Motorcyclists, do you leave your bike in gear when parked?

[JulesMaximus]

I'm talking when you leave it parked on the side stand.

I'm always surprised by the number of motorcyclists I run into who leave their bike in neutral when parked. I always leave it in 1st gear personally. You just never know, maybe that surface you parked on wasn't quite as level as it looked or someone bumps into your bike, just seems like an invite for a tip over.

Now, the only exception to this is when I park it in my garage and put it up on my Pit Bull rear stand. I leave it in neutral in this situation because my garage floor is level and since the rear tire is off the ground anyway it really doesn't matter whether it is in gear or not.

 

[Vette73]

Nope, always kicked it to netural and shut down. Never slid/dropped due to it either.

 

[bommy261]

neither do i, probably should get in the habit of doing that tho. u want to shift it into neutral before a cold start however.

 

[HannibalX]

Neutral.

 

[Kelvrick]

Neutral unless it actually is on an include. That, and something to go under the kickstand so it doesn't fall over.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

In gear 99% of the time. You never know when someone might barely bump the back of the bike and push it off the stand. It's simply safer, even though in a perfect world you could leave it in neutral.

Also never ever ever 'trust' a neutral switch when you start the bike. They're all notoriously unreliable.

 

[Pantoot]

Always in gear. Weird that I have never heard that you want the bike in neutral on a cold start, everyone does this?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Always in gear. Weird that I have never heard that you want the bike in neutral on a cold start, everyone does this?

I've never heard that either. Although, it usually is because I want to let it idle for 30 seconds or so while I finish gearing up.

 

[JulesMaximus]

In gear 99% of the time. You never know when someone might barely bump the back of the bike and push it off the stand. It's simply safer, even though in a perfect world you could leave it in neutral.

Also never ever ever 'trust' a neutral switch when you start the bike. They're all notoriously unreliable.

You mean the neutral light? I always ease the clutch out after it is running, never had a false neutral yet, although I know it is a possibility.

 

[Vette73]

I've never heard that either. Although, it usually is because I want to let it idle for 30 seconds or so while I finish gearing up.

I left my in Net. for the gear/mirror adjust/etc... reason but also I have seen some people start in gear and either they forget to put in Net. or their hand slips and away goes the bike.

So for me Net. was about safety and also no need to play with gears in the morning, esp when it was cold.

 

[JDub02]

park in 1st. pop to neutral before starting and to let the engine warm up a bit.

i'm getting excited to ride again. still a little too cold around here, but we're getting there. the weather should be perfect in a week or two.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Neutral. The way the Harley side stand is designed, it cannot fold up as long as there's any weight on it, so a nudge from a car isn't going to be enough to make the side-stand fold back. If the bike is nudged hard enough that enough weight is taken off the stand for it to fold, I'm going to be screwed regardless of whether I leave it in gear.

ZV

 

[Saga]

Neutral with locked ignition. I've never dropped a bike, and I don't see how leaving it in neutral could contribute to this.

 

[DVad3r]

Neutral, the bike is heavy.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Neutral with locked ignition. I've never dropped a bike, and I don't see how leaving it in neutral could contribute to this.

The bike can roll if it is in neutral...that's how.

It just makes sense to me to leave it in gear. That is all.

 

[Zenmervolt]

The bike can roll if it is in neutral...that's how.

Not if the side stand locks in place it can't. Why only Harley has that feature, I don't know.

ZV

 

[SooperDave]

Whatever is clever at the time. I've got no hard and fast rule. When I put them in their slots on the back patio it is usually nuetral because I push them in. On the street more often than not I cut the engine while they are still in gear so thats how they stay while parked.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Not if the side stand locks in place it can't. Why only Harley has that feature, I don't know.

ZV

Beats me. My bike doesn't have that "feature" so I always park it in gear.

I guess it just comes down to personal preference.

 

[DVad3r]

Harley leads the worlds competition in side stand technology lol. Now if only they had center stands that would be baller!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Harley leads the worlds competition in side stand technology lol. Now if only they had center stands that would be baller!

Naw, that would add too much weight!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

 

[DVad3r]

^ lol yea probably The 4.2 inches of ground clearence on my bike doesn't help either...

 

[jaha2000]

Always in neutral.
The triumph 675 requires you to pull the clutch to start. Also, if the bike is in gear with the stand down it wont start either. I could see myself getting frustrated.
Put the gear on pull in the clutch... Nothing.
Guess i do it to stay sane.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Harley leads the worlds competition in side stand technology lol. Now if only they had center stands that would be baller!

Naw, that would add too much weight!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

In all honesty, the locking side stand on Harleys is probably at least partially because they weigh so much. Probably too easy for the bike to make a "normal" center stand flip up just from its own weight.

As for the center stand, I'm guessing that's probably because the bikes are too heavy as well. Either that, or it's so Harley can sell a $300 "Official HD" bike stand from their aftermarket parts catalog.

I can see arguments for the locking center stand both ways though. My old Honda advertised the non-locking side stand as a safety feature since it would flip itself up if you accidentally left it down and then went 'round a corner. The Harley's locking stand will just dig in and whip the bike over.

ZV

 

[JulesMaximus]

In all honesty, the locking side stand on Harleys is probably at least partially because they weigh so much. Probably too easy for the bike to make a "normal" center stand flip up just from its own weight.

As for the center stand, I'm guessing that's probably because the bikes are too heavy as well. Either that, or it's so Harley can sell a $300 "Official HD" bike stand from their aftermarket parts catalog.

I can see arguments for the locking center stand both ways though. My old Honda advertised the non-locking side stand as a safety feature since it would flip itself up if you accidentally left it down and then went 'round a corner. The Harley's locking stand will just dig in and whip the bike over.

ZV

My bike has an engine kill switch so if you try to put it in gear with the center stand down the engine will stall...I'm sure Harleys have that as well.

 

[DVad3r]

European Harley models have a kill switch unless the side stand is up, the domestic models don't.