Center Stand

Ok, I know I am a FNG, but I have never owned a bike that has a center stand. I made a feable attempt but was not sure where to hold to pull the bike up on the stand without dumping it. I searched this site and the fjr info site with no luck. I also looked in the owners manual and did not see any aids there either!

Thanks in advance for your help.

Stand on the left side of the bike. There is a handle under the seat just before the saddle bag mounts.

Right hand in the handle, left hand on the handlebar.

Step down on the center stand, make sure both feet of the center stand are on the floor.

Stand on the center stand with all your weight, while pulling straight up with your right hand and keep the bike steady with the left hand.

Should pop right up.

Have someone help you do it the first few times to steady the bike just in case you lose it.

Good luck and don't drop it!!!

Standing on the left side of the bike, left hand on left grip, right hand on grab handle on rear of seat, place left ball of foot on center stand knob and push down into the ground. Instead of trying to lift the bike onto the stand push the stand under the bike. I start with the side stand down. As I unweight the bike from the side stand I transfer the weight to the center stand. It takes practice.

I think it is all in one smooth action. The side stand was harder to get it on the center stand. So recap-put all your frigin weight on the center stand and at the same time guide with the hands.

On my old silverwing, I use to bounce the front fork a little and with the rebound it seemed to help - or it was just in my head.

good luck - don't drop it!

PS: Do NOT try to lower the bike onto the sidestand from the centerstand while standing next to the bike. We had some dopey poster try that and nearly dropped his bike.

To get it from the centerstand to the sidestand: don't be a lazy-***--get on the bike; rock it off the centerstand onto the wheels; deploy the sidestand; check that it is fully deployed and then lean the bike onto it.

Alternatively, you could always park the bike next to a tree on the centerstand with the sidestand down.

Furthermore, on the centerstand, you can shift the AE 55 times in a minute....

Scythian said:

Furthermore, on the centerstand, you can shift the AE 55 times in a minute....

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Now dat's some useful info right there! :lol:

One more tip that makes a HUGE difference in effort....

Make sure the bike is standing level when you do this.

If you are holding it in a slight lean, it requires muscle!

One more note ( I think the "press down on standf vs. lift up on bike" is the best advice), my 117 lb. wife can throw the fjr on the center stand all by herself. She gently rolls the bike backwards (at a crawl) and then does the steps above. The gentle momentum helps the bike hoist itself up. She learned this 17 years ago with my 700 lb honda sabre -- and she doesnt drive!

[Now for the obligatory wise *** remark]

They make a little blue pill for that problem.

[/Now for the obligatory wise *** remark]

One trick I learnt with my XX.

If you are concerned at dropping the bike over on to the RH side, position yourself as the other posters have said, with the bike on the sidestand. Lower the centre stand while standing the bike upright - you will feel the centrestand 'feet' contact the ground as the bike comes to the vertical.

One the bike is vertical and level (both centre stand 'feet' on the ground), lift as per the instructions in the posts above.

It is probably a good idea to have another person standing on the RH side with a loose grip on the bike as a 'safety number' for the first few times.

I'm not sure that the 'lift straight up advice' is the best. Do this and you will do yourself an injury.

My technique is this. Keep the sidestand fully down in case you don't get it right first time and want to rest the bike before trying again. It is a knack and might seem like an impossibility until you master it.

Locate the rear grab point (a gap in the seat fairing on the left-hand side just before the bag mounts). Put all your fingers on your right hand inside it (palm upwards) so that the inner part of the fingers can put pressure against the frame at that point. Grip the left-hand handlebar grip with the left hand.

Position yourself so that you can comfortably balance on your left foot while holding the bike like this and use your right foot to lower the centre stand. When the stand touches the ground (make sure you are on level ground anyway) apply as much of your body weight to your right foot to anchor the stand on the ground. Now, gently lift the bike off the side-stand by pushing the bike away from you so that it becomes upright. As you do this, keep your weight on the centre-stand lug and you will feel the bike settle on the other leg of the centre stand.

Now comes the bit that needs practice. Instead of trying to lift the bike (you won't do it because it is too heavy!), move the bike backwards using the grab handle and the bars. As you do this, keep your foot firmly planted on the stand lug. This movement will cause the stand toi become a pivot and lever the whole bike up and back until the centre stand is firmly engaged.

When taking the bike off the stand, sit on the bike and push forward so that you have a leg either side of the bike to keep it upright as the stand flips up.

It's probablu easiest to practice with a lighter bike but different bikes need a slightly different technique depending where their centre of gravity is and the design of the stand.

Good luck.

If you are nerveous about dropping it Take it to the dealer and have them show you a time or two and work with you trying it a time or 7.

One of the nice things about the Motorcycle community that I think is incredibly unique. I have never met anyone in the community that would not help you learn, or has forgotten what they felt like when they were learning.

Ask someone to show you. Once you see it done right it is like ff. OK that is pretty easy. Id show ya dude but you are prolly to far away, then pay it forward

Or yew kud dew whut summa us more "larjer-framed" fellers dew: Jist pick that dang old sucker up wuth yer rat arm en reech down under the bike wuth yer dang old leff arm en flip thet doggone ol sinter-stan down then putt the bike down onnit. Werks fer me! If'n wunna the uther larje fellers is aroun', we jist pick up the FJR by the Givi rack en let the uther wun flip that dangly ol sinter-stan down, then put her down. Nivver had wun fallin' over yit. :blink:

Uhm...YMMV. :lol:

madmike2 said:

Or yew kud dew whut summa us more "larjer-framed" fellers dew: Jist pick that dang old sucker up wuth yer rat arm en reech down under the bike wuth yer dang old leff arm en flip thet doggone ol sinter-stan down then putt the bike down onnit. Werks fer me! If'n wunna the uther larje fellers is aroun', we jist pick up the FJR by the Givi rack en let the uther wun flip that dangly ol sinter-stan down, then put her down. Nivver had wun fallin' over yit. :blink:
Uhm...YMMV. :lol:

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Is that English?

Hi Mark, welcome to the FJR community! Learning to use a centerstand can be a daunting experience at first, lots of good advice here but I would get someone to show you if you can, it's about technique not strength and seeing someone else do it could help. Having someone stand on the right hand side of the bike (in case it topples) while you do it the first few times will help your confidence. Once you master it you'll wonder why you ever found it difficult. Regards - feliz.

They make a little blue pill for that problem.
[/Now for the obligatory wise *** remark]

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harrrr de harrrrr dont ya love the newbie bach

twowheelnut said:

[Now for the obligatory wise *** remark]
They make a little blue pill for that problem.

[/Now for the obligatory wise *** remark]

Click to expand...

Damn, some of us have to work and can't post whore all day.

You beat me to it - Hats off B)

You forgot instructions:

Place pill in tank

wait 15 min

enjoy the lift

Click here.

Do NOT try to lower the bike onto the sidestand from the centerstand while standing next to the bike.To get it from the centerstand to the sidestand: don't be a lazy-***--get on the bike; rock it off the centerstand onto the wheels; deploy the sidestand; check that it is fully deployed and then lean the bike onto it.

Click to expand...

Why not?

I am not lazy and I guess I am not weak like some. I have been leaving the sidestand down when I go

up or down with the centerstand for a couple years now. I don't find it hard to hold the bike up straight

from the side with one hand on the bar and one on the grab rail. No problems. YMMV.