Kawi Centerstand fallover

[whataboutbob]

My buddy has a Kaw concours 1400 and read on their fourm that in high winds the bike will blow over easier on the centerstand than on the sidestand.anyone have any experience with this? doesn't seem right Bob

 

[msfchris]

Seen it myself with a group of Gold Wings... in a high wind storm, 7 wings on the center stand were blown over, 3 more on their side stands were still upright!

Look at the size of the triangle formed with the centerstand and the front tire, and then look at the triangle formed with both tires and the side stand.

The side stand usually creates a larger triangle, and is therefore more stable.

 

[Crash Cash]

My buddy has a Kaw concours 1400 and read on their fourm that in high winds the bike will blow over easier on the centerstand than on the sidestand.anyone have any experience with this? doesn't seem right Bob

Yeah, after one of the Florida hurricanes, I saw bikes on their centerstands laying on their sides with the centerstand still down, and the ones on their sidestands are still up, in a parking lot at UCF. If I was a mythbuster, I'd guess the stand has a much wider area of support, and the CG is lower.

It was sad to see one of the old 4-cylinder Goldwings laying there like that.

EDIT: If a bike is on its centerstand, you can wobble it a little by yourself, even a big 'ol FJR. A bike on the sidestand is much more stable.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Once, while taking advantage of B.C. Ferries to cover some miles, we all heeded the crew's advice on how to park the bikes in the ship's hold. All except 'Round-the-World-Traveler, 'Werner'/'Gunther'/'Wolfgang','?', (and his 'BayEmVay') who said: "Vee know how to park motorads in Chermany -- und dat is on mainstand blah-blah-blah..."

Well, you can guess who's bike (the only bike) was laying on its side when we all returned to the car level to leave.....

 

[Geezer]

If you expect very high winds you want the bike on the side stand, as already stated by others, and you want the front of the bike facing into the wind. That way, if the wind is severe enough to push the bike it will drag the sidestand and won't fold it up.

 

[Philip V]

Hmm, makes sense, I never thought it through before, and I always put my bike on center when expecting wind . Guess I'm gonna change my ways!

 

[dsmack]

Once, while taking advantage of B.C. Ferries to cover some miles, we all heeded the crew's advice on how to park the bikes in the ship's hold. All except 'Round-the-World-Traveler, 'Werner'/'Gunther'/'Wolfgang','?', (and his 'BayEmVay') who said: "Vee know how to park motorads in Chermany -- und dat is on mainstand blah-blah-blah..."
Well, you can guess who's bike (the only bike) was laying on its side when we all returned to car the level to leave.....

Yeah, but that was because it was the pissed-off deckhand who came by and knocked it over!

[SIZE=8pt](gooooo, deckhand!)[/SIZE]

Don