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tshelfer
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- Joined
- Sep 4, 2009
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- Location
- Centennial, CO
- First Name
- Tim
- Last Name
- Shelfer
When I bought my '05 Strom 650 a few weeks ago, I knew I'd have to quickly purchase and install a center stand. I chose a Studebaker brand stand, which I bought from Vstroma.com, a site which by the way has a lot of interesting and good quality accessories & parts for V-Stroms.
In installing the center stand, I did what you're supposed to do. I laid out and identified all the parts, first. Then, I laid out all the required (according to the instructions) tools. Then I actually read the instructions. Yes, I'm a guy and I READ the instructions.
For the most part, installation is very simple and very straightforward if you follow the instructions - and interestingly, there were TWO SEPARATE sets of instructions, following the exact same process, but with slightly different verbiage.
There are two things to be aware of, though, so here's my experience with them.
1) As you put the bolts in (2 on each side, pretty simple), the instructions neglect to tell you that on the RIGHT side, there simply is not enough clearance for a socket wrench - or a box-end - unless you remove the muffler first, which would be silly. Simple solution: be sure you have the appropriate sized (12mm & 14mm) open-end wrenches handy, and be prepared to make a lot of 1/8 turns. Tedious, but not difficult.
2) Once all else is done, install the spring - actually 2 springs. A skinny inner spring sits inside a fatter outer spring. Your task is to stretch them from an anchor point on the frame to a 2nd anchor point on the stand. This requires a stretch of about 7/8". They even provide you with a handy-dandy tool to stretch the springs. It looks like a teeny-tiny little meat hook.
Now the fun begins. The tool is way too small. It's tiny. It's not useful. It's useless. Actually, it's probably dangerous if you really tried hard. I resorted to my tried-but-true spring tool: a pair of vise grips locked onto a bent nail. Unfortunately, I'm simply not strong or heavy enough to pull that spring. I weigh 165 lbs right after Thanksgiving dinner. No way could I stretch this spring; I needed something I could really wrap my hands around. So, I resorted to a hefty piece of wood with a cup hook screwed into the end. I still couldn't pull hard enough, so I called in my weightier cousin. He almost had it when the hook simply ripped out of the wood.
Today, I tried another approach. Using some very strong 1/4" nylon rope, I made a rope loop around the spring at one end, and the back wheel at the other. Then I took an 8" ratchet handle, looped the rope into it, and started twisting the rope with the handle, shortening the rope with each twist. The ratchet handle provided the leverage. Just in case the rope broke, I wore Really Heavy Gloves! When the spring was finally stretched enough, I held the handle with my left hand, used a screwdriver to guide the spring end with my right hand, and eased the spring end onto the anchor point. That done, I loosened the rope and pulled it out. Piece of cake. Only took me 45 minutes.
I guess any spring big enough to properly secure a center stand for a 450-lb bike is going to be too strong to be attacked head-on by somebody my size. But the rope trick provided the appropriate leverage.
Full disclosure - Bill (DFW_Warrior) gave me the inspiration through a somewhat similar suggestion.
Now I can finally get my front wheel rim properly looked at and, if necessary, straightened.
In installing the center stand, I did what you're supposed to do. I laid out and identified all the parts, first. Then, I laid out all the required (according to the instructions) tools. Then I actually read the instructions. Yes, I'm a guy and I READ the instructions.
For the most part, installation is very simple and very straightforward if you follow the instructions - and interestingly, there were TWO SEPARATE sets of instructions, following the exact same process, but with slightly different verbiage.
There are two things to be aware of, though, so here's my experience with them.
1) As you put the bolts in (2 on each side, pretty simple), the instructions neglect to tell you that on the RIGHT side, there simply is not enough clearance for a socket wrench - or a box-end - unless you remove the muffler first, which would be silly. Simple solution: be sure you have the appropriate sized (12mm & 14mm) open-end wrenches handy, and be prepared to make a lot of 1/8 turns. Tedious, but not difficult.
2) Once all else is done, install the spring - actually 2 springs. A skinny inner spring sits inside a fatter outer spring. Your task is to stretch them from an anchor point on the frame to a 2nd anchor point on the stand. This requires a stretch of about 7/8". They even provide you with a handy-dandy tool to stretch the springs. It looks like a teeny-tiny little meat hook.
Now the fun begins. The tool is way too small. It's tiny. It's not useful. It's useless. Actually, it's probably dangerous if you really tried hard. I resorted to my tried-but-true spring tool: a pair of vise grips locked onto a bent nail. Unfortunately, I'm simply not strong or heavy enough to pull that spring. I weigh 165 lbs right after Thanksgiving dinner. No way could I stretch this spring; I needed something I could really wrap my hands around. So, I resorted to a hefty piece of wood with a cup hook screwed into the end. I still couldn't pull hard enough, so I called in my weightier cousin. He almost had it when the hook simply ripped out of the wood.
Today, I tried another approach. Using some very strong 1/4" nylon rope, I made a rope loop around the spring at one end, and the back wheel at the other. Then I took an 8" ratchet handle, looped the rope into it, and started twisting the rope with the handle, shortening the rope with each twist. The ratchet handle provided the leverage. Just in case the rope broke, I wore Really Heavy Gloves! When the spring was finally stretched enough, I held the handle with my left hand, used a screwdriver to guide the spring end with my right hand, and eased the spring end onto the anchor point. That done, I loosened the rope and pulled it out. Piece of cake. Only took me 45 minutes.
I guess any spring big enough to properly secure a center stand for a 450-lb bike is going to be too strong to be attacked head-on by somebody my size. But the rope trick provided the appropriate leverage.
Full disclosure - Bill (DFW_Warrior) gave me the inspiration through a somewhat similar suggestion.
Now I can finally get my front wheel rim properly looked at and, if necessary, straightened.
.