Stelvio Question

[Lee Davis]

I am trying to figure  out how to get my Stelvio up on the center stand. On my BMW 1150 there was a flip up handle that you could lift with, and getting it up on the stand was easy. Not so with the Stelvio... there is very little to grab. I am a fairly big fellow, but I am having a hell of a time figuring this out. Any advice?

[Markcarovilli]

I use the grab handle near the rear seat to pull up and push down with my big feet on the stand....

Mark

[Lannis]

I had to go out to the shop and try it to see how I do it.

Mine has the "TRAX" luggage so the luggage frame provides a solid lift point.   Not much help there if you have a different one, though.

Lannis

[Zoom Zoom]

I use the grab handle near the rear seat to pull up and push down with my big feet on the stand....

Mark

Me too.

John Henry

[Lee Davis]

I got some help getting it on the stand this afternoon, but I am afraid to let it off the stand to try it again. I don't see how grabbing the rear passenger handle can do it, for it is rearward of the stand... so you can't pull the bike backwards. I have the trax boxes, but there is nothing substantial to grab. I guess I shall wait till someone is here tomorrow and try it again.

[ITSec]

I got some help getting it on the stand this afternoon, but I am afraid to let it off the stand to try it again. I don't see how grabbing the rear passenger handle can do it, for it is rearward of the stand... so you can't pull the bike backwards. I have the trax boxes, but there is nothing substantial to grab. I guess I shall wait till someone is here tomorrow and try it again.

Don't pull back - pull up. Mostly what you are doing is un-weighting the rear of the bike to allow your foot pressure on the stand to lift the bike into position. In effect, you are pulling up with your hand and pushing down with your foot, and it creates a scissors action.

[Lee Davis]

OK... I shall try that. I know there is a simple trick... I guess I am missing it.

[pyoungbl]

You should be standing on the centerstand and lifting up on the Trax bracket.  She's a big girl and can stand on her own two feet...with just a bit of help.

Peter Y.

[leafman60]

The Stelvio is not an easy bike to place on the center stand, not compared to other big endure bikes like the GS.

Deploying any center stand is not accomplished by pulling backward as others have said.  The key is to put as much weight as you can on the foot tang of the stand while pulling up on the lift handle as much as you can.  The foot tang levers the bike back onto the stand. 

When I do mine, my right foot is on the foot tang and I pull up on the rear sear grab rail or the mount for the saddlebag. I end up lifting my left foot completely off the ground while pulling up hard on the rear, pushing my foot very hard on the foot tang.  The saddlebag frame seems to make a better grab point because it is lower and allows better leverage for pulling.

One note is that the foot tang can be slick if it's wet or if your boot sole is slippery. You can get half way up on the stand and your foot slips off the tang and everything falls forward.  I applied a patch of adhesive traction tread to my foot tang to insure against slippage.

The Stelvio takes quite an effort - especially if you have the panniers mounted and stuffed.



.

[Lee Davis]

I have owned quite a few bikes with center stands, and so I know the drill. This is a tough one though. I will try tomorrow.

[sidmonsters]

Lee--I find swearing at the bike is the key.  And wearing hard soled footwear (tried it once after running with my New Balance shoes on...back to swearing at her).  I love my Stelvio at any speed above 3mph.  Below that, and including at a dead stop, I see why Pete Roper calls her the "Turd" and others the "Pig".  I personally have settled on "The Top Heavy Whore of Medina".  It's a mouthful but surprisingly satisfying to say when she tries to lie down and take a nap when I have other plans for her. 
Steve
Disclaimer: not throwing Guzzi under the bus.  Wearing big boy pants as I type...    Wait.Nevermind.  No pants at all...

[lorazepam]

Lee--I find swearing at the bike is the key.  And wearing hard soled footwear (tried it once after running with my New Balance shoes on...back to swearing at her).  I love my Stelvio at any speed above 3mph.  Below that, and including at a dead stop, I see why Pete Roper calls her the "Turd" and others the "Pig".  I personally have settled on "The Top Heavy Whore of Medina".  It's a mouthful but surprisingly satisfying to say when she tries to lie down and take a nap when I have other plans for her. 
Steve
Disclaimer: not throwing Guzzi under the bus.  Wearing big boy pants as I type...    Wait.Nevermind.  No pants at all...

Dang! Never had anyone this close to me on a forum before. I live at Cinnamon Lake, about 30 minutes from the stop light hell that is Medina.

[Tom H]

Leafman60 seems to have the best description.

For garage use. My EV has lower shocks, very hard to put on the center stand. I read a tip here or ? to use a 2X6 by about 2 foot or so board that is cut to make a ramp. Taper the 2 foot board about half of it's length. Place in front of the rear tire and roll the bike so the rear tire is up on the flat area of the board then deploy the center stand. WAY!!!!! easier!!

Hope this helps,
Tom

Edited a bit to clear up how to use the board.

[tris]

 :1: - I've done the same but it is a PIA if you want to use it out on the road 

[Lannis]

:1: - I've done the same but it is a PIA if you want to use it out on the road 

I've lowered my Stelvio an inch front and rear, and as a result it's more of a bear than normal to put on the center stand.   I've got a lot of ass to put behind it, and I still can't do it myself on a flat concrete surface.

Two reasons this works, though --

1) I don't have any reason to put the bike on the center stand unless I need to work on it, which is 95% of the time done in my shop, where aids and lifts are available.

2) On the road, you don't need a long ramp-shaped 2 x 4 or anything.   Just a 10" piece of 5/4 flooring board about 3 or 4 inches wide, carried down in the bottom of the saddlebag, you don't even notice it.   

If the bike needs to go up on the stand on the road, you just take out the little piece of wood, roll the back wheel up on it, and the bike goes right up on the stand like a good 'un ....

Lannis

[Lee Davis]

OK! I don't feel so bad now. I rarely use the center stand, but there are times when it is necessary out on the road. If many others have the same problem then I feel like I am in good company.

[kirb]

I don't have too much trouble with the Stelvio-

Wear hard sole boots, or shoes. No flip-flops. Hopefully there is no bag on the left rack.
While on side-stand, push center stand down with right foot until the first pad touches.
Tilt the bike up until the other pad touches...don't tip bike over. Both pads are now touching the ground and bike is upright.
lift up on Trax rack while putting all your weight on your right foot and the center stand.
Bike should come up with no issues.

My Motus is 100lbs lighter and is WAY harder to get on it's stand.

[GypsyMoth]

Lee,
I haven't taken possession of my Stelvio yet (of all things, the windshield adjustment knob wasn't received...); but I can attest to the effort required for two GS-As. My first was a 2007, and popping it up on the center stand was breeze. I decided it was too tall last year and replaced it with a 2016 GS-A Lowered, the 2016 actually hurts when I force it up on the center stand. Like you, no convenient grab location- and the best location tends to have an edge that hurts my hand. With gloves the new GS-A isn't too bad...

[Lee Davis]

Dang... I finally figured out my problem. Whenever I work on my motorcycles I do it in the sandy back yard and I always wear my Hawaiian print shirt and flip flops. I have found that at this stage of my life, if I want to get anything up, the shirt is a necessity. I have to say, with all the problems, working with a Stelvio is substantially easier than with the ex. But I think that you are right, Steve. Swearing and cursing at the bike seems to make a difference... although it didn't work with the ex.  Oh... I am throwing in a picture, simply because everyone needs to see this...