Center/swingarm stand question.

[woodsietx]

I have a 1981 GS750E.

I've been looking around for advice on getting my bike off the rear tire. The centerstand was missing when I got it. I have another one but I'm thinking I want to leave it off. I've seen a couple posts where someone puts the stand on to do work and takes it off when done. Is that a difficult task? What parts have to be with the stand to make it work? I have the spring and a bushing/spacer? in the round mounting holes.

I also did some research on swingarm stands, both here and through Google. I can see the need for one of those in the long run. I don't foresee a need for more than steadying the bike while I work on the engine area and chain adjustment. I know little about these kind of stands and am wondering if anyone has a recommend for one?

My V&R header looks to make it difficult to use a normal jackstand. I saw a post where it was suggested to build a wooden cross piece for under the bike. I may look into that when I need to remove the front wheel.

Thanks.


Woodsie

[reddirtrider]

I sent a swingarm stand along with the bike I built for my son as the header doesn't allow the centerstand use. I bought it for about $50 10 years ago and it's a great investment. I'd go with one of those before goofing around with installing/removing the centerstand over and over again.

[rphillips]

On my KZ1300, the 6 into 1 pipe won't let me retain the centerstand. When I need it, I just hold the centerstand up in place & install the 2 bolts, finger tight. When finished, remove the 2 bolts & put them away with the centerstand. Don't worry about the spring, it's only for keeping the stand up if it were permanitely installed. If your pipe will let you, I recommend installing it as it should be & leaving it there. I know, I've just baught a Kawasaki ZRX, they don't have centerstands. Makes it a royal PITA just to oil the chain. Guess I'll have to buy somekind of jack before I need tires. Just my opinion.

[reddirtrider]

On my KZ1300, the 6 into 1 pipe won't let me retain the centerstand. When I need it, I just hold the centerstand up in place & install the 2 bolts, finger tight. When finished, remove the 2 bolts & put them away with the centerstand. Don't worry about the spring, it's only for keeping the stand up if it were permanitely installed. If your pipe will let you, I recommend installing it as it should be & leaving it there. I know, I've just baught a Kawasaki ZRX, they don't have centerstands. Makes it a royal PITA just to oil the chain. Guess I'll have to buy somekind of jack before I need tires. Just my opinion.

Get a swingarm stand. That's what I did for my ZRX1200. It works great.

Jacks are worthless IMHO.

[woodsietx]

I bought it for about $50 10 years ago and it's a great investment.

Do you remember the brand or where it was purchased?

[reddirtrider]

Do you remember the brand or where it was purchased?

I purchased it a long time ago in California (previous residence). It had the tabs on it that went under the swingarm. I just gave it to my son for his 83 GS750ES since those swingarms do not support pivots.

I'm going shopping for a new one that uses the pivots since they can be added to the ZRX through existing pionts and they are a LOT easier to use. Any stand will work. There are plenty of them available.

[posplayr]

Ebay lists a few different ones. I had a discount card from BikeBandit and looked at the reviews and picked one for about $85 recently.

[reddirtrider]

Ebay lists a few different ones. I had a discount card from BikeBandit and looked at the reviews and picked one for about $85 recently.

They now make then that fit both the front and rear. Did you get one of those, one that uses the spools (only work on swingarms that have that provision), or ....?

Like I say, I'm recently without one and I will get another soon.

For those that don't have spools (which are all GS's) here's the type of stand you need. If you look further down you can see the 'saddles' as they call them. The fit under the swingarm and work very well on these older bikes.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/sh/stand.htm

[reddirtrider]

Here's a cheepo home build one that you may be able to come up with a way to use on the GS's. It would take a saddle on each side, but doable.

http://www.svrider.com/tips/pipestand/SwingarmStand.htm

I would guess this needs 2 people also as the stand doesn't have rollers and this means the bike needs to roll to it, not the other way around.

[reddirtrider]

OK, I'm on a roll. These guys sell both the spool type and a roller type that should work for our GS's. They are reasonably priced and look to be heavy duty.

http://www.redlinestands.com/catalog/sport-bike-stands-c-87

[posplayr]

They now make then that fit both the front and rear. Did you get one of those, one that uses the spools (only work on swingarms that have that provision), or ....?

Like I say, I'm recently without one and I will get another soon.

For those that don't have spools (which are all GS's) here's the type of stand you need. If you look further down you can see the 'saddles' as they call them. The fit under the swingarm and work very well on these older bikes.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/sh/stand.htm

I think it is an AC/DC wheel stand; Very strudy just an issue with the rubber feet that go under the swing arm. The rubber gets ground up lifting the bike. Needs some harder plastic. Have not used it on the front.