Featured Motorcycle Therapy

I have had problems with my right hip all my life. I have to mount and dismount from the right side.

 

I don't mean to sound 'preachy' about this but getting on (and/or off) the bike by standing on the left peg while the machine is on the sidestand is quite likely to become a slow but fairly certain route towards potential disaster!

You are, in effect, levering the majority of the weight of the bike plus your full bodyweight against the sidestand pivot lug and the retaining bolt. I've seen frames that have been creased by this pivoting action; I've seen welded lugs bent and even occasionally broken through this action and I've seen a number of machines that gradually lean closer and closer to the ground as the lug widens ............... not a reassuring sight, I can assure you.

It's your bike and you can and will mount it any way you want, of course .... but, if you have any intentions of keeping the bike long term, I'd strongly - very strongly - recommend that you try to find a more sympathetic way of getting on and off when parked - even with the tail bag on!

Maybe especially with the tail bag on?

 

It is a common technique, especially on big bikes like BMW GS etc., I was out with a group recently, and stepping up on the left footpeg is how all the GS riders mounted up. Having said that - the early BMW 310's were breaking sidestands even just with the weight of the bike!

Fortunately I can still manage a 'straight leg over the seat' hopping action when I have my big tailbag on, but I can see why riders would use the footpeg method.

 

YMMV, I've been doing this on various bikes for 50 years.

 

I'm a very fit ,active pensioner and I find it's certainly not as easy to swing my leg over as nonchalantly as I used to.i may resort to carrying a wee set of collapsable steps to aid me as I get older,the kind I put in front of the sink when my granddaughter wants to help with the washing up ,could put a triumph logo on it

 

I to have pain in my right hip. Doesn't stop me riding though. I do find the 400x a bit of a strain sometimes by the time i get straddled i get cramp and have to jump of again. Seeing a specialist next month so hope it can be sorted.

 

Hi TripleX
Very interesting post !! I'm 71 and experiencing the same problems as you. Riding a bike is one of the best ways to exercise all muscles and joints in the body and it's also very good for the heart ! I was told this by an osteopathic consultant no less so I knew I wasn't going to give it up. After a couple of particularly rainy weeks here in sunny Manchester I decided to sell my bike and buy a trail bike as there's plenty of off - roading here however , having made this decision I went to the garage for something , took one look at the speedy and sacked the idea !! No way am I gonna stop riding that. The point of all this ? Keep your speed triple and get some good painkillers !!! LOL. John.