how to put the bike on a stand without help from others

[Theo]

This is my first post and so, first of all, an introduction of me, since I haven't found a specific thread for that:
I am a new Varg owner.
I live in northern Italy, where I also find a lot of people from other European countires like Germany or Switzerland at motocross tracks, so maybe I'll meet you if you are Italian or if you are among those who come here to ride from other countries.
I have started doing supermoto and motocross years ago, but I haven't really ridden much in these years because I dislike the amount of maintenance required for ICE motocross bikes. My ICE SM bike is decently reliable but too heavy and my ICE MX bike is a proper racing bike but it needs too much care for my tastes.
I certainly feel more encouraged to ride this new bike which is at the same time a high performance and, supposedly and hopefully, a low maintenance machine.

So, talking about the title of the topic, don't you think that this bike is quite hard to be put on a stand compared to a typical MX bike? Maybe I am I the only one who thinks that... ? It's a little heavier and maybe the weight distribution is different.
I cant't put it on the stand by pushing with my thigh and I can't find a way to do it while, at the same time, keeping my back straight and by pulling something sturdy like the subframe.
Personally I've managed to to do it with little effort by raising the bike by putting both wheels on some wooden boards, sliding the stand under the bike and then slowly removing the boards until the bike sits onto the stand.
Vice versa for getting it off the stand, but this technique is time consuming.
I guess I will end up buying one of those triangular stands, at least for my trackdays.
I'd like to know whether you agree that it's indeed harder and whether you use some particular technique.

 

[Foss]

Gym! I can lift my Varg off the ground but then again i’m pretty built.

It’s not crazy difficult. Just gotta angle it and lift with the legs.

 

[mike61]

I take a lift stand!

 

[AL_V]

Yes, like Mike said, get one of those stands where you step on a leveraged pedal to raise the bike.
And you can take the charger out of the Stark stand and put it in a plastic case like many have done.

 

[F451]

I found my Alta (which is close to the Varg weight) to be difficult to get onto my bike stands. I'm 63 with some health issues so I really feel the weight. I used a pedal lift stand in the garage, and a triangle when out riding for parking the bike.

I also found the Alta annoying to just move around the garage and load into my truck, and of course occasionally while riding, trying to muscle it around on hillsides, or if stuck in the mud, it was a stone breaker to move around.

That's one of the things I was so excited about the Varg, they originally said it was going to be 240 lbs, then it came out at 260 lbs and I cried in my porridge and have since cancelled my order.

 

[C5tor]

 

[mike61]

Yes! It is a heavy bike!
I'm 63 too and I want to sell it because of that fact.
All the other things are very well.

 

[Theo]

I found my Alta (which is close to the Varg weight) to be difficult to get onto my bike stands. I'm 63 with some health issues so I really feel the weight. I used a pedal lift stand in the garage, and a triangle when out riding for parking the bike.

I also found the Alta annoying to just move around the garage and load into my truck, and of course occasionally while riding, trying to muscle it around on hillsides, or if stuck in the mud, it was a stone breaker to move around.

That's one of the things I was so excited about the Varg, they originally said it was going to be 240 lbs, then it came out at 260 lbs and I cried in my porridge and have since cancelled my order.

Well, today it occurred to me that having a triangle can be useful for oil changes, too, so I'll think I'll get one.

I've used a little bit of throttle to load the Varg onto my trailer with very little effort though I admit that it can be dangerous because I could unintentionally open the throttle more than I want to and the bike would suddenly move forward.

For the garage, I think I'll get another one of those with a pedal like the one thet I already use for my other MX bike.

 

[LAPS]

2'17"

 

[Philip]

 

[Theo]

2'17"

I tried that method successfully in my garage: the back is decently straight, I can prevent the motorcycle from falling left or right utilizing my legs and it takes an acceptable effort, but surely I want to preserve my energy as much as possible at the track.
I have eventually bought that triangular stand I was talking about.

@Philip: if I try that thecnique, the next thread I'll start will be "how to put the bike on the stand with broken bones"!

 

[Philip]

I use wheel triangles most of the time, indoors and outdoors. I like them because they are easy to use and do not take up any room. I hang them onto a footpeg when the bike is secured inside my motovan or is sitting on a bike stand.

The only easier way to park a bike is using a kickstand, which I ordered for the Varg.

I keep several simple aluminum bike stands, one for each bike, in my garage. And I carry one Polisport plastic foldable bike stand in the motovan if I need to work on a bike at the track.

The Alta has a smaller ground clearance than other dirt bikes, so you have to lift it more. Some manufacturers offer less tall stands for smaller bikes. I bought a smaller 17.5" stand, and it works great for the Alta if I just want to park the bike and do not need to change tires. It works great for supermoto bikes too.

 

[Philip]

This was my default method when I was shorter. Except my right hand was grabbing not the rim at the top but the spokes at the front of the wheel. This way you get better leverage and can lift the bike higher with less effort.

 

[wfopete]

I'm 66yo and yes the Varg is a bit of a hefty girl but I've been lifting my XR250 onto stands for years (weighs about the same) so I was used to it.

I also thing the Varg stand is a bit taller so that may be part of it. I think using the rear fender and not the grab handles helps too.

 

[ReVolter]

AH! This was exactly the problem I had! I needed the bike on its charging stand both in the garage and at the track. I'm only 77kg with a separated right shoulder, so none of the other suggestions will work. I certainly could not use the stoppy technique in the garage.

I noticed that none of the Varg videos showed anyone putting the bike ON the stand. This was always done off camera where they probably had a team of technicians to help, or maybe they are using alien technology. Otherwise, it appears to be impossible. I considered making a lift stand with the charger in it and other devices until I came up with this doo-hickey:

It is a rubberized garage hanger bolted to a cable-pull handle from a weight training machine. I simply reach around the bike and hook the thing under the rear swing arm and now I have a comfey hand-hold at the perfect spot for optimal bio-mechanics and weight distribution. Getting the bike on and off its lofty pedestal, while still not easy, is quite manageable. The device is easy to transport and works well in tight places like my garage.

I was planning to do a video on this thing as it has saved me a LOT of grief.

 

[Happy Track MX]

I got 2 of these

 

[Philip]

This thread won't be complete without one more girl biker video.

 

[Theo]

[...]
I noticed that none of the Varg videos showed anyone putting the bike ON the stand. This was always done off camera where they probably had a team of technicians to help, or maybe they are using alien technology. Otherwise, it appears to be impossible. I considered making a lift stand with the charger in it and other devices until I came up with this doo-hickey:
[...]
I was planning to do a video on this thing as it has saved me a LOT of grief.

To be fair, in their oil change tuorial, they show a guy using the #1 technique from the blond girl in Phillip's video applied to the Varg. I've also seen other people doing the same in two other videos and I can't understand how they can do it so easy... I'm not a powerlifter but I'm decentrly fit and it feels impossible to me.

The #2 blond's technique works for me except for the fact that I use two hands under the rim and I utilize my knees to guide the bike. My back is a little too hunched when the bike is closest to the ground but it's pretty straight for most of the movement.

A video about that tool you made would be interesting and I like the fact that you've mentioned the importance of taking care of biomechanics because I suspect that lifting that kind of weight in the wrong way on a weekly basis could generate some spine disorders.

 

[mike61]

 

[Toom38]

I cut my stand down a bit and attached some split 3/8" rubber hose to keep from scratching the garage floor.