What's up with my centre stand?

[Guest]

With the bike held vertical the stand only swings down about 45degrees before it hits the deck meaning it's impossible for me to get the bike on the stand. What's up with that? The ride height looks OK. Could I have the wrong stand?

Any ideas?

Thanks

[7981GS]

With the bike held vertical the stand only swings down about 45degrees before it hits the deck meaning it's impossible for me to get the bike on the stand. What's up with that? The ride height looks OK. Could I have the wrong stand?

Any ideas?

Thanks

Are your forks leaking? I.E.: Is the front end low?
Shocks shot in the rear? Rear tire size? Worn bare?

Daniel

[Steve]

Shorter shocks on the rear?

I have never observed the angle of my centerstands when trying to lift the bike, because I simply can't see there.

Are you sure you are using the correct method to lift the bike? Lots of guys don't know how, and have a HECK of a time.

.

[GelandeStrasse]

Are your forks leaking? I.E.: Is the front end low?
Shocks shot in the rear? Rear tire size? Worn bare?

Daniel

Looks like I need to read up on the suspension specifications. It looks like the bike is sitting about right comparing it to photos I've seen. Tyres are OK, I don't know if they're the right size though? More research required

Anyone know how long a healthy shock should be with no rider? Or yoke to spindle length on the front?

Are you sure you are using the correct method to lift the bike?

I'm familiar with centre stands but each bike has its own little trick eh! I've tried what I know to no avail. What's the trick to a GS1000?

Thanks for the input

[7981GS]

I believe that the rear shock bolts are 12 and 7/8 inches eye to eye with the bike at rest. (No one on it)

I have a few '81 GS1000G's I could measure for you tomorrow if needed.
I could also measure the center-stands. Free-length on front forks, etc.




Daniel

[chuck hahn]

Stand on it with the ball of your foot and grab the hand grip ..push down with the foot and lift the bike up and rearward at the same time by the rail..45 or so seems about the right angle to me.

[JEEPRUSTY]

Yeah what chuck said. Use the lever cos no matter how hard you try lifting 400 plus pounds of bike is near impossible.

It takes pratcice so you should get a buddy to spot you and maintain the bike while you practice.

[GelandeStrasse]

I believe that the rear shock bolts are 12 and 7/8 inches eye to eye with the bike at rest. (No one on it)

I have a few '81 GS1000G's I could measure for you tomorrow if needed.
I could also measure the center-stands. Free-length on front forks, etc.




Daniel

Awesome, thanks Daniel. I'll see if the shocks match your figure there, and yes please, the fork and center stand measurements would be great. Very nice bike BTW! Great photo too.

As far as technique goes guys, thanks for the descriptions, I could easily get my last bike up on the stand doing as you described and when fully loaded tipping the scales at over 700lbs so I think I can rule out that now I tried balancing with all my weight (165lbs) on the lever and the bike didn't move, even slightly!

[GelandeStrasse]

So I think the shocks are OK then based on Daniel's figure, 12-1/4" without rider and on the minimum spring preload setting.
Forks are 20-1/2" from spindle to underside of bottom yoke.
The stand is 12" from bolt to foot.
And the wheels/tyres, front - 19" rim with a 3" tyre profile and the rear 16" rim with a 4" tyre profile.

Can anyone spot any obvious anomalies in those measurements?

Thanks in advance

[JEEPRUSTY]

Did you check the arm where it attaches to the frame?
IS everything true? Nothing obviously bent or distorted in any way?

Take a picture of the bike with the stand put snugly against the ground and show us.

Again using the stand takes and effort to firmly put all your weight on the fob and cleanly deftly fluidly pulling the bike backwards. It will rise all by itself if you do it correctly.

Lots of vids on youtube about this and most of them are doing it totally wrong.

[GelandeStrasse]

Did you check the arm where it attaches to the frame?
IS everything true? Nothing obviously bent or distorted in any way?

Take a picture of the bike with the stand put snugly against the ground and show us.

Again using the stand takes and effort to firmly put all your weight on the fob and cleanly deftly fluidly pulling the bike backwards. It will rise all by itself if you do it correctly.

Lots of vids on youtube about this and most of them are doing it totally wrong.

Everything is true, the mountings are good and it swings freely. As you say, when used correctly a centre stand will do all the work for you, no heaving or back straining is required. But with this one as it is I can put my full weight on the lever it and it won't budge even a little. I can see the lever action can't work at this angle. The bike needs to be at least 4" higher (or the stand lower) for it to work as intended. I've found on all my previous machines that just pulling the bike backwards is enough to raise it on the stand. Not so here. This seems to point to my suspension sagging. Anyone have a measurement for healthy forks under self weight? I guess an easy measurement would be how much fork slider tube is visible.

Were there different length stands on different GS models? This bike has been around some with many different owners and could have a stand that isn't original.

Again, thanks guys for the input. With your help I will figure it out!

[DanTheMan]

My '82 1100G goes on the centrestand quite easily, but my 850 has always been hard to put on the stand. I've resorted to rolling it up on top of a 2x4 board, then putting it on the centrestand. That's one way to get around the problem.

[chuck hahn]

In that picture your on the WRONG side of the bike..come to the left side and stand on that knob thats on the extended part coming off the center stand..push down with your foot and pull up and backwards at the same time on the grab handle just under the seat by the rear shock.

[LoopGaroo]

I use the passenger peg as a grip; allows a little better leverage.

It took me a looooong time to get proficient at put the bike up on the centerstand.

[Allie]

In that picture your on the WRONG side of the bike..come to the left side and stand on that knob thats on the extended part coming off the center stand..push down with your foot and pull up and backwards at the same time on the grab handle just under the seat by the rear shock.

I think he's just on that side of the bike so we can see the stand angle, don't think he's trying to deploy the stand.