Side stand or center stand on ferryboat?

[KitsapFJR]

Hi,

I ride a Washington State Ferry across Puget Sound every day. When I ride I hear a debate between people as to which is more stable on a rocking boat... the side stand (kick stand) or center stand?

The ferry is quite large and it's not a concern 98% of the time. Occasionally though the wind whips up 4' swells, or a tanker comes racing down the Sound and makes 8' waves. I've never seen or heard a verified story of a bike tipping over, but there are rumours.

I'm going so far with the side stand. It insures that it won't go over to the right, and it seems pretty solid on the left side. I've not done any sort of stability tests though as you might with a boat.

So... on a rocking ferry, which do you suggest? Side stand or center stand?

Thanks!

Steve

 

[FJRay]

I rode the ferry from Friday Harbor for 30 years and I always parked IN GEAR on the side stand. that gives you a reasonable three point support and it won't roll unless some ***** is messing around. I found some clown letting his kids take turns sitting on my bike and he couldn't understand why I was pissed. If it is rough I would try to use one of the bycicle tie downs or if all else fails just stay with your bike.

 

[Warchild]

So... on a rocking ferry, which do you suggest? Side stand or center stand?

Side stand.

With you SITTING ON the bike, of course!!!! :blink:

No way would I take my bike on a Puget Sound ferry and NOT sit on the bike the entire way across!

And since I lived on Whidbey Island for 11 looooong, rain-soaked years, I took a lot of ferry rides. Leaving your bike unattended on the ferry is asking for eventual trouble. Doesn't take much of a little rogue wave or unexpected swell to upset it, whether it's in on the sidestand or center stand.

FJR tupperware is costly. Sit on the bike, and just enjoy the salt water spray.... all part of the Puget Sound experience!

Which is why I live in the High Desert nowadays.... :lol:

 

[KitsapFJR]

Thanks you two.

So far I have left it in gear and on the side stand, which both of you seem to agree with.

However, there's just no way I'm going to sit on the bike at 5:50 in the morning. The Whidbey Island and Friday Harbor ferries which you two mentioned are the older and much smaller boats than the Edmonds ferry I'm on (brand new super jumbo mkII boats... very nice). It rarely ever rocks. There's a dozen or so bikes on board every day. No one has ever said anything about one of there bikes tipping over, but like I said, there's rumors. I think I'd stay with the bike on one of the older boats or more exposed routes. Or on a weekend with the tourists.

I ride the commuter route, not the tourist routes (times) so I don't have to worry too much about some ***** letting his kids sit on the bike.

Guess I'll just take my chances with the side stand and in gear. Hopefully that will keep the bike upright! Gawd...

Thanks!

Steve

 

[HaulinAshe]

I think you are underestimating the chik attraction factor represented by a well chaperoned FJR on a ferry. Probably not an issue at 5:00 in the morning. But around these parts on say... the Fort Fisher to Southport ferry that's frequently used by UNC-Wilmington hotties en route to shopping for bikinis. Man do I love a boat ride on the FJR!

 

[Tropical FJR]

Thanks you two.
It rarely ever rocks.

Boats rock, at the strangest times....trust me, I'm a sailor....for a living.



Put it this way, if it was my bike, and it was not secured (tied down), I would not leave it...

YMMV

Rgds

Glenn

 

[mcatrophy]

I've been on a few ferries around Scottish waters. Usually the bike is strapped down, in which case put it on its centre stand. Then a strap over the saddle. I have a piece of thick leather sheet to protect the saddle.

If free standing, the sidestand and in gear is the best option.

On some ferries, we were advised not to take the bikes ...



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[Kiki]

4'?

how does 20' swells with caps sound.

Here in New Brunswick I visit clients on an island in the south that is serviced by a heavy Norwegean built boat-- carries 60 vehicles and 300 passengers. It is ferry policy to strap down all bikes, even in light seas. It is also the choice of the rider whether it is center or side-stand, but the deck hands recomend side-stand. Straps are run from the deck cleats to the bars, and usually one in the rear. Surprisingly, the worst movements are not the up and down, but rather docking in high winds where the hull flanks the dock and smashes sideways. On this boat, they even strap down the transport trucks.

I take the bike because I know with the heavy traffic in the summer and fall I can pretty much be guaranteed to get on. Unfortunately, with the fall comes the reminants of hurricanes and tropical storms. It takes some heavy water to cause a delay in sailing times on this beast.

 

[radman]

TDubs been on more fairies than anyone I know. Why he hasn't ejaculated his charming wit and lengthy experience into this dickscussion is beyond me. He can be condomscending sometimes, butt compared to him, no one knows ****. I'm sure that if you asked nicely, he'd be happy to cum over and show you the ways of a proper semen.

 

[Dan23]

I disagree with the sidestand advice, reason being that once the bike passes center if it rocks to the right there is NOTHING to prevent it from keeping going onto it's side. On the center stand it would tend to rock back toward stablity regardless of which direction. If it is rough and when docking I recommend staying with the bike. On the sidestand, I would not leave the bike ever.

This is frequently debated. I frequently disagree. One of my mc owner manuals agrees with me... but what do the Italians know?

 

[MikeYork5]

I got it - on the side stand, in gear, parked against a wall on the right side - damn I'm good!

 

[Warchild]

I got it - on the side stand, in gear, parked against a wall on the right side

Wouldn't help much here.... :blink:

 

[squeezer]

I learned to ride when I lived in Seattle. My first camping trip on a bike was taking the ferry to Orcas to soak in the tubs at Doe Bay Resort. Good memories...

But I don't really have anything to add to the advice already given. Since there's usually nowhere to strap down on US ferries, use the side stand and stay with the bike if it's choppy. Puget Sound is usually pretty mellow.

 

[TheAxeman]

I generally park mine on the sidestand in gear and take one of the rubber wheel chocks that are lying around and wedge it under the center of the bike on the right side. If it gets really snotty, I will take a ratcheting tie down and secure it further or will use rope which the crew is usually more than happy to provide. There are only a handful of occasions when I have gone the WC method and stayed with bike but then again, Long Island Sound is not Puget Sound.

 

[Wilson]

I carry a couple of large rubber bands in the tail bag to place over the grip and front brake lever to lock the front wheel if I have to leave the bike on a steep grade. Leaving the the bike in gear helps but the engine will turn and let the bike move over time. The rubber bands work with bike on the side stand or the center stand.

 

[Ignacio]

I generally park mine on the sidestand in gear and take one of the rubber wheel chocks that are lying around and wedge it under the center of the bike on the right side.

Never seen those on WA State ferries and where they make you park I don't think there were tie down points and they maked me park on the left side where the wall wasn't any help. The two times I've biked on them the Sound was the middle of summer and glass smooth. I risked leaving the bike on it's centerstand unattended.

.....however if I returned to work one day with broken tupperware and Warchild spotted it....I'd totally deserve anything that came my way.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Lots of advice here; most good (some, not so...), imo. My take: on the sidestand, in first gear, and... handlebars turned toward the sidestand and fork locked. There's often chocks around for pushing against the off-side; and ropes for tying down to either eyes in the floor or the ship's piping along the wall. Often, too, (especially on long rides) the crew won't allow you down in the vehicle area while in-transit.

An anecdote: While ferrying the Inside Passage (Prince Rupert to Port Hardy) a German global traveller, we'll call him, 'Bernard', parked his heavily loaded R100GS next to my bike. I attempted to inform him that the crew, and me, reccos putting the bike on the sidestand, in gear...., etc. Bernard made it perfectly clear to me that he knew, exactly, what he was doing and that Germans always use the centerstand; and started to go on about the superiority of...yada, yada. The result: when we arrived in Port Hardy, Bernard's BMW was lying on it's side, parts of it resting against my bike -- luckily, no damage to my bike (and my bike, on the sidestand, etc. weathered the trip just fine). Bernard's bike:, I don't know (and, really, don't care). :huh: :angry:

 

[MikeYork5]

I got it - on the side stand, in gear, parked against a wall on the right side

Wouldn't help much here.... :blink:

The question of 'Will my bike remain upright?' would be the least of my concerns in this situation -

 

[orestes]

On some ferries, we were advised not to take the bikes ...


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Thanks for the link to your Shetland Tour. I've often looked at Highland Riders website and this has always caught my eye. So its on the list along with Corsica (2007), the Pacific NW (now in 2008) and the annual trip to the Alps.

So many places to go and luckily I have an understanding (and bike riding) boss.

Dave