Anybody Else Have Problems Installing Cycle-istic Centerstand

[TLRam1]

Yep, it was the front holes that were my issue.

[TLRam1]

Dobie,

Look at these photos. I don't know if something is amiss here but on the front I will have to grind a good bit off and will be close to the edge of the metal. I grinded off a bit so far and thought I better ask before I continue. I bought this, tried to install on my 94, wouldn't go so now I am trying on the 01.

THe first 2 are the front and the last the rear.

[magnagregcan]

I bought this center stand a couple of years back. Had to install it by myself, and take it off every fall when I garage the bike for winter clean up and modifications. It has to come off if the lift will fit.

The spring could be a bit stronger, and the tolerances for the axle are a bit loose (wobbly), but other than that, it works fine. I have the BIG Metz out back. I had to put a piece of clear tubing on the "pull down" leg to prevent it from hitting the exhausts - is this supposed to happen?

[mainerider]

Dobie,

Look at these photos. I don't know if something is amiss here but on the front I will have to grind a good bit off and will be close to the edge of the metal. I grinded off a bit so far and thought I better ask before I continue. I bought this, tried to install on my 94, wouldn't go so now I am trying on the 01.

THe first 2 are the front and the last the rear.

[Sledge Hammer]

I finally got the centerstand installed today after failing twice earlier this month. It still took over four hours of painstakingly cleaning all the grit off of it and the frame tubes. lashing it up against the bike with cable ties, checking alignment on the holes, pulling it off, filing the most obviously misaligned hole, and repeating the procedure ad nauseum until I could finally get all four bolts started without having excess play in the holes. I figured out that the front two holes were too low and too far forward and the rear holes were too low and too far to the rear.

I just hope this "labor-saving" device pays for itself with easier general servicing. I will probably be replacing the supplied bolts, which are actually no longer than the stock bolts from Honda, which makes me wonder just how much thread engagement is left.

What an infuriating experience.

I plan to spend the remainder of my waking hours today self-medicating.

[Magnum Magna]

I am so glad you got it on.  I really like having it especially if you take long trips and gone for a week or more.
I used the Red lift to lube the chain and it was a pain to lift the bike.
I never used the 4X4 lift but seen it used at Greg's place and it looks stable but I just never trusted it.

[lragan]

I will probably be replacing the supplied bolts, which are actually no longer than the stock bolts from Honda, which makes me wonder just how much thread engagement is left.

Mike, you probably know this already, but with healthy threads, virtually all the load is carried in the first few threads.  As I recall, the first three account for 90+% of the strength (in tension) of the bolt/nut combination.  

Bottom line, if you have like four threads buried, then don't fix stuff that ain't broke.

I use a lift quite often. (I have welded up a balance stand for it.)  It is difficult for my tired bones to get up and down a lot whilst working on the bike or anything else.  If I am going to do much at all, the work of putting the bike up on a lift pays off in spades.  

Thanks to this thread and your post, I am scratching the centerstand off my want list...saving time, money (getting more important every day!) and aggravation (like who needs it?).

[TLRam1]

I finally got the centerstand installed today after failing twice earlier this month. It still took over four hours of painstakingly cleaning all the grit off of it and the frame tubes. lashing it up against the bike with cable ties, checking alignment on the holes, pulling it off, filing the most obviously misaligned hole, and repeating the procedure ad nauseum until I could finally get all four bolts started without having excess play in the holes. I figured out that the front two holes were too low and too far forward and the rear holes were too low and too far to the rear.

I just hope this "labor-saving" device pays for itself with easier general servicing. I will probably be replacing the supplied bolts, which are actually no longer than the stock bolts from Honda, which makes me wonder just how much thread engagement is left.

What an infuriating experience.

I plan to spend the remainder of my waking hours today self-medicating.

Lucky You, now come do mine since you're experienced! I started and like you it's a pain to jack with so it's still sitting in my garage, about a year and a half. One day I will get back at it. 

[Sledge Hammer]

Mike, you probably know this already, but with healthy threads, virtually all the load is carried in the first few threads.  As I recall, the first three account for 90+% of the strength (in tension) of the bolt/nut combination. 

Bottom line, if you have like four threads buried, then don't fix stuff that ain't broke.

In fact, I did not know that, Lawrence. Very good information to have, and thanks for passing it along. 

I use a lift quite often. (I have welded up a balance stand for it.)  It is difficult for my tired bones to get up and down a lot whilst working on the bike or anything else.  If I am going to do much at all, the work of putting the bike up on a lift pays off in spades. 

Thanks to this thread and your post, I am scratching the centerstand off my want list...saving time, money (getting more important every day!) and aggravation (like who needs it?).

If you can do everything on the lift you need to do, I don't think a centerstand would buy you much. I rationalized the centerstand on the basis of the what-ifs that can come up on the road and for the need to be able to keep up with chain maintenance on a trip... if I ever take one that would push the lubrication intervals. (I am a long way from challenging most/any of you guys for the title of King of the Road.) Obviously, some people have had examples that were a lot easier to install, but since Robert and Terry -- among others -- also had problems, your mileage may vary.

Anyway, it's on. Now I need to learn how to use it without knocking the bike over.

Further bulletins as events warrant!

[Sledge Hammer]

Lucky You, now come do mine since you're experienced! I started and like you it's a pain to jack with so it's still sitting in my garage, about a year and a half. One day I will get back at it.

I have to admit the job got a lot easier once I began using my brain for something other than keeping my ears spaced apart from each other.

Since I was working by myself, the biggest frustration was not being able to tell whether I had the holes lined up correctly since I had one hand clamping the stand to the frame and the other trying to keep the footpeg bracket out of the way and couldn't easily adjust the stand fore and aft without its falling away. Then it (finally) dawned on me to get some 14" nylon cable ties from the local home improvement store to use for cinching the stand up against the frame. Once I did that, it was just a matter of making the incremental enlargement to the holes, and I could tell which way and roughly by how much I needed to enlarge each. They are each rather kidney-shaped now. When I was finally able to get all four bolts started, I cut the cable ties, put a good coat of car wax on the frame rails, sprayed some chain wax up and down along the inside length of the angle iron of the centerstand (hoping to avoid having the paint rubbed off the frame and getting rust started) and let it dry until it was tacky, then lashed it back up against the frame with some more cable ties, and was able to manage aligning the right side bracket much more easily without running such a risk of goofing up the threads on the mounting points of the frame.

Next time I'm in Arlington, Terry, I'll send you a PM if I can detach myself from the relatives for a bit, and if you still haven't got the thing on and need a strong back and a weak mind to help out, I'll be happy to lend a knuckle-dragging hand.

[Magnum Magna]

practice with it on a sloped driveway.  It is hard to describe but pushing the centerstand around not down works for me.

Terry we can try to install it next Saturday.

[TLRam1]

Next time I'm in Arlington, Terry, I'll send you a PM if I can detach myself from the relatives for a bit, and if you still haven't got the thing on and need a strong back and a weak mind to help out, I'll be happy to lend a knuckle-dragging hand.

When did you say you're coming?? 

Terry we can try to install it next Saturday.

Yes, maybe we can get it done Robert Saturday. It should make it easier for me to move around in my garage for sure.

[Sledge Hammer]

Next time I'm in Arlington, Terry, I'll send you a PM if I can detach myself from the relatives for a bit, and if you still haven't got the thing on and need a strong back and a weak mind to help out, I'll be happy to lend a knuckle-dragging hand.

When did you say you're coming?? 

Well, that's just it. I don't know when. When we get out there next, it will probably be for a funeral, and although that may not be too far off in the future, we're hoping the guest of honor can hang on indefinitely.

[Magniac]

FWIW guys, I went to the fab/welder and sure enough, found that the jig had somehow got misaligned. We took new measurements and made adjustments, so all units now on hand and future units should be much easier to install. The lifting situation will remain the same, since Honda's sidestand location precludes any mods there. Sorry for the problems you have had with installation, but it should be much easier now.

- Dobie

[Sledge Hammer]

Success! I finally was able to put the bike on the centerstand today, and since this thread is worthless without pictures



I was able to do a little chain cleaning with it on the centerstand and also able to verify that my front brake was releasing properly, since I had had a little concern that the caliper was binding. What was nice was that a 20 lb dumbbell resting on the tail of the seat was enough to bring the front fork off the ground.

Speaking of dumbbells, I dropped my bike for the first time while doing it. Fortunately, I was astride it at the time, so I was able to ease it down onto the engine guard, which suddenly paid for itself several times over.