One of the worst things that you can deal with when driving is a poor parking job.
People who don’t properly park their bikes in the right parking position can make things a lot harder for all sorts of drivers.
One of the worst types of parking to deal with
And one of the worst types of parking that rider will have to deal with is when they have to park downhill. You want to keep your bike upright but parking a motorcycle on a hill requires more than a side stand.
So if you’re struggling to park a motorcycle downhill or don’t know how to go about parking uphill, then this guide will help.
How to get your motorcycle safely in an hill parking space
Parking downhill or parking a motorcycle uphill can be very tricky, since this is generally a very unstable position to leave your bike.
Luckily though, you can still keep your motorcycle uphill, even if you don’t use a wheel chock. So you can confidently leave your motorcycle on a hill without breaking any parking rules.
Make sure the front tire is always facing uphill
The first tip to make sure that your bike doesn’t slide down a hill is to keep the front wheel facing uphill.
Remember that both stands are also facing up the hill, which means that it is more likely to slide downhill if you leave it facing that direction.
Parking a bike in an uphill parking spot reduces back wheel movement
On the other hand, if you park your motorcycle on a hill and it has its front wheel against the downward slope, then it will be difficult for the rear wheel to slide down the hill.
Always put your motorcycle in a parking spot parallel to the curb
The next thing that you want to do when parking your bike on a hill is to make sure that it is parallel to curb.
less pressure on the stand when parallel to the curb
By keeping your motorcycle parallel to the curb, you will put the bike stand on a 90° angle from the curb, which means that there is less pressure on it compared to if you put it at an angle.
Safely park uphill with a wheel chock
One of the best ways that you can avoid having to worry about parking up a hill is by getting a wheel chock.
What is a wheel chock?
A wheel chock is a device that can attach to your front or rear tire and can keep your bike still, even on on steep hill.
By using this device, you can get done safe hill parking without having to worry about parking tickets in a parking space.
Other important tips to park a motorcycle on a hill
While it can be tricky to park a motorcycle uphill compared to other vehicles, since there isn’t a handbrake that could stop the back wheel.
But with enough practice, and by following a few tips, you can avoid the unwanted attention that could come from trying uphill motorcycle parking and failing.
Leave your front wheel at an angle
One of the best ways that you can ensure that your motorcycle can stand with ease on a hill is by leaving your front tire at an angle.
This angle can help offer more stability to your motorcycle and can keep it in place while it is in the parking spot.
Compared to keeping your bike on flat ground, you should also keep your bike leaned to the left side.
Keep your bike in gear
If you ask any bike riding veteran how to park a motorcycle on a hill, they will tell you a range of hacks to keep it in place.
Some will say that you should keep your bike at an angle, while some would recommend that you keep your bike in gear.
This is one of those essential tips that any bike rider should keep in mind if they are parking anywhere other than a flat surface.
Neutral gear vs first gear
While you should always leave your bike on a hill in gear, which gear should you leave it in?
A quick way to erase any doubts is to just remember that you want to keep it in first gear on a hill parking spot, since it offers extra security.
Some say that it makes your motorcycle stalls, but that also depends on a person-to-person basis.
However, motorcycles parked in neutral gear will still have their tires moving, since the disc lock is not in place. So when you park your motorcycle on an incline, make sure it is in the first gear to make sure it doesn’t fall.
Tips to make sure your bike doesn’t get stuck on a hill
Just like other vehicles, a motorbike can also get stuck on a hill. And if your vehicle does get stuck on a hill, you know just how terrible it can feel.
Luckily, there are a few safety measures that you can take to reduce the risk of you getting stuck on a hill that plenty of riders have used before.
Make sure your tires are properly inflated
The first step that you can take to making sure you don’t get stuck on a hill is to properly inflate your tires.
When you see a slope indication, you should check if your tires are at optimal air pressure before you move on.
less air pressure in your tires
If you have less air pressure than necessary, then you tires could get stuck somewhere or your tire could puncture.
More air pressure in your bike
But if you have more air pressure than the optimal amount, then it is very likely that you could burst your tire or cause irreversible damage to your tires.
Don’t ride in muddy or wet conditions
The next tip is to make sure that you don’t ride in very muddy or wet conditions.
You are more than likely to get stuck in a weather like this, and you could end up having to park your motorcycle on a hill and and ask someone for help.
Park the bike and get help
And if there are no cars or general traffic around to help, you might have less room to make better decisions.
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