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Getting on and off a Bike when you're old and fucked!


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This is an odd one.......but it came about after a discussion on another forum with some other old guys about their difficulty getting on and off bikes as the years have taken their toll.


I tried to explain how I've always done it......and it still works for me now. But it was impossible to actually describe.....nobody could understand.


So somebody said just make a vid and show us.........so here it is. May be of use to somebody! Turn the sound up though cos I'm some distance from the camera!


I'm not telling you it's going to solve all or any of your issues......it depends very much how restricted you are in your movements. In my case I've got stretched MCL's in both knees.....so sideways knee movement is out of the question for me.


So......this is what I've done since I was 17. I'm now 66 and it still works!


https://youtu.be/ac6mIAJ9RMs

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very good! :thumb:


I've moved it to a more appropriate place :thumb:

 

I didn't put it in there cos I didn't feel qualified to give what I would call definitive or tested advice on something.


It's like the way I ride......I've no idea if it's right or wrong.....it's just the way I've always done things.


In both cases they work for me but may not be right for somebody else.

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very good! :thumb:


I've moved it to a more appropriate place :thumb:

 

I didn't put it in there cos I didn't feel qualified to give what I would call definitive or tested advice on something.


It's like the way I ride......I've no idea if it's right or wrong.....it's just the way I've always done things.


In both cases they work for me but may not be right for somebody else.

 

I wouldn't worry


It's covered in the rules :lol:

 

Advice voiced in Pitstop or any other area of the site is used at your own discretion, The forum owners and authors cannot be held responsible for any inaccurate information given.

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absolutely people should always do things the way that work for them, and if it doesnt work for someone else then they can do it their own way

 

This situation has been exacerbated in recent years as the motorcycling demographic has got older.......while bikes have got so much taller.


Back in the 70's nobody ever said they had trouble getting on their bike.........the trouble they had then was staying on their bike.

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Guest Richzx6r

It's more the welsh language I have difficulty with :roll:


Only issues I ever encounter is with the bike loaded up with tail pack and the like apart from that it's just swing the leg over

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Guest Richzx6r

so nowadays why do we think that modern bikes have to be so much heavier and taller which is no good to me being 5ft 6ins and 10st p**s wet through :(

 

Proper little short arse you like eh :thumb:

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Good clip


I get on and off by using the foot peg, but have the bike on the side stand not the centre stand.

 

That weld goes you're going over with the full weight of the bike on your leg!


Saw a posting last week on FB......happened to someone on a CB500X. He was OK apart from bruising but the CB is a comparatively light bike.


A lot of people do it.......and 99% of the time it'll be fine. But if you've got a big, heavy bike the consequences could be really bad if it goes.

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so nowadays why do we think that modern bikes have to be so much heavier and taller which is no good to me being 5ft 6ins and 10st p**s wet through :(

 

Proper little short arse you like eh :thumb:

:salute: yea and the arthritis in my shoulders aint helping my cause either :(
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Good clip


I get on and off by using the foot peg, but have the bike on the side stand not the centre stand.

 

That weld goes you're going over with the full weight of the bike on your leg!


Saw a posting last week on FB......happened to someone on a CB500X. He was OK apart from bruising but the CB is a comparatively light bike.


A lot of people do it.......and 99% of the time it'll be fine. But if you've got a big, heavy bike the consequences could be really bad if it goes.

 

Good point, my bike has a notoriously crap sidestand for instance. Compensated though with an 800 mm seat height though :thumb:

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if you dont have a centre stand, mount in the same way but from the RHS. its quite easy.. as you step up onto the foot-peg, grab both bars and the front brake, and move your body weight over the centre of the bike, If you feel it lifting off the side stand then you are not far enough over. it doesn't have to be much. It sounds risky.. and the first attempt feels dodgy. But its actually very simple to do and very quickly becomes automatic. you get your weight in the right position without thinking.


My bike has a centre stand. it also has a not very strong side stand, and this is my normal way of mounting especially when i have the luggage fitted. so easy.


To be honest that was the demonstration i was expecting to see on the video.


so... here.


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This is an odd one.......but it came about after a discussion on another forum with some other old guys about their difficulty getting on and off bikes as the years have taken their toll.


I tried to explain how I've always done it......and it still works for me now. But it was impossible to actually describe.....nobody could understand.


So somebody said just make a vid and show us.........so here it is. May be of use to somebody! Turn the sound up though cos I'm some distance from the camera!


I'm not telling you it's going to solve all or any of your issues......it depends very much how restricted you are in your movements. In my case I've got stretched MCL's in both knees.....so sideways knee movement is out of the question for me.


So......this is what I've done since I was 17. I'm now 66 and it still works!


https://youtu.be/ac6mIAJ9RMs

 

However, I cannot bend my leg like you show to get on t'bike (or even off it easily) on the side stand (I do not have a centre stand.

Also I'm not going to 'get a car' like you final words in the video!


What I do is a similar technique to your main stand manoeuvre but on the side stand - Works perfectly well with no issues. However, I keep the front brake pulled tight when I mount or dismount (stops any chance of the bike inching forward and 'collapsing' the side stand.


I have used this method on my last 4 bikes - No problems at all! - Bikes were: Bandit 1200; Bandit 1250; Rocket III; HD Fatboy 114.


:cheers:

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What I do is a similar technique to your main stand manoeuvre but on the side stand

 

I'd just keep a very close eye on the sidestand weld......cos if that bike comes down on your leg it could be nasty.


A French friend of mine on a Harley lost his footing while stationary and went down on his left side......broke his ankle!


And the thing is we don't heal so quick at our age. We don't bounce now......we just impact.

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if you dont have a centre stand, mount in the same way but from the RHS. its quite easy.. as you step up onto the foot-peg, grab both bars and the front brake, and move your body weight over the centre of the bike, If you feel it lifting off the side stand then you are not far enough over. it doesn't have to be much. It sounds risky.. and the first attempt feels dodgy. But its actually very simple to do and very quickly becomes automatic. you get your weight in the right position without thinking.


My bike has a centre stand. it also has a not very strong side stand, and this is my normal way of mounting especially when i have the luggage fitted. so easy.


To be honest that was the demonstration i was expecting to see on the video.

 

 

The way I showed is the way I've done it since 1971.....I've never needed to rethink it.


It was only when an American guy on another forum commented that I must have very short legs to throw my leg over the seat with the top box there that the whole thing started.

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I must admit that I have never given any thought to how I get on a bike until now .

 

Same here Bob......it was only when a guy made that comment about short legs because the box was there that I thought about it.


If you try to describe the way you get on a bike......it's impossible because it's something you don't think about unless you have a physical condition that causes an issue.


So that's why I did the vid!


Anybody else want to give us a vid?......cos I've already had a funny one elsewhere! Sort of a Monty Python "Ministry of Funny Walks".

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