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I was driving along side a metric cruiser (want to say Suzuki) and we both stopped at the same light.

He proceeded to put the bike in neutral then put the kickstand down? It wasn't a long light (by S Florida standards anyway) and he certainly didn't look comfortable trying to sit on the bike at its angled resting position.

Any thoughts? Doesn't seem smart or safe to do this....

My car behind him and to his left so I couldn't speak to him.

The only time I ever do that is when I know I am waiting on a long train to pass . Then I sometimes get off light a smoke and sit back down to wait .
Putting the kickstand back up and the bike into gear before the gates come back up .
Regards, Wizzard

Ditto (except for the cigarette ) and when the bridges are raised to let Boats through as well.....but never at a light.

strange....

He proceeded to put the bike in neutral then put the kickstand down? It wasn't a long light (by S Florida standards anyway)

And I thought I was lazy!

Wizzard wrote:The only time I ever do that is when I know I am waiting on a long train to pass .
Putting the kickstand back up and the bike into gear before the gates come back up .
Regards, Wizzard

I do exactly that (removed the smoking part) and I make a point of checking behind me to make sure the cars back there stopped.

Maybe he was making sure the light got "tripped" so it would turn green?
I've heard of a few people having to do that (put their kickstand down to get the light to change from red).
It didn't work for me, but others it has.
Just an idea.

No, It's not that hard to balance the bike for a minute.

I agree that he was probably trying to trip the light. I've tried it several times at left turns but it doesn't seem to work for me.

Not sure if he was trying to trip the light....there were about fifteen cars around him.....

the girlfriend seems to think he may've been showing off...

Coincidently the current issue of Motorcyclist has a picture of a schoolbus nearly running over a sportbike from the back....the driver didn't see the bike stopped in front of him...

This was my concern about using the kickstand at a light...lack of control in thease of an emergency.

Mustang wrote: he may've been showing off...

Haha, "Hey check out my manly abilities to dangerously maneuver the kickstand from the 'up' position to the mindblowing 'down' position! In the middle of traffic too! Living on the edge!"

Well I guess for a cruiser that could be considered showing off...

But seriously... I don't think it's a good idea unless you're sitting there waiting for construction or a train or all the other stuff that was mentioned.