Steamer Sidestand

[CBAT]

I've seen some discussion about straightening the sidestand to make the bike stand a little more upright. Is it a tube or is it solid? Will a propane torch heat it enough to bend it? If it's a tube, how do you bend it without putting a crimp in it; that would be the end of the structural integrity. If you have straightend yours, did you have to change the angle of the foot plate? Anything else I need to know? That should cover all the bases on this mod.  :lol:

[Mustang]

don't know if propane torch will get it hot enuff but MAPP will . you won't kink the tube because you don't have to bend it much to get back to original shape. and no you don't need to worry about the plate (foot ) on bottom . :D

[CBAT]

That begs the question; how much bend is supposed to be in the tube?  :icon_scratch

[Mustang]

stock out of the box new if I can recall that long ago was around 35 degrees or so . obviously to straight and your bike will have no lean at all and could topple ......
just heat it and give er a little nudge and try it , repeat until you like it ,

[CBAT]

Thanks. At least I can measure and see if it's actually bent more than stock.

[nightrunner]

Good info.  I'll check mine too.  I was thinking more on welding a gusset inside the curve to keep it from bending.   The problem with straightening is the pad at the bottom will dig in the ground rather than sit flat.  I was thinking maybe add a piece under the pad to raise it a bit.   Another option might be to cut the stand and weld on a sleeve to add some length.  Of course it would stick out that much more in the raised position too.   Hmmmmm.

[CBAT]

I had an old XL600R that leaned way too far over. I went to the local ice rink and got hold of a used hockey puck which I attatched to the bottom plate. It made it just the right height and provided a bigger pad for soft surface. I just use three wood screws to attache it to the plate. Once I get mine set I may do that also.

[cparker]

I "killed two birds with one stone" by removing the footpeg-rubbers (gives more legroom) and bolting one of them to the foot of the sidestand (stops the excessive lean when parked). This mod only requires the drilling of one hole in the foot of the sidestand, as you can re-use the existing footpeg-rubber attachment bolt to fasten it to the stands' foot. Seems to work OK, plus you'll always have a spare!

[aeronca]

pretty good idea 8)

[c-rad]

I recently straightened mine and used the oxy-acetylene torch at work.  Bent it to about 15 degrees off of straight (that just seemed right, don't know what the original angle was).  Added a gusset made from some 1 x 1/8" strap.

I also made a new foot (original had worn pretty thin).  Same shape as the original, but cut from 1/4" steel.  Probably didn't need to stick with the original shape, but couldn't help myself.  I have a few extras if anyone would like to try one (once the laser is warmed up programmed, making several is about as easy as making one).  I don't reckon I'll need them and hate to throw them away.

The bike is still pretty leany, and I suspect the floppy pivot joint.  I'm fixin' to insert a drill bushing into the hole where the side stand is mounted.  McMaster-Carr has one that I think might work (8486A94), but I'll have to get that bracket off to bore out the hole.

Conrad

[mantramoto]

I have a similar problem with my side stand. Here is a photo of the boomerang as I call it and some significant wear where it attaches to the bike. Worth salvaging or just buy a new stand for $80?

[abruzzi]

I recently replaced mine with a new one ($75 or so) and when I took it off I compared old to new.  The second picture above is what I saw--the angle of the bend hadn't changed, it was a bow in the upper segment.  That bow is hard to see when it is on the bike.  The new stand with the stock bend is perfect, and supports the bike well.  I thought about welding a support for the upper leg of the stand, but figured I'd let it go...

Geof