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Ok... how the hell do I get on this thing!!🤣🤣

7082 Views 78 Replies 48 Participants Last post by  Hawkerjet
Go ahead and embarrass me LOL! Bought myself an adventure model with cases on the side. How the heck do I get on this thing without kicking the heck out of the cases. I'm 65 years old and 6 ft tall with a 30-inch inseam. (I am in decent physical shape and ride a pedal bike over 2000 miles a year.) But I just can't seem to figure out a way to get on this thing without kicking those side cases. I step up on the left foot Peg with my left foot and of course that makes the bike lean over even more and I just can't seem to quite clear the offside case. Seems like a longer kickstand would help a quite a bit or is this another justification for getting a center stand for an old bastard like me. ( I know this is a utility bike but I hate scratched up stuff)
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30" inseam here 🖐🤓 I installed tusk panniers on mine & noticed when I increased my rear shock pre-load to 4 it kicked the bike over to the left more & made it easier to swing my leg over. I didn't get the adventure & one reason was exactly what you're describing.
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get on from the right side . It's not a horse
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get on from the right side . It's not a horse
I tried that but I'm also 240 lb and the bike felt like it was going to do a right hand flop
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My method, because I have a top case, left foot on ground, lift right foot up and over front of saddle, slide my butt on. My inseam isn't 30" though but a guy "in shape".......
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I usually do the knee bent foot drag method in this instance. My 36" inseam helps and I never step on a footpeg to mount on any bike. I've seen way too many bent or broken sidestands from folks doing that.
Am I the only one who thinks the oem sidestand is too short? I use a 2x4 under mine in the garage and it still leans too far over. Just doesn't seem right. My preload is at 3 with no bags, crash bars etc.
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I just played around with a couple pieces of wood on the garage floor and found three quarter inches set the bike where I think it should be with the kickstand and makes getting on easier because the bike doesn't tip over like crazy when you step on the left foot Peg... so where do I get me a three-quarter inch extension pad?
so where do I get me a three-quarter inch extension pad?
With a little ingenuity you can make one out of a hockey puck. It's the KLR way.
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I just get on by climbing on the left foot peg and swinging my right leg over...I'm short, 30" inseam...

And, yes, I do this with the bike on the kickstand.
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I'm 5'8" with a 29" inseam and I've had three KLR's over the years. The easiest way for me is to mount it like a horse by putting my left foot in the stirrup (foot peg) then step up and swing my leg over my panniers, seat and tail rack. I have to admit that at almost 66 years old it isn't getting any easier.
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I just get on by climbing on the left foot peg and swinging my right leg over...I'm short, 30" inseam...

And, yes, I do this with the bike on the kickstand.
I sure hope so! Unless you have the best balance of any mere mortal.
One of my riding buddies has short legs and does the side saddle mount method. Meaning he gets the bike going in gear and jumps on the left peg and then swings a leg over. Similar to a cowboy making a quick getaway after robbing a bank... pretty impressive but not for the faint of heart.
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I have this problem on both bikes, both of which have panniers and top cases. I'm a tad over 6'2" and have a 32" inseam. My KLR is raised an inch or so more than stock height, so it's tall.

The best way that I have found to mount the thing is to face the left side of the bike and grasp the left handgrip with my left hand. This is more for balance than anything else. I then lift my leg until my thigh is as high as I can get it and extend my calf out. This is sort of like doing a chest level kick; it gets my entire leg about waist high. I then simply lean forward and let my foot slide over the seat and begin to rotate my entire body around to the left and sit down, with my right foot landing on the footpeg.
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5-10 and 33" inseam, but over 60 and with a hip that saw too much fun when I was younger and stupid(er.)
When bike is loaded for travel I climb up the ladder on the LHS: R foot on peg, L foot on crash bar then R foot onto R peg. Drop hard onto seat to compress the suspension to make it easier to push bike upright.
When unloaded I still climb onto the L peg. So much more graceful than trying to get an uncooperative R leg over the high seat. After mounting, I just ride up the nearest steep gravel road to escape the snickering of the Harley riders.
Not really worried about bending the side stand. After all, it has to be strong enough to support bike plus gear to do a kick stand turn. That's pushing 500 lbs. The load the stand sees, even with me monkeying on, will likely be less than that because the wheels are supporting lots of it.
Tire Wheel Fuel tank Motor vehicle Vehicle

I put 1" hydraulic hose wrap over the part of the crash bars where I rub the paint off with muddy boots, but mostly for traction.
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Go ahead and embarrass me LOL! Bought myself an adventure model with cases on the side. How the heck do I get on this thing without kicking the heck out of the cases. I'm 65 years old and 6 ft tall with a 30-inch inseam. (I am in decent physical shape and ride a pedal bike over 2000 miles a year.) But I just can't seem to figure out a way to get on this thing without kicking those side cases. I step up on the left foot Peg with my left foot and of course that makes the bike lean over even more and I just can't seem to quite clear the offside case. Seems like a longer kickstand would help a quite a bit or is this another justification for getting a center stand for an old bastard like me. ( I know this is a utility bike but I hate scratched up stuff)
Just Like a Mule... left foot left stirrup upsadaisy! Get off the same way stand up on the stirrups right foot swings, left foot stays on the stirrup. Just dont stare the Mule in the eye!!
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5-10 and 33" inseam, but over 60 and with a hip that saw too much fun when I was younger and stupid(er.)
When bike is loaded for travel I climb up the ladder on the LHS: R foot on peg, L foot on crash bar then R foot onto R peg. Drop hard onto seat to compress the suspension to make it easier to push bike upright.
When unloaded I still climb onto the L peg. So much more graceful than trying to get an uncooperative R leg over the high seat. After mounting, I just ride up the nearest steep gravel road to escape the snickering of the Harley riders.
Not really worried about bending the side stand. After all, it has to be strong enough to support bike plus gear to do a kick stand turn. That's pushing 500 lbs. The load the stand sees, even with me monkeying on, will likely be less than that because the wheels are supporting lots of it.
View attachment 33076
I put 1" hydraulic hose wrap over the part of the crash bars where I rub the paint off with muddy boots, but mostly for traction.
This a seriously AWESOME Pic!!
5-10 and 33" inseam, but over 60 and with a hip that saw too much fun when I was younger and stupid(er.)
When bike is loaded for travel I climb up the ladder on the LHS: R foot on peg, L foot on crash bar then R foot onto R peg. Drop hard onto seat to compress the suspension to make it easier to push bike upright.
When unloaded I still climb onto the L peg. So much more graceful than trying to get an uncooperative R leg over the high seat. After mounting, I just ride up the nearest steep gravel road to escape the snickering of the Harley riders.
Not really worried about bending the side stand. After all, it has to be strong enough to support bike plus gear to do a kick stand turn. That's pushing 500 lbs. The load the stand sees, even with me monkeying on, will likely be less than that because the wheels are supporting lots of it.
View attachment 33076
I put 1" hydraulic hose wrap over the part of the crash bars where I rub the paint off with muddy boots, but mostly for traction.
Dude, where I come from, you’re called “A Dedicated Iron Butt”!
Go ahead and embarrass me LOL! Bought myself an adventure model with cases on the side. How the heck do I get on this thing without kicking the heck out of the cases. I'm 65 years old and 6 ft tall with a 30-inch inseam. (I am in decent physical shape and ride a pedal bike over 2000 miles a year.) But I just can't seem to figure out a way to get on this thing without kicking those side cases. I step up on the left foot Peg with my left foot and of course that makes the bike lean over even more and I just can't seem to quite clear the offside case. Seems like a longer kickstand would help a quite a bit or is this another justification for getting a center stand for an old bastard like me. ( I know this is a utility bike but I hate scratched up stuff)
I tried that but I'm also 240 lb and the bike felt like it was going to do a right hand flop
Turn the bars to the right - it'll move the tire contact patch further out from below the center of gravity.
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[ member: 79793"]
I just played around with a couple pieces of wood on the garage floor and found three quarter inches set the bike where I think it should be with the kickstand and makes getting on easier because the bike doesn't tip over like crazy when you step on the left foot Peg... so where do I get me a three-quarter inch extension pad?
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Have you seen those springboardy looking things that you use when performing the vault during the Olympics? Yeah, that's the ticket! Mount from behind using a vault launcher (or whatever the hell they call them) and you'll get mad style points! Seriously, you've already determined how much more height you need. cut a small piece of that 3/4 inch lumber (say, 3.5x3.5), attach a strong string or length of paracord to it long enough to loosly tie to the handlebars, and place it under the sidestand foot. Once you're safely straddling the bike, use the cord to retrieve it and store it in your tank bag. You can also drop it to the ground and use your toe to nudge it under the stand to help with dismounting. (Try getting a bike up on a center stand while you're on the bike - it'll make the vault-launcher approach look like child's play!) Plus, you can use it as an anti-sink pad on hot asphalt or soft soil. I also use mine to make the bike more stable/upright on the trail stand - adjust and position the trail stand so the apropriate tire is just lightly touching the ground, go to the left side and carefully push the bike more upright, then slip the block under the stand with your toe.

Advantages: Way lighter and way cheaper than a center stand. More easy to modify or adjust to conditions than a sidestand extension. More versatile than either of the other options.

Disadvantages: It doesn't look as cool. You don't get the joyful anticipation of waiting for your expensive purchase to arrive in the mail.[/QUOTE]
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Kraky, have you considered taking Yoga classes? That should limber you up. 🙃
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