[drDave]

OK, I'm a bit ashamed to admit this, but weighing all of about 158 pounds, I'm having a devil of a time getting the centerstand down on my 12 Classic R12. After a few tries at rocking the bike, and standing on the stand, I usually just give up and use the kickstand. Everyone who has shown me how "easy" it is, easily weighs over 200 pounds. . .

Any lightweight center stand experts out there. . .?

 

[RapidRider]

When standing on the center stand, are you also pulling up somewhere on the rear of the bike? That's what the dealer showed me

 

[Clem]

Center Stand

+1 RapidRider's comment. I weigh 180# Pull up & push down at same time.
Right foot on center stand extension, left hand grasps left handlebar grip, bars straight ahead, right hand firmly holding grab rail at rear of seat, or the frame, whichever suit your height best. Firmly push DOWN with your R. foot as you forcefully pull UP with your right hand. Rocking isn't necessary, and may contribute to you dumping the bike over onto the Right side.

 

[las]

One, while on the left side of the bike, grab the handlebar grip on the clutch side with your left hand, pull the center stand down with your left foot and use your feet knee to stand the bike up straight so that it is resting on on both legs of the stand. Keep your left foot on the stand.
Two, twist your upper body to the right and grab the trim on which a left side pannier would mount ( or, if panniers are on the bike, on which the left side pannier is mounted) with your right hand.
Three, squeeze the clutch all the way in and, in one motion, stand up and push off to the rear of the bike with your left leg while pulling up and back with your right hand.
The bike will move back and up onto the stand.
It is imperative that you squeeze the clutch (assuming that the bike is in first gear as it should be) while you are standing on the leg of the stand while pulling up and to the rear so that the bike can roll back on its rear wheel. If you don't, the bike's transmission will not let the bike roll back onto the stand. My wife weighs 125 and can put the bike on the stand (albeit, with all her might). I weigh 180 and can do it with little effort.

 

[fleuger99]

If all of the above fails, start eating more.

 

[drDave]

Wow. Some of you guys must be engineers I'm going to try these. Will let you know.

 

[drDave]

Just found this in the Wunderlich catalog. I'm going to try out all these suggestions tomorrow before ordering it. Looks cool tho.

Lifting Handle, Silver R1200 R 8500141 | BMW Wunderlich America

 

[Clem]

Cool !! Wunderlich,Wheaties,& body mechanics. I LOVE IT when a plan comes together!

 

[johnvw]

Las,
I am interested in your comment about the clutch lever ( assuming the gear is in first (as it should be). I may be doing something wrong, but in the past with Jap bikes I would pull up, change into neutral, kill engine, hop off, set side stand or centre stand. The jap bike was much lighter than the r1200r.
Is leaving the bike in first gear ( after placing on the centre stand) an issue with security. It just seems to me to be a little awkward ( but then I am Australian and OLD ).
Best Regards
John

 

[las]

Las,
I am interested in your comment about the clutch lever ( assuming the gear is in first (as it should be). I may be doing something wrong, but in the past with Jap bikes I would pull up, change into neutral, kill engine, hop off, set side stand or centre stand. The jap bike was much lighter than the r1200r.
Is leaving the bike in first gear ( after placing on the centre stand) an issue with security. It just seems to me to be a little awkward ( but then I am Australian and OLD ).
Best Regards
John

It is my habit, a good one to have, and one taught in every motorcycle safety course, to stop the bike and/dismount the bike in first gear. If you stop on a down slanted road in neutral, the bike could roll forward and off the stand. The rider could also push the bike forward while getting off with the same result even on level ground. Also, the bike might pitch forward in neutral when you are trying to get the bike up on the center stand, if you dont get it up all the way and loose your grip or footing. in first, the bike won't roll. Once the bike is on the center stand, it doesn't matter because the rear wheel is off the road. But, then, there's mounting the bike again. Better to leave the bike in first when you get off so that it will be in first when you go to get back on.
The only hitch to leaving the bike in first when you dismount is in getting the bike on the center stand. Since it has to roll back a bit in order to roll up onto the stand, and it won't roll in first gear, you won't be able to get the bike on the center stand unless you hold the clutch in while pulling the bike up and back.

On a related note, the wunderlich handle may work for you because of your height. I am 5'10 or so and bought it just after I bought the bike and before I figured out how to get the bike on the center stand easily. Once I did, I found the rail for mounting the oem panniers worked as a hand hold just as well as the handle. The Wunderlich handle is heavy so I took it off my bike. If you would like it, you are welcome to it. Let me know and we'll arrange to get it to you.

 

[johnvw]

Dear Las,
Thank you for the explanation. I think it must have been my 'wing span' that prompted the gear to be placed in neutral, so I could concentrate and hold onto the left handle bar, lift the rear and push the centrestand lever to raise the bike .
Regards John

 

[paden]

If all of the above fails, start eating more.

I must need to eat more. Still can't get it right

 

[justcharlie]

Wearing stout boots with steel shank helps. At least on the LC R12R, it is all about how much force straight down you can put on the center stand lever. I weight about 190 lbs and have to pull up on the pillion grab handle to make it work easily, actually I bend my right knee and hold onto the grab handle and lift with my leg. Just standing with all my weight on the center stand lever won't do it.

 

[paden]

I did it!

I think i was pushing back more than pulling up. This time i just pulled up and let the stand do its thing

Much much easier.

 

[jdavk]

This is an interesting thread, as I just came home with a new R yesterday after a couple of years of riding a GTL. I was amazed at how much more difficult the R was to get up onto the center stand than the mighty GTL. All I had to do with the GTL was put all my weight (of which I have plenty, and then some) on the stand and the big bike just rolled effortlessly back onto the stand.

Took me a bit to figure out that I had to help this bike up - thought for sure I was doing something wrong. Thanks for confirming that I'm doing at least one thing right!

 

[dbrick]

...Once I did, I found the rail for mounting the oem panniers worked as a hand hold just as well as the handle.

This also works for me.

 

[Fullboat]

here is one more pretty good video..the guy isn't big either

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6TGuO03wHM

 

[joebloggz]

No offense but it seems bizarre to deliberately leave the bike in first gear then have to hold the clutch in while putting it on the center stand - where the back wheel will be off the ground and it being in gear will have no effect on anything (except making it more complicated when you come to start the bike and have to put it in neutral first!). May as well make life easier and just put the bike in neutral then put it on the stand.
I don't think there is one rule only for leaving the bike in gear or not. Pretty much I always leave it in neutral except on the rare occasion of having to park on a steep uphill slope where the bike might slide backwards on the side stand. I guess this habit of being neutral conscious started back when bikes didn't have neutral lights and one could make a dick of themself trying to kickstart a 2stroke trailbike outside the takeaway bar with it in gear:smile2:

 

[manutd1972]

i'm about 125lbs, and i have 3 shad cases fitted to my LC R12. i do the same thing when putting my bike on the centre stand. step, push down with the right foot, hold the grab rail with the right hand and pull up. works everytime. but my left hand invariably pulls back on the handlebar, thus twisting the bike a little sideways so it ends up pointing a little to the right if i started from a pointing-centre position.

it ain't the strength, it's the technique.

 

[BrownAndy]

It's my opinion that the levelness of the ground has a lot to do with the ease of lifting.

We have temporarily moved out of our own home, and I'm now parking on grass. I've scooped out a portion of the lawn and inserted a large paving tile so there's something solid for the stand. It doesn't look any higher than the surrounding lawn, but suddenly the bike is much harder to lift onto the stand. I suspect that only 1 cm or so extra between the wheel level and the stand feet makes a significant difference to the effort involved.