Putting your bike on the centerstand

[Jerry]

Putting your bike on the centerstand
by Jerry Fields

This is my technique:

• Stop the bike and flip down the side stand.
• Lean the bike over on the side stand.
• Get off the bike.
• Stand facing the seat with right foot on center stand extension.
• Make sure handlebars are in the straight ahead position.
• Flip down the center stand and hold it with right foot.
• Tilt the bike upright until the right side of the center stand
  makes contact with the pavement.
• Grip right hand on grab bar just behind shock mount.
• Grip handlebar with left hand.
• All at the same time: Push down with right foot, pull backwards with left hand, lift up and back with right hand.
• Feel the bike moving backwards and ease up pulling once the bike has gone 'over center' on the stand. (Keep pressure on center stand extension with right foot to maintain the bike's backward motion.)
• Ease the bike back until center stand hits its stops.
  ('Hard' stops can crack the frame. With practice you can master the 'soft' stop, just need to know when to ease up once the bike is moving backwards.)
• Flip the side stand up to its normal riding position.

With a little practice you can *gently* get the bike on the center stand, even if the back of the bike is on an uphill slope. Critical points: make sure both sides of the center stand are in contact with the pavement, coordinated foot and hand forces, and let up a bit before the center stand hits its stops.