When you get a flatty

[eliot-ness]

Yeah I could never get mine up on the stand either, thise bikes are actually quite heavy for us "smaller" people.

You neither need to be tall or built like a sumo wrestler. Stand ot the left hand side of the bike. Press stand down with your right foot, then, with your foot on the stand lever, left hand on the handlebar and right hand holding some convenient part of the frame under the seat, put your weight on the stand. Leverage does the rest. Stands are so positioned that only light pressure is required. Don't worry about the bike falling over, I've never seen it happen. As for punctures, if it's a spoked wheel the best thing to do is fit a centre stand if there's none fitted and carry a puncture repair kit and levers. Don't use tyre pando on tubed tyres. It may work for a short time depending on the size of the hole but it will invariably let you down and the second time you may not get away lightly. Carrying a spare tube is a good idea in case the tube is torn. Practise taking the wheel out at home when you have time to spare then you'll know how it's done and what tools are needed. The right ones are never in the tool kit when you need them.

[Ixion]

,,. Stands are so positioned that only light pressure is required. Don't worry about the bike falling over, I've never seen it happen. ,,

You have obviously never had to deal with a Suzuki GT750!

Last time I took Petal for a WoF , the guy said "Got a centre stand". I decided that if he wanted it on the stand he could put it on, so I pleaded a bad back. And watched while he heaved himself bug eyed, then called his mate over, then enlisted the apprentice. All three of them heaving and lugging , they finally got it on the centre stand.

Light weight the GT750 is not.

But, most stands, yeah, it's knack not strength. Even Petal I can do it without too much drama. Usually. Trick is to give the bike a good hard pull back as you push the stand down, so its own weight carries it onto the stand. sort of.

EDIT: Oddly, the GT500 is a piece of piss. And the BMW , which is actually heavier than Petal, a child could do it.

[myvice]

Why didn’t they just put a jack under it?
Don’t like centre stands, its the way they dig into the road...

[sunhuntin]

when they put in the pak n slave here, the tar they used was crap and would go soft in the weakest of sunlight....even the nifty fifty stands would sink!
i used to provide bits of wood for any decent sized bikes that came in...no choice, otherwise theyd sink. left a few decent sized holes in my hours of slave labour.... id hate to see what theyd do on center stand!

[eliot-ness]

You have obviously never had to deal with a Suzuki GT750!

Last time I took Petal for a WoF , the guy said "Got a centre stand". I decided that if he wanted it on the stand he could put it on, so I pleaded a bad back. And watched while he heaved himself bug eyed, then called his mate over, then enlisted the apprentice. All three of them heaving and lugging , they finally got it on the centre stand.

Light weight the GT750 is not.

But, most stands, yeah, it's knack not strength. Even Petal I can do it without too much drama. Usually. Trick is to give the bike a good hard pull back as you push the stand down, so its own weight carries it onto the stand. sort of.

EDIT: Oddly, the GT500 is a piece of piss. And the BMW , which is actually heavier than Petal, a child could do it.

I used to put the early Bonnie's on the stand without getting off the bike. Just pressed the stand down and pulled up on the tank rack. I'm no heavyweight 70kgs and 5foot six but I can put the Bandit, 230kgs, on without effort. Depends on the lever length and position of the stand I suppose. After lifting the old BSAs etc anything is easy now. Most young guys I've seen stand behind the centrestand and try to lift the bike. without using the leverage. Doubt if anyone could easily do it that way

[Str8 Jacket]

Well im lucky I have the KR now, it only weighs 120kilos the GN is closer to 200 kilos from memory...

GO THE 'CANES!!

[sunhuntin]

when i attempt to center mine, i roll the bike forward a bit, push down on the stand with my foot and then roll her back...goes on partially, but then rolls forward again.

[Str8 Jacket]

when i attempt to center mine, i roll the bike forward a bit, push down on the stand with my foot and then roll her back...goes on partially, but then rolls forward again.

I think that you need to be more forceful with it tell her whos boss!

GO THE 'CANES

[Ixion]

The old unit Meridan Triumphs were easy to put on the stand. The A10 rather harder. The GT750 is the hardest I've ever come across. But a 250 should be pretty easy, even for a small chick.

[eliot-ness]

when i attempt to center mine, i roll the bike forward a bit, push down on the stand with my foot and then roll her back...goes on partially, but then rolls forward again.

Keep your weight on the lever and pull up with your right hand. There's no need to roll it back

[sunhuntin]

I think that you need to be more forceful with it tell her whos boss!

GO THE 'CANES

WOOOOHOOOO, CRUSADERS!!!! LOL

yeh...when shes stationary....scuffys in charge. on the road though...shes still in charge! LOL.
easier to just keep her on the side....less chance of being blown over too.

[Ixion]

Sigh. When I think of what we used to have. Side stand, centre stand , rear wheel stand, front stand. All on the same bike sometimes. Split hinged mudguards, quick detach wheels, fully enclosed chains. It's not always profress.

[myvice]

Now you have a side stand and maybe a spanner and a screwdriver in the tool kit!
If you break down it’s a cell phone you need, as there is sod all you can do on the side of the road with a modern computer controlled bike.

[Waylander]

Buy runflats. Those tyres that can still be used for up to 150 miles or some such even with a hole the size of a 50 cent piece in them. Worth the extra cash if you're on a cruiser and your tyres last you more than one or two rides.

[beyond]

Ok, two answers to two questions.

I have a quarter tonne GSX1400. Getting it on the centre stand is no problem. Easiest is when sitting on the bike. Put a foot on the centre stand and force it down till it hits the ground. With both hands, grab under the frame rails beneath the seat (or any other solid appendage on the bike) pull back while lifting up with foot hard down on the centre stand. No sweat as you use your main leg muscles for leverage.

When cleaning and standing on the left side of the bike, push a foot down on the centre stand, tilt bike slightly towards you, grab the frame with right hand and left handlebar with left hand and pull back in a fluid motion Harder than the first method but easy enough.

Flatties on the side of the road. Some holes are too small to be able to see so I carry a tyre pando thingy available from most bike shops for smaller holes and slow leaks.

Anything bigger, you cannot use a tyre pando.
So I carry the puncture repair kit commonly known as the dog turd repair. This is a little kit available from all good motorcycle dealers. Has some CO2 canisters, a little plunger metal spike and some real sticky rubbery dog turds.
You locate the leak or hole, pull the nail or offending member out of the tyre, grab a dog turd and feed it into the applicator spike. Thrust the spike into the hole and pull it out again, cut off the access dog turd sticking out, blow up the tyre using the CO2 canisters and applicator and on your way.

Recommnded as not a long term repair but people have been known to leave them in for the life of the tyre. Me? I personally travel at greater than normal speed limits and wouldn't be comfortable with them for a long term repair. I would, when the chance arrived, get a repair shop to check and fix the repair or replace the tyre if necessary.