Centerstand pull up???

OK, once again this may be a dumb question, but what is the "form" I should use when pulling the bike back onto its centerstand? I have never even attempted this being that both times I have dropped the bike were the first two times I filled the bike up. (skinny+used to a CBR+walking it out while seated=tip over at gas station) Needless to say I don't fill it up anymore. Soooo...I should use my right hand to hold the grab bar and the left hand to hold the handlebar, then while using my strength and balance and left foot I tug it back and onto its stand where it sits perfectly??? I am a little leary of even trying this, and being that I sold my friends to buy this new bike, I only have the one set of hands. Should I just never use it? Little help please, if anything, tell me the method you use to get yours up. (no pun intended)

 

The only bike I have with a centerstand is my FZ-1, and it no longer has it because the way I ride, its dangerous.
However, on the rare occasions I used it, I would first set the bike on the sidestand, get off, stand beside it, use my right foot to lower the centerstand, then with my weight firmly on the centerstand pedal, I'd yank it back onto it using the handlebars. I could also alternatively grab the handlebar at the center and use one of the grab handles, but since you're presumably dealing with a VFR that has clip ons, I would stay away from the grab handle and use both bars to keep the front wheel straight.
As an aside, I absolutely COULD NOT mount the centerstand while straddling the bike, and I'm not especially short. However, I could rock it off the stand while straddling, and I recommend doing it that way so you can catch it with your feet.

 

I agree with XRAYHOUND that would probably be the best method., when never been done before it is difficult and I had dropped my connie trying it alone the first time. It went over on the right side, so I could not save it from falling. I sure wish my VFR had a centerstand, I think someone took it off to not dent up the nice LOUD cobra slipons it has on it, (not shown in my avatar). The center stands use,as far as Im concerned is really for easy servicing of the rear tire and chain adjustment. Good Luck

 

Hey Killer,
It's just a trick of balance, like Kung-fu. A big pull is not the way. It can throw you and the bike off kilter.
First, side stand down, then...
Try grabbing the clip on with your left, and rear grab handle, bring the center stand down with the ball of your foot, and stand up on it, while shifting your weight slowly to your right foot. You will find a tipping point where the bike wants to mount the stand.
When you find that tipping point, it's all or nothing. Shift your hips toward the rear of the bike. It is now on the stand, yes?

Repetition is the mastery of skills-

Mac

 

It took me a while to find my method, but what I usually do is keep the kick stand down just incase I lose control and stand on the left side of the bike then hold the left handle bar and left rear peg (with right hand) i use my right foot on the centerstand and just pull up up back with hands and transfer my wieght down on center stand to prevent sliding and it mounts every time. Hope this helps.

 

The proper way to use the center stand is to:

1. Bring the bike upright while standing on the left side.

2. Use your right foot to push the stand to the ground. You should be able to tell when both feet of the center stand are on the ground.

3. Grab the rear sub-frame with your right hand & hold the bike steady with your left hand on the left clip-on. On 5th Gen's, you can feel the exposed metal of the frame.

4. Push down on the center stand with all your weight while pulling STRAIGHT UP on the rear sub-frame. Never pull back since it's not the correct way to do it. In fact, your left hand shouldn't be doing anything but holding the bike steady.

5. The bike should pop right up onto the center stand. If it feels like you're getting a workout trying to get the bike onto the center stand, you're not doing it correctly.

KC-10 FE out...
lane:

 

I can't believe so many people have problems with this..

However, an important point which I feel is often overlooked is that it's critical to get the bike balanced centrally on the stand before you try to pop it on up there.
Gripping the clip-on with your left hand , and the pillion footrest mount with your right hand, drop the centrestand with your left foot until it hits the ground . NOW FEEL THE BALANCE OF THE BIKE SHIFT GENTLY UNTIL BOTH OF THE CENTRESTAND'S FEET ARE ON THE GROUND!. At this point you simply pull upwards and back while pressing down on the stand with the left foot, putting all the weight on the left foot. The bike WILL come up .

I always get on the bike and rock it forwards off the centrestand so I can put both feet down , which leads me to another point - I sometimes leave the side stand down while doing this (putting the bike onto the centrestand), especially in petrol stations or slippery conditions. HOWEVER, be careful in this instance that you don't roll the bike off the centrestand with your left foot below the sidestand...that hurts..

 

Awesome answers, guess thats why I love this site so much....Belive it or not someone emailed me a youtube vidoeo of a guy putting up his VFR with one hand...I got a buddy coming over this weekend to help me work on my method...Being a little trigger shy since the tipover, I just can't bring myself to attempt it alone...Seems so intimidating at first...Thanks again..

 

Aye, i had a my dad help me as he owns a goldwing and it has a similar stand.

basicly get off bike as ussuall with side stand down.
stand facing the side of the bike.

Step on the center stand till you feel it touch ground and keep pushing (not really hard.)

Rock bike upright, you can tell it's upright because the stand has 2 contact points. If you rock the bike slightly you can feel 2ed point contact.

For hand position i use one on the rear handle the other on the steering. though i pull mainly with the handle.

to get it up, step hard down on the stand, and a gentle pull back.

to take it off how ever i sit on the bike.

 

Run the front or both tires onto a 2X4. I worked on a Virago that no matter what I did, could not get it onto the center stand. Running the bike up onto the 2x4's helped immensely.

 

I find the main thing to keep in mind is that your leg is doing all the work. Keep your right hand as close to directly above your right foot at possible when you grab the side of the bike, bend your right knee so you can straighten your back. If you have your hand correct, your arm should be fully extended, your knee bent, and your back straight, now stand up straight. The bike will go up on the stand, you do not need to pull back, the centre stand does that by itself. Once you have the form down, the bike will almost fly up on the stand.
BTW, if you have enough weight, you do not need to bend anything other than your knee, just stand on the centre stand lever.

 

I agree with the fact that if you are struggling, you are not doing it right. I jumped up and down for 20 minutes the first time I tried it. My buddy showed me the right way, and boom, up she went. Now it's easy.

 

Can you share the video? Thanks.

 

Wow, I've been doing it all wrong the whole time I've had my bike. My method is stradle the bike with the side stand down then using my left foot I push the center stand down and apply weight to my left foot until I feel the bike balance on the center stand. I then just rock back a bit and TaDa... I've never drop it or lost balance with this method. Does anyone else do it this way?

 

I agree it should be easy, the part you step on leverages the bike up onto the stand, your almost just holding the bike for balance.
step down and a light pull is all it takes...mind you i weigh 190 pounds.

 

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vfr+centerstand

Here is the link sent to me...Its pretty killer...he only uses one hand...oh and for the record...I got mine up on its stand today...not so bad..more intimidating looking than it really is...thanks for the help....

 

KC does it the same way I do. I use my center stand all the time. Having 5 bikes in a small garage, the bikes take up less room when on the center stand. The only thing I would add is to use your leg to push down HARD!!, and not try to "pull up" so much on the rear. Just use the clip and the rear grabhandle to steady the bike. It's like riding a bicycle, once you get the feel of it, it'll be second nature:juggle: . You could practice with a friend standing on the bikes right, just in case. :spy:

 

100% correct a mundo! Until both feet are on the ground I wouldn't bother even trying to lift her. But OMG when they are both on all ya need to do is a light pull and a good firm press with your foot and up she comes.

It takes a bit of kahuna's to let the bike lean away from you, but if the stand is pressured on the ground it will stabalize when both feet touch. Key is to hang onto the bar with your left hand as a balancing aid.

:rapture:

 

wow he takes it down like that as well... i always sit on it when taking it off the stand....but nice video shows how easy it is, the steping does most of the work.

 

A good sign that your front springs and rear shock spring are sacked, or that the bike has been lowered. My FJ1200 was difficult to get on the stand, checked the sag and both ends were wayyyy over what they should have been. Must be a Yamaha thing, crappy springs. Fixed em (front springs, rear preload) and it was easy.