[letmedance]

It would be a good idea to set the rear parking break when using the side stand. It seems easy for the stand to fold up if you accidently move the bike forward slightly. My shoulder still hurts from this mornings episode. The Maj didn't go down but it is a heavy beast.
John

 

[jojococomo]

Been there done that, this is why I don't even mess with the kick stand anymore, only the center stand from now on. Hard and painful on the body lesson to learn.

 

[gruntled]

I've had mine fold on me twice also. It was fairly easy to catch the bike but it makes me careful when I get off now. Biggest problem would be if you parked slightly downhill. Using the parking brake is a good way to keep it from rolling.

 

[Larry Newman]

Mine fell over, when I forgot the brake.

Once was enough...now the brake goes on when I stop. It's also great at stoplights, to grab a drink or just relax your hands.

Pity the other bikes that don't have it !

 

[PCM84]

I rarely ever use my side stand -- occassionally when I park in my shed at night -- where the floor is perfectly flat.

 

[letmedance]

I learned early that the brake goes on before the stand goes down. I do not use the centerstand as it is easy to bump the bike and off it goes, wish the brake would hold for the center stand also.
John

 

[Majic12]

I also put the parking brake on before I put the side stand down. I still haven't learned the trick to getting that center stand down, easily. Every once in a blue moon I can get it to work, but those occasions are rare, indeed. Maybe it's because I've had both knees replaced, and I'm afraid of the strain on them? Anyway, my right knee always gives me fits for a couple of hours after I try the center stand, so I've given up on it.

 

[Black Sheep]

I also put the parking brake on before I put the side stand down. I still haven't learned the trick to getting that center stand down, easily. Every once in a blue moon I can get it to work, but those occasions are rare, indeed. Maybe it's because I've had both knees replaced, and I'm afraid of the strain on them? Anyway, my right knee always gives me fits for a couple of hours after I try the center stand, so I've given up on it.

I've got bad knees as well, but I don't find that the center stand is a problem. All you really do is stand on the lever with all your weight on that one foot and she goes right up. Occasionally, it takes two tries. It's all technique - problem is that no one teaches it before you leave the dealership!

 

[hot shoe]

I also put the parking brake on before I put the side stand down. I still haven't learned the trick to getting that center stand down, easily. Every once in a blue moon I can get it to work, but those occasions are rare, indeed. Maybe it's because I've had both knees replaced, and I'm afraid of the strain on them? Anyway, my right knee always gives me fits for a couple of hours after I try the center stand, so I've given up on it.

I know this reply is a bit late but I just recently joined..I also have a knee problem from too many bike getoffs parachute landings, & just plain old bones. I use a 1x4 piece of scrap wood under the tire. I just ride the bike up onto the wood, put the kick stand down, and the increased height of the bike allows the center stand to be activated with barely any effort. If necessary you could use a 2x4 instead. Since a 2x4 is actually only 1 1/2 inches thick compared to the 3/4 inch of the 1x4 the kick stand will still allow you to use it without the bike falling when you get off to use the center stand.

 

[ESA1178]

Gosh yes...

I had the dealer deliver mine, since I didn't have a license for a few days.
I was in the garage trying all day to get it on the center stand!
I eventually went to the dealer and he showed me on another Majesty..

 

[spirilis]

Yep, I always use the rear parking brake whenever I am using the sidestand, and usually put it on when I'm using the center stand (out of habit). It is a very nice feature for stoplights--set the parking brake, stretch out a bit, look at the cellphone briefly, etc.

 

[Blexcroid]

I use the rear parking break regardless if the bike is on the centrestand or sidestand. Just a good safety practise! :wink:

 

[waterinthefuel]

Mine fell over, but it was because I thought I'd put it down and I didn't. I let the bike start going over and when I realized the stand wasn't down it was too late, and I had no room to catch it as I was on the bike and falling into a boat. I was smashed between the bike and the boat and a buddy of mine came running over and helped me up.

What I do is when I put it on the side stand and get off is I put my foot right behind the stand, with my leg against the bike where it comes out for the passenger footrest, and I push backwards on the bike, hard enough to hear the side stand slide a little, that was I know she's "down and locked." I haven't ever had it fall over on me once the stand was down.

My Vino did once, but I was standing next to it turned around and when it fell, it fell on my leg. Nice bruise on my leg, but no bruise on the bike.

 

[Blexcroid]

There's those of us who have and those of us who WILL fall or have our bikes fall over upon us! Guess which group I'm a member of . . .

 

[gerald]

And ABSOLUTELY put the parking brake on when picking it up from a fall as it will just roll otherwise and you're trying to stop roll as well as gravity.
Gravel under my foot so it dropped at 0 mph very slowly. Hardly a scratch but, it's there. Needed help getting it up and glad I'd put the parking brake before getting it up on its feet.
I've had 2 knee surgeries and 3 back surgeries so I've never been able to put it on center stand. I always hold the rear (left) brake while applying the parking brake. For morning start ups I have it close enough to the garage wall that I can take off the side stand and lean against the wall warming up while I put on boots and helmet etc.

 

[hot shoe]

And ABSOLUTELY put the parking brake on when picking it up from a fall as it will just roll otherwise and you're trying to stop roll as well as gravity.
Gravel under my foot so it dropped at 0 mph very slowly. Hardly a scratch but, it's there. Needed help getting it up and glad I'd put the parking brake before getting it up on its feet.
I've had 2 knee surgeries and 3 back surgeries so I've never been able to put it on center stand. I always hold the rear (left) brake while applying the parking brake. For morning start ups I have it close enough to the garage wall that I can take off the side stand and lean against the wall warming up while I put on boots and helmet etc.

Regarding your inability to use the center stand, I have had similar problems due to just worn out knees & the attendant arthritis. Blame it on too many parachute jumps & bike crashes, etc. I finally solved the problem with the use of a 1x6 piece of wood. Just run the bike's rear wheel up onto the wood, lower the kick stand, don't be alarmed at the extreme angle of the bike. After pressing the center stand lever down to where both of its feet are touching the ground ( you'll need to stand the bike up straight to do this),simply grasp the left bar & rear grab rail, then the least pressure on the center stand lever will pull the bike up onto the stand.
Before taking the bike off the stand be sure the parking brake is on & the kick stand is down!
In my case I was unable to get the bike off the center stand in the normal way by grabbing the side rail and pulling. I finally had to resort to pulling from the end of the spoiler which didn't require the wrist pressure.
As with any other task, we who have any sort of disability, simply go around the problem & solve it another way. :lol:

EDIT: I had forgotten that I posted this reply quite some time ago. Oh well, repetition is condusive to learning.