Learning how to park a motorcycle is a straightforward but important skill to learn. Whether you’re parking in a garage, parking lot, or along the street – these four techniques will help you park your bike properly no matter what the situation.
1. Slow Ride, Left Turn, Backup
The most fundamental skill to learn when parking a motorcycle is this technique. It involves riding slowly perpendicular to the spot you want to park in.
If there are no cars, you can ride right through the parking spaces, slow down, make a wide left turn, and then back yourself up into the spot.
Reversing into the space allows better visibility and access to the road when it comes time to leave.
2. Don’t Nose into a Downhill Spot
If you must park on the street or in a sloped lot, the most important technique is to avoid having your nose facing downhill unless the decline faces that direction.
This approach offers several advantages. First, it prevents your motorcycle from rolling forward due to gravity. Second, it makes it easier to exit the spot because it’s more difficult to back up a hill.
3. Park with the Wind
While most of us won’t face a situation of extreme wind daily, this is still a good policy to adopt. To reduce the risk of your bike blowing over, you want to make sure to park with the wind in the direction of the bike’s lean. If possible, park with the wind at your back to create less surface area for the wind to hit.
4. Turn Your Front Wheel Towards Your Lean
When using your kickstand, always turn your front wheel towards the side of your lean. This technique creates a tripod effect, with your front wheel, rear wheel, and kickstand forming a stable base.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about how to park a motorcycle.
Can you park a motorcycle on the sidewalk?
Whether or not it’s legal will depend on the location. In some urban cities, it’s prohibited to park your bike on the sidewalk but in most rural areas it’s not likely to be a problem.
How to park a motorcycle on a hill?
When parking on a hill, always back into the spot with your rear wheel downhill. It’s much easier to exit uphill than it is to back up hill.
How to park a motorcycle in a parking lot?
In a parking lot, the best strategy is to use the “slow ride, left turn, backup” technique. Even if there is a line of cars and you’re dealing with a tight space, you can still perform the same technique while riding along the front of the cars.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to park a motorcycle no matter what situation you’re thrown into. Remember that where you park your motorcycle is almost more important than “how.”
But there’s one method we didn’t cover. Parking your motorcycle in a garage to save space! The Let’s Roll Motorcycle Lift is the perfect way to lift your bike and slide it up against walls and into corners to save space when you’re not riding it.
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