V Strom Centerstand concerns

[QuacktheDuck]

For those of you with a centerstand...in real world riding how likely are you to scrape the centerstand? I'm thinking of the suzuki stand as it apparently is more stable, though at the same time reviews show it scrapes on the left turns. Been reading alot of mixed reviews on both the suzuki and sw-motech. Last thing i want is to enter a hard turn and end up sliding out due to grinding hard, non-foldable parts... Any advice/experience to share?

[Rickster]

I decided to not mount a center stand. I didn't want to add the weight, and I didn't want to worry about draging it. Anyway, the only thing I would use it for is chain maintenance, and I have a race lift for that. If you want one that you can take with you, there is a portable take-apart one that looks like it will fit under your seat. I forget the name, but if you do a search for stands, on the V Strom site, I'm sure you can find it.

[QuacktheDuck]

hmm...well the weight doesn't really bother me too much, it's 10 lbs or so for the stand i believe. It was just the cornering clearance mainly. I wanted a centerstand for maintenance and being able to park straight up instead of leaned over but i'm not sure. Night i guess if you don't scrape, i'll be far less likely to even come close. I know I would normally back off once my pegs touch and not push any harder but it's that outside chance where i do happen to lean hard enough that everything that can drag does is a bit worrying. Here's a picture i saw, which while very cool, is a bit troubling looking at the stand's position...and that's the sw-motech i think, not the oem piece.

Rickster i did see that portable little prop that attaches to a rear spool...not quite sure how it can lift the rear off the ground though, the website didn't give much more insight to their product.

[QuacktheDuck]

https://www.aerostich.com/product.ph...roductid=16846

what do you guys think?

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by QuacktheDuck

https://www.aerostich.com/product.ph...roductid=16846

what do you guys think?

That's not the one I was talking about, I'll see if I can find it, and post a link for you.
I think the way that one works is. You wrap something like a velcro strip around the front brake lever to keep the front wheel from turning, than pull the bike towards you on the side stand, lifting the back wheel off the ground, than that piece gets wedged under the swingarm on the side away from the side stand, holding the rear wheel off the ground. It's a lot more stable than it sounds, I've done the same thing using a floor jack under the right side passenger peg.

[Rickster]

http://www.shermworks.com/dl650standf.html

Check this one out! I might be wrong about it being able to fit under the seat.

[QuacktheDuck]

Originally Posted by Night_Wolf

Order the Loobman and chain maintenance is a non issue. I have that but still like having the Centre stand.

i took a look at the loobman Night, but reading reviews it seems like it makes one hell of a mess on the swingarm, wheel and everything back there. How's yours doing? I mean i didn't buy the strom for its looks, but if i have to clean oil off the wheel on a regular basis, i think im better off just manually oiling the chain. Plus looking at enough of those pictures on the web, i think i could rig one up myself for far less than 36 bucks.

here's the quickstand link i should have posted earlier...http://www.motorcycleradar.com/quick_stand.htm#fs

[C2W?]

Originally Posted by QuacktheDuck

i took a look at the loobman Night, but reading reviews it seems like it makes one hell of a mess on the swingarm, wheel and everything back there. How's yours doing? I mean i didn't buy the strom for its looks, but if i have to clean oil off the wheel on a regular basis, i think im better off just manually oiling the chain.

I'm in agreement..........My chain has 18K+ miles on it with "normal" cleaning (3 times in 18K) and lubing hot after any ride more than 200 miles. Swingarm and rear of the bike stay clean. btw...I've adjusted the chain three times, less than half the usable adjustment and have ZERO kinks and factory recomended "slack". Better quality chains these days make loobmans and the like not needed imho.

[QuacktheDuck]

hmm...yeah i think im gonna just do the chain the old fashioned way. I rarely take day trips longer than 200 miles anyways and if i do, i think ill end up getting that quickstand and do the chain maintenance while stopped for gas.

that being said, Night did u have your centerstand on while you did trackdays (which I'd assume would give you the best chance to scrape)? I'm just wondering why you wouldn't scrape if you were riding the tires to the edge, yet people who are supposedly just casually touring around scraped.

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by QuacktheDuck

hmm...yeah i think im gonna just do the chain the old fashioned way. I rarely take day trips longer than 200 miles anyways and if i do, i think ill end up getting that quickstand and do the chain maintenance while stopped for gas.

that being said, Night did u have your centerstand on while you did trackdays (which I'd assume would give you the best chance to scrape)? I'm just wondering why you wouldn't scrape if you were riding the tires to the edge, yet people who are supposedly just casually touring around scraped.

Some of the reasons one rider will scrape, and others don't
1- didn't set thet suspension up right for there weight.
2- didn't have proper air pressure in tires.
3- improper cornering technique.

[QuacktheDuck]

Well hearing all this is making me feel a bit better about the centerstand. Probably will be next on the list...as long as this bike is easier to hoist up than my coworker's bmw k1200 lt...holy cow...that thing is a bear! I couldn't imagine lifting that bike up twice a day, what a workout...but then again, I more than likely used the wrong technique when I tried.

[QuacktheDuck]

Originally Posted by Night_Wolf

Check the Wrenching & Tips section of my site A good friend and former instructor did a write up on using a centre stand. Print it off and reference it when making the attempt. I struggled when I first got the bike, then I struggled when I first had the luggage loaded. Now it's a piece of cake

thanks Craig...i didn't see the centerstand tip at first...so i did ctrl - f to find "centerstand"...well darn you canadians and your fancy spelling...centre...HAHAHA! finally found it...

I was using the wrong technique...even though my co-worker was explaining the right way to do it. I was trying to lift the darn bike up...ill have to study the proper way more or i'll end up testing my givi crash guards too soon once i get the stand.

btw been reading up on your site alot last few days, thanks for making it! Good info and lots of v-strom links!

[Clint]

I've been to the edge of my tires and haven't scraped. I think you're more likely to scrape pegs first. Anyway, I wouldn't go without a centerstand on any bike but a sub-400 lb race replica.

[QuacktheDuck]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

I've been to the edge of my tires and haven't scraped. I think you're more likely to scrape pegs first. Anyway, I wouldn't go without a centerstand on any bike but a sub-400 lb race replica.

cool thanks for the input...i think im convinced now for sure. ill get the centerstand as soon as budget allows...

[stp1971]

Ok,,ordered the center(centre) stand from Suzuki. They cut me off a few bucks and if the thing isn't too labor intensive they are going to bbolt it on for me. If it is intensive then they are going to give me the box and I will take it home and do it myself.

This way I can service my chain and stuff anytime I need to or whatever comes up.

[stp1971]

Well I got the center stand in. Easy to bolt on,,,,a real pain in the tail to getthe springs to attach though. Fought with the two springs that are used to keep the center stand retracted for about thirty minutes,,errrrr.

But one thing to add to this thread was they give you a new scrape indicator. The one on your left foot peg that is about a 1/4" long,, well it is replaced by one that is about 3/4" to 1" long. If you are scraping your left peg then that will tell you that you are at the limit.

So just make sure if you do install the center stand that you replace it with the longer scrape indicator. And good luck on putting those stupid springs on.

[QuacktheDuck]

sounds good to me! did you use a spring puller to install the springs? I guess i'm putting off the centerstand a tad bit longer...I just ordered a flat black givi v46 topcase and mounting plate 20 minutes ago haha

Still waiting for replacement handlebar spacers and the end nuts for my bar ends so i can reinstall those and the handguards which are still in the box. So much to do, not enough time...

[stp1971]

No I used a spring tool for doing brakes and had to pull with everything I had,,,I did install the bigger sprin first then the thinner one second,,no way I could have done both at the same time.

After doing that I read on the V-Strom forum that one guy tied a string to it and pulled it on that way,, will defiantely try something different if I have to ever take it off again. But I am not planning on doing that EVER if I don't have to.