Another plus... the bike is easy to pick up :(

[happy]

I don't know that I entirely agree with that.
A bike is heavy. Even a light bike is heavy. The muscles used to pick it up are not the same muscles we typically use day in and day out.
Even with a low COG and a good leverage, you're still dead lifting about 100-130lbs worth of bike. That can be tough. Especially when, most people try to lift it with the handlebars.

The video here is a good example of how to lift it, but honestly, if you've never really practiced a crouching dead lift like this, you would be surprised how difficult it is.

Getting my bike back up out of the grass the other day was hard. Granted, I did it the stupid way because my shame (not my common sense) took over. But it was still hard.

I'm not a wimp by any means either. I mean, I'm not Schwarzenegger, but I'm not tiny either. I don't think I'd want to imagine lifting up a R1200RT. But then again, I'd really hate dropping one too! :-O

I don't agree about people who ride bikes and they are unable to lift it on their own using a trained technique. The video is a good one.
Like many other things in life, if you cannot handle it in an emergency, don't wear the pants 2 sizes too big.

If you wanna ride a heavy bike, be sure you have a riding buddy or a very responsive recovery roadside assistance plan.
Else you are just waiting for a disaster to happen (say snap your back or become stranded, etc).

One of the tests which I went through to get a "big" bike, was to do deadlifts on both sides (as shown in video).
Responsible riders should be trained and practise with their bikes. It is mostly a technique issue and not a weight issue (I am not talking about Goldwings etc).

If not, it is ok if they can guarantee never dropping the bike while alone, or they can leave the bike in that position til help arrives.

 

[Disastrous]

I don't think that there is a reasonable expectation that a street bike will end up laying on its side. At least not the way I ride. With that in mind, the ability to lift it wouldn’t be a necessity for my owning and operating a street bike. I do think it would be beneficial to possess that ability, just not necessary unless dropping your bike is a normal occurance.

 

[dirtbikes987]

I'm glad I'm not the first. I just picked up my NC today. Pulled out of the dealers, went down the road 1/4 mile and turned left at a fairly big intersection, rolled through it in second and next thing I know I'm sliding on my butt watching my brand new, $7k bike slide in front of me. Then, once I got home to fix the damage I went back out, rear tire a little wet from going through the yard and the back wanted to slip out again in the driveway under very low throttle.

Not impressed with the Metz yet. I might switch to the bridge that's on my transalp, no problems with that.

Luckily the bodywork wasn't damaged in the fall. Just a scuffed mirror, bent bars and shifter.

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

Glad you and your bike fared well dirtbikes987. Welcome to forum!

 

[Rocker66]

Glad that your OK and that the bike is not too badly damaged. New tyres are always dodgy in the wet until scrobbed in. You are far from the first to find this out the hard way

 

[Mike Cash]

Over here where they make 'em, picking up a 750 is part of the test for getting a license to ride anything over 400cc. Can't pick it up? You don't get the license.

 

[FrankQC]

It is mostly a technique issue and not a weight issue (I am not talking about Goldwings etc

Even picking up a big bike like a Goldwing is easy with the proper technique (same as the vid). I laid down my 2008 GL1800 seveal times on purpose on a carpet in the garage to replace the back tire. The rear wheel is a snap to remove while the monster is laid down, a lot easier than removing all the tupperware to roll the wheel out the back the "usual" way.

 

[L.B.S.]

Over here where they make 'em, picking up a 750 is part of the test for getting a license to ride anything over 400cc. Can't pick it up? You don't get the license.

Really? Wow!

I mean sure, it makes total sense to me, but I can just imagine the unholy ruckus made if that was over here, too! lol

 

[johnakay]

as long as your are alright thats all that matters..bike can be repaired or replaced.

na ya danna wanna do dis.

doesn't work the buggers embedded.

 

[DanH]

I'm glad I'm not the first. I just picked up my NC today. Pulled out of the dealers, went down the road 1/4 mile and turned left at a fairly big intersection, rolled through it in second and next thing I know I'm sliding on my butt watching my brand new, $7k bike slide in front of me. Then, once I got home to fix the damage I went back out, rear tire a little wet from going through the yard and the back wanted to slip out again in the driveway under very low throttle.

Not impressed with the Metz yet. I might switch to the bridge that's on my transalp, no problems with that.

Luckily the bodywork wasn't damaged in the fall. Just a scuffed mirror, bent bars and shifter.

Pretty much the same thing happened to me. The first slide bent the shifter up but that was about all. My second slide the next day was on a low speed curve on a winding valley road. The bike got jammed under a guard rail and that did quite a bit of damage to plastic and paint but no real damage to the bike. I had to ride it home 20 miles sans the left footpeg though which snapped off on the bikes way to meet the guard rail along with the left bar end. Now that I have a few hundred miles on the Metz's they are behaving nicer but I won't be putting on another pair.

 

[LA_NC700X]

When I am out riding, I use the side stand and never the center stand...

Only use the center stand at home or at work when the bike is going to be parked for a long period of time... Using the center stand to save the rear shock...

 

[dirtbikes987]

The only thing that got hurt on my crash was my pride. I'm a very experienced MX rider and have been a road warrior for about 7 years and can't believe that it happened. I'm so glad that my wife left the dealership 10 minutes before me. I couldn't image if she was around when it happened. I still can't believe that there was hardly any damage to the bike. After I got home and fixed it up I went back out to get my transalp out of storage and the rear tire on that thing is so much nicer. I plan on trying to switch over to whatever is on there as soon as possible. I've done a couple of burnouts since on the NC to break the tire in a little more, smooth out the transition on the sidewall and it seems better but that rear tire is still to crotch rocketty for my likes.

Keep the threads coming on engine/frame protection, I'm in the market.

 

[DanWill]

I alomost dropped mine when I thought I put my kick stand down already. Luckily the low cog saved me some embarrassment.

I learned years ago with the VTX(heavyMF), anytime I go to park I kill the bike with the kickstand. That way there is no chance of leaning the bike over to the ground, instead of the kickstand... Also keeps the bike in gear so it won't roll off the kickstand accidentally.

 

[DanWill]

When I am out riding, I use the side stand and never the center stand...

Only use the center stand at home or at work when the bike is going to be parked for a long period of time... Using the center stand to save the rear shock...

That works most of the time, but here in Texas where the weather gets a little on the hot side, that kickstand can push right through the hot asphalt over time and leave your bike laying on the ground. If the same thing happens with the center stand then at least your bike is still upright.

 

[treybrad]

That works most of the time, but here in Texas where the weather gets a little on the hot side, that kickstand can push right through the hot asphalt over time and leave your bike laying on the ground. If the same thing happens with the center stand then at least your bike is still upright.

Yep! I've never had my bike fall over completely, but I've definitely come out from a break to see my bike looking like a sailboat in a stiff breeze....

If these guys will get with the program and put out some product, I may have to buy a kickstand foot from them - Side Stand Foot for Honda NC700X AltRider

If it's too $$$ or not out by summer, I'll just have to pester my buddy with a welder to fab something up.

trey

 

[yticolev]

That works most of the time, but here in Texas where the weather gets a little on the hot side, that kickstand can push right through the hot asphalt over time and leave your bike laying on the ground. If the same thing happens with the center stand then at least your bike is still upright.

My own experience is that using the center stand on soft asphalt makes it much more likely the bike will fall. All it takes is an inch or so on one side of the stand to go beyond the point of no return. Before that, I had routinely used my center stand only (easier for some reason I don't remember), but after that episode, only on concrete. Kickstand for asphalt. The kickstand sinking in only an inch or so will not dump (most?) bikes.

 

[bamamate]

When I rode back in the 80s I carry a 4x4 piece of plywood (think it was 1/4" thick) that I put under the kickstand. Had the center stand sink so far that I struggled to get it out.

 

[DanWill]

My own experience is that using the center stand on soft asphalt makes it much more likely the bike will fall. All it takes is an inch or so on one side of the stand to go beyond the point of no return. Before that, I had routinely used my center stand only (easier for some reason I don't remember), but after that episode, only on concrete. Kickstand for asphalt. The kickstand sinking in only an inch or so will not dump (most?) bikes.

See I figure that if the asphalt is soft then both sides will sink, rather than just one. Also with the centerstand the weight of the bike is shared by both supports so effectively less likely that they will sink as much, or far, as the single kickstand.

 

[DanWill]

When I rode back in the 80s I carry a 4x4 piece of plywood (think it was 1/4" thick) that I put under the kickstand. Had the center stand sink so far that I struggled to get it out.

Poker runs are pretty popular in Virginia where I used to live, there the aftermarket companies and insurance companies would show up and give away "feet" with their logo's on them. Cheap for them, and an easy way to get their name out there. At one time I probably had ten of them. Might still be packed away somewhere...