Center Stand go bye bye?

[scotschult]

I have a center stand on my 400 (stock bike), and don't have it on my 550/700 (modified a little bit). I really miss it on the 550.

Same here. 3 bikes, 2 with stands, 1 without due to the exhaust. I really really miss it, especially at maintenence time. Been thinking about one of the swingarm types, but just haven't made it that far yet.

[rphillips]

All the GS's I've owned, have had rubber stops to keep the centerstand from clanking if you hit a bump. If yours is missing, replace it. If your grab handle is missing, replace it. There's no way a jack can be faster than a centerstand. Don't mean to be pokeing fun, but do you know how to use the centerstand? Before someone showed me how, it was almost impossible for me to get it up. Now that I know how, I guarantee I can have any bike up, before you can get the jack to the bike. Take it off if you want to, nobody here will care, but keep up with it, if you ever sell the bike, the new owner will probably like to have it.

[t3rmin]

All the GS's I've owned, have had rubber stops to keep the centerstand from clanking if you hit a bump. If yours is missing, replace it. If your grab handle is missing, replace it. There's no way a jack can be faster than a centerstand. Don't mean to be pokeing fun, but do you know how to use the centerstand? Before someone showed me how, it was almost impossible for me to get it up. Now that I know how, I guarantee I can have any bike up, before you can get the jack to the bike. Take it off if you want to, nobody here will care, but keep up with it, if you ever sell the bike, the new owner will probably like to have it.

Agreed. There's a definite technique to center stand usage. I've taught several folks who've been riding many more years than I. Apparently it's *not* common knowledge...

[Nessism]

Very few newer bikes have a center stand...which is one of the reasons I like GS bikes.

[Grandpa]

Very few newer bikes have a center stand...which is one of the reasons I like GS bikes.

One of my riding friends owns a Yamaha Royal Star Venture, (the "new" Venture). I noticed one day that it has no center stand.

Probably a good thing on that bike, since ground clearance is just not there, and he keeps scraping his floorboards everywhere he goes, even with his shocks adjusted. I suppose many modern cruisers and sports bikes are also missing the center stand.

I'm glad my GK has a center stand, particularly for checking oil level and for starting off in the morning. I also have a Sears motorcycle jack I got for $90 a few years back; I use the jack for changing the rear wheels.

[mortation]

Agreed. There's a definite technique to center stand usage. I've taught several folks who've been riding many more years than I. Apparently it's *not* common knowledge...

Well thats definitely why I never used it to begin with :P I can never get that damn thing up on it alone. So I just slide the jack under and pump the pedal a couple of times

[earlfor]

How to apply chain lube on a 929 that does not have a centerstand.........
Tilt bike onto the kickstand until both wheels are off the ground, Hold bike at a 45 deg angle with your left hand on the handlebar grip. Take the can of chain lube from your right front pocket with your right hand. Kick rear tire round and round with your right foot while balancing bike with your left hand, standing on your left foot and bend over a spray chain lub onto the moving chain.

Keep the centerstand.

Earl

[80GS1000]

How to apply chain lube on a 929 that does not have a centerstand.........
Tilt bike onto the kickstand until both wheels are off the ground, Hold bike at a 45 deg angle with your left hand on the handlebar grip. Take the can of chain lube from your right front pocket with your right hand. Kick rear tire round and round with your right foot while balancing bike with your left hand, standing on your left foot and bend over a spray chain lub onto the moving chain.

Keep the centerstand.

Earl

Time to get a set of 8 mm swingarm spools for the 929 so you can get a spooled swingarm stand. Makes lubing the chain a snap. Not only that, but the bike is very stable using this kind of stand. You'll see MotoGP racers sit on the bike while their mechanic pops up the bike on the stand, changes a rear rim/tire in .00002 seconds, and then drops the bike and rider back to the tarmac.

Then you're talking:

[MelodicMetalGod]

I'd keep the center stand. That's what I use at work everyday plus, as many have already said, it's generally the first maintenance "tool" that I put into use when working on the bike.

If you don't use it because you've never been taught the proper technique, learn the technique and you'll be amazed at how easy it is. I was fortunate to have learned the proper technique early on...it does make a huge difference. Of course, if you don't use it out of sheer preference, they you may as well remove it. No sense in carrying around an air conitioner on the bike either, right?

I've noticed that on most new bikes the center stand is an "option". That has puzzled me for a while now, but after reading here, I guess there are a lot of folks that just don't want or use them. Also, I can understand not having one on one of the many 900+ lb bikes. But on my bikes, I'll always want the centerstand.

[earlfor]

I have an electric hoist in my shop. I just slip two straps through the frame and pick the whole bike up to whatever height I want it to work on it. LOL
Its funny being able to stand up and reach up to unscrew the oil drain plug. LOL

Earl

Time to get a set of swingarm spools for the 929 so you can get a spooled swingarm stand. Makes lubing the chain a snap.

[Steve]

OK, we have several votes here for losing the stand because you have a jack in the garage, and now even an electric hoist. :shock:

All well and good, but they won't do you ONE BIT of good, two or two hundred miles down the road when you are checking your rear tire for pressure and lack of foreign material. 8-[

I have a jack in my garage, too, but ALL the bikes here have centerstands. One of them never came with a side stand.


.

[Carter Turk]

Loosing weight always seems beneficial.

I had one on my first bike a 1980 GS750ET, but it almost catapulted me off many times when it smacked the pavement cornering hard. The bike had S & W Street Strokers out back, but maybe they were junk.

I always stick a rock under the side stand when I park.

[cvmgtwowheels]

When your bike sinks in hot asphalt and falls over you WILL wish you had learned how to put it up on the centre stand or that you still had it on. I'm a small guy and can put a new gold wing up on the centre stand in 10 in seconds

[Planecrazy]

Adjusting the rear suspension will often make a HUGE difference in how easy it is to get the bike on the centerstand. On my 550L with the shocks at a softer setting the bike sits lower, which makes it much harder to get on the centerstand. The moment you adjust the suspension to the firmer settings it sits higher and consequently it's very easy to get on the centerstand.

I imagine that some people who have lowered their bikes wind up having a REALLY hard time getting it up onto the stand. The only thing I can recommend is that if you've custom lowered the suspension you should also shorten the center stand, which will allow you to still easily use it. Obviously it is helpful to have access to a welder if you need to do this.

Regards,

[Carter Turk]

I've been riding for 25 years of which 23 have been without a centerstand and my bike has never fallen over from sinking in asphalt.

I think centerstands are fine if you have one, like it and doesn't interfere with cornering.

I saw a beatiful R100 or R75 BMW with the sunburst orange gas tank tip over on the side stand in hot asphalt at a downhill skateboard contest in 1982. I saw it sitting there in the morning looking pretty, then a few hours later it was laying there on its cylinder with the handlebar cocked over to one side.

Another time on a ride to Laguna Seca from Washington I saw a smaller guy on a big 94 ZX-9 pull up to the gas station, park his bike on the side stand on a slight slope hop off quickly and run into the minimart.

I was sitting on the curb having a snack thinking, hope he put it in gear, when it creaped forward and fell over. Gas was pooling on the asphalt, he came running out trying to pick it up, but he was burning shoe rubber in the gas puddle slipping all over the place.

I ran over and helped lift it up.

So yeah a tip over can happen if your not thinking of where that side stand is going.