hurt my back trying to put fjr on center stand

[tmonroe]

this happened about 30 minutes ago. I'm at work, and I'm sitting here with a hot water bottle heating up my back, and letting Ibuprofin take a little bit of the edge off.

I've always thought this bike was unusually difficult to put on the center stand. My Goldwing (which weighs what? Like 300 pounds more) was much easier. I used to center that bike all the time - why is the FJR so much more difficult?

Its very cold here this morning (readout said 23 degrees on the way in) - when I got to the parking area, on the second try, I was pushing the bike backwards while pressing down on the center stand, and under my left foot, it felt like something sort of gave way (I think it was me pulling a muscle).

I just left the bike on the sidestand, and limped into work. The pains not bad enough for me to fall over, and if I'm very careful with my balance, I can walk with only a little discomfort. The pain comes from my back on the left side at my waist. I'm alternating heat and cold on the area, and fortunatly my job has me sitting down, which is only slightly uncomfortable. Getting up is painful, but if I walk around, the pain gradually lessens a little.

Has anybody else done this? I've been working out and lifting weights for the last year consistently, and just before I rode into work, I was thinking about how good I've felt lately. I sure don't feel very good right now.

Sorry if this is a common thing with lots of threads about it... I did a search for "hurt back" and centerstand, and none of the threads that came up seemed to be related to this type of thing...

 

[CaptianBanana]

I just left the bike on the sidestand, and limped into work. The pains not bad enough for me to fall over, and if I'm very careful with my balance, I can walk with only a little discomfort. The pain comes from my back on the left side at my waist. I'm alternating heat and cold on the area, and fortunatly my job has me sitting down, which is only slightly uncomfortable. Getting up is painful, but if I walk around, the pain gradually lessens a little.
Has anybody else done this? I've been working out and lifting weights for the last year consistently, and just before I rode into work, I was thinking about how good I've felt lately. I sure don't feel very good right now.

I get the same problem. Except it comes to me usually if I roll over in bed improperly. Hurts like a motherFr. If I walk around some it loosens up and starts to feel OK, but if I sit down for a while, getting up can be a real chore. Just started within the past few months.

Worst was I went and got a massage. Felt great on the table, and after 90 minutes I was like overcooked pasta. Couldn't get off the table though. Soon as I moved it felt like every muscle in my lower back cramped up. Thought I was going to have to call the wife and have her come there to help me get dressed.

Doc thinks I may have a pinched nerve, but I lack some of the symptoms. He's got me doing some stretching and I've been exercising the abs more. Been OK for the last couple weeks.

The bike may not be at fault. This is my first bike with a center stand, but it does take a pretty good heave to get it up there. I'd say if you've injured yourself with it you may have another problem.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Sorry about your back. Hope the ibuprofen will kick in enough that you can ride home.

Regarding the centerstand, some people have trouble with it...most do not.

 

[not2shabby]

I noticed it's harder than other bikes too, that's why I just use the sidestand unless I need the rear wheel off the ground.

 

[Afast03nNJ]

Most people don't know the correct way to put a bike on it's center stand.

The trick is not to pull the bike up, but rather step down harder on the center stand lift point.

My FJR comes up like cake. There's a vid up on youtube that explains this better.

 

[Ignacio]

Covered in the Best of NEPRT.

 

[MEM]

aw, geez. Tomorrow is the day for this one ....

And why do I feel compelled to point out that, at 125 pounds, I can put the Feej on its centerstand. Not MINE 'cuz it's been lowered. But I could do yours

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Some BMW touring bikes have power-center-stands -- How Civilized...!

 

[dcarver]

It's all technique. Brute force vs. finesse. MEM needs to ride over to demonstrate finesse! :lol:

 

[wheatonFJR]

It's all technique. Brute force vs. finesse. MEM needs to ride over to demonstrate finesse! :lol:

Yes, I wish she'd do "mine" as well. :clapping:

Mine pops up rather easily.

 

[FJRBluesman]

It's all technique. Brute force vs. finesse. MEM needs to ride over to demonstrate finesse! :lol:

Yes, I wish she'd do "mine" as well. :clapping:

Do your what?
I have no issues and can even do it in my bare feet. TMI?

 

[tmonroe]

aw, geez. Tomorrow is the day for this one ....
And why do I feel compelled to point out that, at 125 pounds, I can put the Feej on its centerstand. Not MINE 'cuz it's been lowered. But I could do yours

hmmm... I used to laugh at people who would complain about the Goldwing, because with the right technique, its easy (on that bike). I dunno... bike in neutral, level (both sides of stand touching the ground). STAND on the tang... put my other foot out back behind me, and the only thing left is for me to push the bike back, and most of the time I can get it on the stand, but its much harder than the GL1800. This particular location is my "regular parking spot", and the ground is soft.

If you can do it at 125 pounds, then its not the amount of weight I'm pressing down with... I'm easily supporting more than your body weight with my foot which is pressing down on the stand... I guess I should probably let the bike's weight work for me (IE, get it rolling a bit, and then try to put the stand down, rather than step down and then try to push back).

Anyway, the Ibuprofen is working its magic. I'm up to about 60% already, which feels pretty awesome at this point. I'm going to take it easy for the next while so I don't re-injure myself, but at least I can stand up and sit down without feeling like I'm going to die. Tomorrow morning may be another story though...

 

[Braenen]

Everything everyone else said about putting it on the center stand is correct but I noticed another reason why you may have hurt yourself:

tmonroe

FNG

42 years old

Male

Seattle, WA

Born Feb-18-1967

Yep... The first time I messed up my back (pinched nerve) was just after I turned 40. 6 months of physical therapy and I was fine again. A little over a year later and it happened again. Each time was from simple movements and light weights. One was just picking up a towel from the floor. From what the doc says, it will happen again. :ermm:

Take it very very easy until you are sure that it is not actually a pinched nerve. Pulled muscles are a pain but pinched nerves are on a whole different chart. You may have a serious problem controlling the bike until you relieve the pressure. I recommend parking the bike for a day or two at least.

Get well soon!

 

[Fred W]

I was pushing the bike backwards while pressing down on the center stand, and under my left foot, it felt like something sort of gave way (I think it was me pulling a muscle).

Huh? What were you doing with your left foot? You're supposed to use your right foot.

Were you trying to lift the bike onto the center stand while still sitting on it? :blink:

 

[FJRmogul]

So my question is do you put it on the centerstand while still sitting on the bike, or do you put it on the sidestand first then lift to centerstand? The reason I ask is that you hurt your left foot, which would be difficult unless you are on the bike. I have a really hard time doing it this way. If it's on the sidestand and I'm standing next to the bike I use my right foot on stand and it becomes very easy.

You should try putting my GS Adv on it's centerstand......this takes alot of work when it's loaded!

Hope you feel better soon.

I type slow....Fred W already beat me to it.

 

[tmonroe]

I was pushing the bike backwards while pressing down on the center stand, and under my left foot, it felt like something sort of gave way (I think it was me pulling a muscle).

Huh? What were you doing with your left foot? You're supposed to use your right foot.

Were you trying to lift the bike onto the center stand while still sitting on it? :blink:

Nope - standing next to it.

Maybe that's how I hurt my back... I guess to step down with the left foot, you have to stretch a bit to reach the handlebars. I know I was trying to use my left foot, because its my back on the left side. When it first happened, every time I stepped down with my left foot, it felt like someone was hitting me with a basebat bat... fortunately not so much anymore.

Its going on its sidestand from now on (at least for the next month or so)... then I'll try the right foot. I don't know it that's what I used on the Goldwing or not... maybe the ergonomics of the Goldwing were more natural for me. The bars are probably further forward on the Goldwing, so I probably had to use the right foot.

Also, I was using the Givi Aftermarket luggage rack to lift... I would probably have better leverage if I used this hidden handle I see mentioned in the other posts.

Thanks for pointing me to the posts with the technique information.

 

[wfooshee]

and the only thing left is for me to push the bike back,

I was using the Givi Aftermarket luggage rack to lift

[SIZE=24pt]Incorrect technique!!!!!!![/SIZE]

You don't push the bike back, or get it rolling, lift it (it's 650 pounds, for cryin' out loud!) or anything like that.

You do know there's a handle on the side, under the rail beside the seat, right? THAT's the hand position for the centerstand.

Left hand on the handlebar, right hand in the handle under the seat. Right foot on the centerstand tang, push the centerstand to the ground (no force yet,) rock the bike up so both centerstand feet touch the ground, then stand on the tang. Don't lift at the handle, just hold on there. Use your leg (strongest muscle in the body!) to press down on the tang. You'll put more than your own weight on the tang, and the bike rolls right up. Your back is not involved hardly any more than it is just walking around. It's easy to stand on the tang hard enough to slide the bike backwards several inches on the centerstand when it comes up.

 

[Fred W]

FWIW, I use the GIVI rack handles when deploying onto my center stand too, as I'm 6'2" and reaching down to get the supplied lift handle would cause me back pains... So I do not think that is the problem.

But everything else that wfooshee points out is exactly how I duz it. Of particular note: It is the weight that you put on the centerstand foot pedal tang with your right foot that causes the bike to literally pop-up onto the stand. Not any tugging with arms or back, they are just used to guide it up there without going horizontal.

Of additional significance is that you should be wearing boots (or shoes) with a hard sole so that you can put your entire body weight onto that tang without hurting the sole of your foot.

Good luck with your back recovery. I had a pretty bad one 2 summers ago that nearly made me miss EOM. Luckily, 2 weeks of good PT and I made it still with the liberal use of over the counter NSAIDs. Vitamin I is the shizzy.

 

[YAM TOM]

I also have a goldwing and it is easier to get on the centerstand than the F.J.R. Dont really have to much trouble doing it but it does take a little more effort.