Help! Touring novice - Bike is tipping up

Smithmas

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Hi Guys.

Off to Scotland for a couple of weeks on the R1200 GS - packed as light as possible 'no frills' considering time away.

Bike is currently on the centre stand in the garage ready to go - I attach the side panniers (Vario), all good. Once I attach the rear pannier the bike tilts back lifting the front wheel off the floor.

Should I not use centre stand when fully laden? Is this normal or a warning to get rid of more (not sure how) kit?

I am a total touring novice, help appreciated!

Cheers
 
It is just tipping backwards, like a fat bird on a seesaw.

It’s fine.

PS Everyone who goes away for the first time takes too much. You’ll find that out as you go along. Take a note of what you actually use and (more importantly) what you don’t. You’ll then know for next time.
 
It's totally normal, wait until you take a wife as well! When we are touring I attach the panniers and load up with the bike on the main stand as it is easier with the bike upright, it just takes a bit more of a heave to get it off the main stand, or you can ride it off the stand if you want to look like a cool touring master. Just make sure you increase the suspension pre-load on the rear to compensate for the extra weight on the back.
 
Cheers Gents! Very much appreciated for the advice, great point about the suspension also as I wouldn't have thought of that :blast
 
You'll almost certainly have packed too much as others have said. That said, on a GS, I've never really worried much about weight when touring . Don't notice it so much when you're moving just parking. If you've got decent panniers, remember you've still carrying low down much less than a pillion rider whose CoG is much higher up! Unless you've got a pillion as well :D Even then, on a GS, not a problem.
 
You'll almost certainly have packed too much as others have said. That said, on a GS, I've never really worried much about weight when touring . Don't notice it so much when you're moving just parking. If you've got decent panniers, remember you've still carrying low down much less than a pillion rider whose CoG is much higher up! Unless you've got a pillion as well :D Even then, on a GS, not a problem.

Cheers for the reassurance and a very good point ref the pillion! Taking the panniers off now to rethink what and how I have packed!
 
The golden rule is:

Pack once. Unpack. Halve. Repack. Unpack…. Repeat as necessary.

The second rule is: Halve your clothes and double your money.

The third rule is: Remember, you’ll not be meeting royalty on your travels. If, on the very small slight chance that you might, they won’t mind.
 
The golden rule is:

Pack once. Unpack. Halve. Repack. Unpack…. Repeat as necessary.

The second rule is: Halve your clothes and double your money.

The third rule is: Remember, you’ll not be meeting royalty on your travels. If, on the very small slight chance that you might, they won’t mind.

Fourth rule: Turn up in your car. :augie
 
OP don't get caught in the overthinking things trap, enjoy your trip pal
 
..............

The third rule is: Remember, you’ll not be meeting royalty on your travels. If, on the very small slight chance that you might, they won’t mind.

Indeed. However, IIRC, Ted Simon took a dinner jacket on his first RTW trip just in case he needed to attend an embassy 'do' on his travels.

OP take note :thumb

Andres
 
But how will you get it offf the stand..??
 
Pah - when we went touring on my Norton Atlas in the late 70's I had one pannier for my clothes. Her on the back had one pannier for her clothes. On the luggage rack and on the panniers we carried a tent, a double airbed, two large Blacks Icelandic sleeping bags, all cooking equipment and Camping Gaz stoves, an electric pump for the airbed and a 12V fluorescent lamp for camp site illumination. Also a litre of Castrol GP50 and a piece of wood for a side stand pad.

Beneath the seat in the sensibly sized tool tray I could carry sufficient tools to do just about anything on the bike. The large tank bag was full of spare parts and inner tubes. This was just as well as on a trip back from the Med one time I had to replace a broken push rod by the side of the road in Rouen, before setting off again at 2am to the ferry port at Dunkirk.

You can never take enough stuff :D
 

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Rubbish!
Don't listen to any of the advice previously given!

Get rid of the varios, fit aluminium luggage, and fit extenders as shown below, take double of everything you've already packed, and double it again!

:jes
;)

Have a good trip!
 

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Indeed. However, IIRC, Ted Simon took a dinner jacket on his first RTW trip just in case he needed to attend an embassy 'do' on his travels.

OP take note :thumb

Andres

The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there.
 


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