Weight Watchers - Forged Carbon Fiber

[Mr Gazza]

Stand is looking good Mike. I hope this one proves more reliable after the R&D process.

I've probably told this story before?
When I took my Monster for it's first MOT after I'd bought it and fettled it, I gasped when the tester forced it into the air against the side stand and leaned his fat gut over it to wiggle the back wheel.
I immediately ordered him to stop, quite loudly! A short argument ensued resulting in me wheeling my bike away untested. I can't remember if I paid him anything for the test. Needless to say I have not darkened his door again.
My previously favoured tester for some considerable years took up the slack and as it happened had just bought a new Abba stand with many mandrels for the various swinging arm pivots.
I was much happier with this but I do wonder how they feel the swingarm bearings with the stand through the pivot?

Using the side stand for this is unprofessional to the core and should never be allowed!

At one of the East Kirby shows, a brash fellow decided to ride his 916 into our stand for some reason, and then proceeded to turn his bike round quite roughly,by pivoting it on his weedy side stand. I gasped in disbelief and kind of hoped it would snap, but unfortunately there were several Monsters in close proximity, so it wouldn't have ended well.
I think he might have been swiftly cable tied to one of the Lancaster's props and spun for 5 minutes.. (Too good for him though!)

What in the world is wrong with a centre stand??

[Bitza]

Yes I share your concerns re having the bike lifted on the prop stand, so will have to come up with some MOT ploy.

[utopia]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

What in the world is wrong with a centre stand??

Well, not a lot.
..... unless you're the sort of person to save weight by making a carbon fibre sidestand.


Personally I like the simplicity as well as the weight loss of sidestand only.
But I have to suffer a little as a result.
Got tempted to go for an ally one at one point but decided it wasn't worth it.
However I do understand how the weight loss thing can become a tad obsessive.

I remember Capo saying he had no stand at all on his triumph and had to lean it against a tree at Cadwell.
OTT in my book but it takes all sorts.

[slob]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

What in the world is wrong with a centre stand??

two words: ground clearance

the first thing that touches on the right is an exhaust can, on the left: sidestand. (early models) a centrestand won’t improve things!

1200r i beat the hell out of an exhaust valve cover, every time, going through redgate.

[Mark64]

I fabricated an ABBA type stand for my Monster & gave it to my MOT tester so he could use it every year, no silly lifting on the side stand involved, mind you, he does own a 916 and a 888, and he was VERY understanding about exhaust noise ;-)

[Mr Gazza]

Ha ha! I can't see Bitza fitting a centre stand @ 2.6kg.
Funnily enough I've been thinking how to make one in aluminium this morning, but I've written the weight gain off against convenience and security to concentrate on more usefully saving unsprung weight.

The ground clearance issue is not that great for me personally as I'm no hero and certainly won't be doing any track days. (Would they allow a centre stand anyway?)
I've modified mine in several ways, to be detailed when I get round to updating my refresh thread. One of which was a new assistor arm.
The ST2 one certainly would have reduced ground clearance unacceptably in original form. But that said they seem to be okay on the ST bikes. I followed one down the West Cumbrian coast road at the Barrow Weekender and even his scary lean angles didn't produce any sparks.
My arm now hugs the silencer and comes up just behind the chamfer, robbing about 15mm of clearance. Originally it was about 50mm! I'll let you know if I ever get it down to the tarmac.

[Bitza]

Are your footpegs holding you back?

well this update might help?
Basically I've just just scrapped under the 168Kgs mark, with my latest mod FCF footpegs fitted with Ti pins it saved 55gms. Sawing off the rear pegs alltogether was far more effective (400gms) and it also avoids the risk of having to have someone else sitting on the back an even greater weight saving!

[Mr Gazza]

Nice one. You'll soon need to guy it down if you park it in the wind..

If you have a pillion seat, you need pillion footrests for the MOT.
Simple fix is to put a cover on it so it can't be used. Or chop it off and save gawd knows what.
Maybe replace the foam hump with a little cf fairing? But you'll need to keep the base as the catch is at the back.

[Dukedesmo]

Originally Posted by utopia

I remember Capo saying he had no stand at all on his triumph and had to lean it against a tree at Cadwell.
OTT in my book but it takes all sorts.

Many years ago, I had a Ducati 250 Scrambler on which the sidestand fell off whilst I was riding it, I didn't realise 'till I got home to see it missing.

I was young and foolish and never bothered replacing it, must have been close to a year before I got rid of the bike and had to lean against walls/trees etc. during that time.

Laziness rather than an attempt at weight reduction I'm afraid though...

[Mark64]

Originally Posted by Dukedesmo

Laziness rather than an attempt at weight reduction I'm afraid though...

Not laziness at all but a lesson in problem solving, bike won't stand up on its own, solution is leave it in gear and lean it against something, problem solved ;-)