Centre Stand Removal

[sproggy]

Something bad happened on my trip to Ireland and I've only just discovered it. The centre stand rubber buffer is missing from its mounting bracket. The mounting bracket itself (on the Yoshimura link pipe) has been torn off its lower weld and bent upwards to (I think) hit the underside of the swingarm on full suspension extension. The result of this is that the centre stand now rests on the suspension linkage and therefore moves with the suspension I can't figure out how this could have happened without me noticing, though OK, rubber buffers fall off quietly, but welded brackets don't let go without a fight!

I was planning on removing the centre stand anyway so I thought I might as well do it sooner rather than later. Has anyone else tried? Clearly at the factory the centre stand is fitted BEFORE the exhaust, because the bolt is inserted from the exhaust side and is now, of course, pinned in there by the catalytic convertor. So to remove the centre stand I have to first remove the entire exhaust system which almost certainly means the radiator as well Which bright spark thought of that one? What could have been a 2 minute job will now take closer to 2 hours.

OK, moan over, but inserting the bolt from the left hand side would have made SO much more sense.....mutter.......mutter........

Could have been the perfect time to fit a set of cat-free headers but other than Arrow (£760 as part of a full system that I don't need) no-one's selling any yet

[Roy]

Originally Posted by sproggy

Something bad happened on my trip to Ireland and I've only just discovered it. The centre stand rubber buffer is missing from its mounting bracket. The mounting bracket itself (on the Yoshimura link pipe) has been torn off its lower weld and bent upwards to (I think) hit the underside of the swingarm on full suspension extension. The result of this is that the centre stand now rests on the suspension linkage and therefore moves with the suspension I can't figure out how this could have happened without me noticing, though OK, rubber buffers fall off quietly, but welded brackets don't let go without a fight!

I was planning on removing the centre stand anyway so I thought I might as well do it sooner rather than later. Has anyone else tried? Clearly at the factory the centre stand is fitted BEFORE the exhaust, because the bolt is inserted from the exhaust side and is now, of course, pinned in there by the catalytic convertor. So to remove the centre stand I have to first remove the entire exhaust system which almost certainly means the radiator as well Which bright spark thought of that one? What could have been a 2 minute job will now take closer to 2 hours.

OK, moan over, but inserting the bolt from the left hand side would have made SO much more sense.....mutter.......mutter........

Could have been the perfect time to fit a set of cat-free headers but other than Arrow (£760 as part of a full system that I don't need) no-one's selling any yet

Or you could call up Dale Walker at www.holeshot.com and buy his centerstand bump pad that attachs to your centerstand. No removal of anything required and you get to keep that much needed centerstand. Cost is cheap on the bump pad also. He ships over the pond so I am sure he could accomodate. Just and idea.

[sproggy]

Originally Posted by Roy

.....you get to keep that much needed centerstand.

Much needed by who? Not me! As I mentioned, I was planning to remove the centre stand anyway because (a) I'm fitting an automatic chain oiler and (b) I have a back problem and can't (well, shouldn't) lift the bike onto the centre stand. If I want to work on the bike I use a paddock stand.

IMO the centre stand arrangement is badly designed on the Bandit - there's no ergonomic way to lift the bike onto the stand and doing so requires far more effort than is advisable given the awkwardness of the lift.

[Roy]

Originally Posted by sproggy

Much needed by who? Not me! As I mentioned, I was planning to remove the centre stand anyway because (a) I'm fitting an automatic chain oiler and (b) I have a back problem and can't (well, shouldn't) lift the bike onto the centre stand. If I want to work on the bike I use a paddock stand.

IMO the centre stand arrangement is badly designed on the Bandit - there's no ergonomic way to lift the bike onto the stand and doing so requires far more effort than is advisable given the awkwardness of the lift.

Hey look I was only offering an option no need to get all huffy about it. I want debate the poor choice of bolt placement by Suzuki, yes it sould have been done better it ain't a perfect world by a long shot mistakes are made.

Lets see you fix that flat on the side of the road with your centerstand off and your service stand at home. Good day!

[sproggy]

Originally Posted by Roy

Hey look I was only offering an option no need to get all huffy about it.

Huffy? Which bit of my reply was huffy? All I said was that I don't find the centre stand to be an essential bit of kit.

Originally Posted by Roy

Lets see you fix that flat on the side of the road with your centerstand off and your service stand at home. Good day!

You don't need a centre stand to fix a puncture on a tubeless tyre.

[Roy]

Originally Posted by sproggy

You don't need a centre stand to fix a puncture on a tubeless tyre.

You do if the tire can't be plugged and you have to remove the wheel or call for a tow. The US is more broad spaced being stranded because I could not remove a wheel for proper repair would suck. Either way do as you please.

[sproggy]

I guess that's the difference between the US and Europe then - I don't know anyone who would even consider removing a wheel at the side of the road. Help is probably always closer at hand here - we don't have so many wide open spaces!

[rworm]

Sproggy,
If you want it off, just cut the head off with a grinder,take bolt out!!!!
Lots easier than header/radiator removal.Then simply bolt back on if you want it on
rworm

[suzukijo]

i like worm idea of just cutting the head off if the only desire is to remove the stand, not sure if you can get to is with the muffler still on tho.

i took mine off. yes, radiator and pipes had to come off.
then put it back on, with the bolt in the other way.

i would also plug a tire from the outside, if need be, or an umbrella tpye if tools were available to properly install it. (lawyers, what do they know)

cool how we all think different, stupid continents always getting in the way.

[sproggy]

Originally Posted by suzukijo

i like worm idea of just cutting the head off if the only desire is to remove the stand, not sure if you can get to is with the muffler still on tho.

Cutting the bolt head off was the first thing I considered but there's not enough space to get a grinder in - not without risking grinding various other bits of the bike as well! I wonder whether this is the reason Suzuki put the bolt in the way they did - they use a nyloc nut, and if the bolt was the other way around it's possible the heat from the cat would melt the nylon insert because it's so close. There are other ways of locking a nut, though.....

Originally Posted by suzukijo

cool how we all think different, stupid continents always getting in the way.

Sounds as if you guys in the US have to be ready to be more resourceful in the case of a breakdown/puncture - we just sit back and wait for the breakdown service to arrive But we don't have as much emptiness between towns as you do in parts of the US so I guess a recovery service is generally closer to hand for us. Doesn't mean they always turn up quickly, though....

[gunzip]

Surprised you find the bike awkward to lift onto the centerstand sproggy , I find my 1250 bandito to be about the easiest bike to hoist up i have ever owned. The first time i jacked it up on there i pitched the whole bike about 2 foot backwards because i was expecting much more efforrrt than was needed

[rworm]

I used an air grinder with a (ziss????) wheel easy 2 minute job/This was after i had headers off for painting/Center stand back on now/but easily removeable/
I could see how you probably could not get an elec. grinder in there/Loosen nut push bolt back/about 1/2 inch showing/cut that sucka
rworm

[rworm]

Gunzip,
where bout OK are you
Little sahara for me on toadsuck weekend
rworm

[sproggy]

Originally Posted by gunzip

Surprised you find the bike awkward to lift onto the centerstand sproggy , I find my 1250 bandito to be about the easiest bike to hoist up i have ever owned. The first time i jacked it up on there i pitched the whole bike about 2 foot backwards because i was expecting much more efforrrt than was needed

I replied to this a few hours ago - where'd my reply go?

Various BMWs (airheads, oilheads and 4 cylinder modes), Blackbirds, Ducati ST and a couple of Guzzis that I've owned in the past have all been easier to get onto a centre stand than the Bandit seems to be, but it is a while since I had a bike with a centre stand so maybe I'm just getting old.....

IMO the stand is a bit too long (or maybe it's just because my rear tyre is so worn ) but I think the main issue for me with my back problem is that there's nowhere convenient/comfortable to lift with my right hand and a heavy, off-centre lift is something I need to avoid.

Could be you're taller than me (most people are....) which probably helps with the lift.

[sproggy]

Originally Posted by rworm

I used an air grinder with a (ziss????) wheel easy 2 minute job

If I had an air grinder and knew what a ziss wheel was.......

My cutting equipment consists of various hacksaws, tin-snips and an angle-grinder. Oh, and a dead Dremmel. A compressor and air tools are on my 'one day I'll buy....' list. In the mean time it looks as if removal of the headers will be necessary. A job for the weekend.

[gunzip]

Where ya grabbin' it sproggy ? I pull it up by the passenger footpeg bracket.

I can surely identify with the bad back situation , gotta always be aware of how I put stress on mine . I have just started riding again after a 10 year layoff and i can certainly tell i'm older

[gunzip]

Originally Posted by rworm

Gunzip,
where bout OK are you
Little sahara for me on toadsuck weekend
rworm

I am way south of little sahara , right west of Pauls Valley [ like everyone knows where that is right?]

Have fun in the sand

[sproggy]

Originally Posted by gunzip

Where ya grabbin' it sproggy ? I pull it up by the passenger footpeg bracket.

I can surely identify with the bad back situation , gotta always be aware of how I put stress on mine . I have just started riding again after a 10 year layoff and i can certainly tell i'm older

I've been lifting on the frame rail just in front of the passenger foot peg mounts (under the seat) - I'd have to bend my back to lift from the footpeg bracket, I think, and I'm wary about lifting without a straight back.

I had a slipped disk a couple of years ago and since then (and a multitude of different treatments - chiropracty seems to be the only one that's given any lasting benefit, combined with regular Pilates exercises) I've had to be really careful.

[sproggy]

I performed the "centre-standectomy" yesterday - ended up using a junior hacksaw and a good deal of patience to remove the pivot bolt head rather than removing the radiator and headers to pull the bolt out.

The result is a bike that weighs little more than half what it did (OK, so I'm exagerating, but the stand is one heavy piece of iron) and looks better too.

The loss of practicality I can live with.

Biggest improvements I made, though, were raising the seat to its high position (far more natural and comfortable) and putting foam padding between the inner and outer fairings to stop the bl**dy rattle around 2,500rpm. It was driving me nuts!

[Tasi]

I removed the center stand the other day . Half an hour with a hacksaw
blade wrapped in a rag to cut the head of the bolt off from underneath .
That original big exhaust weighs 6 kg the center stand, bolt and springs weigh in at 3 kg . its heavy .
Doing a service at home i just put the center-stand in place ,slide the new
bolt through (no nut or springs ) and lift .When finished onto side-stand
and pull bolt .If going on a 2 week trip simply refit .
Once you have that center stand in your hand you realize its a lot of
weight to lug around if your not using it.
Not for everyone but i like it off.