Topic: Need opinion on center and kick stand mods

[edwardmorris]

So I will be taking my frame to the welder this week (hopefully if the snow cooperates) and I was pondering modifying the kickstand as well. I've seen McRider get the center stand shortened, and I want to do the same. It makes it easier on my irritated discs in the lower back when putting it on the center stand. I also want to see if I could possibly extend the oh so tiny kickstand on the K2 that makes it lean sooo far down like a bobber. When I first bought it, it didn't come with a center stand and every time I put it on the kickstand, carb#1 would start spilling gas. I'd rather have it stand at a much lesser angle than what seems like 45deg. Would it be a good/bad idea to add about say 2" to the kickstand and make the bike stand a little more upright? And would a welded extension hold? (I'm guessing the foot will have to be cut off, then weld more iron and then weld the foot back on?)

[LesterPiglet]

Re the sidestand.
Make sure the forks on the stand have not splayed open and the bolthole is not worn, this will make it lean more than it should.

[Don R]

 It can be done, I'm sure 2" is excessive. I have a bike that the PO lowered it, shortened the sidestand, narrowed the centerstand  all the pegs/shifter/brake pedal. I guess he liked to lean it a bit. He cut too much off the sidestand so he welded a handle from a crescent wrench on the bottom of it. With the hole on the outside end, it really looked good, I cut it off anyway.

[Bru-tom]

as far as i know and read, Honda designed the centre stand to work perfectly fine, its all about technique. Saw a vid of a tiny guy putting a goldwing on centre stand with ease.

just a thought

[edwardmorris]

as far as i know and read, Honda designed the centre stand to work perfectly fine, its all about technique. Saw a vid of a tiny guy putting a goldwing on centre stand with ease.

just a thought

True, but even with the proper technique, my back spazzed out once already (see build thread), its just that damaged now unfortunately. Few years ago at school had to throw out my roommate's old couch. Lifted it so badly, threw my back out instead. Hasn't been the same since.

[Don R]

One tip for use at home, is roll the back tire up onto a piece of wood, whatever thickness works best for you. With lowering blocks on the bike I use a 2x10 with a beveled edge. Obviously this doesn't help on the road but just an idea. It is more about the step down than the pull up.

[edwardmorris]

One tip for use at home, is roll the back tire up onto a piece of wood, whatever thickness works best for you. With lowering blocks on the bike I use a 2x10 with a beveled edge. Obviously this doesn't help on the road but just an idea. It is more about the step down than the pull up.

Yea, its more for when I'm on the road.  I'm too light as it is even to try and do it right (doc had me stop bulking because increased weight was crushing the lower spine). I'm planning on making this my daily rider. Better stands will help with those quick and painful "oh $hit I forgot that, gotta run back to the store" trips I'm hoping.

[Nic]

2" is about how much I added to my side stand, I put a new bolt in there as well. I cut off the end bit then welded a bit of 1/4" plate shaped onto a bit of pipe that fit snug over the stand, banged it on til the pipe was all the way up to the spring retainer then welded the pipe on. It's only pipe so it won't be strong enough to put a lot of weight onto it but the bike sits nice n upright and there's not a lot of weight on it. I use the centre stand most of the time but it's great to have the bike not leaning too far on the side stand and the stand is STRAIGHT for once.

[edwardmorris]

Nic, that's about perfect!

I'll see if my welder can find some strong tubing instead of pipe and do it like yours instead of welding pieces together. Thanks for the tip!

[Don R]

Imagine the landing pad being the handle of a cheap crescent wrench, it has a rim around the edge and a hole in the end. Looks like it was made for it.

[tlbranth]

as far as i know and read, Honda designed the centre stand to work perfectly fine, its all about technique. Saw a vid of a tiny guy putting a goldwing on centre stand with ease.

just a thought

Bru - my GL1500 goes on the center stand dead-easy. The CB750 not so easy. Once back in the early 70's I pulled my back out putting the 750 on the stand whilst on a long trip. I had agonizing muscle spasms for 3 days. I did have a lot of camping gear aboard but nevertheless the 750 stand wasn't designed quite as well as the Goldwing's. That said, technique is important.

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Terry, well most K0 stand's are a baastard to get on and off, but that was fixed by the time Edward's K2 rolled off the line, and as has been said before, getting it on and off is all about technique.

I broke my back parachuting (all vertebrae cracked between L1 and S5, several discs crushed, leaking into my spinal column etc) to the point where I'm an inch shorter than I was, and the Department of Veteran's Affairs just gave me a "White Card" and a pension.

I can throw mine out just bending or twisting the wrong way, and I live on a diet of pain killers, but I can still put my bikes on their centre stands with little trouble, just by "rocking" them onto the stand, no lifting required, thank you very much.

Check this little feller out, he's only got one hand and he can heft his 900 pound Goldwing onto the stand without lifting at all! Cheers, Terry.

one hand put a Goldwing on its center stand

[LesterPiglet]

Argggghhhh, budgie smugglers. 

[Nic]

I think it's all about the arse scratch.

[Terry in Australia]

Argggghhhh, budgie smugglers. 

I kept wondering why he only scratched his right arse cheek, then I realised.......... 

[scottly]

I don't care how easy it may be to put a Goldwing or BMW on the center-stand, CB750's are "challenging"!
Regarding the side-stand: a special pivot bolt with a smooth shoulder is used. Without the proper bolt, the stand will have lots of slop, resulting in a severe lean. If the stand mount is bent, the bike also may lean.
If you do decide to lengthen the side stand with tubing, place the tubing at the bottom end, rather than the pivot end, where the loads are the greatest. I had to modify the aftermarket stand on my bike, and I used .750" OD, .062" wall tubing. 

[edwardmorris]

I already got the kick stand elongated, my welder used a solid rod and did a dowel/lap style weld. After all this, it turns out the kick stand is bent. I guess I'll be taking it back to get it straightened out. My center stand on the other hand was a failure, I bought it from someone here and didn't realize at the time that it was all warped and bent funny. My welder asked me to find another one and he'll shorten it up for me. The welder did a great job on the kick stand and Gordon's kit on my chopped frame.

[tlbranth]

Ted: Back in the 70's I unwisely had a Harley rim laced up to my rear hub. This lowered the bike so I chopped my center stand down to more-or-less match. Anyhow, fast forward 25 years and I'm restoring the bike to fairly stock format with the original rear rim. I looked on ebay for a stock center stand and there were lots of them dirt cheap. The one I bought was just scuffed up but looks and works fine after repainting. I don't think you should have a problem finding one. After all it ain't a unicorn triple clamp or 4/4 exhaust.