Is it bad to park a bike in gear?

[TimmyWimmyWoo]

I just read in the H2SX thread that a PHer was told off by a dealer for leaving a bike parked in gear ‘against the cylinder compression.’

I nearly always leave bikes in gear when parked to stop them rolling back. Is this actually in any way bad for them? I realise dealers don’t love it because it makes them 2% more effort to move... but is there any other negative impact?

[carinaman]

Is it also cited as something that may slightly slow those intent on stealing a motorcycle?

[curlie467]

No.

[srob]

No, no it’s not. The issue on that thread is that he parked a 260kg bike in gear so the salesman would’ve had to move the bike backwards to get it off compression to release it into neutral before they could move it.

Resting a bike against compression (ie with both valves closed) used to be the recommended way of leaving your bike when people looked after their own bikes!

No harm will be done. I always leave my car in gear and never use the handbrake (much to my wife’s annoyance )

[underwhelmist]

I usually try to park facing uphill rather than downhill but if I have to park facing slightly downhill, then yes it’s in gear. It only had to roll off the stand twice for me to learn that.

[sjtscott]

I personally don't do it usually but there are occasions when you need to leave it in gear where you're left with no other options, esp to stop it rolling forwards for instance. Some bikes naturally more susceptible than others.

[catso]

I usually leave my bikes in gear when on the sidestand as it may help stop it rolling off - especially with 'suicide' stands that 2 of my bikes have and I always leave cars in gear, don't see how it could possibly do any harm?

[thatdude]

used to say in my old sv650 handbook that you can leave the bike in gear when parked on an incline.

So its perfectly safe and that dealer is talking ste.

[Chipchap]

The dealer was not moaning at me with regards to it doing harm. He was just moaning as a] he couldn't initially move it. Should have just pulled the clutch in the moron. b] He was so ham fisted/footed he took 5 mins to find neutral.

Muttering all the while that it just wasn't necessary. My response being if it had rolled onto its side like a capsizing Titanic I felt certain that they would have pursued me to make good. So I elected to play it safe.

It really was a something and nothing moment but the effect being that I wont shop there ever for any of the 4 brands that they have.

[Krikkit]

Chipchap]The dealer was not moaning at me with regards to it doing harm. He was just moaning as a] he couldn't initially move it. Should have just pulled the clutch in the moron. b said:

He was so ham fisted/footed he took 5 mins to find neutral.

Muttering all the while that it just wasn't necessary. My response being if it had rolled onto its side like a capsizing Titanic I felt certain that they would have pursued me to make good. So I elected to play it safe.

It really was a something and nothing moment but the effect being that I wont shop there ever for any of the 4 brands that they have.

Classic case of someone getting wound up and snappy at something minor, without thinking about the consequences. Not a good way to deal with the public!

[chris4652009]

curlie467 said:

No.

this^^^

100% NO

[andburg]

i do it on an incline to stop it rolling off stand but advice from my harley dealer was not to as it can cause the neutral switch to stick and fail.

[catso]

andburg said:

i do it on an incline to stop it rolling off stand but advice from my harley dealer was not to as it can cause the neutral switch to stick and fail.

Then they should fit better quality switches.

[chris4652009]

andburg said:

i do it on an incline to stop it rolling off stand but advice from my harley dealer was not to as it can cause the neutral switch to stick and fail.

He's talking b*****cks

[srob]

andburg said:

i do it on an incline to stop it rolling off stand but advice from my harley dealer was not to as it can cause the neutral switch to stick and fail.

Don’t Harley’s have the stand that clicks into place and can’t roll off, or is that just the big ones?

[andburg]

Agreed on both accounts, I've had no issues in 5 years.

Not fancy mechanism on my xr dunno but the fat lad bikes

[Mr2Mike]

TimmyWimmyWoo said:

I just read in the H2SX thread that a PHer was told off by a dealer for leaving a bike parked in gear ‘against the cylinder compression.’

The clue is in the question

[308mate]

Everything I ever park ever gets left in gear (reverse gear if it’s pointing downhill*) . Cars in case the handbrake fails and bikes as an extra method of stopping it rolling off the stand.
It’s fine.





* I cannot provide anything scientific to prove this is beneficial

[boxedin]

Only gets left in neutral if it's on a centre-stand, otherwise in gear.

[Pothole]

boxedin said:

Only gets left in neutral if it's on a centre-stand, otherwise in gear.

That's not really an answer to the OP's question: "Is it bad to park a bike in gear?" but thanks for that interesting window into your life!