using the centerstand

[giturgun]

Back when I was young and ignorant I could jerk any of them on the stand. I worked on all brands for 7 years and found a few tricks that made it easier. One is the type of suspension it has. If the shocks are lower than factory you will strain yer gut . My 77 has sw mk 2's on it and when the air is not there the shock goes bottom slamming. It is not possible to raise it with the suspension down . Your trying to raise the whole weight of the beast in a longer arc to overcenter the weight and it is just not possible to go that much.
If you have a air adjust jack the pressure up some it raises the suspension and makes the amount of travel to overcenter it much less. Same goes for the front . toodaloo

Another is to make sure you have it all lined up before starting the lift. If it is sitting on only one leg and you start up it will try to find it's balance on both , effectivly putting you off balance, I usually put the stand down and put just a little weight on the foot, pushing the bike left and right till both legs are firmly on the terra firma, then with left hand on bars just to guide the front straight back I apply weight to the rocker and lift with the right hand in one motion. If you let the front wheel go left or right it will definatly ruin yer day. The lift with right hand is what will do the most work , as the lift is done let the weight transfer to your foot on the rocker. If you don't take all your weight off your left foot it will decrease the lift. Don't worry about the bike turning over if you have both feet on the ground it will be more stable than you.
Back when I showed a lot of people how to c stand their bike I found the biggest problem was them worrying about it falling over on them.

[luv2ride]

well I tried everything, straddling the big and rocking and jerking, had no luck. several times had other people help me but still difficult. got home yesterday and wanted to change the oil. put my left foot on center stand, body against the lower part of the seat and pulled with left hand on road bars and right hand on rack frame and gave a big heave, It didn't want to come but I convinced her and she finally rolled over. dragbike

[tallnwise]

It took me a little practice but I can now put my GL1100 on my center stand with relative ease. It took me one afternoon to master the technique that I read about somewhere.

The two key tricks were to push with the right leg rather than pull with with left hand, and make sure you are facing your body backwards.

GLs & BMWs actual have very well-balanced center stands which allow one to pretty easily use them.

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Very few bikes are trouble to put on a centre stand, provided the wheels, suspension or ride height have not been modified from original. Things like tires with lower-than-stock profile, or dropping the triple clamp on the fork can make a bike difficult to put on a centre stand.

Here's how to put bike on Centre Stand (for the first few tries, make sure you have someone on the other side as a catcher):

1. Stand on left side of bike, get bike off sidestand and upright using
handlebar.
2. Keep front wheel pointed straight ahead. keep left hand on left handgrip.
3. With right hand grasp purpose designed rail or sub-frame below left side of passenger seat.
4. Turn yourself (if you haven't already) around so your feet and body now face to the right and somewhat rearward.
5. With ball of right foot, push down centre stand footpiece until foot of centre stand touches ground. Make sure both feet are in contact with ground (bike doesn't rock from side to side).
6. Lean slightly over the saddle, keep your back and right arm straight.
7. Now, with your right foot still on the centre stand footpiece, straighten your right leg. The bike should pop onto the centre-stand!

There shouldn't be a lot of force required, and not a lot of strength. The important things to remember are to keep the right arm straight when grasping the rail, your feet slightly apart, and your back straight so as not to injure yourself. The muscle power all comes from simply straightening your right leg. If you don't straighten it, you can stomp all you want and the bike won't go on the stand.

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Once you master this, you can impress the big guys.

Regards,
Dan

[MC Rider]

I have never had a problem putting mine on the center stand and I am not a big guy. Here's the drill I learned when GWs first arrived in the US. Instead of pulling, jerking, etc on the bars, stand on the center stand arm with your left foot, keep left hand on the bars and right hand on the frame rail just behind the shock and slightly lift up. The bike should "roll" up on the center stand very gently.
MC

[cycleman]

It's mostly about technique not brute strength.

I've found that shorter than stock shock lenghts cause most of the problems in getting the bike on the center stand. If the shock is even a 1/4" shorter than stock you'll have issues getting the bike on the centerstand.

Technique: Bike level, left hand on left handgrip, right hand under seat/frame by helemet lock, right foot on center stand, you have to turn your body slightly to the right. Slowly pull the bike backwards and at the same time push down with your right foot and at the same time lift with your right hand. Your right leg does 90 % of the work.

That's it.

[frenchyric]

I'm 6' 250 and have no problems putting mine on its stand either, I do it the same way WF does,[ no pun intended ]. You just have to hold your mouth right lol

[jpbadger9]

I was able to get mine up until I had to take the grab rail off. Now a block of wood is the only way for me. Seems to me, I could put my 750 up while sitting on it......

[scdmarx]

I'm not gonna fight this. I just went out and bought a motorcycle jack. Best investment since the bike itself. Works great! I just used it to change the rear tire. Feels good to have new rubber!

I think I'll get a tire machine next. This was the hardest tire I ever had to change!

[FirstYearDeek]

I was able to get mine up until I had to take the grab rail off. Now a block of wood is the only way for me. Seems to me, I could put my 750 up while sitting on it......

Was that a CB? I remember getting mine on the stand while sitting (or crouching, I guess) on the bike.

I also remember both tires resting when it was on the stand too...

-Deek

[johnnymac]

I remember the 76 I had I could do it by pulling/yanking up on the grab rail while holding down the center stand with my right foot.

I had a 98 that I just sold. A kinda thin fellow showed me this and I think it is the correct way. **Practice with a helper**. I ALWAYS have it on the side stand to begin with.

Put the center stand down with your right foot until both sides of the center stand contact the floor, asphalt, cement etc. You are basically holding the 1/2 ton two wheeler in the "balanced zone" with your left hand and right foot. Come up off the ground with your left foot, and come down with all your weight on your right foot (on the centerstand).
It works for me. Before that, I had an 84 for two years and could not do it, except on occasion. After I learned this, I could do it every time.
He also showed me how to pick up a tipped over Wing by myself. Facing away from it, grabbing the back seat grab handle with the left hand and the handlebar with the right. Then push back against it with your weight. It may work for you.
I still call my 110 lb. wife to help

[sgwilly]

Oddly enough I just typed this up for a friend that just got a gsx1100g and isn't able to get it up on the center stand. There are some excellent write ups already done in the post but hearing it a third or fourth time from someone else sometimes does the trick.

Getting a heavy bike up on the center stand is not just a sheer lifting event. For the Goldwing (and I assume yours too) it's a matter of three forces at the same time - and setup is critical.

First you get the forks straight (if turned it makes it harder).
Hold the left handlebar grip with your left and and grab the frame with your right hand somewhere above your right foot which you use to lower the centerstand lever.
Make sure the centerstand has both feet on the ground (rock the bike gently side-to-side to feel the feet touching).
Now step HARD on the foot lever while pulling up with your right hand. As the bike comes up on the centerstand, begin to lean it back so it rolls up into position.
Your left hand is only for control and balance of the forks.
It's more foot-push than hand-lift, but actually what you're doing is using your hand as an anchor for applying more down-force to your foot - that's why the placement of your right hand has to be above your right foot on the centerstand lever.
Focus on spreading the distance between your hand and foot, once it comes up it 3-4", start to lean into it pushing it backwards - don't fall onto the stops if you can help it.
Don't worry about the bike falling - if you started out level on both feet, there's no way it's going down - so go into it committed.
Make sure you have the side stand down as well, it you do come up short just keep the center of balance on your side and you'll never drop it.

I'm successful 95% of the time. When I fail it's because I'm in a hurry and didn't get setup correctly.

As proof that it's more technique than force, back when my parents rode it, my Mom could do it (5'5", 130 lbs., 50 yrs. old) while my Dad never did get it right. It kept him humble.

[mdbauer1962]

I too tipped my '80 GL1100 w/full vetter kit using the center stand. I tipped it once going up. Just didn't give it enough oomph on the way up, and it came back down and went forward away from me and tipped over against the camper (no damage 'cept my pride). Been nervous about putting the d*mn thing up ever since!

Second time I was alongside,on the left, both hands on the grips, pushing forward to get the bike down off the stand but needed to stop the bike before it hit the bench ahead of it. As it came of the stand, I inadvertantly grabbed the front brake before it was all the way off the stand and the bike just picked me up (all 5'10" 170 lbs) and went down hard on the right side with me laying across the bike. Sh*t !!!

After I said a lot of words my kids shouldn't hear, I went around and tipped it back up (took a couple trys) and hurt my back in the process. Busted a mirror and bent the fairing bracket a little so the gap between the fairing and tank is a little narrower on the right side.

Is there a best way to right a downed wing?

[sgwilly]

All I can say is grab that sucker by the horns (handlebars), get a good stance and lift with your legs.

Sounds like that center stand has been working you over.

[CYBORG]

Howard [the 1100/1200 expert] from randakks ralley, might weight 120llbs soaking wet, and mayber 5'10". he caries a block of wood with him. runs the rear tire up on the 2x4, and lifts the bike up with ease

[puffy75]

I have a tip on my web site called "Can You Stand It" that goes over some of the points of getting a bike to the center stand. Have a look, it cud inthert. www.retrorideinfo.com