I have found this way to be easier than some of the older methods:

1. Start bike, let it idle in the garage for a minute to warm up.

2. Pull bike out of garage onto driveway.

3. Put kickstand down, but then let bike move forward just a little bit. Going forward too much will cause you to check if the kickstand is fully down. Going forward just the right amount will lull you in to a false sense of security that the kickstand is in fact down all the way.

4. Go back into the garage to get your helmet. As this point bike should be putting out a nice low exhaust note, and vibrating at a very low RPM. This vibration/shaking should be just enough to move the bike ever so slightly, causing the not quite fully down kickstand (see step 3) to retract.

5. While working with the chin strap on the helmet, watch as kickstand collapses, bike falls over, and engine comes to a dead stop.

6. You should also reference my notes on how to pick up a 700 plus pound Roadie by yourself.

7. Frantically check for scratches and other damage.

*(&&(*%($$#^ ^&@^&amp@@!%


Yep, it happened today. Good news is that the damage was not major. Scraped up the the passing lamp, highway peg and a small part of the highway bar/engine guard (and my pride).

Any suggestions for what to put on the scrapes to stop rust?

I'm sorry to hear that. But you're not alone. Everyone does it sooner or later. I dropped mine when it was only a couple weeks old. Try some clear spray paint on the scratchs.

That sucks.

I make it a policy not to let the bike run without me on it unless it pointing up hill (I have a sloping driveway ).

Doc

Dropped mine when pulled into the garage put the kickstand down and layed it over. Found out quick the stand wasn't all the way down when the bike fell over on my big toolbox with my hand between them. With help of the wife got the bike up and said !@#$%^&*()_ No damage to the bike but thought I broke my hand. Felt really stupid!

Curt wrote:
Felt really stupid!

And well you should.

i must have had this almost happen too. for as long as i can remember i have kicked my kickstand out after moving my bike, no matter how far i was moving it. even if i have watched it to make sure it is not moving i still give it a slight kick. it has gotten to be as automatic as putting on a seatbelt when i get in a car.

There was a guy back about 3 years ago that was making a locking kickstand for the R*.

Kind of died (not the guy, the product ).

Doc

Another thing to watch out for are those little low spots in dirt driveways... when I had the wing, I pulled into a friends drive (dirt n stone) put the kickstand down, and leaned it over to get off. As I was leaning over it suddenly dawned on me that the bike was going farther than normal. That's when gravity started to win the 'tug a war'. It was all I could do to lower it the rest of the way onto the fairing.. very slowly. Than get my friend to come out and help get it up. All because i didnt notice the hole I parked the kickstand over.

blackroadie wrote:
Another thing to watch out for are those little low spots in dirt driveways... when I had the wing, I pulled into a friends drive (dirt n stone) put the kickstand down, and leaned it over to get off. As I was leaning over it suddenly dawned on me that the bike was going farther than normal. That's when gravity started to win the 'tug a war'. It was all I could do to lower it the rest of the way onto the fairing.. very slowly. Than get my friend to come out and help get it up. All because i didnt notice the hole I parked the kickstand over.

I've got a 1/4 mile dirt & gravel driveway...I HEAR what you're saying... I carry a little chunk of 2x4 now to throw down under the kickstand in just such a situation.

RK

<br><br>Post edited by: Pop Rivet, at: 2007/03/22 15:17