Author Topic: Center Stand (Read 1096 times)

Brooklyn Bob · « **on:** April 13, 2023, 06:26:19 AM »

I've got a 1977 CB750, bought as a Covid project. Unhappy with the poor braking on this K model, I swapped out the whole front with F\SS forks and thus dual calipers, and all new brake parts. Works pretty well now and I've put several thousand miles on it. One last problem is the center stand. It's pretty much impossible for one person to put it up on the center stand. In fact, two people still find it a #$%*. I'm thinking it's either bent or someone mounted parts from another bike, as in other than the correct part. So yesterday I finally get around to crawling underneath it to see if I can see something wrong, and I find it's welded in place. Is this how it's mounted from the factory? Non-replaceable? I would appreciate if someone can have a look under their K bike and let me Know? TIA

NY Bob

AMT · « **Reply #1 on:** April 13, 2023, 07:47:07 AM »

These two parts diagrams should clear up your questions visually.
The center stand should bolt to the frame and pivot on said bolt.

https://www.cmsnl.com/honda-cb750k7-four-1977-usa_model495/partslist/?filter_assembly_group=frame+%26+footrest

MauiK3 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 13, 2023, 07:56:26 AM »

Photo would help.
The mounting point is welded to the frame.
If the bike is lowered in any way the center stand will be more difficult to use
Try putting the rear tire on a piece of 3/4" plywood or similar and see if that helps.

newday777 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 13, 2023, 05:27:31 PM »

Bob
The centerstand is replaceable. The pipe, #3 is squeezed tight by a bolt on either side through the mount tangs.
I've included pictures from a 78 K I have as a spare hanging up on the wall.

madmtnmotors · « **Reply #4 on:** April 13, 2023, 06:36:02 PM »

The stock centerstand is removeable. I lowered my 78' CB750 racebike about 1-1/2" and the stock centerstand would lift the rear wheel over 3" off the ground! Had to roll it up on two 2x4's just to do it. I had a centerstand hanging on the tool cart that I believe came from a 1983 GL1100 Goldwing. It fit the CB750 perfectly except I had to weld a 1/4" pin to the stand for the spring to hook properly. It lifts the rear wheel a whopping 1/2" off the ground and I can put the bike on the centerstand while straddling the seat with very little effort.

Brooklyn Bob · « **Reply #5 on:** April 15, 2023, 06:35:12 PM »

Thanks to AMT, Mauik3, Newday777, and Madmtnmotors for the replies and info. The bike has been lowered due to new Hagon Shocks but only about 1/4-3/8 of an inch. Even with the rear tire on a piece of 2X4 two people could barely get it on the stand. I have no idea if this is the correct stand, considering the bike was 45 years old when I bought it. Looking at it I don't see anything unusual. I just locked the front down in a chock and tomorrow I'll lift the rear with a floor jack and get a better view, maybe take some measurements. Hopefully I'll no more that way.

newday777 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 16, 2023, 03:25:01 AM »

When you are putting it on the center stand, are you making sure it is on both feet of the stand before you push full weight on the stand bar? If only on one foot of the stand it takes far more to get any bike up on the stand. A good thing I've found is to get it on to both feet of the stand and hold with right foot on the stand with enough pressure so you can use less hand grip and it stays upright with just the foot pressure to know you have it on both feet of the stand.
Is the bike in neutral? Being in gear will also make it harder to get it on the stand.

Brooklyn Bob · « **Reply #7 on:** April 16, 2023, 07:52:53 AM »

Without bragging (much), just to set the record straight, I'm 78 years old and have been riding for 60 years. This is my third CB750, the first was new at 1971 and the second was vintage, bought in 1997. I've owned several bikes significantly heavier than a CB750, including three 725 pound Honda STs, and two Goldwings. I won't say it was a snap to place those bikes on the center stand, but I could manage to do so by myself. This bike, I simply can't, even with the rear wheel on a piece of 2x4. Meanwhile I still manage with my BMW and my Triumph is trained to hop up by itself. It least it seems that way, it's so easy.
BTW, the STs had a fold away handle that made placing on the center stand much easier than trying to find a piece of frame to grab.

Bob

MauiK3 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 16, 2023, 08:30:01 AM »

I think you may have the wrong stand or something else going on with the bike being lowered.
I'm 72 and I get my 73 CB750 up on the stand with a little effort, I weigh about 150 and I'm not any kind of body builder. I still put the rear tire on a piece of 3/4" plywood sometimes just to make it easier.
If the bike is lowered it would be a lot tougher to get on the stand.

Brooklyn Bob · « **Reply #9 on:** April 16, 2023, 09:04:36 AM »

The wrong stand is what I've been thinking as well, but I don't know how to tell. At least not yet. The guy I bought it from had a couple of dozen old Hondas, mostly 550s and 750s, in various states of repair\disrepair. When I get the rear lifted I'll crawl under and measure the legs and see if anything is bent.

Bob

madmtnmotors · « **Reply #10 on:** April 16, 2023, 09:19:59 AM »

Measure the height of the rear wheel off the ground when on the stand as well.

Brooklyn Bob · « **Reply #11 on:** April 16, 2023, 09:54:01 AM »

Good point. I'll see if once I jack it up I could then deploy the stand. BTW, I forgot to mention something important.
The side stand is the appropriate length, resulting in the appropriated lean angle, but it's very difficult to get a toe on
it to engage it. Bascially it is blocked by the foot peg. It obviously not the right stand. Like I said, it's 45 years old
and has been passed through who knows how many hands. It now has twin mufflers, not four, and I'm doubtful that
the the header pipes are original. And, of course, in my hands for a couple of years now, I changed out the entire front
end from K to F\SS, including bakes, lines, calipers, wheel, forks, and more. Some day I'll sell this bike (or my heirs) and
the buyer will say "what kind of bastard is this thing?"

Bob

Brooklyn Bob · « **Reply #12 on:** April 16, 2023, 11:06:19 AM »

OK, I've jacked up the bike and placed the rear tire on wood blocks, then lowered the center stand. No point in measuring, it is obviously bent. with the bike straight vertically, one leg of the stand is bent back (pics). Not sure what, if anything, I'm going to do about. I'm not about to get involved in replacing it during riding season. One thing I have learned while working on this bike is that time to repair\replace is not measured on a clock but on a calendar.

Also, as I mentioned the side stand is probably not the correct one, and is difficult to deploy, being blocked by the foot peg (pic). I have to weld a tang onto it that I can reach with a toe. I'll start a new topic on it now, the question being is there any problem in arc welding while it is still on the bike as there are no electronics on the vintage bike.

Thanks to all for the help,

Bob

Brooklyn Bob · « **Reply #13 on:** April 16, 2023, 11:15:15 AM »

Seems the wrong pic showed up by magic. Here's the center stand pics.

madmtnmotors · « **Reply #14 on:** April 16, 2023, 12:11:43 PM »

Oh yeah, that rear tire is wayyyy off the ground. Either the stand has been replaced, or it is sitting lower than stock, or both. You could try to find a shorter stand or just cut/weld that one to the height you want. I was going to shorten mine when I saw the GL1100 stand on the cart and compared it to the CB750 stand realizing how easy it was to fit up the rest is history.

EZPZ

Brooklyn Bob · « **Reply #15 on:** April 16, 2023, 01:04:17 PM »

Not only maybe too long but the two legs are not aligned, off by maybe 15 degrees. One leg is bent towards the front of the bike. I didn't even think to look if the bent leg was also bent side to side as well as front to back. What year GL was that stand, and for what year 750? Fair warning, if I manage to locate the right GL stand I'm going to bother you for how to install it. : )

Bob

madmtnmotors · « **Reply #16 on:** April 16, 2023, 01:19:27 PM »

I am pretty sure it was a 1983 GL1100, but I would expect all GL1100's to be the same. The racebike is a 1978 CB750K. The 1/4" pin that the spring hooks to are on the opposite sides between the GL and CB. I would suggest trying to determine the length you need first and compare that to the length of a GL stand. If your stand is bent then I don't see where you have anything to lose by cutting that one down to determine what length works for you and go from there. The GL and CB stands mount to the frame in exactly the same way with clamping tabs on the frame capturing the pivot tube.

newday777 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 16, 2023, 01:27:07 PM »

The one on my spare 78K frame is available if you want a stock center stand

MauiK3 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 16, 2023, 02:30:46 PM »

Something is very wrong, as said before, the rear tire is too high off the ground by inches.

Brooklyn Bob · « **Reply #19 on:** April 17, 2023, 06:45:09 AM »

Can you give me the measurements on the GL stand, if that is not to difficult to do? I guess the only important measurement is the length of the legs. Looking at how hefty the build is on the stand, it's a wonder someone managed to bend it. I could see how it would be possible to bend it in towards the center of the bike, however unlikely, but it is bent forwards. No clue.

Bob

TwoTired · « **Reply #20 on:** April 17, 2023, 08:34:01 AM »

I see no one mentioned lower profile tires, another factor which lowers the bike frame and makes the stock center stand far more difficult to operate.

One thing I learned, is that weight on lowering tang applies as a lever to actuate the stand lift beyond the rearward motion of the bike on the stand. Imagine prying the bike hand hold apart between hand hold and stand lowering tang. This requires you balance bike with both stand feet in floor contact, then pry apart hand lift with full body weight on stand tang to have the bike lift up and on to stand feet. Once you learn this technique on a non lowered frame the bike nearly parks itself.

Brooklyn Bob · « **Reply #21 on:** April 17, 2023, 10:17:59 PM »

From one old timer to another, perhaps you missed the part where I noted I have 60 years experience with motorcycles,
including two prior CB750s, two gold wings, and 3 700 pound Honda STs, with no problems deploying the center stand
on any of them.

klj · « **Reply #22 on:** April 29, 2023, 02:21:41 PM »

Hi all. Similar issues with my centre stand (750K6). The new oe spring doesn't lift the stand high enough and I'm planning to weld a pin . But at what point / height ? Mr Mdnmotors , can you suggest the best spot for the spring tang ? Cheers. Ken

madmtnmotors · « **Reply #23 on:** April 29, 2023, 03:45:44 PM »

Quote from: Brooklyn Bob on April 17, 2023, 06:45:09 AM

Can you give me the measurements on the GL stand, if that is not to difficult to do? I guess the only important measurement is the length of the legs. Looking at how hefty the build is on the stand, it's a wonder someone managed to bend it. I could see how it would be possible to bend it in towards the center of the bike, however unlikely, but it is bent forwards. No clue.

Bob

Bob,
The GL center stand that I used measures 9-5/8" from the center of the pivot to the bottom of the stand. This is just over two inches shorter than the stock K8 stand that I measure to be 11-3/4" from the center of the pivot to the bottom of the stand. I would suggest measuring the length that you want and go from there. You could get a board equal to the thickness that you want the rear wheel to be off the ground and roll the rear wheel up on the board. Then get a strong, coordinated friend that you trust very well to hold the bike upright while you measure the stand length that you require, keeping in mind that the rear shocks may be compressed. You might need to measure both the unloaded length of the rear shocks (while on the center stand) vs the loaded length of the rear shocks and add that difference to the thickness of your board.

EZPZ

Quote from: klj on April 29, 2023, 02:21:41 PM

Hi all. Similar issues with my centre stand (750K6). The new oe spring doesn't lift the stand high enough and I'm planning to weld a pin . But at what point / height ? Mr Mdnmotors , can you suggest the best spot for the spring tang ? Cheers. Ken

The issue you are describing I take it you mean the retracted height? Hard to say, the spring pin that I welded to the GL stand was the same distance from the pivot as the CB750 spring tang location. It would depend on how much further you want the center stand to retract. If you are using aftermarket exhaust then you won't have the stock center stand stop that is part of the stock exhaust bracket and you would need something to keep the stand from contacting the chain, typically an "L" bracket from behind the passenger footpeg. A picture might help showing your current setup.

Brooklyn Bob · « **Reply #24 on:** May 01, 2023, 05:26:28 PM »

I just picked up an '82 (I think) gold Wing stand and it measures the same approx 8 inch length you stated. Now to do the swap. Is there plenty of room in there to work, or do I need to remove anything? Muffler, rear tire, anything?

Bob

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Author Topic: Center Stand (Read 1096 times)