Ever got stuck with your Valk backed up to the curb?

[Gryphon Rider]

I know it's easy to get a motorcycle pointed downhill INTO a curb, then lack the strength to single-handedly back it away from the curb, but I needed help a couple of years ago with my back tire against the curb and being unable to ride up-hill away from the curb.  Any guesses as to why  I had this issue?  Hint: it had nothing to do with my physical or mental condition and everything to do with how the Valkyrie was positioned.

[rmrc51]

All I know is if I ever made the mistake of pointing my Valk Trike nose first on a downward slope into a curb, I'd need at least 2 more guys to push her back with the extra weight of the trike conversion. How i "WISH" she had a reverse!!!!

[YoungPUP]

Backed into the curb, nose pointed uphill would've put all of the weight  on the kickstand side of the bike. Needed help getting it up off of the stand??

[DavRed]

Yes I do. I have done that myself.
Backed the stacks over the curb and put the kickstand down. then went to lunch.
Got back to the bike and was unable to lift the mike far enough to get the kickstand up....

We live and learn...

[DavRed]

You beat me to it YoungPUP

[art]

All I know is if I ever made the mistake of pointing my Valk Trike nose first on a downward slope into a curb, I'd need at least 2 more guys to push her back with the extra weight of the trike conversion. How i "WISH" she had a reverse!!!!

What you need is a good machinist and fabricator to design and install a reverse on the back using a high performance automotive starter.I hear that some people have done that but I don't know who or how.I don't have a trike but if I did that is how I would do it.Like I said a good machinist and fabricator can do just about anything you would need

[fudgie]

I back down hill to the curb unless I'm in a hurry. Kit backs me up.

[rmrc51]

All I know is if I ever made the mistake of pointing my Valk Trike nose first on a downward slope into a curb, I'd need at least 2 more guys to push her back with the extra weight of the trike conversion. How i "WISH" she had a reverse!!!!

What you need is a good machinist and fabricator to design and install a reverse on the back using a high performance automotive starter.I hear that some people have done that but I don't know who or how.I don't have a trike but if I did that is how I would do it.Like I said a good machinist and fabricator can do just about anything you would need

Believe me. I am looking for someone with that talent and if I do find him, it'll definitely be a go for the project!

[junior]

I know it's easy to get a motorcycle pointed downhill INTO a curb, then lack the strength to single-handedly back it away from the curb, but I needed help a couple of years ago with my back tire against the curb and being unable to ride up-hill away from the curb.  Any guesses as to why  I had this issue?  Hint: it had nothing to do with my physical or mental condition and everything to do with how the Valkyrie was positioned.

 cause you didnt follow the 7"P's". you of all people should know better. arent you an instructor of some sorts?

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Yes I do. I have done that myself.
Backed the stacks over the curb and put the kickstand down. then went to lunch.
Got back to the bike and was unable to lift the mike far enough to get the kickstand up....

We live and learn...

This is my guess too. I had to replace one of my exhaust tips a few years ago do to a curb dent.

[Gryphon Rider]

cause you didnt follow the 7"P's". you of all people should know better. arent you an instructor of some sorts?

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the "7 Ps".

[Super Santa]

Proper Prior Preparation Prevents Pi** Poor Performance

[Gryphon Rider]

I was parking as normal, angled at about 60 or 70 degrees from the curb.  The curb was higher than normal and the side slope of the road a little steeper than normal, and when I put the bike on its side stand, the bike rolled back until the tire rested against the curb, which would have been fine except the right exhaust tip barely cleared the curb.  When I came back from breakfast, a couple of gentlemen asked if I could help with a flat tire on an HD that one of them owned that was parked at the motel that the other man owned.  It was a holiday Monday and I had a Stop & Go kit and a 12V compressor, so I was happy to help.  When I fired up the bike, I realized that the curb under the exhaust wouldn't allow me to lift the bike up and raise the side stand, and when I put it in gear the engine quit due to the side stand switch.  Anyway, the men helped by pushing me forward enough for the exhaust to clear the curb and I was on my way to the motel.  My "Proper Prior Preparation" got the HD tire plugged and inflated.

[cookiedough]

Never done that, but was embarrassed a few times when I had all 3 of my bags filled on my I/S full of groceries and couldn't back up into the garage going uphill about 10 degrees and over the small lip of the concrete driveway going up about 1" lip into the garage concrete.   My legs are really strong, but short at 5'10" 30" inseam and can barely touch level footed on the ground the way it is with stock seat.  Unloaded up a small incline, I can push it backwards but that extra 50lbs. of groceries on the bags did me in more than once.  Don't think I would ever have trouble lifting the sidestand up ever though, no issues with that.

[PhredValk]

If I'm at a curb and the road is steep enough to roll the bike back, I leave it in gear. At least I do since I almost trashed the pipe on my GL1100...
Fred.

[Tx Bohemian]

Huh? Funny this thread comes up now.
I got a question that is somewhat related to this "parking" topic.
I often wondered about this and thought this was kinda silly to do.

Last W/E I rode with 4 HD riders which are good people, not your "I ride a Harley and you don't" crowd, but they only care that you ride.

We rode up in the Hill Country and stopped in Boerne, Tx for lunch.  The spot in the P/lot we parked was inclined a tad (nose up) so I pulled in forward thinking that when we leave all I have to do is release the brake and roll back and I'm good to go (and it worked).

However all the others backed into the uphill parking space.  One, shorter guy, even needed help pushing his bike back far enough.
I helped him thinking "boy, this is kinda embarrassing"!

This is what I was wondering:
Is it "cool" to back your bike up in a parking space? No matter how hard it is to get in there?

I'm just curious cause believe me, I've never been accused of being "the cool guy".  I probably look like the biggest dork on a bike.
But you know, it doesn't bother me.  I'm there to enjoy the ride. And as we all know "on the best bike ever built"!!

[fudgie]

I back or pull in where its easy for me to leave. But yea its cool to back in! 

Last year in Sturgis GiG and I were headed to Spearfish canyon when it started to pour out. We pulled into a p-lot to get out of the rain but I pulled in forward. Go to leave and I cant get the bike backed up due to the wet road and steep incline I was nose down in. I had to ask 2 guys to back me up. Totally embarrassing!

[Gryphon Rider]

Is it "cool" to back your bike up in a parking space? No matter how hard it is to get in there?

I think it's "cool" to be smart and avoid pushing a motorcycle up an incline.  Sometimes, however, we get the opportunity to get "cooler" by learning from our mistakes.  Others choose to define "cool" in other ways.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I've got short legs and have a very hard time backing the Valk up even a slight incline so I try to always park so I won't have to.