When parking or stopping?

[Maha]

When you park/stop your bike, what is your preference? do you use the side stand to shut it down or the key? Kill switch?
Do you always leave it in gear or select neutral?

I have always (if memory serves me correctly) used the 'select 1st then side stand' to turn the bike off, thus happy that it will not roll off the side stand.

[wysper]

Use kill switch or key.
95% of the time in neutral.

[Dogboy900]

I always put mine in neutral and use the key. Same as I do for cars. I guess it's what I was taught way back when I learned to drive.

In fact my side stand cut out does not work as I discovered the other day when I only kicked it up halfway and took off! Luckily it flicked up when it touched down on the first slow bend. I have since lubed the side stand and make sure it is all the way up before I take off.

[Road kill]

I always put mine in neutral and use the key. Same as I do for cars. I guess it's what I was taught way back when I learned to drive.

In fact my side stand cut out does not work as I discovered the other day when I only kicked it up halfway and took off! Luckily it flicked up when it touched down on the first slow bend. I have since lubed the side stand and make sure it is all the way up before I take off.

You might want to check that switch,,when their shot the bike don't go.

Anyway,neutral an turn it off with the key.

[bluninja]

I always select neutral and turn off with the key. If I'm on a slope I'll then pop it in 1st and check the gear is engaged.

[Gremlin]

Always use the key to turn off the bike, never the side stand or kill switch.

Most of the time left in gear, only exception is the BMW if I want to then roll it onto the centre stand after parking. Being in gear stops it rolling backwards enough to go onto the stand. Discovered that after a lot of swearing and tugging on the bike the first time...

[iYRe]

neutral, sidestand, key off.

There is no other way. Gear is only engaged on an incline.

[Maha]

Thinking about it, my first bike drop was because I turned the bike with the key, sat there undoing my helmet/taking my gloves off. Enough time had elapsed for me to get off the bike with the side stand still up...from then on I changed to side stand always.

[Moi]

OK, with both bikes turn off with key then, depending on which one:
* 400 set the parking brake - have set the tilt lock before turning off the key... [a virtual chocy fish if you can work out what it is]
* 650 set side stand and then heave the heavy thing onto its centre stand if being parked for some time - leave in first if necessary

[Laava]

I lie mine down using my ankle as a damper to avoid scratching or jolting the bike.
This only works when the neighbour is home to,
A, help me get out from under the thing and,
B, help prepare me for my next outing.
Thinking of getting the SL125 road legal now.

[bosslady]

I have to turn the key on my bike. When I put the side stand down and get off, I turn the wheel towards the side stand. I leave the bike in neutral most of the time or in first if I'm not on flat ground. I always turn my bike on for 30 to 60 secs before I hop on and get goin. I'm so in the habit of leaving it in neutral that one time I turned it on while it was in first and it jumped forward, kicked up the stand then promptly went sideways and on to me, lucky I caught it!

[Maha]

I lie mine down using my ankle as a damper to avoid scratching or jolting the bike.
This only works when the neighbour is home to,
A, help me get out from under the thing and,
B, help prepare me for my next outing.
Thinking of getting the SL125 road legal now.

That's sound remarkably like the time I laid the CB over at the top of your driveway, without a scratch I might add. Quicker thinking and it would have stayed upright had I kicked the side stand out

[Subike]

select neutral and turn off with the key. If I'm on a slope I'll then pop it in 1st and check the gear is engaged.

[ducatilover]

Neutral, sidestand and then kill switch. (the Kawasaki has RFID, so no key)
Same for the GNthing, except it has a key (not for long)

[Oakie]

Neutral > turn off ignition > put bike in gear > sidestand down

I used to leave it parked in neutral but have not done it since our first earthquake in Sept 2010 when the bike had a wee lie down.