Lifting wheel without centre stand or bobbin mounts

[Ciaran 6,880]

Hello,

 

Some general advice needed. Very much enjoying recent purchase of a Yamaha X6 Diversion - but I do have a query re lifting the real wheel for chain maintenance or tyre swaps etc.

 

The bike I have doesn’t have the original centre stand fitted. I didn’t notice this till way after I bought it and got home; seems they came with them as standard from new so presumably it’s rotted away or, as is my suspicion given the OEM pipes are spotless, it was removed to make way for an aftermarket exhaust which was sold separately.

 

Because the bike was designed to have a centre stand I can’t find anywhere on the swing arm where I might put bobbins in for a paddock stand. All the original fixings for it are also gone - so a cheap OEM centre stand lifted from another bike doesn’t appear too be an option either.

I have a couple of options:

 

- Get an aftermarket centre stand. SW Motech do a kit for about £170.

- use universal fit paddock stand

- anything else I havent thought of.

 

Do you guys have any recommendations or thoughts? I’ve never owned a chain drive bike that doesn’t have a centre stand so is a bit new territory for me.

 

Thanks in advance 

Edited March 9, 2023 by Ciaran

[outrunner 4,457]

Have a look here one of these with the right fittings will do for almost any bike, my mate has 4 of them in his bike repair shop. cheaper than a factory centre stand.

 

Andy.

[DaveM59 1,605]

I would bite the bullet and get an aftermarket stand. It wil pay for itself many times over. Useful for a lot more than just in the workshop.

Try breakers to see if you can get a salvage part as well.
Any chance of contacting the last owner and see if he still has it?

Edited March 9, 2023 by DaveM59

[Andy m 23,545]

The paddock stands with U channels to go under the swing arm work fine as do the ones that go on the swing arm bolts.

 

You can put a trolley jack under either the tube across the frame or under the foot-peg mount to lean it over on the side stand. This works better with a clamp or front paddock stand holding it upright though, so normally something you reserve for bikes silly weight distribution and parts in the way.

 

A lift table under the sump let's you remove both wheels without further purchases.

 

I'm no fan of centre stands now any bike without death hoops won't need the wheel out at the roadside. I don't blather my windy gun and bead breaker in grease and carry them round as ballast, so why do it for the workshop stand?

 

Andy

Edited March 9, 2023 by Andy m

[alhendo1 3,046]

If you're looking at something easy to store and really just to oil the chain what about a wheel spinner... 25 to 30 quid off the interweb...I've never used one though, maybe some other forum members could offer advice on them. 

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwj4qa772M79AhVI6-0KHVO5C44YABAOGgJkZw&sig=AOD64_0U53nj3Fj2PML72_9T4ffU45vxBw&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjSk6n72M79AhVFg1wKHUpUCpEQwg8oAHoECAIQEA&adurl=

Something like the above...there's loads of different brands available....

Edited March 9, 2023 by alhendo1

[jeremyr62 2,560]

I take centre stands off all my bikes these days. I never use them. I use oilers so no issues there. I would recommend a U channel paddock stand too. Useful to have when you do need to take the rear wheel off. 

[Rogue 831]

After years of having bikes with centre stands I ended up with current bike (CBR650F) which cannot have one. I bought a cheap (ish) Abba stand from fleabay then for a few more quid the correct "Fitting kit" direct from Abba (Money, Money, Money).
Should be good for most bikes out there with just a small purchase of correct fitting kit and works pretty well.
My Abba stand came with the additional bit to allow you to list both wheels of the ground which can be useful.
Overall I'm very happy with Abba stand and would gladly recommend to others

[Ciaran 6,880]

Thanks all. I had a look at the Abba stand but there’s no kit for my bike. I’m sure it could be sorted out - but I’ll have a look at the options. 

[Trev 18,678]

+1 for junking centre stands (although I've left the one on the himmy cos I know I'll break something that will need both wheels off the ground ) and using a paddock stand with 'cups' if can't fit bobbins. I've actually got a brand new one, still boxed, that I bought at a NEC bike show many years ago, up on a shelf somewhere in my lockup. Pretty much same as this:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BikeTek-Motorcycle-Track-Paddock-Stand/dp/B094JVLP4B/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Motorcycle+Paddock+Stand&qid=1678366798&sr=8-5

 

You're welcome to it if you want it and we can suss out handover - car jobbie unless you can persuade Sam to strap it to her super scoot on Sunday and drop it off as she's passing yours   If not I'll strap it to the huge Hunter Cub rack and potter out your way once my knee is passed fit in a week or two.

 

To Confuse things a little, I use one of these for the Enfield Classic, so easy to use it makes a paddock stand seem a faff:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BIKETEK-BikeTek-Swing-Arm-Jack/dp/B07CNT3SL1/ref=asc_df_B07CNT3SL1/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=535006252517&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2663941672300357415&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045696&hvtargid=pla-1414708674893&psc=1

[Ciaran 6,880]

@Trev really kind of you, I’ll drop you an email/PM re paying and collecting.

 

I’m happy to use a paddock stand though have never done it before; more that I was a little worried the ‘under the swing-arm’ ones aren’t secure compared to a bobbin one. Not that I have much of a choice, unless I had one of the big under-sump things. Sadly I’m pushing my luck re space in the shed so the paddock seems best in terms of footprint (we do not speak of the old man’s vast empire of spares for things that have long since gone. There’s still a number plate in there for a 1998 Ford Focus that went to the scrapheap in the sky 13 years ago!)

Edited March 9, 2023 by Ciaran

[Trev 18,678]

If I end up delivering it, or you pick it up, then happy to show you how to use them, pretty straightforward just don't rush things. And deffo won't accept payment, it's one of the cheapo vesions and I bought three for a bargain bundle price ............. even though I didn't need three  I need to try and find the thing now 

[Empty_Ten 448]

U channel paddock stand, centre stand or the wheel spinners are the 3 which come to mind.  

 

Out of the 3 (which I own all of) I would pick Centre stand, paddock stand and wheel spinner in that order.

 

Centre stand doesn’t require any additional space for storage and is also on the bike ready to go.  Makes chain maintenance a doddle and gives no excuses (too much effort to get the paddock stand out etc).  And it also lets you reduce your profile when parking as well.  Many a time I have managed to squeeze into a tight parking space which I would not have if I didn’t have one.

 

Paddock stands are great but I much prefer the hook versions with bobbins on the bike.  It gives a much more secure lift in my opinion as once the hooks are in place, the stand is effectively locked in.  The universal/cup style stands are more wobbly and less secure imo owing to the fact you have universal cups which accomadate all sizes of swing arms.  If you end up getting one with adjustable cups and you adjust it to the width of your swing arm, it can take a while to get the stand lined up.  They can be used solo but it’s much easier with a 2 person operation.  One person standing in front of the bike and holding it upright and the second fitting the stand and doing the lifting.  Whereas the hook style ones I can comfortably use myself.  My wife had a universal stand for her SV but I bought bobbins for her bike and just use my stands.

 

wheel spinners are the last resort really.  They get the job done but I find them a pain to use.  The bike has to be as close to upright as possible (you normally get a enlarged puck/block to put under the side stand to help make the bike sit more upright)  otherwise you’ll find that when spinning the wheel at an angle that the wheel moves along the spinner when you have little space already.  This can be mitigated if you find a version where the roller bars have a groove/channel in the middle such as this Grand Pitstop Motorcycle Wheel Cleaning Roller stand for Tyre cleaning & chain lubrication - GRoller Wheel Spinner Stand (Large (Bike<600 lb dry wt & Tyre Width<240mm)) https://amzn.eu/d/hxk3a3J

It’s also harder to use as the bikes weight is on the spinner so spinning the wheel requires more effort than if it were off the floor like on a centre or paddock stand.

 

but as Trev has kindly offered a paddock stand, that would be the cheapest option so worth giving that a go first.

[Tel 4,712]

5 hours ago, outrunner said:

Have a look here one of these with the right fittings will do for almost any bike, my mate has 4 of them in his bike repair shop. cheaper than a factory centre stand.

 

Andy.

Abba stands are great and versatile and mine is decades old and still fine but I can also recommend SW Motech stands and have had 3  of them in the past.

[Grumpy old man 4,682]

Have I missed something? Why do people not like centre stands? 

[Andy m 23,545]

51 minutes ago, Grumpy old man said:

Have I missed something? Why do people not like centre stands? 

They are heavy

They require maintenance, paint, grease etc.

You'll never need one away from home, so why lug it round with you wasting petrol.

They can be horribly badly designed, grounding out and needing huge forces to lift on or even off.

Modern bikes are so bulky you will need a side stand, it isn't a case of a 140kg Brit 350 where everything except parking was done on the wheels (or leant against a tree where the ground was too uneven for the centre stands narrow base)

You usually have to buy one with each bike where as a paddock stand is almost universal.

 

They are a leftover from when bikes had real death hoops and the ability to change a tube might save you hours waiting for the RAC. If the bike is tubeless or even has proper tyres mounted to the death hoops (because you can't buy a 190/70 R17 TT) you just don't need it.

 

Andy

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by Andy m

[Grumpy old man 4,682]

2 minutes ago, Andy m said:

They are heavy

They require maintenance, paint, grease etc.

You'll never need one away from home, so why lug it round with you wasting petrol.

They can be horribly badly designed, grounding out and needing huge forces to lift on or even off.

You usually have to buy one with each bike where as a paddock stand is almost universal.

 

They are a leftover from when bikes had real death hoops and the ability to change a tube might save you hours waiting for the RAC. If the bike is tubeless or even has proper tyres mounted to the death hoops (because you can't buy a 190/70 R17 TT) you just don't need it.

 

Andy

 

Mmmmm! Disagree with most of that but Hey-ho each to their own.

I use mine nearly all the time, I only use the side stand for getting off the bike then straight up on the CS.

[fred_jb 10,265]

27 minutes ago, Grumpy old man said:

Mmmmm! Disagree with most of that but Hey-ho each to their own.

I use mine nearly all the time, I only use the side stand for getting off the bike then straight up on the CS.

I agree.  I would always have a centre stand if available.  The weight is hardly going to have a noticeable effect on perol consumption and it is so convenient to have it always available. As for grounding out - I don't go on track days or ride on the road as if I were, so that is not a concern to me. I have had a wide variety of bikes, and although the centre stands have varied in ease of use, with the right technique I have never found it a real problem.

 

Sadly my current bike does not have a centre stand available, nor did the previous one, mainly due to their underslung exhausts I believe.  As a result, I have had to invest in all sorts of space consuming ironware to use in the garage.  I have a paddock stand, but because paddock stands don't take the weight off the rear suspension I then needed an Abba stand and bike specific swing arm pivot adapters for replacing the rear shocks/springs.   I also bought a front wheel stand to hold the bike vertical in the garage as it takes up more space on the sidestand and is also much less convenient to work on when leaning over.   All of this could be avoided with a simple centre stand!

[Xactly 5,427]

Me too; centre stands provide far more use than wheel removal and puncture repair. A true centre stand allows the balance to tip from one wheel to another without much effort; most are mainstands, usually resting the front wheel on the ground - less good but still useful. It’s easy to drop fork legs out with a mainstand; just chock under the crankcase. Loads of other uses too. None of the mainstands on any of my bikes in the last few years (usually OEM fit at purchase) has gone rusty because I treat them with ACF50 from brand new, reapplying by rag each time I clean the bike. It shouldn’t be necessary of course but you can either take the stance that you shouldn’t have to put up with and deal with stands with a single coat of top coat (just about all of them in recent years, except RE), or you can prep the bike yourself before first use. I do the latter, which includes a lot more than just applying a bit of ACF50. The lousy finish on (at the time) Italian and Japanese bikes in the late seventies and eighties was the subject of many letters in MCS. Exhausts rotting through in eighteen months or so, including those on BMWs was common. Then, like now, we motorcyclists still put up with a load of grief unacceptable to the average motorist. ‘‘Twas ever thus; PCP deals don’t help…

[skorpion 945]

Always have had a centre stand on my bikes, wouldn't be without, even had a aftermarket one fitted to my Kawasaki 650 Versys as Kawasaki don't do one for that model.

 

The last bike I can remember the stand touching down while cornering was on my Suzuki GT750 many years ago

[Trev 18,678]

5 hours ago, Grumpy old man said:

Have I missed something? Why do people not like centre stands? 

 

My main gripe is that they often limit ground clearance, some almost dangerously so. Always used to remove them 'back in the day' (if  bike came with one) and years of owning bikes that had no provision for one got me used to using a paddock stand. I get the 'round the world adventure' types wanting one but I don't adventure around the world, or at least not on a bike.

 

Having said that, I've left the one on the Himmy even though it limits off road ground clearance as it does give a degree of protection to the underside and I know one day I'll break something that needs to get wheels off the ground far from home  

 

The V85 came with an optional extra Guzzi item and hideous monstrosity it is, scrapes at even reasonable press on speeds and will be removed when I can be bothered, specially as the chain won't need lubing or adjusting very often 

[jeremyr62 2,560]

I quite like having a centre stand, just not fitted to the bike when I'm riding it as I never feel the need to use it. The VFR and the NC have centre stands and I refit them as and when necessary without the spring. Best of both worlds. 

[Trev 18,678]

5 minutes ago, jeremyr62 said:

I quite like having a centre stand, just not fitted to the bike when I'm riding it as I never feel the need to use it. The VFR and the NC have centre stands and I refit them as and when necessary without the spring. Best of both worlds. 

 

Snap, I have a few hanging on the wall alongside the pillion pegs & frames if I'm only going to use the bike solo most of the time