Getting the hang of the center stand

[DaveMN]

Hi everyone --

I'm a new Buddy 50 owner in Minneapolis, and having a great time. I put almost 70 miles on it in my first couple days last week. (Unfortunately, Saturday and today have delivered bad weather for scootering, but oh well.)

Anyway, my question is about the center stand. I read somewhere that when you press the foot lever, you should be able to easily slide the scooter up onto the center stand. However, it's hard work for me; I seem to have to press the foot lever while lifting the entire weight of the scooter from the handle on the rear end and shoving it back onto the stand.

I'm pretty sure I'm missing some easy leverage point. Has anyone else had this trouble and can you tell me what I'm doing wrong?

P.S. Also, if you're on Facebook, join the Buddy Owners' group I created!:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3986518807

[ryder1]

When the center stand is down, do you feel both sides are touching the pavement?

Could be that only the side nearest to you is resting on the pavement.

Try again going through the motions slowly till you feel both sides are touching. You will be able to tell the difference.

Where did you get your Buddy?

[DaveMN]

Scooterville!

[ryder1]

That's where I bought mine too.

Ed showed me how to put it on the centerstand and the difference when only one side is actually touching down.

[hcstrider]

This is the way that I park my Buddy on its centerstand. I position myself on the left side of the scooter with my left hand holding the left grip while my right hand is holding the rear luggage bracket. I make sure that the Buddy is not leaning to either the left or the right so that both the left and right pegs of the centerstand will contact the ground at the same time. Then with my left foot I press down on the centerstand lever. It is important that while you are pressing down on the centerstand lever you don't allow the Buddy to lean towards you (left) or away from you (right) because both the left and right pegs of the centerstand should make contact with the ground at the same time.

[un_designer]

what hcstrider said... is exactly how you're supposed to do it. when i first got MyBuddy i had the exact same problem and thought that it was difficult, too, until i was shown the proper way to get the scooter on the center stand.

having both pegs of the centerstand touching the ground feels a little odd at first because you won't be used to it, but it truly makes a difference in how much easier it is to get the scooter on the center stand. if you are afraid that you might drop it the other way, just ask someone to stand on the other side while you practice getting the scooter on the center stand.

the final tip that i got from the dealer is that you want to make the momentum force work for, and not against you, by standing a little bit forward of the stand. so, as you are pushing down on the stand with your foot, you're also rolling the scooter away from you. that's a much easier motion than standing behind the stand and trying to pull the scooter toward you and on to the stand.

[DaveMN]

Thanks for the descriptive advice. Even though it seems too wet to drive the scooter today, trying this will give me something to do when I get home.

[DaveMN]

OK folks, that was a great help! Thanks!

[ScooterDave]

Scooterville!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IZyqjIGFps

Dave

[polianarchy]

Scooterville!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IZyqjIGFps

Dave

Sweet video, Dave! That rally looks like it could have been last week...but I was just seven years old in 1985.