[srini1785]

My 2 paise. Center stand now a days is obsolete since the frame design has undergone changes. The older bikes had a diamond or a cradle frame while the newer ones have some sort of mesh kind of low weight design of the duke fame. The other reason that i can think of is probably some under engine exhaust chamber which would basically make center stands impossible. What with all these pipes twisting at crazy angles all through the bike. Me personally would not touch a bike with out a center stand.

Taking of center and side stands. The one thing that you find hardest to put back while you are assembling the bike together is the spring that connects the side stand to the rivet on the frame. The effort would make gym equipment obsolete.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by srini1785

The one thing that you find hardest to put back while you are assembling the bike together is the spring that connects the side stand to the rivet on the frame. The effort would make gym equipment obsolete.

Wedge coins or spacers between the spring loops, this stretches the spring enough so that it can easily be installed.

My spares are at my place and I'm at my parents place for the lock-down, but managed to find images from the internet to give you an idea.





This is how we replace springs when it snaps while on a ride.

Cheers,
A.P.

[srini1785]

^^^

Have you tried doing this?. I have and it does not work. To wedge a coin through the tight coils of a really stiff spring is a task in itself and by the time you are in the fourth coin , the first one breaks loose. Its just not possible to extend the spring to the required length. Its a good old solid screw driver, muscle power and tact that did the trick for me. There are spring pullers available , but too expensive for a one off job.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by srini1785

Have you tried doing this?. I have and it does not work.

I was reluctant to demonstrate earlier cause I didn't have a spare spring at hand and due to having a habit of not washing my motorcycles I didn't want to get my hands dirty without any real cause.

Anyways here you go:

Removed using spacers



If you add a few on the opposite side it help straighten the spring and makes installation effortless, though you can still do without it.



I just thought I'd straighten it up and take a video of installation, but using a 8inch tab to record and having no one to assist came in the way.

Anyhow, here it is reinstalled.

To wedge a coin through the tight coils of a really stiff spring is a task in itself

If you have the spring in your hand then bend and insert, else if you're uninstalling the spring then tension it by moving the stand and when its at its tightest squeeze them in, gets easier with each spacer for obvious reasons.

and by the time you are in the fourth coin , the first one breaks loose.

Not a chance, after reinstalling the spring I had to move and tension the stand to be able to easily pull out all the spacers.

As you've said the spring tension is stiff enough to keep the spacers in place, and adding more spacers does elongate the spring but doesn't expand the already spaced out coils, again for obvious reasons.

Its just not possible to extend the spring to the required length.

If you use spacers on only one side then the spring would be bent to one side, so while installing you would have to straighten it before sliding it over the stud.

The distance between both anchor points vary as you move the stand, so make sure its at the point where there's the least tension and slide the other end over the stud, it is easy.

Its a good old solid screw driver, muscle power and tact that did the trick for me.

You can use a screw driver, a 8/10mm T Spanner or even the tool that comes along with the motorcycle to remove the rear wheel.

The reason we resort to spacers/coins is because it requires bare minimum effort and the chances of bending the latch end of the spring or slipping and causing damage elsewhere is limited.

There are spring pullers available , but too expensive for a one off job.

Another problem with being accustomed to so many tools of convenience is that when Murphy decides to pay an unannounced visit we'd end up being sitting ducks, just my opinion.

Cheers,
A.P.

[gkveda]

Originally Posted by srini1785

The one thing that you find hardest to put back while you are assembling the bike together is the spring that connects the side stand to the rivet on the frame. The effort would make gym equipment obsolete.

This is nac. It just requires a screw driver and the nac to fix the spring.

I learnt it from my local mechanic who could do it in just 30 seconds.

1. After installing main stand, leave the stand free play and hang one end of the spring to the fixed bolt (or rivet)on chassis

2. Position the screw driver such that the end fulcrums on the bolt (or rivet) on mainstand and mid part of the screw driver slides on the spring end U

3. Pull the spring careful such that the U SLIDES ON THE SCREW DRIVER AND FINALLY HANGS UP ON THE BOLT (RIVET) WELDED TO THE STAND

4. While doing step 3, simultaneously move the stand from free hanging position to it's standard UP position (position when bike is running)

Nac is to do step 3 and 4 simultaneously without slipping the spring from screw driver. THIS COMES BY PRACTICE

[vvvinod]

Originally Posted by GTO

Guys, could it also be a customer preference? When I had a bike, I remember it was just so much easier to swing the side stand out with one foot rather than lift the bike onto the center stand. Maybe manufacturer research showed that people use the side stand a lot more than the center one?

Very true GTO, I don't remember using center stand other than removing flat tyre or chain adjustment.

[timuseravan]

Originally Posted by mithun

What is the real reason behind the omission of center stands? Is it due to Aesthetics/Losing a few kilos/Chassis/Cost cutting?

There is actually only one good reason for not having a center stand and that is frame design. Some modern bikes like Duke series have a frame/engine designed in such a way that fitting center stand is not possible. This generally is for improving cornering clearance and/or improving the center of gravity and/or just plain aesthetics.
However a lot of the expensive bikes offer center stand as accessory. So frame design is not a big reason.

A second slightly valid reason is weight saving. However this is only applicable for 0.01% of bikes which are into serious racing. It is hard to believe that for a general rider (even for one who does track days) a 1 kg increase in total weight (and that too low down right at center of the bike) is affecting anything for combined 250-300kg of the bike and rider weight.

The actual reason for not having center stand in majority of expensive bikes is because the manufacturers found that they can not only save the cost but also make ton of money from the "accessory" stand.
Most of the "accessory" stands come in 200USD range. This is at least a 10x markup.

[dj_666]

I would like to mention couple of points :

Tubeless tyres have negated the need of wheel removal to fix a flat.

For the larger percentile of prospective premium buyers, neither would chain sprocket maintenance nor the ability to park in tight spaces be decisive.

[Balthazar]

Originally Posted by timuseravan

The actual reason for not having center stand in majority of expensive bikes is because the manufacturers found that they can not only save the cost but also make ton of money from the "accessory" stand.
Most of the "accessory" stands come in 200USD range. This is at least a 10x markup.

True, and when you are in the $200 territory, especially if you are in the west, might as well spend a bit more and get a paddock stand from something like Pitbull, which comes with a lifetime warranty.

Originally Posted by dj_666

I would like to mention couple of points :
For the larger percentile of prospective premium buyers, neither would chain sprocket maintenance nor the ability to park in tight spaces be decisive.

I wouldn't really want to park my premium bike in a tight space on the side stand anyway, would be better to just look for another spot. Wouldn't want to risk dings.

I only time I'd miss my center stand is during chain maintenance and lubrication. But if I were getting a premium bike, I would also invest in a solid, well engineered paddock stand.

Rode my friends Himalayan off road once, and despite the solid ground clearance that bike offers, I could swear that the center stand was hitting the ground sometimes. That is another bike where I would just take it off.

[hemanth.anand]

Why are new bikes ditching it?

Imagine a 2 lakh rupees bike...even after deletion of the centre stand, the manufacturer can continue to sell at 2 lakh. The centre stand may be a saving of ₹500 (or even less) to the manufacturer. In In addition he can sell the same centre stand as an accessory for ₹2000. Further he can even sell a paddock stand for ₹8000. So it's gain of anywhere between ₹500 to ₹8500. When people who really want it is a minority, it's a good business case to delete it (unless it is a regulatory requirement).

[acestormtrooper]

Hello All, Been reading on this thread about OEM's ditching the center stands. I got a Suzuki Inazuma and I'm having a really tough time for the chain lubrication and other maintenance. I'm the 2nd owner and purchased the bike when it was 2000Kms on the ODO and now I've clocked 7000Kms in total since 2015. The center stand was an accessory which the previous owner did not install. I contacted the ASC - Shiv Suzuki, Chinchwad, Pune for the center stand, they mentioned that the part is not available and cannot be made available.

Have contacted a friend in Tokyo for the same. He is trying to locate an after market part. The Genuine Part costed around Rs.10,000/- in India and the Genuine Part in Tokyo costs around Rs. 25,000/- totally un-affordable for me at this point of time, hence looking out for an aftermarket stand.

Any lead on this would be much appreciated.

A total slam on the face by the manufacturers to their customers for ditching the center stand!

A pic of the Black Beauty below