A tip - a word to the wise
 

For you "newbies" as well as the "oldies" - just wondered how many of you carry a "hockey puck" type thing in your toolbox under the seat or in your sadddlebags to keep the sidestand,/kickstand from digging in to soft gravel, sand, or even hot asphalt, to prevent the small footing of the stand from settling in and tipping the bike over in your absence, only to come back and find that the bike has fallen over? I carry a metal wall switch plate which seems strong and large enough, (is very cheap and everyone has one of these extra things lying around somewhere) and takes up absolutely no room in the underseat storage area, but any piece of wood or metal say 4x4" should suffice placed under the stand when the bike is parked in an area where this could happen. It's very cheap insurance and everyone should have something like this with them.

Re: A tip - a word to the wise
 

Yes indeed. The GZ has a bigger "foot" than some but still at times not big enough.
I didn't transfer mine from the last bike.......a year ago. Shame on me!
In a pinch, even a crushed can might work.

Might be a good place to mention that you should not park your bike out in the open without having it IN GEAR; that is your parking brake.

Re: A tip - a word to the wise
 

Funny you should mention a hockey puck. I acquired 2 just for that purpose. One lives in the tool box and comes out to play during any maintenance jobs on the GZ. It also has a stick friend. The combo of the puck for the side stand and the stick used to lift the right side of the swing arm makes for easy chain lubing. Tying the front brake lever tight makes things quite stable.
The other puck was cut down a bit and attached to the VStrom side stand for a bigger footprint. This bike has a centerstand so chain work is a breeze.

Re: A tip - a word to the wise
 

You make a good point, however if it is under your seat, how do you get it out while still trying to hold the bike up, as the stand is not working in loose gravel or soft ground? You don't have to answer that, I'm just making fun.

I sometimes park my bike behind my work building, by the back door. The area is dirt mostly and there are places that are not hard packed and I am careful when leaning the bike over on the stand. I usually grab a rock, smushed pine cone, stick (whatever is handy) to put under the foot. You make a valid suggestion. Thanks.

Re: A tip - a word to the wise
 

Damn you and your...LOGIC!

Re: A tip - a word to the wise
 

Put the stand on your foot while you get the seat off, or on your wallet. (Just kidding).
Have the puck ready in your pocket or jacket if you know you are going to be parked in sand when you get there.

Re: A tip - a word to the wise
 

In a pinch, your gloves will do for a little extra stability. We saw a bunch of bikes with that, in the grass "parking lot" at Bike Week.

Re: A tip - a word to the wise
 

I don't do that, but if I'm not sure what the parking will be like, I might put a clean, crushed soda can in my pocket before I go. I have been lucky so far. Every time that I've parked on gravel, I've been able to verify that my bike will be stable enough without the soda can. My partner, however, has a much larger (and heavier) bike, and I've grabbed some stones and/or chunks of pavement or crushed a can while he held his bike!

Re: A tip - a word to the wise
 

Hi, yeah I know it's from about 4 years ago, but it's still good advice! I went for my lunch break yesterday, about 7pm and it was about 95 degrees F, which is about 35C, and this is what I came out to:

http://s7.postimage.org/k5x0sly87/kickstandsm.jpg

It was actually worse than it looks in the picture. I couldn't see the foot at all as I walked up, just the stem disappearing into the ground. O_o Of course, this was on a 500lb bike, but still... I'll definitely be adding some sort of wall plate to my saddlebag.

Re: A tip - a word to the wise
 

I haven't obtained anything for the GZ yet. Had some pretty hot days last summer and it only made a minor indentation into my work parking lot. Been thinking I should go get something though. Just to be safe.

That's a good pic. Looks like it was on its way.