Center Stand assist

[Rob S.]

Check out any GSXR or Harley. See anything missing? Neither do I.

[Grimly]

What's a "center stand"?

Something that makes daily maintenance chores much easier.

[LAB3]

Something that makes daily maintenance chores much easier.

Get a rear tire blowout out on the road somewhere and you'll be wishing you had one!

[rphillips]

Anybody remember the GSX1100G's, "91", the first yr., the branch (pedal) broke off nearly all of them. Suzuki fixed them for "92" and :93" their last 2 yrs.

[Suzukian]

These stand mount with the side stand down, you put it on the back sing arm and it lifts the rear wheel, allowing you to change it, or work on that end if need be. They cost around $60 bucks. You step on the center, when it lock in place, you stick in the Clevis Pin.

https://lockitt.com/snapjackv2.html

Portable centerstand.jpg

[Rob S.]

Is there one for each side? Do they operate independently?

[Rich82GS750TZ]

No Rob, this jacks up the right side. The left side is supported by the side(kick)stand. I know I've watched video on their use. Seems a bit precarious. Think I prefer the center stand for rear wheel/chain maintenance.

[rphillips]

I've never had any problems with center stands, till I got a bike that didn't have one... Now that's what caused the problem.

[Suzukian]

I see no reason why you couldn't use these on each side of the swing arm. You would have to have the front wheel securely chocked to prevent the bike from rolling. They are mostly mean for rear wheel removal, chain maintenance, but having used one, they are not precarious, they are quite solid, 3 points define a plane, and there's a lot of weight on that 3rd point. Securing the front wheel is a must though, if it rolls forward, you could have a miss on your hands. Wrapping the front brake with some kind of cord would be enough, as that would lock the front wheel. It's like anything else though, there are some tools some people just shouldn't use. I have front and rear paddock stands for my bikes. You can't carry those with you though. Well, you could, but it would be a bit much.

[Who Dat?]

Just a plain old piece of two-by works wonders, I carry one in my trailer in case of a roadside repair or in my case Yamaha (xs1100) and Hondas (Goldwing) blunder of making it necessary to put the bike on the center stand to check the oil level.

I understand that you have had several bikes. Which one did NOT require somehow holding the bike vertical to check the oil?

I have had several bikes myself, and have worked on many others. Some had sight glasses for oil checks, others had dipsticks. ALL of them required the bike to be vertical.

Obviously, a center stand makes the job a LOT easier.

[Suzukian]

I don't need to my bikes on the center stand to check the oil. Actually, you can tell how much oil you have in there by tilting it back and forth to see if it is way too low, (which I never let my bikes get). As far as doing an oil change, there is always the same amount you add, and again, you just grab the handlebar and tilt the bike towards you to look at the level in the sight glass. I've had several bikes with no center stand. My ZZR1200 doesn't have one because it has "Soupy's" lowering kit, and the center stand doesn't clear it, I lowered the bike one inch. My 1975 CB400F (Now a Kaz Yoshima CB458 cc race bike) has a hand bent pipe by Kaz Yoshima himself, and does not clear the center stand, never a problem. My 1983 GS750ES center stand arm broke off. I can still raise it, but it's like almost picking up the bike, so I just use a paddock stand. I have a new one for it but haven't got around to putting it on, again, oil changes, or servicing, no problem. You should know how much oil your bikes takes in any event. The sight glass is easy enough to use with one hand and standing the bike up. You just keep the side stand down in case you go to far in that direction, which I've never done. Paddock Stands are better for servicing though, these portable little stands are great for throwing in your saddle bar, or tank bag. They fold up pretty small.

[rphillips]

Most bikes I've had, the manual says put on center stand to check oil, My dealer, back when I started riding, said not to check it while on the center stand, it won't show correctly... I've found the oil will show appx. 3/4 qt. lower when on the center stand, as the back of the bike is raised higher and oil is shifted more to the front, away from the sight glass. Now, who should I trust? I think I'll go with what the Factory Manuals say. .. I Just went and read the manual for my Kawasaki ZRX, that came with no center stand, it says hold bike level to ck. oil. I feel sure if the rear is lifted on one of those paddock stands it will read a little different.

[Grimly]

I just pull mine level to espy the sight glass.
This job is made more thrilling when the handlebar grip comes off...

[oldGSfan]

I never found it difficult in the least to look at the sight glass with one hand on the grip, for the bikes that had no center stand. Having a center stand is nice but not mandatory, I can live without one but sure, they come in handy when you get a flat on the road. So does AAA.

[Suzukian]

You should know how much oil goes in your bike. The center stand thing is "Lawyer talk". If you lean the bike away and towards you, after a while, not will you only know how much oil is in there, but you will be able to determine how much it is using. A lot of older riders have trouble getting their bikes on the center stands. Whatever floats your boat. IMHO