When Parking???

[Big Rig]

Just out of curiosity...(it is raining here and I could not ride)

When you park your Valk, does your front wheel lean towards your kickstand or do you leave it in line with your bike?

Harleys all lean towards the kickstand, most valks i have seen do not.

Am I the only one that notices these sort of things? 

Just want to see what everyone else does.

Ok, I am just a wee bit bored.

Happy Friday

[Spirited-6]

I try to keep mine in line. Harder to get off the side stand when turned hard left. 

[doubletee]

Not for any particular reason, but I always turn my front wheel towards the kickstand. It probably stems from my Grandfather. He used to own a Schwinn bicycle shop back in the day, and upon seeing so many kids' bikes that had fallen over (to the right), he told me to always turn the front wheel into the kickstand and my bike would never fall over.

[Charlie]

Not for any particular reason, but I always turn my front wheel towards the kickstand. It probably stems from my Grandfather. He used to own a Schwinn bicycle shop back in the day, and upon seeing so many kids' bikes that had fallen over (to the right), he told me to always turn the front wheel into the kickstand and my bike would never fall over.

Your grandfather was a wise man!

[fudgie]

HD lean toward the ks? Nah!


I try to keep mine straight due to it being easier to mount up. I'm short legged and need to hike my leg higher which means I gotta lean a little. Always hitting the mirror if its towards the ks. Most of the time when I get off with wheels straight the bars turn towrds the ks.

[Jabba]

Mine always leans to the sidestand.  I always thought it was because my bike was a little taller with the progressive 13.5" 440 HD shocks.

Jabba

[Ice]

Mine is always leaned towards the stand, it helps mounting and dismounting for me and further I always feel that the bike stands more secure.

Yuri

[hubcapsc]

[ChromeDome]

Never really gave it much thought except when the kickstand side is a little higher, then I turn the wheel to the kickstand to add a little more weight. Otherwise, I just park and dismount.

And you are really bored .... aren't you?

[hubcapsc]

Never really gave it much thought

That's your bike in the picture I posted, I think... you leave it straight 

-Mike

[eric in md]

do you ever lock it?? you have to turn toward side stand

[Westernbiker]

Well I rooster mine slightly to the right just to be different and I think it looks better. Unless I am going to lock the handlebars then it has to be towards the left. And you are not the only one that notices, that's why mine is to the right. As far as ease getting off and on........I don't have that problem being 6'7"  240 lbs with a 40" inseam.

[Cruzen]

If you do not leave it turned toward the kick stand then a thief automatically klnows you have not locked the front fork.  Keep it turned in that direction and from a distance it is not as obvious that the bike is unlocked.

Several years ago at a bike rally everyone walked by and asked this guy if they could help him with his problem.  What he was actually doing was stealing the bike.  It was a metric and was unlocked and he was attempting to connect the wires to get it going.

Keep it locked or look forward to a long walk.

[fudgie]

If you do not leave it turned toward the kick stand then a thief automatically klnows you have not locked the front fork.  Keep it turned in that direction and from a distance it is not as obvious that the bike is unlocked.

Several years ago at a bike rally everyone walked by and asked this guy if they could help him with his problem.  What he was actually doing was stealing the bike.  It was a metric and was unlocked and he was attempting to connect the wires to get it going.

Keep it locked or look forward to a long walk.

Guess that means I should take the key out then! 

[Ice]

Another reason I keep mine turned to the stand is because I mount my bike from the right side, this keeps the bars out of the way while mounting. Old habbit I picked up in the PD, since that is your side where there is no traffic (Most of the time) while mounting and dismounting the bike, and also I grab the front brake.  Its an old safety thing

Yuri

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Almost always turn towards the kickstand which to me seems to ad stability. 

[Psychotic Bovine]

Another reason I keep mine turned to the stand is because I mount my bike from the right side, this keeps the bars out of the way while mounting. Old habbit I picked up in the PD, since that is your side where there is no traffic (Most of the time) while mounting and dismounting the bike, and also I grab the front brake.  Its an old safety thing

Yuri

In my first msf course I had my hand whacked by the "instructor" for holding the front brake when mounting the bike (also when I put it in gear, since wet clutches tend to "jump" when dropped into gear).  He said never touch the front brake while putting the bike in gear.  My dad (Solo 1) always told me to hold that brake when putting it in gear.  Nowadays that instructor might be sportin' a shiner.  I'm a little bigger, and a whole lot bolder now!
And yes, the instructor was an HD rider and discouraged helmet use since they restricted hearing and vision (in his opinion).
Anyway, about the parking thing. I put the tire forward, usually, since I mount from the left.
(I use a disk lock instead of the fork lock, don't trust that fork lock to offer much security).

[R J]

If you mount the bike & turn the handlebars hard RIGHT, the bike will come up off the KS easier.

For many years I mounted on the right side.     Then I bought a Gold Wing & that critter was almost impossible to mount from the right side.    For my short legs it was too wide in the girth.

Besides, I had retired by then so I had no reason to mount on the right.

[Ice]

Another reason I keep mine turned to the stand is because I mount my bike from the right side, this keeps the bars out of the way while mounting. Old habbit I picked up in the PD, since that is your side where there is no traffic (Most of the time) while mounting and dismounting the bike, and also I grab the front brake.  Its an old safety thing

Yuri

In my first msf course I had my hand whacked by the "instructor" for holding the front brake when mounting the bike (also when I put it in gear, since wet clutches tend to "jump" when dropped into gear).  He said never touch the front brake while putting the bike in gear.  My dad (Solo 1) always told me to hold that brake when putting it in gear.  Nowadays that instructor might be sportin' a shiner.  I'm a little bigger, and a whole lot bolder now!
And yes, the instructor was an HD rider and discouraged helmet use since they restricted hearing and vision (in his opinion).
Anyway, about the parking thing. I put the tire forward, usually, since I mount from the left.
(I use a disk lock instead of the fork lock, don't trust that fork lock to offer much security).

Yeah I know about those old MSF instructors, was one once, and I always taught to mount from the right an hold the brake. There are all kinds of tricks that one picks up over the years while riding some from other riders, some from courses, but it does'nt matter since you have to use what works for you. I prefer mounting from the right because to this day, it still puts the bike between me and the cager thats comming at me. With regards to the lock, I use both, mainly because the steering lock reminds me of the disk lock.  A good friend of mine forgot his disk lock once and the repair and embarassment was not worth it. Just as I have learned to lace up  a spare key to the bike in my bootlaces, since the same friend lost his key in the Italien Alps (middle of no where) and had to disassemble his entire ignition only to find the key was still in his pocket. We did have a lot of fum with him.

Yuri

[fudgie]

Another reason I keep mine turned to the stand is because I mount my bike from the right side, this keeps the bars out of the way while mounting. Old habbit I picked up in the PD, since that is your side where there is no traffic (Most of the time) while mounting and dismounting the bike, and also I grab the front brake.  Its an old safety thing

Yuri

In my first msf course I had my hand whacked by the "instructor" for holding the front brake when mounting the bike (also when I put it in gear, since wet clutches tend to "jump" when dropped into gear).  He said never touch the front brake while putting the bike in gear.  My dad (Solo 1) always told me to hold that brake when putting it in gear.  Nowadays that instructor might be sportin' a shiner.  I'm a little bigger, and a whole lot bolder now!
And yes, the instructor was an HD rider and discouraged helmet use since they restricted hearing and vision (in his opinion).
Anyway, about the parking thing. I put the tire forward, usually, since I mount from the left.
(I use a disk lock instead of the fork lock, don't trust that fork lock to offer much security).

I always grab the brake at start up. Also when Kit gets on.

[Big Rig]

Apparently, I was not the only one bored today

This is some good stuff...I only lock it when I am going to be out of eyesight of her...I think the 45 is the best lock I carry....

Hope you all have a great weekend...Ride em like you stole em.

[Big IV]

It usually depends on the way the ground is shaped when I get off. If the ground is flat straight or leaned doesn't seem to matter. When it is sloped at all I try to give it a twist. I never lock my fork. I tried it once, but I forgot and jumped on and tried to wrestle it back up right before remembering to get off and unlock it so I could try again.

[BonS]

I turn the bars to the left, mount from the right and start the bike before mounting. An old habit left over from kick starting. I didn't even notice it until someone asked why I always did it.

[doubletee]

Another reason I keep mine turned to the stand is because I mount my bike from the right side, this keeps the bars out of the way while mounting. Old habbit I picked up in the PD, since that is your side where there is no traffic (Most of the time) while mounting and dismounting the bike, and also I grab the front brake.  Its an old safety thing

Yuri

In my first msf course I had my hand whacked by the "instructor" for holding the front brake when mounting the bike (also when I put it in gear, since wet clutches tend to "jump" when dropped into gear).  He said never touch the front brake while putting the bike in gear.  My dad (Solo 1) always told me to hold that brake when putting it in gear.  Nowadays that instructor might be sportin' a shiner.  I'm a little bigger, and a whole lot bolder now!
And yes, the instructor was an HD rider and discouraged helmet use since they restricted hearing and vision (in his opinion).
Anyway, about the parking thing. I put the tire forward, usually, since I mount from the left.
(I use a disk lock instead of the fork lock, don't trust that fork lock to offer much security).

I always grab the brake at start up. Also when Kit gets on.

Yep, I always grab the brake when Diane gets on, too. I don't figure she'd much like it if the bike moved a bit as she stepped on and it tossed her to the ground. 

[sugerbear]

turn bars to the left. when i get on i stand with my left foot on the kickstand, grab the front brake, and mount up.

been doing that for years. just the way i learned.

[Davitaia]

Side Stand? Whats that?

[VMODON]

I turn mine to the right, I keep waiting for the kickstand to break in half from the weight...