Center Stand

[chocking]

Hi Quick question for all...I got my 83 VR last year and just love it.. Best Riding bike I've ever had in 30 years of riding. No 2nd gear problems yet with 28,000

 

However I for the life of me cannot get it up on it's center stand.. I'm 6:4 230 and fairly strong. I've also had a buddy of mine who has ridden for years and is an instructor for the MSF try as well... the 2 of us could hardly get it up. He said he has never had difficulty like that either.

 

Is there some trick I'm missing on this particular bike or is that a problem others have had as well? Just curious?

Thanks,

Clay

[Squeeze]

With the Bike on the Side Stand, just move it upright, place your right Foot on the Lever of the Center Stand, grab the left read Guard Rail with your right Hand and step on the Center Stand with your whole Weight on the right Foot. Meanwhile your left Hand on the Handlebar controls the upright Position of the Bike.

 

If you like, you can pull a bit on the Guard Rail and it will lift easy. Might be helpful if you use more the center Area of your Foot than the Toe.

[Squidley]

Clay,

Make sure that there is a good amount of air in the rear shock. If your low on air, it will set lower to the ground and will be a bear to get on the stand. Once your used to how it goes it's no problem...but check that rear shock, if you have questions you can PM me.

[Dano]

You've got 2"s and 60 pounds on me, it's all technique. I tend to use the rear guard rail and foot to get the bike up (ya'll thought I was gonna say "get it up" didn't ya!). Just make sure you're about a foot or so away from anything behind the bike.

 

Dan

[lonestarmedic]

I'm all of 5'9" and I had to develop the push down and pull up

technique. Off of the side stand and bring down the center stand

with the left foot. Make sure the ball of your foot is square on the

lever. I then rock the bike a little bit to ensure that both feet of

the centerstand are on the ground. I grab the left passenger's

rail with my right hand and the left bar with my left hand. I then

stand down with my right footand pull up with my right hand. I

actually bring my left foot off the ground at this point. The bike

then rolls up and back about a foot. The action you are looking to

produce would be as if you are stretching a large rubberband between

the right foot and hand. My 1986 will usually hop up with enough

force to actually rock off of the front wheel and then settle back down.

This has worked on every bike I have worked with. The hardest thing

to do is let yourself come off the ground for a moment.

 

Now all of this is dependent on your stand being in good shape. Get

down and lower the stand and look at welds and hinging. Make sure

all looks to be correct. Hpoe this helps. If not, I could make a short

video of this over the weekend and send it to you.

 

JB

[hipshot]

Clay, at 5'10", 130 pounds, i have found the easiest way , to get my '86 on the center stand, is with a floor jack, under the trailer hitch !

no way in hell, i can "waltz it" up on the center stand!

you , being a "big ole boy"should have NO problems! just follow everyone else's directions.

 

lol

just jt

[91nwl]

I'm 5-11 and 190. I put mine up easily. Good advise above. It is all technique, not strength. Once you "get it", it will seem easy. Make sure both feet of the stand are making good contact, then push down with all your weight on the lever with a slight pull on the passenger grab rail and she'll roll over toward the back.

[Venturous Randy]

I want to second squidley on the air in the rear shock. Another thing to take a good look at is the condition of the frame around the center stand / rear shock mount. If this bike is harder to get on the center stand than normal, it may indicate you have some weld/crack problems in this area. 83's are known to have this problem.

Another thing that makes it easier to get on the center stand is to shorten it about a 1/2 inch. I did that to mine several years ago and it helps a bunch.

RandyA

[vicco27]

Chocking I had a lot of trouble getting our 1st gen up on the stand to, so I made a short roller stand which did the trick. Since we are converting our 1st gen into a trike the short roller stand is up for grabs (sale) its custom built so I don't no what it is worth. If you are interested let me know. :) :) :).

[Vance]

bring down the center stand with the left foot......... I then stand down with my right footand pull up with my right hand.

JB

 

I think you menat to say you 'bring down the center stand with the right foot'.

[Condor]

I think Squidley's point is most important. I'm a monster, but if the rear shock is at zero psi it's a bear to get the bike up on the stand. It's also very difficult to get my big foot between the muffler and the stand pad. Case in point, on the '91 I just picked up. When I tried to get the thing on the stand the first time I almost busted a gonad, but once I got the Class control and compressor working it's now a piece of cake. Any bike with 40-70 psi in the rear shock should just 'rock' up. Another small point... it's human nature to keep that big ol' bike tilted a little bit toward you while starting to put pressure on the pad, and makes it even harder to lift. It's scary, but rock it side to side until you can feel both of the center stand feet make contact. Reduces effort by 50%.....

[SilvrT]

My method is far better than anyone's and works every time .... absolutely effortless....

 

 

 

Get someone else to do it....

 

[91nwl]

Rear Class pressure, as stated above, is very important. I also noticed that it got easier after I installed new progressive springs in the front, for the same reason...the bike is higher. But, I also had to cut my windscreen down.

[Brake Pad]

The 2 of us could hardly get it up. He said he has never had difficulty like that either.

 

 

Sometimes you just leave yourself open for the shoe:rotf::rotf::rotf:LOL:stirthepot:

[SilvrT]

The 2 of us could hardly get it up. He said he has never had difficulty like that either.

 

 

Sometimes you just leave yourself open for the shoe:rotf::rotf::rotf:LOL:stirthepot:

 

They have pills for that now....

 

 

(and how would I know about this you ask? ) ....

[Brake Pad]

Sorry I'm married it doesn't matter anymore...............

[Guest Bigin]

Humping it up onto the centerstand used to be fairly easy. Then I installeld new Progressive springs, which raised the front end up, so I run very little air now. Well I am 6'6' and 280 and I no longer use my center stand. Too difficult unless I pump up the rear suspension to at least 40 pounds. Amazing difference.

[Guest KitCarson]

Hey....if you want to put your bike on the center stand and not go to all the trouble airing the shock up......or if hydraulic shock....whatever.......just roll the rear tire up on a piece of 3/4 plywood......it will jump right up there.

[GigaWhiskey]

The one trick that helped the most I got from someone about the same weight as JT and shorter. This guy put my bike on the center stand without a sweat.

 

The little teeter from side to side to make sure it is set right on on both legs of the center stand worked like a charm.

 

I finally realized what I was doing that made it so hard for me, I was pulling the bike more toward me and putting more if the weight and effort on one of the legs. That was where the whole problem was with with me.

 

So, lightly teeter it to plant both center stands legs firm, pull up with the saddlebag guard and some from the handlebar. Remember to not pull it towards yourself.

 

The low PSI would prolly help too.

[mbrood]

And on these 20-something year old bikes, you can GREATLY reduce the resistance by greasing the bolts that hold the center stand. Pry one coil with a screwdriver until you can wedge a penny in. Then switch sides and repeat, move up one coil and repeat... Pretty soon the coil will be slack and you can get the bolts out easy. Removing the pennies afterward is still helped with that screwdriver.

[bongobobny]

OK there has been several threads on this, but here's a way. Get yourself a short piece of 2X4 or 2X6 and place it behind the rear tire. Roll the bike backwards with the kickstand down (just in case) so that the back wheel is on the board. Then, face forward, bring the centerstand down so it is just hitting the ground. place your right heel on the centerstand while holding the handlebar with your LEFT hand, and with your right hand grab the passenger grab rail. Proceed to jerk the bike both up and back with your left hand. Do not fight the bike with your right hand as it will automatically want to move somewhat away from you. Just keep the handlebars straight with your left hand. The bike should pop right up on the centerstand!! It may take a couple of trys to get it. Keep the kickstand down, just in case, until the bike is resting on the centerstand

 

Yuo may want to oil the centerstand up thoroughly before you try this so that it is working smoothly. I'm only 5'9" and 63 years old and can still do it with ease...

[Jayceesfolly]

I put a 1 X 6 board under my bike. I just drive up on the board and stop, then it is very easy to put on the center stand. The board is screwed to the wooden floor so it will not move. Also, air up the rear shock, very important.

 

Jim

[Mariner Fan]

I have to use the 2x4 trick to get my bike on the center stand. Still trying to figure out why my back tire is so high up from the ground since I have leveling links installed.

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/5483061076_16710ce718.jpg

 

I can just about roll a 2x4 under the tire while on the center stand. Freebirds bike didn't raise the tire off the ground. I figure I'll take it to maintenance day and try to figure out why this is so. Maybe I installed it wrong....