• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

Pulling into a garage on a REALLY steep hill

Albal0ney

Albal0ney

Hella Legit
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Location
San Francisco
Moto(s)
2016 Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory
Name
Advocate
I have never had problems being 5'7'' and riding any motorcycle. I can't flat foot my 998, and on my KTM 690 and I am on my tip toes, barely flat footing as I slide my ass off the seat.

I just moved into a place in Potrero Hill, and this neighborhood is very appropriately named, as these hills are KILLER. As in, you can't stop going uphill at a stop sign completely.

I love my new spot, it's close to work, clean and nice inside. I have my own garage, but the problem is it is located right in the middle of a nasty hill with not flat spot, even the driveway is a crazy hill.

My house is on the right in this view, and when I want to park, I have to get off the bike to push a key pad. I don't have a garage door opener. To get off the bike means that the bike will be leaned way past what is okay for the kickstand. I dropped my bike just now, trying to keep the bike vertical in gear, while trying to get my right leg over the saddle.

How would you guys deal with this hill. The only thing I can think is to ride to the bottom. Get off, walk back up, open the garage door, and ride the bike back in. I don't even feel comfortable riding up the hill slowly into the garage. I would rather go around the block and come back down the hill. This seems idiotic. Anyone have a better solution that isn't obvious to me?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=22nd+st+and+kansas,+san+francisco,+ca&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=55.323926,134.912109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=22nd+St+%26+Kansas+St,+San+Francisco,+California+94107&ll=37.757119,-122.402072&spn=0,0.016469&z=17&layer=c&cbll=37.757127,-122.401919&panoid=FUCq_nMMj9PadiUe-xiQnQ&cbp=12,269.88,,0,10.5
 
If it were me I'd just stack pieces of wood together in stair format and nail em together. Just leave this on your driveway and you can just ride up, kick stand down, and rest it on the wood. Of course you'd need to leave it there though lol.
 
Maybe I'm missing something - why not have it pointing straight up the hill, in gear, parallel to the curb? It'll rest fine on the sidestand that way.
 
pleas241252_135697_lg.jpg
 
Roadstergal said:
Maybe I'm missing something - why not have it pointing straight up the hill, in gear, parallel to the curb? It'll rest fine on the sidestand that way.
Click to expand...

The bike would roll, it's too steep. If you leave it in gear, you'd have to turn the bike off. The bike would roll and stop only to be held by resting locked in gear. Don't think that's good on it.
 
I dunno, but I bet ya the garage floor is flat.
 
SNsMoto said:
The bike would roll, it's too steep. If you leave it in gear, you'd have to turn the bike off. The bike would roll and stop only to be held by resting locked in gear. Don't think that's good on it.
Click to expand...

Seriously? Then riding it in gear must be horrible on it.
 
blowing up a transmission is an exageration. I'm sure it's added stress that accelerates wear and tear on it though. If he wants to do that then so be it. There are other solutions to his problem I'm sure though.
 
Roadstergal said:
Maybe I'm missing something - why not have it pointing straight up the hill, in gear, parallel to the curb? It'll rest fine on the sidestand that way.
Click to expand...

I will try this, I have no idea why I didn't think about this. Thanks

Even parallel though, it is still a challenege to get it moving again. This hill is so steep that when you go up and use your front brake, the bike skids back a little because so much weight is on the rear. I shouldn't complain though, it is so hard to find a place with your own garage near SOMA. If I can master this hill I feel like I should join hill climb.

The platform shoes are pretty funny. I used to shake my head at people near my height who lowered their bikes. Now I'm the noob.

Also, this wouldn't be a big deal if I could open the garage door while I was approaching. The big problem is I have to come to a complete stop and get off my bike to open the door with the keypad. The old tenant took the damn garage door opener with her, I'll be getting it back next week. :thumbdown
 
SNsMoto said:
blowing up a transmission is an exageration. I'm sure it's added stress that accelerates wear and tear on it though. If he wants to do that then so be it. There are other solutions to his problem I'm sure though.
Click to expand...

:facepalm
 
Cool, I stand corrected then. I always just heard it was bad to do this, especially for autos with parking pins. I figured the resting weight on a stationary vehicles tranny wouldn't be good.
 
Albal0ney said:
The old tenant took the damn garage door opener with her, I'll be getting it back next week. :thumbdown
Click to expand...

Oh, dude, so next week all your problems are solved - so you only need to suck it up for one week...

You'll probably have to park it as I mentioned above a house down, open the door, and then use the rear brake to hold the bike when you get back on and start up. Being one house down will let you get some momentum before you turn into the garage.
 
SNsMoto said:
Cool, I stand corrected then. I always just heard it was bad to do this, especially for autos with parking pins. I figured the resting weight on a stationary vehicles tranny wouldn't be good.
Click to expand...

Yes, because it's a parking pawl/pin, not desgined to handle the entire weight of a vehicle. But even then, it would take a lot steeper hill to do any damage. But you'd have a hell of a time getting it out of park.
 
^ Yarp. Motos aren't auto trannys - the motor's compression will hold the bike. No parking pin on real transmissions. ;)
 
With the garage door opener, I might still stop at the top or bottom while I fumble for the control. I wouldn't want to think the door was opening, have to stop abrubtly becuase I didn't hit the key and fall over again.

I think the most intimidating thing is that you can't stop on this hill without REALLY knowing exactly where you are going to put your feet down. There isn't much room for error. It's easier to coast down and slowly ride into the garage by feathering the front brake. But riding up the hill? You cannot be a bitch about it..you have to carry some serious momentum and jam into the garage and be on the brakes immediately without knocking over your shit, otherwise you come to a complete stop in a second and the next second, you are rolling backwards.

Us ppl from San Jose have no idea how to deal with this shit
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top