First drop of the Kat

[Danbert]

OK, here it is. I feel like a complete moron. This Kat is the first bike I have ever owned with a center stand. After reading up on how to get the bike on the center stand, I went outside to give it a try.
Success!
I stare at the bike proudly, check things out, poke and prod around, even spray a bit of starter fluid through the fairing vent to check for possible vacuum leaks (more research on that to come )
I get ready for a quick ride and go to take the bike off the center stand. Being the intelligent man I am, I attempt to reverse the procedure I used to get it on the stand. As soon as the bike lands on the back wheel, it started to tip away from me. D'oh. Down she goes.
Fortunately I had her on my walkway so most of the bike landed in the grass with very minor scratches to the lower plastic from the edge of the pathway. I am pretty certain I bent the front brake lever just a bit (wanted to replace it anyways) and while picking it back up, I must have held the bars weird because somehow I managed to bend my key a bit. It is the only key I have so before I even attempt to straighten it, I will be sourcing a new key.
Oh and to make things better, it dropped on the side opposite of the side the PO dropped it on. Good thing I had plans to repaint the thing.

[Slofuze]

Just curious....... you were stting on the bike when you tried to take it off the centre-stand......right?

[Danbert]

no
I read all up on putting it on the center stand. Didn't read anything on taking it off.
Lesson learned

[KatanaGSX92]

Stuff happens. This is why a used bike is recommended for new riders... By the time you buy a brand new bike, you'll have made all of the noob mistakes (that we all have made at one time or another) so hopefully won't make them on the new bike.

[Slofuze]

Stuff happens. This is why a used bike is recommended for new riders... By the time you buy a brand new bike, you'll have made all of the noob mistakes (that we all have made at one time or another) so hopefully won't make them on the new bike.

+1

Another thing which you might encounter is the Kat's notorious sidestand issue. Always try to park on an incline. If that isn't possible, make sure it's in gear. I learned that one the hard way. I always thought the end of my drive was flat.....I was wrong. While the bike was warming up I went in the house to gear up to head out to work. When I returned the bike was on it's side. Fortunately it fell on grass. Not how I wanted to start my day.

[Danbert]

Stuff happens. This is why a used bike is recommended for new riders... By the time you buy a brand new bike, you'll have made all of the noob mistakes (that we all have made at one time or another) so hopefully won't make them on the new bike.

It is pretty sad that after 18 years having my endorsement and riding most of that time, I am still making Noob mistakes.
Still a noob to the sport touring bike though. My last bike (02 Honda Shadow 600) didn't have a center stand.
This is how I learn.

[BareKat]

haha exactly the same thing happened to my bike this summer (sans idling bike)

All these years and I forgot to leave the bike in gear DOH.

I also had my bike blown over by a gust of wind on an extremely windy day.

$hit happens!

Anyway, its much better than the bike falling over with you on it doing 60 mph.

+1

Another thing which you might encounter is the Kat's notorious sidestand issue. Always try to park on an incline. If that isn't possible, make sure it's in gear. I learned that one the hard way. I always thought the end of my drive was flat.....I was wrong. While the bike was warming up I went in the house to gear up to head out to work. When I returned the bike was on it's side. Fortunately it fell on grass. Not how I wanted to start my day.

[Danbert]

Anyway, its much better than the bike falling over with you on it doing 60 mph.

Exactly

[zuma]

If you take it off the center stand without straddling it, you have to be ready to "fight" or off center the weight that will pull it from where you stand.

I bought a beautiful new 05 Kat years back, rode it 60 miles home and parked it. The next morning I got on it, fired it up, took it off the center stand and got halfway down my gradually sloped driveway, but stopped there remembering my gloves. I set it up on the center stand, left it running, and went into the house for my gloves.

When I came out, the Kat was running, but was lying on it's right side. The vibrations along with the gradual slope of the driveway, along with gravity took it off the stand while I was in the house. I almost crumpled, but instead jerked the bike up, and due to the excellent design, the end bar took the entire brunt of the impact of falling, and there wasn't even a scratch. So you might also watch for sloping parking spots, and throw down a rock or small plank when parking in sand or loose dirt. I learned that the hard way too.

We all pull noob stunts, but the main thing is to pull them while the bike is stationery or turned off. Being in motion as you know is an entirely different setting with direr consequences.

[porschefan]

I've got to ask, why isn't there an aftermarket side stand for the Katana?

[BareKat]

stock one works fine. ??

I've got to ask, why isn't there an aftermarket side stand for the Katana?

[ManQu]

stock one works fine. ??

Mine too.....aslong as its firm ground......

[ratgti]

i dont really use my center stand at all. for me its just something else that could potentially go wrong ..

[UncleBuck]

i use my center stand 99% of the time...

no confidence in my side stand...

[c-rod90]

I only use my side stand. Intact my bike doesn't have a center stand and I wouldn't use it anyways