Where have the center stands gone?

Message

jrdudas · #1 Unread post by **jrdudas** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:10 am

I have not had a bike for several years and have been looking for another one recently. My main interest is in the "cruiser" style bikes and I see that none of the newer models seem to have center stands. Is this something that is only on cruisers because they look "Cooler" on the side stand? When did the bike manufacturers stop putting center stands on, and why? I can see that the stand adds a little cost and weight to the bike, but I have always thought that side stands are far less stable than a center stand. Plus, if you want to work on the bike the side stand is a pain. If you buy something without a center stand are there aftermarket stands available?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

JR

2wheel · #2 Unread post by **2wheel** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:16 am

Cruisers are heavy! Not sure I would want to try to put one on a center stand.

#3 Unread post by **bok** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:18 am

cruisers are pretty low to begin with, put a center stand down there and someone like ZooTech would have ground it off by now. the only time i miss a centre stand is when i have to lube my chain...looks kind of funny rolling it along the road with someone spraying the chain down

sharpmagna · Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:28 am

Only cruiser bike with a center stand is a vulcan 750. The vmax also has a center stand, but it is more standard the cruiser if you ask me. Ground clearance and weight are the big factors against the centerstand for cruisers.

xsyamahadg · Fri Aug 11, 2006 5:03 am

Tell me about it !! The only way you can check the oil on a V-Star is by looking thru the sight glass, and the bike has to be sitting level to do that. Without a center stand, it takes two people to check the oil. A motorcycle garage lift is the answer. Right now, I have to get my wife to check the oil for me while I hold the bike. how un-cool is that ?

#6 Unread post by **Big B** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 5:39 am

i'd hate to think of the hernia i'd get trying to pull my 750lb bike onto a center stand

sharpmagna · Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:14 am

XS, what I do is find a brick of the right height that when I put the motorcycle's side stand on the brick it keeps the bike level. I do my maintenance that way...

At least you have a sight glass on your bike. I still have a dipstick and I can only imagine trying to balance my bike and check that at the same time.

jrdudas · #8 Unread post by **jrdudas** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:24 am

I guess ground clearance might be an issue, but I think weight is not, at least not for the medium size cruisers. I just checked the specs (bikez.com) on my last bike, a Honda CX500 and compared it's weight to more current models. The CX500 weighed 487 pounds, a current Honda Shadow VLX (600 cc) weighs 496, and a Suzuki Intruder (800 cc) weighs 443. I'm sure weight becomes more of an issue as the engines get bigger. Hopefully I can find an older bike used that has everything I want, including a center stand.

JR

Venarius · #9 Unread post by **Venarius** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:29 am

maybe they took them off because they would limit corner clearance?

I know one of the first things to drag on my old CB-750 when turning left was the centerstand.

flynrider · Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:22 am

jrdudas wrote:I guess ground clearance might be an issue, but I think weight is not, at least not for the medium size cruisers. I just checked the specs (bikez.com) on my last bike, a Honda CX500 and compared it's weight to more current models. The CX500 weighed 487 pounds, a current Honda Shadow VLX (600 cc) weighs 496, and a Suzuki Intruder (800 cc) weighs 443. I'm sure weight becomes more of an issue as the engines get bigger. Hopefully I can find an older bike used that has everything I want, including a center stand.

JR

Ground clearance is the real issue. Cruiser style bikes are low and already have a lot of hanging out. Any centerstand design (that I've ever seen) would have to hang even lower.

I can relate, though. The first bike I ever bought that didn't have a center stand, also had a chain drive. Definitely a bad combo. On the bright side, most of the cruiser bikes nowadays have belt or shaft drives, so it's not as much of a maintenance issue.