Center Stand

[rex007can]

Sorry about the long winded post... too much coffee...


So I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to this, but it never hurts to get an expert opinion...

The PO removed the center stand from the Girly I bought this year. It's an 01.

The excuse given was that he installed a big skid plate and fabricated it a tad long. That's what he said anyways.

This became patently untrue when I found out that:
1: He isn't the one who made and installed the skid plate, it was the guy before him.
2: It really is NOT too long. It's just fine.

The real reason he didn't put it on is because it was off when  he bought it and he was missing the LH-side bracket because the PO before him still has it in his garage (I know this because I happen to meet the guy randomly at a traffic light) and he recognized his own old bike, he told me he still had the part.

Anyhow... moving on!

I bought the missing bracket (they're cheap), and was planning on installing the Stand last weekend.

BUT, what I discovered is that they no longer make the special bolts that act as a pivots and stopper.
I took one bolt out or the RH to put on the new bracket to use as pivot, and was going to use "normal" bolts as stoppers on both brackets.

This became problematic when I found that if the stopper isn't just the right size, the stand touches the chain when the stand is up...

I will make a bushing to fix that, this is not an issue.

The issue is (finally),  should the chain really be THAT close to the center stand?? Seems wrong somehow. I know the chain will rise when there's weight on the bike, but still... it's pretty damned close.
Even with weight on, I can imagine the chain rattling against the stand when hitting rough roads and bumps... that does not appeal to me...

Sice the bike (I've said that before) leans WAY over on the side-stand, now combined with this, I am guessing that it's all due to someone replacing the rear shock with something a bit too long, changing the angle of the swing arm, making the bike higher and the chain closer to the center stand.
Does that sound plausible?

And finally, is it okay to leave the bike on the side stand, sitting for the looooong winter? Or should I really push through these issues so that it sits on the center-stand with the weight off the wheels?

[Chris Canning]

You mean like that.

[John Stenhouse]

No I think he means when it's up, the foot of the stand is very close to the chain. I would check that the brackets aren't bent because that's what happened to mine and resulted in just that problem.

[mark_s]

You mean like that.

feck that is clean around the chain and sump

[rex007can]

Damned that's clean!

[Dutch]

Darn, that's nice and clean 

Do you have an aftermarket shock?
As for the sidestand: most sport bikes don't have a center stand either. When you don't have a paddock stand f+r just put a bit more air in the tires and leave it. My previous bike has been fine with that for 17 years. When it leans way over just put a piece of wood, a tile or a brick under the stand.

[Chris Canning]

When I took the photo and looked at it I thought jesus it's filthy under the swing arm/exhaust/ shit running down the center stand  but I do have a washing machine in the garage just for cleaning my bike cleaning rags!!

Plus I use Wurth dry lube which keeps it clean but the bike has done over 38,000 now

Shock is Ohlins.