Putting your scooter on its side stand or centre stand after a ride is easy…..if you know how and which stand to use.
In this article we’ll give you the tips on how to manage your scooters stands.
First things first. All scooters come with a centre stand, and some also come with a side stand. Both are located on the left side of the scooter with the centre stand set toward the rear of the scooter and the side stand is closer to the middle of the scooter.
You will find yourself using the centre stand 90% of the time. It creates a nice stable platform for your scooter and keeps the scooter upright. It’s perfect for flat surfaces like your garage or the Woolies carpark.
The side stand (if you have one) is a good thing if you are parking on an uphill slope. In this case you would reverse the rear wheel of the scooter to meet the gutter and put down your side stand to hold the scooter up. This will make it easier for you when you want to leave as it’s simple to flick the side stand back up rather than bump the scooter uphill to get it off the centre stand.
Tips and Tricks.
Always check that the road surface is firm and secure (don’t attempt to use the stand in a pothole, or soft soil for example)
When deploying the side stand I keep my foot on the stand until the full weight of the scooter is on the stand. Some side stands are spring loaded, so make sure you have the stand levered out to its maximum and the full weight of the scooter resting on the stand before releasing your grip.
As a safety feature keep in mind that some scooters will not start while they are on the side stand. Â This can be a bit of a trap if you are new to scooters.
As for the centre stand there are a few keys to successful use.
- Check to road surface is secure and that you are facing the scooter uphill if there is any sort of slope.
- On the left side of your scooter, face the scooter and with one hand on the left side handlebar and one hand on the pillion riders grab handle
- Put your feet at 90 degrees to each other and using your right foot push the centre stand to the ground.
- Once the stand is on the ground gently rock the scooter side to side so you can feel the two feet of the centre stand level the scooter to the roads surface.
- Now that you are nice and level it’s time to use your hand on the pillion grab handle to pull, and the ball of your foot and bodyweight to push. I like to think that I’m simply taking a step towards the rear of the scooter as this applies weight to your foot and allows you the lifting motion with your hand.
- Once the scooter is on the stand, check that it feels balanced and secure.
The good news is that scooters have a low centre of gravity, so getting onto a centre stand is easy, now that you know how.
If you’d like to see this done visually, check out the video below or simply ask our staff for a demonstration next time you’re in store.