Beware V-Strom Centerstand

[tedmarshall]

Word of warning. The SW-MOTECH aftermarket centerstand can cause injury under this circumstance:
mildly rough railroad bed, modest speed (25-30 mph)...it can extend and retract violently, settling upward an inch or so beyond the stop.

I was standing on the pegs when the centerstand extension came up and whacked my left heel.

When I got home I hammered the centerstand back into proper position. I noted the puny stop wasn't enough to prevent this incident.

My solution: remove centerstand before any vigorous off-road excursion. My heel was torn open even though the boot wasn't punctured. Lots of blood and bruising.

Ted

[Uncle Pollo]

`Scratching centerstand off the list

[sweater]

Originally Posted by Don_Alejo

`Scratching centerstand off the list

...was at the top of mine, unfortunately.

Looking at the first 600mile oil change with no stand around to work with, I was going to install a center stand for good. Now? Notsomuch.

What to use for a stand, then? Any old MC stand, a la Checker/Autozone/etc?

- mike

[rich_mc]

Got any pics?? I've got the Suzuki stand and wanna make sure it's not an issue with that one.....

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by sweater

...was at the top of mine, unfortunately.
What to use for a stand, then?

Swingarm bobbins and a paddock stand.

[McB]

Originally Posted by sweater

...was at the top of mine, unfortunately.

Looking at the first 600mile oil change with no stand around to work with, I was going to install a center stand for good. Now? Notsomuch.

What to use for a stand, then? Any old MC stand, a la Checker/Autozone/etc?

- mike

A small floor jack under the dogbone, using the sidestand as a pivot, does the trick. Not sure why you need a stand for an oil change, though.

[sweater]

Originally Posted by McB

A small floor jack under the dogbone, using the sidestand as a pivot, does the trick. Not sure why you need a stand for an oil change, though.

That answers two questions, then.

Transitioning from 4-wheeling/rock crawling hobby to this bike as a primary means of motorsports, I've found that I need a different take on tools and shop setup for some, but not all, stuff. Reading up on the pros/cons of centerstands on the Wee, I had assumed that a centerstand was one of the first things that people put on - until I figured out how much these things are taken off-road. Which I hope to learn hella more how to do.

I just assumed that you'd want the bike as flat as possible when doing any sort of fluid maintenance on it...

- mike

thanks i'm going out to inspect mine. rode it to work today

al

[ROYAL COACHMAN]

If you want a center stand, install the HEPCO-BECKER.
Very high quality. I have this on my 06 DL650 and have no problems.
Rode out to Colorado this summer and traveled many rough roads in search of trout streams. No center stand issues.
Glen
06 DL650
06 Tiger

[twowheelnut]

Originally Posted by ROYAL COACHMAN

If you want a center stand, install the HEPCO-BECKER.
Very high quality. I have this on my 06 DL650 and have no problems.
Rode out to Colorado this summer and traveled many rough roads in search of trout streams. No center stand issues.
Glen
06 DL650
06 Tiger

Until you turn into a compression corner and that cross bar digs into the pavement, lifting the rear off the ground. Not fun. And yes,my stand is only several months old and it's still of the old design... The 'new' ones were to have that cross bar beveled. Not.

[Jonnylotto]

Originally Posted by tedmarshall

Word of warning. The SW-MOTECH aftermarket centerstand can cause injury under this circumstance:
mildly rough railroad bed, modest speed (25-30 mph)...it can extend and retract violently, settling upward an inch or so beyond the stop.

I was standing on the pegs when the centerstand extension came up and whacked my left heel.

When I got home I hammered the centerstand back into proper position. I noted the puny stop wasn't enough to prevent this incident.

My solution: remove centerstand before any vigorous off-road excursion. My heel was torn open even though the boot wasn't punctured. Lots of blood and bruising.

Ted

Do you still have (or had) both springs? Of course over any kind of undulating surface it's possible to get a bad harmonic...

[Finder]

Why not just secure it with a zip tie when not needed?

[fire_strom]

What type of boots were you wearing?
scott

[maunakea]

The most important benefit of the centerstand is being able to change the rear tire (or put a tube and a boot in busted tire), away from a shop, without laying the bike on its side.

The c/s also makes lubing the chain very easy, and avoids parking lot punctures (side stand through summer asphalt) with a loaded bike.

Zip tie the c/s and bungee the side stand (Strom engine will be killed by s/s switch) when off-road. You can still get the side stand down when bungeed, then release the top hook of the bungee.

[jmetteer]

This also happened to me, I was only going about 25 mph though so my heel suffered less dammage than yours. It hurt pretty bad for a while and my heel went knumb.

I was headed up this gravel road when I decided to jump a nice little rise in the road. I bottomed out on the other side and wham right in the foot.




The rest of the pictures are here...

Later,