[fizzygrrl]

The motorcycle parking at school is uphill and I am never quite sure what is the best was to park the bike. In addition, some of the curbs in my town have a grade as well. Today I while parking at a starbucks I realize that the curb had enough of a gradation to make the kickstand useless, so I used the center stand. It seemed really stable till it was time to go. I rolled off the center stand and couldn't use the sidestand like I usually do so I went down within seconds of rolling off the center stand. I was backed into the parking space at an angle. How do you park when there is a hill or a drainage slope at a curb? Is it better to use the center stand or the sidestand? If you are forced to use the center stand on a slope and there isn't enough clearance to put the kickstand down when rolling off, how do you keep the bike stable? Any advice would be helpful as there are several places were slopes just aren't avoidable.

 

[TemtnF8]

The motorcycle parking at school is uphill and I am never quite sure what is the best was to park the bike. In addition, some of the curbs in my town have a grade as well. Today I while parking at a starbucks I realize that the curb had enough of a gradation to make the kickstand useless, so I used the center stand. It seemed really stable till it was time to go. I rolled off the center stand and couldn't use the sidestand like I usually do so I went down within seconds of rolling off the center stand. I was backed into the parking space at an angle. How do you park when there is a hill or a drainage slope at a curb? Is it better to use the center stand or the sidestand? If you are forced to use the center stand on a slope and there isn't enough clearance to put the kickstand down when rolling off, how do you keep the bike stable? Any advice would be helpful as there are several places were slopes just aren't avoidable.

I sit on the bike when I take it off the center stand.

As far as parking on a hill... My best advice is this: Don't.

 

[fizzygrrl]

I sit on the bike when I take it off the center stand.

As far as parking on a hill... My best advice is this: Don't.

I was sitting on the bike to roll it off. Usually I sit on it and put the side stand down, then when I roll off I have a fail safe... but today there wasn't enough clearance to set the side stand down. As for parking on a hill, all the motorcycle parking at my school is on a hill!!!! I tried to park it at the nearest place that is flat but it is far from the school and several bikes have gotten stolen in that part of town; this sucks.

 

[alaska cajun]

No centerstand here but to park on an incline,the rear of the bike should face downhill.If done with the front faceing downhill,you take the chance of the kickstand or centerstand closeing on you.

Keep the bike in gear and the front turned and locked.

 

[MaxPower]

I agree with alaska cajun. You should orient the bike so that the kickstand side is lower than the other side. That way the bike will rest fully on the kickstand. Usually at the side of the road, that means the bike must be pointed "backward" so that the front faces the wrong way down the street. Though it's an inconvenience, it has to be done sometimes.

Alternately, you can park the bike perpendicular to the curb, but this makes the bike stick out more.

Be sure to leave the bike in first or second gear, too.

 

[TMK]

I usually park at an angle to the curb on hills. The slope of the curb defines the angle. The bike should always be facing up the hill, which is what Cajun said. The reason for this is that it is all but impossible to kick a bike backwards up a hill. If you park nose in, facing down the hill, good luck backing out. Nose out - you just fire up and go.

Once you get off, if you aren't comfortable with the way the bike is sitting on the stand (too easy to tip one way or another) go find somewhere else to park.

Also, always - not just on hills - sit on the bike to take it off the center stand.

 

[highfigh]

Not many hill in my area, so I always have something flat to park on. But, if I had to park on a hill I would always park so the front is pointing up the hill, and put the rear tire against the curb. That way if you forget to put it in gear you know it's not going anywhere. If there is no curb you should still angle it in the parking space with the rear in towards the side of the street.

 

[halliwood]

always put it in gear before parking.

 

[Tritium]

The only way I have found to be reliable is facing uphill, rear tire against the curb, and with the "downhill" slant on the left side of your bike so that the sidestand will get an appropriate amount of weight on it.

Note that this means you can't park on the "downhill" side of a steep hill - your bike needs to be facing opposite the direction of traffic, which is doable (but cops give tickets for that in some places) and in addition to that your sidestand will hit the up-side of the hill making your bike lean less than it should. Strong winds or other things (stupid kids) can easily knock it over.

I don't know about using the center stand, it seems like asking for trouble to do that on a hill.