A new life for an old center stand...

  I scoured the scrap yard for just the right part: A center stand with some dimensional qualities not found in all centerstands. What I ended up with was close, but not exact: A mid-eighties Honda Saber unit, bolted to a mass of twisted and charred metal that was once somebody's ride, but now only a collection of barely distinguishable elements, not quite compounding a motorcycle.

I paid my fee at the exit of the scrap yard for the centerstand and some other miscellaneous parts I could not live without, $10.00 for the lot was that days going price.

At the garage, I began by cleaning and inspecting the welds and wear points. Ok, the stand part is ready, now for the mounts.

The outside measurements of the stands mounting or pivot points were one inch less than the measurement between the frame plates where the foot-pegs mount, there are my mounting points! I fabricated new pivot plates, or the stationary parts of the hinge from 1/4" plate steel, drilling 3 holes in each: Two for the foot-peg mounting bolts and one for the centerstand pivot bolts.

The center stand mounted very easily between the new mounts with number eight 3-1/2" X 1/2" bolts, nylon spacers and "nylock" hardened nuts holding it all in place.

I put the bike up on the stand, and the rear wheel was off the floor, but only 1/2" or so. I felt the tire should be at least 3" clear, not knowing what tire I would be using in the future or what surface I would be required to use the stand on. So my next change to the stand was to lengthen the legs. I cut both legs off a few inches above the "feet" and, with a great deal of luck, found I could slip some hollow-round-stock (rigid conduit) into the opening I just made. I cut the "extender" to provide 3 more inches between the pivot points and the re-located centerstand "feet". I welded the cut legs back to the extenders and re mounted the centerstand.

Having a spring break on a centerstand in the past, made me promise myself to do away with that process if I had a choice, so I did. There is nothing like having the centerstand drag for a hundred miles of superslab to find it sharpened to a couple points when you stop to gas up! I decided to produce a two-fold bracket employed to both, hold the centerstand in position when not in use and keep the resting stand from mixing space with the drive chain. What I came up with does both. The 2" flat stock sandwiched between the foot-peg mount and the new 1/4" plate pivot I just put in place, perfect! I used a rubber bumper to "chinch" the stand up against and a "draw hasp" to do the locking. I guess I could even put a lock in it, but why? Heh, heh, heh...