Gertrude Falls Off Her Center Stand... or Not?

[GrandpaDenny]

Hi guys, a couple of weeks ago I had left Gertrude on her center stand overnight. The next morning she was on her side stand, and investigation revealed that her center stand had folded backwards. So, scratching my head over that one, and figuring a neighbor must've picked her up and put her on the side stand, I canted her over on her side, flipped the center stand back to its normal stowed position, and made a note to take a look at it "later".

So, yesterday, in preparation to give her one of her rare baths, I figured I'd look at the center stand, as it would be easier to clean her up on the center stand. I saw no damage to the stand, its pivots, or anything. I put her up on the center stand and tried to push her off of it. Couldn't do it. Only thing I can think of is maybe a neighbor back into her with their car and pushed her backwards off the stand. I didn't spot any damage on her, though. Maybe they backed into her front tire?

Any thoughts?

[Nails]

Like most, I have a double-jointed centerstand -- as opposed to the normal kind of center stand. The second foot lever, that you use to raise the bike onto the stand, was rusted clear off. (I later fixed it with some imaginative welding.) So I was humping the bike onto the centerstand without using the raising mechanism ... and wondering why it was so d*mn hard. Once I used a little too much force, and the bike went clear over the centerstand.

I'm saying that with enough force, it's entirely possible for the center stand to end up in a forward position. Do you park facing upslope?

Hard for me to imagine how a car could push the bike over without causing other visible damage. Maybe somebody was sitting on it? (Somebody stout enough to pick it up and onto the side stand.)

How did you get the centerstand back to the back (up) position? When I pushed it over the stand, a friend happened to be there. I sure needed the help to push the bike over the buckled stand. (I was kinda occupied just keeping the bike on it's wheels.)

[GrandpaDenny]

I laid her over on her right side, all the way down, so I could just swing the center stand back into normal position. Then I picked her back up. I've gotten very very good at picking up The Elephant. Once you know the technique, it's easy. People not "in the know" see it done and are impressed. Like jaw-dropping impressed. Like "I don't want to make him mad at me" or "I don't want to run into him in a dark alley"

[Nails]

My little backrest/sissybar: besides being a great place to park my helmet, it also makes a swell handle.
I mean, theoretically, mind you. Not that I'd ever actually dump the bitch.

[GrandpaDenny]

Two things, Nails:

1. Thinking about how you'd be lifting her using the backrest is killing my back already. Here's a few links to videos of how to pick up a bike by yourself without hurting yourself (or the bike):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_pnTyMYiJM (Jerry shows two methods)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndRF64N-PmQ (shows that even a small woman can pick up a bike)
https://youtu.be/ttedqp9PCpE
and this one I just discovered and it is now my favorite: https://youtu.be/-V-kw2zUkSI

2. You just painted her, what happened to the front fender already???

[Nails]

1. I used to do it that way, but found the backrest makes a better lever and I don't have to bend over so far. Not actually lifting much of anything, just pushing it onto the wheels. (I've had to resort to the walk-backwards method when it falls downslope and is tipped over further.)
Conceptually, you understand. It's not like I would ever drop my bike.
Honestly, the backrest (which is stout enough) works great, most of the (hypothetical) time.

2. I painted it (not totally convinced it's a she) a couple years ago already. US-50 in West Virginia destroyed that original fender. And this one is special: if I understood him right, this is Carl Leo's last good one.
I have some paint projects coming up, including my GMC pickup and another bike restore. This is stock GM "frost white", the proper color for classic bikes I should think.

[Rich in New Jersey]

I can't believe this, I was just going to search if there was ever a discussion on this. A couple of weeks ago I rode to work and went to put the bike up on the center stand. There is just enough slope to our parking lot that when I jacked her up it rolled back enough to fold the stand forward. I didn't have time to fool with it having to get on the road for work. I was able to lean it on the side stand and also the foot pedal of the second stage lever. After work I made a ramp with some 2x4 pieces and rolled it backup on that enough to flip the center stand back. I don't see any damage to the 2 stages but now when I press down on the second stage pedal it won't move. Has anyone experienced this? This happened once before a couple years ago but work fine afterward. Any ideas on what went wrong. I just worry that I might have to take the rear wheel off someday without 2 jack stands available. I'll never try to use the center stand again unless it's on level ground.