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Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 1:14 pm
by yak
How about when you know you won't ride it for a few days? Is there an advantage to using the center stand at all times? I am talking about level surfaces.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 1:38 pm
by dasshreddar
Doesn't matter..., but the 2011 models have weak center stand mounts (don't sit on the bike with the center stand down if you have a 2011 pcx, it might just break).

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 1:48 pm
by kcpcx
Side, usually. Sometimes center. No real pattern, here.

The only reason I use the center stand is if my garage space is tight. Makes it slightly easier to walk around the scooter if it's on the center stand. I have a small garage and a lot of crap. Another full size m/c, various bicycles, a canoe, tool boxes, workbench, etc.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 2:49 pm
by homie
Concerning breaking the C-stand mount, hard not to get on your PCX first and then push off. I doubt any of you shove off any other way.
Here is something someone brought to my attention that one doesn't think about... wind.

Like from a non-stop express o_O

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 3:20 pm
by Bash On!
PCX--side stand (it's a 2013 and shouldn't have center stand issues, but still ....)
BMW airhead--center stand, because it'll throw up a smoke screen upon starting the next time if left on the side stand
Kawasaki Police--side stand because it's really heavy and bulky and I haven't figured out the bike-specific trick for the center stand yet (it's new to me)

I don't think it is a good idea to push off any center stand while seated on the bike. Instead, stand beside the bike holding on to the handlebar while covering the brake. Push the bike forward to get off the stand, then immediately apply the brake to stop forward movement.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 3:24 pm
by JoshM
I have no rhyme or reason when choosing side vs center. The only thing I can think of for sure that I do is park it on the center stand if I know I won't be riding for several days. If I'm out and about, or park at work, etc, it's usually on the side stand. However, I'll throw it on the center stand for no reason at times.

However, as the "someone" who advised Homie about his parking job... always face the front wheel towards the side stand for stability.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 3:43 pm
by Urbanfreestyle
I pretty much always use side stand, however i'm away for a few days now so left my bike on it's centre stand

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 3:51 pm
by homie
JoshM wrote:However, as the "someone" who advised Homie about his parking job... always face the front wheel towards the side stand for stability.
Yes and thanks for that, I would be plenty pissed to find Shay Whitey laying on her side at the train station or even if a passing semi blew her down when pulled over on the highway. I now lean her steering into the side stand 8)

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 4:55 pm
by you you
homie wrote:
JoshM wrote:However, as the "someone" who advised Homie about his parking job... always face the front wheel towards the side stand for stability.
Yes and thanks for that, I would be plenty pissed to find Shay Whitey laying on her side at the train station or even if a passing semi blew her down when pulled over on the highway. I now lean her steering into the side stand 8)

The passing semi might be from gn2 :D

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 7:57 pm
by Steph
Side stand for most parking. Put it on the center stand to warm up the bike. If I were to park on an incline would use the center stand facing uphill.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 11:03 am
by Mel46
We use the center stand when parking in a tight space or refueling it. When it is on its center stand i straddle it and rock it forward, with its side stand down. My wife is small. She tried to take her bike off of the center stand from the side and the bike fell over. Easy to do when you are small. Now i put them on the center stand, and i am the one to take them off of it. I know that it is not good to put too much weight on the center stand, but taking it off of the center stand while straddling it is our safest bet for getting it off of it.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 1:03 pm
by WhiteNoise
I use the Side stand for very short stays anywhere.
I use the Center stand for longer stays anywhere.
I raise either stand first, before I seat myself. I move the scoot around with me on it. Whether the scoot's running or not. I feel safer in the saddle.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 2:29 pm
by Mel46
I agree. I feel safer handling the bike from the saddle. When I am parking the bikes beside each other, head to toe, I can manage it better while in the saddle. I have had friends with larger scooters drop theirs while trying to mover them from the side. There is more bulk to them than you realize, and it doesn't take much to throw them off balance. I felt bad for my friend who dropped his 500 pound scooter while trying to move it. Very upsetting.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 3:32 pm
by wojtek_pl
Center stand. VERY rarely side one. PCX is light so parking it on center stand is easy and not an issue.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 5:38 am
by Valiant
Center stand always. We can get some freak winds here on occasion. Plus I find it's much harder to forget to put the stand up before riding off :D . I typically roll the PCX off the stand before mounting it, usually because I have to move it around from the side before I can be in any position to squeeze the throttle and not smack into something.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 1:11 pm
by gn2
When out and about side stand, when parking overnight centre stand.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 7:46 pm
by JohnL
Centre stand in the garage, either when out, depending on the terrain (sloping, soft ground etc.) Always take off the centre stand before starting, manily because of duck's disease, (my bum is too close to the ground) :D :D

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2014 2:29 am
by you you
JohnL wrote:Centre stand in the garage, either when out, depending on the terrain (sloping, soft ground etc.) Always take off the centre stand before starting, manily because of duck's disease, (my bum is too close to the ground) :D :D
As my old grandad used to say "no matter how big or small you are your legs always reach your bum"

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2014 2:33 am
by FritzPinguin
I always have a bad feeling about the center stand. For me, it is too easy to push it from the stand, especially if the front wheel is down a few inches - above a drain for example. I fear the bike will jump down on it's own. I use CS only for long time parking to take the weight off the tyres. When filling up, I don't put it on the stand, I prefer to sit on it and keep it between the knees.

Re: Side stand or center stand when you park your bike?

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 12:52 am
by typhon2222
Center stand, all the time. Just force of habit: my first (and still most frequently ridden) scooters are wee Honda Metropolitans, which have no side stand. :)