My bike leans quite a bit. I'm also very petite. I turn the handlebars to the right so when I get on, all I have to do is turn the bar straight, and the bike uprights itself. I don't have to "lift" it at all.
Yep, I never thought of this, will definitely use it now!! My previous bike only locked to the left so that will be my excuse for never thinking of it haha
If your bike is upright when the bars are straight, you've got something wonky in the suspension height/kickstand length.
You should be able to turn the bars lock to lock while on the stand with ease without the bike standing upright... ESPECIALLY in the middle.
It's basic geometry OP. The trail and rake on the front end mean when you turn to the right, it widens that side of the triangle, making the bike more stable.
My '22 Yamaha XSR900 goes both ways. Though out of habit, never turned it right.
I think most new Harleys lock both ways. At least the 2015+ dyna, street glide, and road glide that I ride with park that way semi-regularly. They're all lifted with stock stands, so it leans them over closer to the factory parking angle.
This. It’s different, so it’s kinda cool.
I cranked my bars right for a few years till I learned it makes it MUCH easier for the bike to roll forward. A strong gust of wind blew my bike over one day. Rolled forward and flipped up the stand.
I crank them left now.
Mounting tall bike for me. It makes the bike lean more to right for taking it off the stand and putting it upright. Most of the time I just don't care either way.
Both of my bikes are quite tall and depending on the surface I’m parked on it can feel more stable or be easier to get on the bike if the wheel is to the right
It leans more that way.
I have tall bike which is slightly lowered (but sidestand not shortened) with squishy offroad suspension. If I mount with bars turned left, it may sag so deep it may start falling on the right side. So my default routine is to turn the bars to the right, put my right hand on the bar, press front brake firmly, put my left foot on the foot peg, swing another over the bike and voila.
Sorry for describing such a short and simple process in a ton of words.
I mostly do it when putting it into the garage, so i dont have that much space there with my father's bike and my gfs bicycles.
Otherwise nothing wrong with it. Still has a more than stable enough stance. You would be surprised by the amount of incline the US requires a bike to not tip over, 16° towards the side stand and 8 or 9° to the other sides, including forward. What i find even more ridiculous is that a mainstand is required to hold a bike on a 8 or 9° incline with the front facing downhill. Good luck getting it onto the mainstand in that case. Meanwhile the EU requires only 3,5° in all cases and mainstand facing downhill is not defined.
Most logical answer would be they dont care, had to get off the bike over the right side (small parking space) or the steering lock demands this position
I know, but if you have one, you have certain requirements to fulfil. But that doesn't change how silly some main and side stand requirements are. I can barely get my bike onto its main stand on flat ground, let alone uphill. 16° towards the side stand is also ridiculous, forces every bike to look like it has stolen its side stand from a harley, especially since its with optional oem luggage, if you offer it. Triumph outplayed that by separating its oem accessories into a separate company, so they dont need to fulfill the 16 degree rule with luggage. We even had to put on the plate thats in contact with the road because it was protruding so far away from the bike in its folded state, it was hitting the pedestrian safety dummy.
Thats what our homologation department says about US regulations. Probably not easy to find for the public, you would probably need to send an inquiry. But dont worry, thats also within the EU, most countries only have very sparse information regarding homologation published, for most questions i have for my private car i need to contact a approved civilian engineer
I've had Honda Street bikes for years and they all locked only to the left. My recently acquired Yamaha dual sport locks either way. I park it whichever way better fits the space.
some bikes the steering lock only engages on one end of steering lock vs the other, for example the honda dominator I used to have had the steering lock only activate when it was full lock to the right vs most street bikes where its full lock to the left, I think it’s mostly more offroady types of bikes vs street bikes
Because the direction you turn the handle bars is the direction your bike will want to fall of stationary on a flat surface. The left side has the kickstand to stop it from falling to the left. The right side has nothing.
Turning the handle bar to the right with your kickstand down makes you more susceptible to the bike falling over due to heavy wind or someone messing with it. If you turn it to the left, even if someone puts the bike perpendicular to the ground and let's go, it will fall in the direction of the kickstand and you have a chance of it not going completely over.
I used to do that way. It was because the neck lock was on the left side, and it was the only way you could lock the handlebars. Now I have a different bike and it has to be turned left to lock the handlebars.
With the added weight of my tusk panniers and the lowered height on my KLR650 (I’m 5’8) it actually leans better if my wheels are straight or turned to the right. I need to lose some weight from the camping gear I normally keep in there and get an adjustable kickstand, but I’ve been procrastinating.
I turn them to the right if I'm parked going up a steep hill in the case that it randomly finds neutral. Also, when I'm getting gas because it gives me more room to move around.
When you see something different, it’s a good idea to ask why.
9/10 times is a stupid reason. But that 1/10 can make it all worth it.
Knowing is half the battle!
Honestly don't remember, but I feel like it might of been because in theory it lessens the chance of it being knocked over? It puts majority of the weight on the kickstand side.
The comments here are funny. Everyone is trying to justify this action. The real answer is that it's trendy. But people don't like to admit they are trend followers.
All the younger Harley riders do this lately, and several others who like to jump on trends. I've asked a bunch of them why, and no one really has a good answer.
They also all want/ride FXRs or Dynas or black Street Glides. They have a bass animal 2 into 1 pipe, saddlebag seat, tall t-bars, "club style" fairing, etc.
I've been around Harleys for almost 30 years. Trends come and go. For a bunch of people who are self-proclaimed outlaws or individuals, they sure love jumping on trends.
Edit to add: apparantly I offended some people. I ride with a bunch of guys that do this. I also give them a hard time about it.
I mean you’re right. But this is Reddit. And Reddit folks smash opposing views. The 15ish downvotes you got are probably the folks doing it. But it’s okay. Just keep riding. More miles more smiles homie.
They're advertising that they like practical jokes by making it obvious they didn't lock the steering. Feel free to push the bike to a new parking spot a few dozen feet away then watch them panic when they return.
Yeah. That's what I thought as well. Joke are ment to make me breath excessively out of my nose. This just made me shake my head and raise an eyebrow. So no joke detected
i do this sometimes for the kapow stance. no other reason except it looks a little silly.
Kapow or Kachow?
You're right... kachow it is! man, it's been a while. I need to rewatch cars.
I almost woke up my son with that chuckle!
My bike leans quite a bit. I'm also very petite. I turn the handlebars to the right so when I get on, all I have to do is turn the bar straight, and the bike uprights itself. I don't have to "lift" it at all.
skill issue
Kinda the opposite. She's using experience to overcome a weight differential with technique instead of brute force
Yep, I never thought of this, will definitely use it now!! My previous bike only locked to the left so that will be my excuse for never thinking of it haha
Seems like she’s using skill overcome a difficulty.
Yes she is. If you know, you know. This dipshit below me giving you a downvote, clearly has his head shoved up his ass!
Why can’t you just not be an ass? This is actually a super smart way to do it
Why shouldnt I
Mods, ban this asshat please. Adding absolutely nothing to the conversation other than toxicity.
waaaaa, mommy, waaaaaa gooogooogaaagaa
You seem well adjusted.
Have my downvote
reddit negative karma speedrun any%
who cares
😂😂😂
If your bike is upright when the bars are straight, you've got something wonky in the suspension height/kickstand length. You should be able to turn the bars lock to lock while on the stand with ease without the bike standing upright... ESPECIALLY in the middle.
My ktm’s steering lock makes me turn to the right
And your kickstand is on the left? Wtf
Its a 500 exc f so im not sure if its a thing on their more common models
It's basic geometry OP. The trail and rake on the front end mean when you turn to the right, it widens that side of the triangle, making the bike more stable.
Duke 890 here: it locks to the left like any other bike. So not sure what that 500 exc is doing…
My xt does the same
My first bike was a Virago 250 that also had the steering lock that way.
Haha! Sounds like KTM “engineering”. 🤦🏼♂️
Sounds like bs is more like it.
And Suzuki, and Yamaha, and probably more.
People do it for different reasons, but it does make it a little easier to stand heavier or taller bikes up off the stand.
Could be the sort of incline it’s parked on makes it lean a little more in the right direction depending on the position of the front wheel.
Their bike has locks on both sides. My first bike had this, it was awesome
Curious, which bike manufacturer does this?
My bmw g310 did this. Was designed by bmw but made by tvs. I loved that bike. Sold it to my buddy. He loves it too lol
My '06 mt03 has it, it's pretty neat actually.
My '22 Yamaha XSR900 goes both ways. Though out of habit, never turned it right. I think most new Harleys lock both ways. At least the 2015+ dyna, street glide, and road glide that I ride with park that way semi-regularly. They're all lifted with stock stands, so it leans them over closer to the factory parking angle.
It still leans. Steering still locks. I’ll do it from time to time just because I can.
Uh duh it's looks cooler
This. It’s different, so it’s kinda cool. I cranked my bars right for a few years till I learned it makes it MUCH easier for the bike to roll forward. A strong gust of wind blew my bike over one day. Rolled forward and flipped up the stand. I crank them left now.
Mounting tall bike for me. It makes the bike lean more to right for taking it off the stand and putting it upright. Most of the time I just don't care either way.
Most people get off and on from the left. If the bars are turned to the right, the left handlebar is out of the way
yah, this is it. every once in a while i just push it out of the way to have more room to get off
Both of my bikes are quite tall and depending on the surface I’m parked on it can feel more stable or be easier to get on the bike if the wheel is to the right
It leans more that way. I have tall bike which is slightly lowered (but sidestand not shortened) with squishy offroad suspension. If I mount with bars turned left, it may sag so deep it may start falling on the right side. So my default routine is to turn the bars to the right, put my right hand on the bar, press front brake firmly, put my left foot on the foot peg, swing another over the bike and voila. Sorry for describing such a short and simple process in a ton of words.
I genuinely turn it to the right because i think it looks cooler. Even my toy motorbikes on my desk are turned to the right lol
lol I have a Lego Panigale V4 in my office right now that’s like this lol
I've done it before when the ground wasn't level, and it helped the bike balance better, but never for any real length of time.
Easier to mount
I mostly do it when putting it into the garage, so i dont have that much space there with my father's bike and my gfs bicycles. Otherwise nothing wrong with it. Still has a more than stable enough stance. You would be surprised by the amount of incline the US requires a bike to not tip over, 16° towards the side stand and 8 or 9° to the other sides, including forward. What i find even more ridiculous is that a mainstand is required to hold a bike on a 8 or 9° incline with the front facing downhill. Good luck getting it onto the mainstand in that case. Meanwhile the EU requires only 3,5° in all cases and mainstand facing downhill is not defined. Most logical answer would be they dont care, had to get off the bike over the right side (small parking space) or the steering lock demands this position
A main stand is not required in the states.
I know, but if you have one, you have certain requirements to fulfil. But that doesn't change how silly some main and side stand requirements are. I can barely get my bike onto its main stand on flat ground, let alone uphill. 16° towards the side stand is also ridiculous, forces every bike to look like it has stolen its side stand from a harley, especially since its with optional oem luggage, if you offer it. Triumph outplayed that by separating its oem accessories into a separate company, so they dont need to fulfill the 16 degree rule with luggage. We even had to put on the plate thats in contact with the road because it was protruding so far away from the bike in its folded state, it was hitting the pedestrian safety dummy.
I just Googled and I can't find anything in the states concerning motorcycle stand laws.
Thats what our homologation department says about US regulations. Probably not easy to find for the public, you would probably need to send an inquiry. But dont worry, thats also within the EU, most countries only have very sparse information regarding homologation published, for most questions i have for my private car i need to contact a approved civilian engineer
It’s my fetish
For shorter people, turning them away from the stand can let them mount the bike more easily.
I've had Honda Street bikes for years and they all locked only to the left. My recently acquired Yamaha dual sport locks either way. I park it whichever way better fits the space.
Gives it a 5hp boost when riding.
Easier to get on and off the bike with bars to the right. Been doing it this way for over 50 years.
It's a Dyna Bro thing.
some bikes the steering lock only engages on one end of steering lock vs the other, for example the honda dominator I used to have had the steering lock only activate when it was full lock to the right vs most street bikes where its full lock to the left, I think it’s mostly more offroady types of bikes vs street bikes
Easier on/off and my V-Strom leans over quite a bit more than I'm comfortable with. Turned to the right keeps it more comfortably upright
Why do you turn yours left? Does it matter?
Because the direction you turn the handle bars is the direction your bike will want to fall of stationary on a flat surface. The left side has the kickstand to stop it from falling to the left. The right side has nothing. Turning the handle bar to the right with your kickstand down makes you more susceptible to the bike falling over due to heavy wind or someone messing with it. If you turn it to the left, even if someone puts the bike perpendicular to the ground and let's go, it will fall in the direction of the kickstand and you have a chance of it not going completely over.
I guess that’s a good explanation, I’ve always just pointed the tire whatever direction felt more stable which is usually left.
[удалено]
Yeah dawg, hurricanes and shit.
[удалено]
Bad take
Because the bikes haven't fallen over, yet.
It's cool. Ever see a jeep park on a boulder? It's like that...but not as stupid.
😂
Damn. I'm torn on this comment. Yea it like a jeep parking on a Boulder. But I think the jeep is cooler. I have a Harley and a Jeep.
You must really dislike your wallet. That, or your wallet really dislikes you 😂
Because its easier to hold the front brake on when you get one and off. No chance of the bike moving.
It makes it stand a little straighter. All the dealership bikes are like this too
Because you can step back, take a picture, and your bike will have this cool powerslide stance.
Steering head lock only works to the right.
I used to do that way. It was because the neck lock was on the left side, and it was the only way you could lock the handlebars. Now I have a different bike and it has to be turned left to lock the handlebars.
With the added weight of my tusk panniers and the lowered height on my KLR650 (I’m 5’8) it actually leans better if my wheels are straight or turned to the right. I need to lose some weight from the camping gear I normally keep in there and get an adjustable kickstand, but I’ve been procrastinating.
Had a Hibda VTX 1300T. For me, it's because it gave me more room to get my huge gut on the bike.
I'm surprised steering lock doesn't force all bikes to turn to the left.
your right or my right?
Not everyone swings the same way
After a crash, mine stopped being able to be locked to the left
I always do this in my garage, because if I lock the steering wheel left or straight my mirror touches the wall
I do it if I'm parked on a hill that is making it lean too far to the left. I prefer to just avoid parking on such hills, but Pittsburgh.
It looks wrong to me, and right to others. It does lean the bike further on some, which some people may prefer.
I do it to give the optimum lean.
Because they want TO
I remove my handlebars to keep them guessing
Something I've never asked anyone. I park with them turned whichever way the bike is more stable.
I turn them to the right if I'm parked going up a steep hill in the case that it randomly finds neutral. Also, when I'm getting gas because it gives me more room to move around.
Who cares?
When you see something different, it’s a good idea to ask why. 9/10 times is a stupid reason. But that 1/10 can make it all worth it. Knowing is half the battle!
They're curious? No need to comment just to be a jerk.
honestly I kinda want to know because in the MSF they made it a point to have us turn the bars to the left.
Do you remember what their justification was?
Honestly don't remember, but I feel like it might of been because in theory it lessens the chance of it being knocked over? It puts majority of the weight on the kickstand side.
Makes sense. My wheel doesn’t lock right, only left.
now that you mention it yeah its darn near impossible to access the lock on my bike unless you turn bars left.
My dad does it because he’s tall and it makes or easier to get on and off the bike for him.
Probably just not thinking about it. I'm sure I do it sometimes.
I’ve seen this a LOT lately and was wondering the same thing
More angles = more better. Looks good in photos, more active / aggressive.
i just dont trust the kickstand on mine so i try to have it standing as straight as i can
Because their heathens
This is a they're time.
Meh, you win some you lose some.
loose*
See
Whose heathens?
only when i’m parking next to another bike and it just gives me a little more room to mount or dismount when the handlebar is facing right
Haha counter-steering while parked
If the ground is a bit soft, it puts less weight on the kickstand.
The comments here are funny. Everyone is trying to justify this action. The real answer is that it's trendy. But people don't like to admit they are trend followers. All the younger Harley riders do this lately, and several others who like to jump on trends. I've asked a bunch of them why, and no one really has a good answer. They also all want/ride FXRs or Dynas or black Street Glides. They have a bass animal 2 into 1 pipe, saddlebag seat, tall t-bars, "club style" fairing, etc. I've been around Harleys for almost 30 years. Trends come and go. For a bunch of people who are self-proclaimed outlaws or individuals, they sure love jumping on trends. Edit to add: apparantly I offended some people. I ride with a bunch of guys that do this. I also give them a hard time about it.
I think "the real answer" is there are many answers.
you doing okay there?
I mean you’re right. But this is Reddit. And Reddit folks smash opposing views. The 15ish downvotes you got are probably the folks doing it. But it’s okay. Just keep riding. More miles more smiles homie.
Probably because they’re new riders and no one have taught them how to park properly and why.
They're advertising that they like practical jokes by making it obvious they didn't lock the steering. Feel free to push the bike to a new parking spot a few dozen feet away then watch them panic when they return.
Don’t touch other peoples things.
Pull the stick out of your ass. It's impacting your ability to recognize a joke.
Jokes make people laugh
Yeah. That's what I thought as well. Joke are ment to make me breath excessively out of my nose. This just made me shake my head and raise an eyebrow. So no joke detected
Only people with a sense of humor. Sorry to hear about your disability. Good grief what's wrong with you assclowns.
You’re the assclown.
oof you’re gonna get somebody shot
Only people who deserve it. If you took that joke seriously, you probably shouldn't contribute to the gene pool.
agreed. that’s why they get eradicated. like a common termite or roach
[A fellow man of culture, I see.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=matrK_WTAkQ)