to keep the sissy bar and possibly make no modifications to it, I'd suggest the wood idea first. As Earl was saying, the standard 1 5/8" thick "2X6" helps a lot but you can make a custom piece of wood closer to 2" thick or whatever you need and the bike will sit on the stand with so little effort that you wouldn't need to get a strong grip on the grab rail or sissy bar. I'm thinking you would just need to "cup" your hand under the rail/bar or side of the seat and that's all you'll need to sit the bike up.
Just place the bike on the stand, measure the rear tire clearance above the floor and use/build a piece of wood that's maybe 3/8 to 1/4" less. A "Standard" smooth 2X6 is 1 5/8" thick but a "rough cut" 2X6 is about 1 3/4 to 1 7/8 thick. Or use 2 different boards that give the perfect thickness.
 
Tired shocks or not, if you reduce the amount of swing arm travel you need to overcome to a minimum, the bike WILL sit up with minimal effort.
 
Chef1366 is a big guy and can do it without even getting off the bike! :)

It must be the shocks. The longer shocks essentially make the head angle a little steeper & make the turn-in a bit more responsive. Not a lot but you'll notice the difference. :)
 
Just an additional bit of info. I mistakenly bought new Hagons that were 0.5" shorter than stock. While they have greatly improved the feel of the ride, I haven't noticed any negative impact on handling. However, the effort required to get the 650G up on the centre stand is quite a bit more than with the crappy old Icons that a PO had installed.

It's still not what I would describe as difficult, and I don't have the grab bar to assist. I just put my hand on the frame.


Given your description, I wonder if there is something also happening with the centrestand. It could be bent in a way that impedes creating leverage.
 
Take pics of center stand...we wanna see the underbelly of your bike!


Ed
 
Hinermad said:
Boriqua's question about side or center stands reminded me of something I wanted to ask. Is there a trick to getting a GS up onto the center stand? On a level surface I just can't rock the bike up onto it. I have to run the front tire up onto a board or paver that's at least an inch and a half thick before I can get the bike up on the stand.

With my old 450 I could step on the peg on the side of the stand, lift the handlebars, and rock the bike back onto the stand in one motion. But not with the 750. Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

The biggest and best trick to getting any old bike onto its centre stand is make sure you don't have saggy old springs front and rear. You'd be amazed at the difference a loss of half an inch makes to getting it up, as they say.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top