Center Stand identification?

[Rob Frankham]

OK, enough about welders and mangle grinders already... the poor guys waiting for someone to answer his question...

You know Rob, you and I seem to agree on damned near everything that comes up here on Boxerworks. So it really catches my attention to discover something upon which it appears that we don't agree. I think I get your point. The poster has a question that is important to him about airheads, and he comes to probably the best place there is to get an answer. And he does get a spot of an answer here and a drab there. But mostly what he encounters are the regulars here, using his post as a springboard, as it were, for their usual antics.

And I'm one of those regulars.

The premise of your post and the center of your concern would seem to be that the original poster is being shortchanged as a minimum, and perhaps even disrespected in the bargain.

I think not. I'll try to explain why. I have this notion that those who can address the original posters question(s)--do so. In the present case, I know a few things about centerstands. And the centerstand in question looked to me like a modified version of a /6 of /7 centerstand like the ones that I'm used to. But I didn't post about that. My reason for not speaking up was clear to me. While I know something about centerstands, from experience here I'm pretty sure there are several people who know more about the subject than I do. I figured one of them would be along before too long and answer the questions better than I could.

And Instead I posted a (presumably) humorous post about my painful experiences with an angle grinder.

I have this notion that those who can post a knowledgable direct answer will do so, and eventually the poster will get as good of an answer as the contributers here have got. And in a sense I was right. You came along!

One of the reasons we have so many knowledgable people posting here is because they have a good time here. That and a sense of good natured fellowship with like minded people. This place is usually a fun and rewarding place to be. And it is these people who have a lot of the best answers for the people who need to know.

In my case, If I were required to give only direct serious answers to questions I would probably drift away and do something else instead.

My thoughts anyhow.

Ken

I have to admit that the first part of my post was 'tongue in cheek' (Hence the stray 'M')... but... not entirely. I was a bit concerned that we were two pages into the thread with what was actually quite a simple question and no one had actually addressed the posters query directly or adequately (in my opinion anyway). This struck me as being a bit rude really.

I've got no issues with a bit of thread degradation (I've contributed enough over the years) but I do feel sorry for anyone who comes seeking the wisdom of what is probably the most knowledgeable board on the web only to have his question swamped in a deluge of anecdotes and half answers.

Rob

[jjwithers]

It's all good guys. This thread has definitely turned entertaining...

So back to the subject.
The center stand i have was so well made, it made me think it was an aftermarket item. I'd buy another one if i could... but if i can't...
I'm new to welding.... the welder that i stumbled upon for $40 is an 80 amp flux core welder.
It can weld up to 1/8 inch steel (so it says on the amazon.com description).
I am guessing that the center stand is hollow and more like 1/16th thick (or less) so the welder should work.

do you guys have any idea what i could use as that kick tab? There is also a nice little bend to the kick tab so it curls around the muffler.

[Ken in Oklahoma]

do you guys have any idea what i could use as that kick tab? There is also a nice little bend to the kick tab so it curls around the muffler.

I've replaced 3 or 4 of those "kick tabs". I use a spike (as in a large nail) of about 1/4 inch or less diameter. You can usually see where the old kick tab was welded onto the leg itself. Using your angle grinder (with leather gloves and guard in place ) you grind a small flat where the tab was welded. The head of the nail/spike gets welded there. Then I use an oxy acetylene torch to bend body of the nail to the shape needed, by eyeballing it and doing repeated heatings. I'm guessing that a propane torch would get the nail body a dull red hot and hot enough to bend. The excess length of the nail then gets cut away.

By the way, the spike needs to be non galvenized.


Ken

[jjwithers]

Thanks Ken... but i'm not looking for a small tab. i want something beefy like the photo i posted at the start of this thread. it is about 1/4" to a half inch thick by about 3 inched long.

[Deleted User 287]

From searching the internet, a person could go crazy looking for NON-galvanized spike nails.

What about re-bar, Ken? Too soft?

[Ken in Oklahoma]

From searching the internet, a person could go crazy looking for NON-galvanized spike nails.

What about re-bar, Ken? Too soft?

Hmm, non galvenized spikes are the only ones I've ever found, but then it's been over a decade since I've looked for them. A person could heat up a galvenized spike with an oxy acetylene torch, out doors, upwind of it, to burn the zinc off. Then the metal could be wire brushed clean for welding. But before that I would find a metals supplier and buy a length of mild steel round rod in 1/4 inch or whatever diameter turned a person on. When bending the round rod, it might be a bit problematic getting it hot enough without an oxy acetylene heat source though. I have no experience with mapp gas. Maybe that would work.

As for re-bar, it's out of the question. It's way too ugly!

Ken

[Sibbo]

Just for the fun of it , my 2c !

When you've welded on you little bit of round bar , (I'd suggest a hardware store bolt ,use your grinder to shape the hex end to fit ,then cut it to length .)

To bend it in place ,heat to bright red or as close as you can ,slip a length of tube or pipe over he top and use that to bend with .It's remarkably effective .If you want a gradual bend just apply a little force , move the pipe outwards , do it again .If the steel gets stiff , reheat .

[ME 109]

I used a 'Ken big bolt for my c stand. It's been on there a few years now.
It used to sometimes grind on the road so I cut about 1/2" off. It was too short then, so it got a little nipple welded on the end so my boot could catch it and deploy.

The bolt or whatever it is on JJ's blue stand photo is too high.
If the bolt is lower as in my case, it offers much better leverage to help get the bike on the c stand.
A 1/4" bolt would soon bend if it was used to put a boot on to get the bike up on the stand

So what if it hits the muffler. A fix for that wouldn't be too difficult, but I can't be stuffed.

[Ken in Oklahoma]

. . . If the bolt is lower as in my case, it offers much better leverage to help get the bike on the c stand.
A 1/4" bolt would soon bend if it was used to put a boot on to get the bike up on the stand

Indeed, I doubt a 1/4 inch bolt/spike would be sufficient for any significant weight. My pet theory is that God and/or BMW decided that the tang was intended for only a gentle nudge from a gentleman's boot and only to drop the centerstand feet to the ground. The gentleman would then move his foot to the left foot of the centerstand (identifiable by it's strange cap on the bottom) then with finesse and a gentlemanly extension of his knee coupled with a genteel tug on the lifting handle, lift the machine to it's stately upright position.

It's all those clods who ride other brands of motorcycles who expect to stand on the tang while jamming the motoricycle upward and backward who are responsible for the tangs I've had to fix on my bikes.



Ken

[Duane Ausherman]

Ken (again) is right. When the /5 came out in 1970, it had a big beefy tang on the stand. Riders didn't read the book, or listen to the selling dealer and used the stand for deployment. It was only intended for dropping it into place, not putting your boot on for lifting.

Guess what, they broke off. So, BMW came out in 72 with a thin little rod that was obviously too weak for putting the boot on. Guess what, nobody noticed it and they got broken off even faster than before.

It is very important to lower the stand and then put your foot on the part on the ground. Notice the large round curved plate welded on for your boot? Duh.

This whole center stand issue came up from the Salt Lake City police in 1970, as they had 10 of the R75/5. They didn't like the time wasted taking the bike off of the stand and then giving chase. Roy Reynolds invented a ride off stand. They loved it, he loved it, I loved it, but he wasn't able to sell them.

I asked for a couple of them to try out. We put one on our loaner/test ride bike. After the first hour, I called and ordered 10 more. They had to make them up, as they only had the two they sent me. Two days later I ordered 10 more.

Many don't like them, but they are wonderful for the average rider who is touring etc. We sold hundreds of them to dealers all over the USA. We had a pile of new cast off original stands that was at least 3 feet high. When I sold the shop, I walked away from them. Duh!