[rick505]

OK, I knew I should have eaten my Wheaties(r) when my Mother told me to but there has to be a trick to getting my 08 Classic on the center stand.  I think I gave myself a hernia trying to muscle it up earlier today.  Do you roll it back and jam the stand down so the momentum carries it up or is it really a matter of grabbing the side handle and literally picking it up while pressing the stand down??

2nd question since I didn't want to open another thread.  Oil level check, I know the engine should be warm but do you screw the dip stick all the way back in or just rest it on the opening and pull it out to check the level??

Thanks,

Rick

PS - Actually I am home today from work with a sinus problem/cold so itf the answer is brute strength I'm blaming my over the counter medication.   

[jdrouin]

Hi Rick,

Put your foot on the centerstand lever and guide it down (I usually press the front brake while doing this). When the centerstand tubes touch the ground, try putting your left foot along the lever, with the "dot" behind the ball of your foot somewhere, and stand up to let all your weight work down on it. That way you can use the full leverage of your foot to press it down and shift the weight of the bike back. It's sort of like stepping down with your left foot and taking a step to the right. You shouldn't need to pull at the bike or do anything fancy to get it on the stand.

About checking the oil level, as per the user manual, this should be done with the engine cold and screwing the dipstick all the way back down before checking it. Also, make sure the bike is on a level surface or you'll get a false reading.

Jeff

[Indiana Josh]

You should've seen me when I first got my Bullet delivered to me. I didn't even know that the bike had a handle on the side of it until about two weeks after I'd already owned the sucker.   I crafted all sorts of various and creative ways to try and get the bike on its center stand -- I looked like a gorilla on crack trying to get that bike on its center stand. I was just dismayed by how difficult it seemed. I was so frustrated that I was a second away from buying a side kickstand for it, but I'm glad I didn't.

Eventually, I noticed the handle on the side, and that's made a world of difference. It's actually VERY easy with that handle. I just hold the front brake in for stability, bring down the center stand lever with the ball of my right foot until it touches the ground firmly and squarely, then as I begin to apply pressure with my foot to the center stand, I gently pull back on the bike. Gently is the keyword here -- it doesn't take much 'brute force' or strength at all -- just a little bit of motion to get her going backwards.

It's a breeze.

[Chasfield]

Yeah, let it roll at its own pace and it almost happens by itself - if you are pushing on the stand lever and pulling on the handle at the same time.

I rode around on a ratty Vincent twin (yes there were some) for about 6 months in 1982. That had a rear main stand, which was a bit tricky. Had to sort of sidle around to the back of the bike while balancing its 460 lbs, drop the stand from its retaining bolt, then pull the whole plot back. Luckily the machine had prop stands on both sides which acted like a safety net and spared embarrassment.

[PaulF]

Chas, not to get off topic here but I had to ask.

You had a Vincent in the 80's, (I'm assuming 1950's?), and you actually parted with it?

My God man, what I wouldn't give.....

[tanker]

Rick,
Unless the procedure has changed for the AVL in the '08, you should be checking the oil level warm, not cold.  My owners manual for my '06 Electra, and I assume the engine hasn't changed, says to warm up the engine for a few minutes, then remove the dip stick, clean it and replace, threading it in all the way.  If you check it cold, you will probably not see any oil on the stick and be tempted to add more, which will then proceed to blow out, when it gets hot,  through any available spot (usually through the airbox) until it's back down to the proper level.  Check the numerous threads on this board for checking the oil level for the AVL.

[Chasfield]

PaulF

It was a 49er. Basic HRD touring model, but engine internals were supposedly Black Shadow spec - which I can believe because that machine kicked back meaner that two Bullets if you fluffed the start procedure. Somebody had pinched the giant speedo and put on a regular sized Smith's one and the electrics were pitiful, brakes lethally bad, chrome was done for, rocker bearings had chattered their mounting tunnels over size,  etc....

Fantastic torque though, and 30 mpg.

I only owned it a couple of years. Sold it on in 1984 when I got married and needed to buy a house. Vincent twins were just at the beginning of being sought after then and prices weren't yet totally mental (3,000 GBP got you a good'un, if I remember correctly).

[Foggy_Auggie]

I stand on the left side of the bike -
My right heel pushes down on the centerstand footpad (at the end of the lever) -
While raising up with my full weight on my right heel, I simultaniously lift up the left side grab bar and tug back the handlebars.
Works everytime.

[Alaroyal]

Grab the left H'bar grip with my left hand, hold the handle at the end of the seat with my right hand, push down on the stand with the ball of my right foot 'til it contacts the ground, lean the bike away from me 'til I know both feet of the stand are down, then stand up on the stand's lever and lift with right hand and pull back with left. 

Or, sometimes,I just roll it B'wards, then push stand down and keep pulling back.

In all fairness, I also have a Gold Wing 1800, and after the hernia city of THAT stand, the Enfield is pretty easy.

[scoTTy]

electra here.  artificial right leg.. 150 lbs at 6'2" ..  put my crepe sole Wallabee on the center stand..  making sure said shoe sole has no water on it..  make certain it's in neutral , grab handle bar and center of the seat and lift...  so much easier than those 650  pound plus bikes I have had

[clamp]

I have never had a bike that was as easy to put on the center stand.  My Suzuki 110CC is more difficult and I wear flip flops.

[rick505]

The secret was taking the advice of putting my weight on the center stand.  I had been standing about even with the rear axle and trying to press the stand down/forward with my foot and I pulled back on the handle bar and bracket on the left side.  That never worked for me but when I applied my weight on the stand it did seem to almost hop up on the stand.  So another technique learned.

[Tiny Tim]

The biggest and easiest mistake to make is to try and put the bike on the centre with the bike still in gear.

With it in neutral, put your left foot on the extended lever of the stand and transfer your weight to your left leg while pulling the bike back onto the stand.

It's 90% technique, 10% physique