ride off your center stand? I've been doing since day one with this GS..(gee, that makes about 4 weeks)..it seems like the thing to do but I was wondering if I might be weakening something. I think it looks cool to do it and way easier than letting it down. Mike
Ever since I dropped the beast fully loaded trying to push it off the centerstand, I mount up , put er in gear and rock it off the centerstand with my bodyweight. Dump the clutch when she lands and off we go. Have'nt damaged the stand on my 2000 doing this.
Ride off. There was a debate some time ago about this (search), don't remember the final outcome. But on a trip with some friends, one of them really laid into me about not riding off the center stand, since I'm such a light weight, and with a fully loaded bike it's hard for me to wrestle it around. Hell, it's difficult for me to move an unlaided GS around. Started doing it, and I haven't had an issue. So far.
Did it for a decade on my airhead GS with no ill effects. And I otherwise beat the shit out of that thing everyday of the year. Have been doing so on my 04 Adventure for more than a year and no measurable play in the joint. By the way, I'm of the super-plus sized variety, so if there were to be an issue I would have found it by now.
It couldn't go any easier, even if the rear wheel is on wet grass (I find I have to throw a little weight back while letting out the clutch) but usually I just get on, click it into gear and go. I thought maybe some one would say the stand would break or something but it does come up real easy. Mike
Shoot - I'm kind of inbetween the short legged and medium legged kind of Advrider. I don't try to push it off with my legs on the ground; I simply get up on the pegs (after first making sure the sidestand is up!) and then thurst the old hips forward and, boom, just like that other favorite sport, I'm up and running.
I'm a lightweight, so I usually straddle the bike, and while standing on the pavement push the bike forward off the stand. If I'm parked uphill, then I sit back on the seat and take off in first gear.
I do it sometimes. Found it a bit more difficult with a full tank. I end up spinning the rear tyre a bit. Either way works for me.
Usually, the only time I do it is when I have just filled up the tank! If I don't ride off the center stand then I push it off with the front brake covered and then get on and ride away. I used to rock it off while sitting on the seat, but that's just a pain in the ass.
That's why they call it a 'ride off stand'. VStrom is a lot lighter, stand is a better arrangement, just pop it off and then get on.
I don't either. While standing next to the bike I push it off the centerstand and let it lean down on to the sidestand, then mount up. The center stand is kind of an expensive piece to replace if you end up bending it. Especially if a person is trying to save up for a set of Ohlins. Nothing worse than to have to replace something out of necessity than selectively!
