The Centerstand Challenge - Lift Assist Handle

[Bob Kelly III]

RG : I set out to remove 3/4 of an inch but wound up removing about 7/8" !!!!! my recopicating saw blade was so worn it would not cut straight no matter what I did so I straightened the cut with the hand grinder.... adding almost 1/4" to my original cut.... (OOPS!)
the metal was easy to weld with my 6011- 3/32" rod and AC stick welder.... after the change I painted it with flat black ( all I had) and then changed the suspension settings... that changed allot of things ! I put the forks all the way down on their hardest settings and raised the steps on the stock rear shocks and only had about 1/8" rear wheel clearance ! but I found I could still sit on the bike and run it through the gears with no problem.... but after a few rides I felt the bike was just too rough riding,..... so I went back to the softest setting I could get everywhere..... that gave me about 1/2" rear wheel clearance again....
what do you have your suspension set at now ? the softest setting I assume ?
......
Bob.......

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Well done, RG.

...As long as I'm on reasonably level ground, I may stop using the side stand completely. Another big advantage, of having the bike on the centre stand, is that you don't have to swing your leg up and over the back of the bike or any back packs/ top cases. You simply step up on the left foot peg, and lift your leg over the centre part of the seat......................so much easier for us guys that are a little past middle age.

Absolute ditto there, RG.
Plus, it makes it much easier when kickstarting.

Using the centerstand for everyday mounting and parking will occur much more often than for rear wheel removal. For that infrequent chore, I suppose you could use a 2x4 under the stand pads.

...I think the main goal is to have zero lifting ,no lift handle required at all.

Would certainly make it more useful.
What about the saddlebag crowd?

 

[Bob Kelly III]

Howdy 2M ! well I was thinking of extending the stand on Hook by 3" or 4 " up past the top of the muffler when on it's wheels
that way my body weight would be enough to lift it easily..... even with saddle bags !
the problem is it needs to be angled forward and that will reduce some of the starting lift .... if it's not angled forward when it rotates to the stand the foot hook will hit the ground and hold the bike on the hook not the centerstand feet....
but where there is a will there is a way !
LOL
Bob..........

 

[weekendrider]

Is anyone else able to put their bike up onto the centre stand, while still on the bike, or do you have to get off and stand beside the bike?

Yes, for the standards and the specials I have standard-ized. No, for the special specials. Still have to lift them from the side.
Unless I park on a 2X then I can leverage them while mounted.
Getting on and off using the footpegs (like stirrups on a saddle) has been a must do for several years. It doesn't look any worse than having to grab my pants leg to clear the seat.

What about the saddlebag crowd?

Generally there is a backrest also so I grab the railing/bracket for it.

When you shorten the stand does it effect the stop (the rubber button that keeps the stand from banging the exhaust)?

 

[MaxPete]

That's a neat trick RG - I know I couldn't do it with the stock centre stand.

 

[peanut]

To avert hijacking, and focus on this single topic, this is a branch-off of JetMechMarty's thread:

http://www.xs650.com/threads/did-not-make-it-home-in-one-piece.46473/

Lots of helpful hints and tips in Marty's thread, including RetiredGentleman's boards/plywood, technique.

actually ..... t'was I that suggested the plywood #56.... I remember that thread where everyone was going down like flies and poor old Marty lost his 'pooch' mick fell off the ladder and you popped a ligament in your arm
I still haven't tried that plywood trick myself yet so I'm determined to give it a try this afternoon. A small square of plywood is handy to carry on any ride really as there could be soft ground preventing use of the side stand.

 

[ihaxs650]

This is what I wear every day. Better than sneakers but not as ponderous as a tall lace-on work boot ......

http://www.sears.com/diehard-men-s-suretrack-6inch-double-gore-slip-on/p-067VA12067201P?selectedFilters=Toe Type|Soft toe&plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=26&blockNo=26&blockType=G26

I ordered these pull on boots today. I have been looking for easy to wear work boots. They are not cheap! Including tax and shipping $113.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Bob Kelly..............My front springs have always been set at the firmest setting. My rears have always been set at the softest setting.

2M................Yes its another bonus for kick starting. Certainly with my rear tire now almost touching the ground, it would be impossible to remove the rear wheel, as it would jam into the rear fender. However its typically 4 or 5 years between rear wheel removal for me, at which time I would have to use wood boards under the centre stand legs and maybe a mechanical lift/jack. Its so seldom that its a non issue. Also my rear is a tubeless tire, so if i have a flat tire out on the road, the rear wheel has no need for removal, I carry a tubeless repair kit.
Saddle bags no problem. I am still able to reach and push down on the tang, with bags installed. It used to be difficult to swing my leg up and over bags/backpacks sitting on the rear of the seat, but now I won't have need to do that.

WER..............Good to know that Standard models can "get it up" while you are still sitting on the bike. As for the rubber stopper, I made up a steel bracket that mounts to the original stopper hole in the exhaust, but extends the rubber stopper forward so that it lines up perfect now.

I don't know why I didn't shorten the centre stand legs years ago. It sure makes mounting and dismounting easier. It will be good as long as the parking area is reasonably level. If the slope had the rear of the bike downhill too much, it might be too difficult or impossible to shift your weight forward in order to come off the centre stand. Side stand best used for slope type parking.

 

[5twins]

If it does prove too low now, just weld some 1/4" plate to the bottom of the feet to raise it up a little. You did shorten the stand quite a bit. I'd like to experiment with this for a Special but will probably remove no more than 3/4".

 

[retiredgentleman]

I removed 1 1/8" , but I think 1" would be about right for a Special. Like many things in life there will be a sweet spot which is perfect.
3/4" might work. If you do the welding yourself, you can cut and then tack it. If it needs more cut, just grind it out and cut some more.

5twins.................does the stock factory centre stand, on your Standard, allow you to deploy it while you are still sitting on the bike?

If you watch YouTube videos, there are dozens of videos showing how to deploy the centre stand while you are standing beside the bike. Strange that I have yet to find one that shows deployment while remaining sitting on the bike. Why have bikers not caught onto the leg shortening method. Is cutting and rewelding just too complicated or expensive for most???

 

[5twins]

I never tried deploying the stand while sitting on the bike, but I will now, lol. I routinely roll the bike off the stand while seated on it.

On my Standard with the 18" rear wheel and slightly longer than stock rear shocks, my wheel sits about 7/8" off the ground. It goes on and off the centerstand very easily. I think the well greased pivots and tang brace also contribute to this. I consider those 2 "must do" mods on these.

 

[weekendrider]

Take care in soft ground (wet or sandy). It tends to settle and rest on the tire, especially if you have longer shocks placing the tire closer to the ground.
While it didn't flop I came back to one leaning precariously to the right. It was then the light bulb went on that the center stand legs don't work well if you get much lean. For those soils/conditions I use the side stand with a puck. If you don't have a puck a flattened can't (soda, beer, energy drink) or soda bottle works in a pinch.
Like RG mentioned level is best, front to back can be dealt with, but a side to side pitch will get you quick.

 

[Bob Kelly III]

Be wary of Fresh compacted asphalt in parking lots in the summer heat....
I parked my bike put down the side stand and then went into the mall... came back about 30 minutes later and found my bike had just fallen over ! the side stand was a good 8" into the asphalt Making it very dificult to get the bike up right again ... it set up almost like concrete real fast ! .....
Bob.......

 

[retiredgentleman]

I've now gained a little more experience with my shortened centre stand. If I'm on level payment, such as at most gas stations, I can't put it up on the centre stand while still sitting on the bike. I have to use the side stand to get off the bike.
However, the good news is that all I need to do is find a very slight up hill grade to park on. My garage has an up hill grade to it, and the bike goes onto the centre stand with me sitting on the bike, no problems.
The up hill grade needed is small, but it makes enough of a difference that the weight of the bike pushes it onto the stand.
Here are couple of pictures, taken at a McDonalds, showing how little up hill grade is needed. The bike was put onto the centre stand with me still sitting on the bike.
You'll notice the rear tire just barely clears the payment. I can still rotate the rear wheel by hand. Its a big contrast to prior to the shortening, when I had 2" clearance under the rear tire.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Looks good, RG. Certainly makes it more usable for daily use, versus the less-frequently-done rear wheel servicing. It's taken me a little while to unlearn the old and adapt the new technique, but it's worth it.

So, now we've got the lift handle, and the shortened centerstand mods.

What's left is for folks to step up and invent the electro/hydro lift jack, and the "Kaufman explosive assist"...

 

[TimeMachine]

On the bike center stand parking seems to be a fantastic convenience . Never have experienced that and being a real center stand fan, that caught my attention , Nice !

 

[MaxPete]

That really is cool, I must say.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Yes shortening the centre stand is a definite benefit. It may not be suitable for those of you that drive bikes with a tube in the rear tire.
If you get a flat tire while out on the road, you must remove the rear wheel to repair the tube. That would be most difficult or impossible, due to lack of clearance with the rear fender.

My rear tire is tubeless, so I can do a temporary repair if needed, without removing the wheel.

Still, having said that, in 25 years of motorcycling I've never had a flat tire, so even if you have a tube in the rear, you would have to weight the reward vs risk factor.

 

[5twins]

I did try mine and found I can't deploy the centerstand while seated on the bike. It comes off it real easy like that though, which is nice. To use the centerstand, I have to deploy it standing next to the bike, but that's not a big deal because it goes up so easily. I deploy my sidestand first, get off the bike, then put it on the centerstand. My sidestand is a joy to use as well since I've added a grease fitting and modded it's tang and foot. Yes, the sidestand benefits from a well greased pivot as well.

 

[MaxPete]

I did try mine and found I can't deploy the centerstand while seated on the bike. It comes off it real easy like that though, which is nice. To use the centerstand, I have to deploy it standing next to the bike, but that's not a big deal because it goes up so easily. I deploy my sidestand first, get off the bike, then put it on the centerstand. My sidestand is a joy to use as well since I've added a grease fitting and modded it's tang and foot. Yes, the sidestand benefits from a well greased pivot as well.

Thanks for the info 5T - could you possibly post a photo of the modified tang and foot?