[Lille]

As an very old, skinny guy I've just sold my V-Strom650, which is a great bike, for a much lighter and much easier to handle CB500x. I do love the Honda with one small exception.
I could pretty easily get the larger and heavier V-Strom up on it's center stand but so far, try as I might, I simply can't get the Honda up on it's stand. I've watched many YouTube videos to try and learn just what I'm doing wrong but so far... nothing doing. I'm going to continue to try and hopefully I'll learn just what I'm doing wrong and make some corrections.
If that happens then I'll have the perfect bike for me !!

 

[snapperdavis30]

Try putting all your weight on the centre stand it should almost come up.

 

[Lille]

I'm curious if the bike might have been lowered and that's what's making it so hard to get on the center stand.
I wonder how I can tell if that's been done. The simple answer would be to measure the seat height, but that's easier said than done. i.e. The bike must be upright and NOT on the center stand. Not easy for me to do. Anyone have any thoughts on how I can easily tell if it's been lowered other than trying to measure the seat height ?
Thanks !

 

[ExTex]

Get a 1 x 6 x 18" board. Run the rear tire up on the board before putting the bike on the center stand.
1/2" plywood may be high enough.

 

[BackRoadSam]

I agree the this Honda is more difficult to get on the center stand than most bikes I have owned. I can do it easily enough, but it is indeed a bit more difficult. ExTex's solution is a good one, but will usually only work at home unless you carry a board around with you. Putting all of your weight on the center stand's foot lever while lifting also helps.

 

[Old'38Rider]

As an very old, skinny guy I've just sold my V-Strom650, which is a great bike, for a much lighter and much easier to handle CB500x. I do love the Honda with one small exception.
I could pretty easily get the larger and heavier V-Strom up on it's center stand but so far, try as I might, I simply can't get the Honda up on it's stand. I've watched many YouTube videos to try and learn just what I'm doing wrong but so far... nothing doing. I'm going to continue to try and hopefully I'll learn just what I'm doing wrong and make some corrections.
If that happens then I'll have the perfect bike for me !!

I am also an old guy (84) and my trick is to put the back wheel onto a 3/4 1nch plank, which brings the stand much closer to the pivot point, right foot on the centre stand, and lift with right hand on the pillion peg, Too easy.

 

[Lille]

Hey 38 Rider !

Thanks for your post.

Actually the bike is now on it's center stand and you've described exactly how I managed to get it there. No question that makes the job much easier and if need be I'll continue using a 3/4 " 'shim ' .
But if it's possible I'd love to be able to get it up on it's stand without using a board. I'm thinking of when on a two or three day trip and I'd like to get it up to oil the chain, fix a flat or any other time I'd like it up on it's stand. Rather no have to carry lumber with me
In the meantime I'll continue to do just as you've suggested.

I bought myself this bike, after being without a bike at all for about 30 years, for my 80th birthday. My wife insists I'm off my rocker. So glad to meet another 'slightly older' rider ! I'm most definatly going to show her your post just to prove to her that I'm not the only one.

Thanks again.

 

[royhendricks]

Get a 1 x 6 x 18" board. Run the rear tire up on the board before putting the bike on the center stand.
1/2" plywood may be high enough.

That seems like a fair method. I am 81 years. After many BMWs, I now need something lighter. So, my Honda CB500F has just had its 600-mile service. I am getting acquainted with the riding. So far, it looks like the beginning of a different kind of love relationship. No centre stand as I rarely use it when out and about but a paddock stand when back home in the garage. Only improvements I can tell would be cruise control and self canceling indicators. Brian Roy Hendricks.

 

[royhendricks]

That seems like a fair method. I am 81 years. After many BMWs, I now need something lighter. So, my Honda CB500F has just had its 600-mile service. I am getting acquainted with the riding. So far, it looks like the beginning of a different kind of love relationship. No centre stand as I rarely use it when out and about but a paddock stand when back home in the garage. Only improvements I can tell would be cruise control and self canceling indicators. Brian Roy Hendricks.

That Profile is of my wife not me. It is her Facebook membership.

 

[royhendricks]

That Profile is of my wife not me. It is her Facebook membership.

 

[Lille]

That Profile is of my wife not me. It is her Facebook membership.

Hello Roy,
Totally agree on both the cruise control and the canceling of the turn signals . Hopefully before long I'll stop forgetting to turn the signals off. Although I often see folks our age with them on in their car for miles and miles. So maybe folks expect us to leave them on
I'm about to install an Atlas throttle control on mine and while that's not quite a cruise control I believe it may offer something close.

 

[brian.souza]

Hello Roy,
Totally agree on both the cruise control and the canceling of the turn signals . Hopefully before long I'll stop forgetting to turn the signals off. Although I often see folks our age with them on in their car for miles and miles. So maybe folks expect us to leave them on
I'm about to install an Atlas throttle control on mine and while that's not quite a cruise control I believe it may offer something close.

I just ordered an Atlas as well. Maybe we can compare install notes.

 

[Old'38Rider]

Hey 38 Rider !

Thanks for your post.

Actually the bike is now on it's center stand and you've described exactly how I managed to get it there. No question that makes the job much easier and if need be I'll continue using a 3/4 " 'shim ' .
But if it's possible I'd love to be able to get it up on it's stand without using a board. I'm thinking of when on a two or three day trip and I'd like to get it up to oil the chain, fix a flat or any other time I'd like it up on it's stand. Rather no have to carry lumber with me
In the meantime I'll continue to do just as you've suggested.

I bought myself this bike, after being without a bike at all for about 30 years, for my 80th birthday. My wife insists I'm off my rocker. So glad to meet another 'slightly older' rider ! I'm most definatly going to show her your post just to prove to her that I'm not the only one.

Thanks again.

Maybe your local engineering shop could shorten the stand by a similar amount. That should have the same effect. My doctor's parting words, yesterday were, "Don't stop riding that bike." There are four of us in this area, born 1938, and still riding. My CB500f is the smallest of our bikes.

 

[Lille]

Maybe your local engineering shop could shorten the stand by a similar amount. That should have the same effect. My doctor's parting words, yesterday were, "Don't stop riding that bike." There are four of us in this area, born 1938, and still riding. My CB500f is the smallest of our bikes.

Yes ! Boy does your post warm my heart ! 1938 and still at it ! So glad for you. I'm actually going to see my doctor tomorrow morning for something else but while there I'm going to try very hard to get him to tell me the same thing. And if he does I'm going to record him telling me just so I can have my wife listen to him. Cuz she's constantly telling me what a **** fool I am for still riding it.

Shorting the stand ... I've thought of doing just that. All I really need from the stand is to get the rear wheel up off the ground for doing chain or tire maintenance. As it is now the stand gets the tire up about 2" and I would guess that even 1" would suffice. Maybe shaving just a little off the stand would do the trick.

Thanks again !
Lille (1941 ) .

 

[Old'38Rider]

Yes ! Boy does your post warm my heart ! 1938 and still at it ! So glad for you. I'm actually going to see my doctor tomorrow morning for something else but while there I'm going to try very hard to get him to tell me the same thing. And if he does I'm going to record him telling me just so I can have my wife listen to him. Cuz she's constantly telling me what a **** fool I am for still riding it.

Shorting the stand ... I've thought of doing just that. All I really need from the stand is to get the rear wheel up off the ground for doing chain or tire maintenance. As it is now the stand gets the tire up about 2" and I would guess that even 1" would suffice. Maybe shaving just a little off the stand would do the trick.

Thanks again !
Lille (1941 ) .

Here in New South Wales, Australia, we have to pass a riding test at 85 to keep our license, and then every two years after that. We had one friend who lost his license at 91 but continued to ride, illegally, once a week for a year or two after that He was a little guy and had scaled down to a 175cc by then. Better to ride even a little bike than a mobility scooter. I have read that riding motorcycles helps stave off dementia in older people. Of course, we are more fragile. We break easier and mend slower and have less time to waste recuperating, so we must take care, but the pros outway the cons.