Centre stand doesn't sit on both feet

[fixthe]

When I put my bike up on the centre stand the right side sits fine but the left sits on the tang, with the left foot about an inch off the ground. As far as I can tell it's not bend and is bolted up properly.

Any chance this is something stupid that im missing and can fix, or is it likely bent and I just can't tell without taking it off?

 

[Jim]

When I put my bike up on the centre stand the right side sits fine but the left sits on the tang, with the left foot about an inch off the ground. As far as I can tell it's not bend and is bolted up properly.

Any chance this is something stupid that im missing and can fix, or is it likely bent and I just can't tell without taking it off?

A few pics would help...

 

[fixthe]

Not sure what would be helpful to see, so here it is from a few different angles, as it's a huge pain to get it up like this.

Looking back at my photos of the bike from when I got it home it looks like it used to sit properly. Not sure what's happened in the last week.

 

[Jim]

Very helpful. Your tang is bent down. Bend it back up and weld a brace on it. Gimmie a minute and I'll put up a pic.

 

[fixthe]

Perfect, thanks

 

[Jim]

Bend it back horizontal to the ground and weld a gusset on it (red arrow).

 

[5twins]

Yes, the tang shouldn't touch the ground. Yours is bent, and rather badly, lol.

You need to brace the tang or this is what will happen .....

The way yours bent like that, it's probably already on it's way to breaking off very soon. Besides keeping the tang from breaking off, the brace will make the stand work and deploy easier. Instead of the tang flexing when you step on it, all that force will be transmitted into it which will make it deploy easier. It's also a good idea to install grease fittings on the pivots .....

Well greased pivots make the stand work so much easier and better it's darn near amazing, lol.

 

[fixthe]

It's also a good idea to install grease fittings on the pivots .....

I saw you post this a few times when I searching to see if this was a common issue or not - seems like a good idea!

I cant weld but I'll pop buy the steel shop next to my work tomorrow and see if they'll help me out

 

[XSLeo]

If you look closely at 5twins pics you will see a piece of rubber hose around the tang by the bracing. This stops the clanging noise of the stand hitting the exhaust as you ride.
The early stands weren't braced. I'm not sure what year Yamaha added the bracing.
Leo

 

[fixthe]

Once the tang has already been bent like this is it worth repairing or would I be better off just buying a new centre stand?

 

[lakeview]

For $60.00 XS650 Direct will sell you a new one already braced. Might be the tidiest solution.

 

[fixthe]

For $60.00 XS650 Direct will sell you a new one already braced. Might be the tidiest solution.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. It's hard to tell from the photo but it looks a lot less hefty compared to the stock one, so I'm not sure if it would be best to repair or replace

 

[lakeview]

I have never bought their centre stand, but I have bought a couple side stands as well as a chain guard and an exhaust system etc. and have not been disappointed.

 

[jetmechmarty]

The MikesXS stand looks to me to be a replica of the one on my '83 Heritage Special. I don't find any reviews. Interestingly, Dime City and Mikes XS are in the same building, same owners. You can buy the center stand from Dime City. There's a place to write a review on all Dime City products. Not so on the Mike's XS site. The center stand has no reviews.

 

[gggGary]

Yes the legs are bent also.

Many here have shortened the stands a bit to ease putting the bike up on it. I recently reworked the stand on WJL with oxy acetylene and MIG and it's a better piece for it. Got that tang up snug around the pipe for better cornering clearance.

 

[lakeview]

Some of us need more cornering clearance....
Some of us don't.

 

[5twins]

How can you tell the legs are bent from that photo? I've never encountered bent legs, just bent and broken tangs.

 

[jetmechmarty]

How can you tell the legs are bent from that photo? I've never encountered bent legs, just bent and broken tangs.

I bent mine. It's the late one. The tang didn't bend, the leg did.

 

[gggGary]

How can you tell the legs are bent from that photo? I've never encountered bent legs, just bent and broken tangs.

You must lead a sheltered life...
Mebby New Yawkers are more gentle n caring than us midwesterners? See plenty of bent center stand legs 'round here, a few so bad that bike won't stand on them. My theory is godzilla types yank them up on the stand and don't ease them stop just an HD yank back, that, kickstarting while on the stand, and crashes prolly does it.

 

[5twins]

I've always kick started all my bikes on their centerstands. Never bent one because of it that I recall. My SR500 was rather particular about this. It was prone to fouling the plug if I tried starting it on the sidestand.

I guess I understand how a braced tang might more readily bend a leg. As I mentioned, a braced tang does transmit much more force into the leg. But, by the time I'm done with them (grease fittings on the pivots, longer rear shocks), my 650s go up on the stands much easier than they ever did stock. Even with those mods though, I did break the unbraced tang off my original '78 stand. That's what got me into bracing them in the first place. Now I don't wait anymore for them to break, I just brace them. I know it's gonna happen eventually if I don't, lol.