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Norge center stand

S

slopoke

Just got it firing!
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
7
At 170lbs. I often have difficulty lifting the Norge up on its centerstand. I have read that the 2010 Norge has a redesigned centerstand with increased leverage. Has anyone seen this firsthand and do you have any comments? Will it bolt-on to a 2008 model?

CB
 
slopoke said:
At 170lbs. I often have difficulty lifting the Norge up on its centerstand. I have read that the 2010 Norge has a redesigned centerstand with increased leverage. Has anyone seen this firsthand and do you have any comments? Will it bolt-on to a 2008 model?

CB
Click to expand...

170lbs. sounds pretty healthy to me. There is defiantly a technique to it, but at age 64, a little over 6'1'' and 195 dripping wet with most of my weight around my belly (beer and martinis will do that) I don't find it all that difficult.
Its' sort of a snatch and pull kinda thing. One gets used to it.
 
More or less ditto what Brian said, for me at 5'6" (at best), 168 lb & age 62. Although if you still have the stock shock at stock settings it will be harder because of the grossly excessive sag. If the stock shock with preload jacked way up (as it needs to be, along with the damping setting) I found it not too bad unless I had the bags & lots of luggage out back-at which point I used to mostly use the side stand. Now, with the stock shock replaced by the far superior Hyperpro, it's a lot easier even fully loaded cause the sag is so much less, you don't have to lift the rear end as much. One of many reasons to upgrade the overly soft & underdamped stock suspension, front & rear.
 
Take the bags off and it is a lot easier to lift up.
 
It really is all about technique. I have no problems getting my Norge on the centre stand with or without the paniers. Use your legs to lift the bike - push down on the stand with your right leg, bend your knees a little and use your leg strength to lift the bike up and back. It's hard to describe but once you get it, you'll do it easily.

Cheers
 
Are you kidding ? You might want to try a little physical fitness - working out with weights.
Do you do any exercise at all ? This is one of the easier center stands ! :D
 
Dears, it is ONLY a correct technic, that matters. I had a huge problem with my first bike, BMW K1200GT, 281 kilo dry weight. weighting some 83-85 kilos I was absolutely unable to put it on a centre stand. I thought I'm too lightweight, cause even extreme weight appliance did not help. I even tried it like: sitting on a bike, lower the CS, pus some pressure that keeps a CS grounded and bike from falling (still bike between legs) I tried to simultaneously jump on the CS lever and pull the handlebars like a monkey, jumping on it...
than, I thought it can not be truth, and searched in youtube for correct technics hint. 5 mins later I could stress-free put the bike on CS.

YOU HAVE TO PULL THE REAR OF THE BIKE WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND DURING YOU PRESS THE CS LEVER DOWN WITH YOUR RIGHT FOOT (like if you had tried to stretch a rubber ring holding the ring down with your foot and pulling with your hand)

very easy, try it. here you can see very good, that with the angle of the CS lever it would be almost impossible to apply CS with only a weight applied to the CS lever http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgLJUFSX5OY
good luck!
Alex
 
Certainly technique has an affect, so I asked a coworker who has been riding for thirty+ years and weighs over 225lbs to operate the centerstand. His conclusion was that it was a bit difficult to him also. I can't imagine why Moto Guzzi would spend the time and money to develope a new centerstand and then publish reference to it in advertising if it weren't an issue in the first place. My basic question here remains unanswered; can the 2010 Norge centerstand be installed on the 2008 model with no modifications?

CB
 
And you may be asking the question for awhile because:

1. No one on this board, as far as I know has the new 2010/11 Norge. Nor have I read anyone claiming to have ridden the new bike in the US or anywhere else.

2. If someone did have a new one it would be a pain to try and switch center stands with an older model just to see if it works better.

3. It is a Guzzi. The likelihood that they improved the design to make it easier to get it up on the center stand is slim.

I can easily get my fully loaded Norge with MG side and top cases up on the stand without any trouble, but I do weigh in at a portly 250 lbs. :S My technique is to grab the left handlebar with my left hand, grab the passenger grab rail with my right hand, step down on the center stand with my foot, don't remember which one, while I slightly lift and pull rearward on the passenger grab rail, at which point the bike just pops up on the center stand.
 
Since it seems you are unlilely to get a direct answer to your question as asked, let me ask you the sort of implied questions from my earlier post:

1)Do you still have the stock shock on the bike?

2)If yes, have you jacked up the preload at all from the way you got it.

If the answer to one or both of the above is no, you can do yourself some good in this area-as well as improving ground clearance & for sure handling-by at least jacking up the stock shock, or much better by replacing it. Is it reasonable to wonder why Guzzi didn't do a better job on this? Sure, but the side stand (US version, anyway) is really, really good, the bike has more than enough range so that being able to fuel up on the centerstand doesn't mean much, & if you have to change the rear tire that will be the problem of the shop-unless you do it yourself. Don't mean to belittle your problem at all, just saying that it is manageable, & in any case you can mostly make it go away-with substantial side benefits-by upgrading the shock. And, lots & lots of bikes out there with less than ideal stock suspension.
 
Since it is my understanding that no 2010 Norges were imported to the US you probably won't get an answer to your original question from anyone here. Assuming you are here in the US you might need to import parts as well. Try contacting the people at this site in the UK. They may be able to answer your questions. http://www.meadeanhosting.co.uk/rcandsspares/home.asp
 
Slopoke, There has got to be something wrong with your technique, maybe if a friend watches you? Several folks have given you a lot of good advise here. It all comes down to standing on the center stand lever thingie or putting your right foot on it somewhere, squeezing the clutch and pulling back with the left hand on the handlebar and the right hand on the grab rail, lift and snatch back. It just sort of rolls back on to the stand. On smooth concrete it may skid along a bit but you can block it with your foot. Not easy but doable. Strength has little to do with it. Or as "some" folks might have to say "its not the size but technique" :blink: :blink: .
My brother who at the tender age of 68 rides a BMW RT1200 has no trouble at all with his fully loaded bike after a long days tour, and he has a mild case of scoliosis. When riding behind him it looks like he is sitting on a hemorrhoid or something. :lol:
 
I can get mine up quite easily, I step and push down as the stand rotates and I pull the left bar and left luggage bar up. Quite easy for me. What is difficult for me is getting the darn thing back down. I am so used to driving my GS off the center stand, try that on a Norge!! I sometimes get to rock it ahead a couple times to get it down. Guess its just the unbalanced nature of the setup but it is tought. Not as tough as the old CBX....but still when people are watching!! My narra litta axxx is about 180 and 71. Suspension is set quite stiff front and rear.
 
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