TOPIC:

This may just be me, but does anyone else have trouble getting your Z onto the centre stand? Although in my 60s, I consider myself to be reasonably fit but I have a real struggle to get that big old Z up on it’s stand. Maybe age is catching up with me.

No, you're correct it's a bitch to get up on the stand. That's probably why the 1200 Voyager was given a two stage center stand.

Keep tugging but be careful.

Bill

The ZN1300 Voyager also has a very easy two-stage stand, too!

I have worked out a modification that makes it even easier on my ZN1300. I shortened the legs 3/4" so the action of the mechanism is farther along in it's stroke before the bike begins to lift. A stock stand lifts the rear wheel of the ZN about 2-3/4" off the ground. I asked myself why was it necessary to lift it that much. That makes it harder! So, I cut the legs down 3/4" so now my rear tire is just 1" off the ground. Makes the job so much easier, even with the two-stage stand. Of course, if the terrain you park on is too rough for just 1" of rear wheel clearance, then this won't work for you, but the center stand probably wouldn't work in the first place.

It might help you to run the rear wheel up onto a 2 X 4 block before trying to get it on the stand.

There's a lot of technique to it as well. You're not really pulling up on the motorcycle- you're pushing down with your leg. As far as center stands go, the KZ1300 is actually one of the easier ones. (The GL1000? Absolute PITA).

That being said, if the bike isn't within a certain geometry (too low when compared to the stand), getting it up will be really difficult as well. Hence the usual 2x4 solution. Still, here's what I do.

- Left hand on handlebar, right on grab bar (or frame, if bar is missing)
- Put your right foot on the side of the center stand, and push it down. As you do so, guide the bike to vertical.
- Once both "feet" are on the ground, you know you're vertical. Transfer your foot to the actual lifting pad (IMPORTANT: Lots of people don't do this, and crack the small "tang" off the side of the stand trying to lift it with that. Not the best design choice, IMO)
- Now, do ALL of the following together, in one fluid motion:
-- Push DOWN with your right foot on the stand. This is where most of the work should be.
-- Pull UP on the grab bar/frame with your right hand. Don't concentrate on lifting the bike, but pulling the bar away from your right foot.
-- Use your left hand to guide the bike and keep it straight. Little to no effort should be going here.
- Once the bike passes the point of no return, use your right hand to guide it slowly into the final position. It shouldn't "bang" into the top of the stand. That's a great way to bend/break stand and frame parts.

That's it, really. Don't be intimidated by the weight of the bike. It actually carries it rather well, and the stand geometry really helps mitigate a lot of it while raising it on to the center. Just remember that 80-85% of the work is in your legs, and you're good to go.

I sent these 2 articles in sometime ago discussing how I modified the C-stand to fit around a DG header and how the shortening of the overall height of the C-stand made deploying it so much easier. Great success and improvement.

Article: "Getting it up on the center-stand" ! 6 months 3 weeks ago article #3943.

Which can be accessed here:

www.kz1300.com/index.php/forum/suspensio...-on-the-center-stand

and

Article "Center-Stand vs. DG Header" 9 months 4 weeks ago article #2863.

Which can be accessed here:

www.kz1300.com/index.php/forum/suspensio...r-stand-vs-dg-header

I heard a couple of blokes bitching about how hard it is so after I got mine it was the first thing I tried, I am 6ft 2in and 110kg so strength is really a problem until I tried and failed so after that I use the side stand but I like that idea of shortening stand a tad