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Kickstand Relocate?

2K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  roadpouring 
#1 ·
So I've hit my kickstand bracket a fair few times turning to the left, always a little pucker moment. Has anyone had that problem? I was hitting both sides of the center stand before, but removed it after I got a motorcycle jack. Now the kickstand bracket is the lowest thing down there it seems.

I've read a bunch of threads on the pros/cons of removing the safety switch, but none about relocating the stand itself.

Thoughts?
 
#4 ·
Indeed, I have lowered it some. Aftermarket suspension in the rear. (One of my riding buddies pointed that out, that my dragging is somewhat self inflicted) They are 1.5 or 2” shorter, but seems like it wouldn’t affect the front that much (since the shocks are at an angle and the front where the kickstand is would be lowered even less). Maybe the clearance is a lot less than I imagined on the turns. I’m usually dragging when there is some elevation change in the roadway as well, which factors in.


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#5 ·
It's weird to me that anybody would remove the center stand, because it's one of my favorite features of the bike. I realize you're not the first to do it, and everybody values things in their own way, of course. But I love the stability of the bike on the center stand. Not that the side stand won't keep the bike up, but I did have this one time where the side stand wasn't completely extended and the bike went down. So now I always double and triple check the side stand. I don't want to say I don't trust it, but I'm certainly acting like I don't trust it. The center stand, on the other hand, I trust completely. I even use it at the gas station.

Oh, and I took my front wheel off last night (to change the tire). Needless to say, the center stand is super useful for that. You also need to use a jack under the engine to keep the weight off the front, but the center stand really makes working on the bike a lot easier.

I know there are some guys who never use the center stand, because there's a learning curve and it's intimidating at first. But once you get comfortable with it... for me it's the only way to walk away from the bike.
 
#10 ·
Haha, I just started a thread over at klrforum.com with a poll on who likes centerstands. That was the first thing I bought. It's about half an half right now for and against. I HATED that my sportster didn't have a center stand. I LOVE not having to lug around a damn motorcycle jack.
 
#6 ·
^ Actually the bike is more stabil on the side stand than the center stand. This is due to the fact that all the bikes weight is distributed to three points fairly equally, and that those three points are farther apart than the three in center
stand use. When it's on the center stand most of the bikes weight is on the stands legs.
Now if you fail to put the sidestand down all the way, that's "human error" there, not a fault of the mechanics here. Also if you put your bike in gear and roll it forward till it stops before putting it on the sidestand it's less likely to roll off the stand if bumped. As the rear tire does not touch the ground when on the center stand, a bump from the rear (even if it's in gear) can knock it off the stand. (Which will allow it to fall)
This of course all depends on how worn your sidestand might be.
 
#8 ·
Guess we'd have to decide on what we are considering "more stabile"...
Interesting discussion here:

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?71031-A-Study-in-Stability-Sidestand-versus-Centerstand

I know it takes more effort to push over a bike on its sidestand than it does on its center stand. And yes, different bikes will behave differently depending on the design of the stands. Try pushing a bike over from the right side while it's on the side stand. Pretty hard to impossible...unless you get the stand to partially retract.
And yes, the sidestand does better on uneven terrain.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Relocation presents new problems to look at. Lean angle, kickstand length and angle, location when the stand is in the up position. Bikes with the stand at the front typically have really long stands and a steep lean angle, which tends to make them close to pole vaulting onto the ground unless the bike is a heavyweight.

No doubt Kawi looked at every angle for the kickstand, they were using all the cruiser cues they could.

The stand on the HD Ultra Classic (up front) pivots in some way as it touches the ground and the weight of the bike is increased on the stand. It looks like it's going to fall over, then it stops. Never looked, but it acts like it has an extra spring.



It takes more than "a little nudge" (as stated for BMWs in the linked forum) to get the VN off the centerstand.

On the side stand, the VN is already nearly halfway to lying on the ground. Just appears to be easier to knock over.

Could be placebo effect, but if I feel the parking lot is a sketchy, I put it on the centerstand.

I've seen mine fall over twice, through no fault of either stand. :surprise:

You meet the most esoteric people on a BMW.
 
#12 ·
Been a long time but my 1970 650 Bonneville came with a center stand, as did years following.
I guess they figured they could make a little more by making such accessories an extra.

I used to park it right at the front door of the police station in Taormina, on center stand, lock the forks and chain the stand.

I love center stands.
 
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