For those of you without a center stand...

...what do you use when you need to get the back of the bike up? Looking for something very cost-effective (i.e. CHEAP). Something like what this gentleman is using would be ideal:

http://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.ph ... pic=118334

But I'll take whatever suggestions I can get.

Thanks!

 

how about dig up a centerstand off eBay?

The stand being used in those photos is a very common solution for dirt bikes and track bikes, etc., they ARE available in less high-tech (read less expensive) versions.

 

What I do is jack it up from where the center stand would be, pull the muffler (b/c it gets in the way of the jackstand) and put a jackstand on either side of the frame. You'll need two people probably because you have to balance the bike on one jackstand while you remove the jack to place the other stand in.

-Pseudonym

 

Fitz,

I was under the impression that the '82 didn't come with a stand or mounts for one; am I wrongly informed, or is there a way to install a centerstand on the '82, aftermarket?

 

All three years 550 Seca were the same in that respect. They all came with a centerstand; does your bike maybe have (or had) a 4-1 exhaust that necessitated removing it? If there's clearance, you should be able to dig up a stand. The mounting holes are in your frame. Just be sure it's from a 550, others may appear to fit but probably won't.

 

Yeah, there's a 4-to-1 on it. So that's not stock, either?

Is my dislike for the PO supposed to grow with every new revelation?

 

No. it's not, sorry.

Scroll to the bottom of the first page in this post: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=18044.html

Check out Rice_Burnarr's pic of his completely stock '82 Seca 550. That's what your bike originally looked like.

I'd post pics of my bikes but neither are BONE stock (de-fairinged my '81; resto-fied the '83.)

Both of my Secas have stock exhaust systems though; feel free to look around: http://s437.photobucket.com/albums/qq93/bigfitz52/

 

Huh, interesting. Amazing how little resemblance my bike bears to those, now.

So, in a nutshell, if I want a centerstand on my bike I need to buy one off of eBay (no biggie, they're cheap), but every time I want to use it (which shouldn't be TOO terribly often, right?), I'll need to:

1: Take my exhaust system off
2: Attach the centerstand
3: Do whatever I needed the centerstand to do (chain, sprockets, rear tire, what have you)
4: Take the centerstand off
5: Reinstall my exhaust system

Could be worse, I guess - I could have a Harley. :lol:

 

haha i'd gladly take a 4 into 1 rather then the stock exhaust, even if it meant giving up my center stand. Hey just be glad your bike doesnt have a harley motor swap

 

Oh, I don't really mind the 4-to-1...except for the fact that it makes it all the more difficult to use stock manuals, instructions, and advice to care for and service the bike. Bear in mind, this PO also ditched the fairing, yanked the airbox, and rattlecan painted the tank and remaining plastic a horribly glossy (and drippy) black/gray color.

Ah well. So long as she runs, I won't complain...much. Er, much more.

 

I ditched the stand..dont have the 4-1 but I just lift the rear end and place it on a tool box or whatevers close thats tall enough....motorcycle jacks work well too(when I can use my bro in laws)

 

Uhhh Remove the Ex Mount a cntre stand! are you nutz?? Just buy a jack stand like on the Yama in that photo link?
I bought a pair Front and Back as a set with several adaptors for a Whopping $75 all in frpm a Target type store, no Ebay hassles.. Roll it under the bike swinger, push down and the bike is in the air. Easier even than using a built in Centre stand.

 

i plan on making something like this for one of my other bikes (chain drive and no center stand = FAIL) - i will post pics when (if?) i get around to it.

 

I know it's hard to say with out the center stand right there but, there may be enough clearence.
Most aftermarket systems took the exhaust into consideration, ie not hipro ones.
The PO might just have left it off.

 

Very true. A LOT of aftermarket exhausts are/were marketed as being able to keep your centerstand. You may simply just have to fit one.

 

Psht - all you have to do is remove the muffler etc., put the center stand on and run open headers! Piece of cake! Problem solved! :lol: :wink: :lol:


Seriously though, those not-really-floor-jack's would probably do quite well, and be easier than going through all the headaches & extra work.

 

Personally I think it'd only be right for the PO to come over and hold the end of the bike off the ground for as long as it takes me to work on it, whenever I needed to. What do y'all think? :wink:

Seriously, though, I've got my eye on some of the rocker-lifts on eBay; I also have a friend across-state who has a 550RH - if I can get him to ride over one of these days we can compare frames and exhaust and see if it's feasible to put a centerstand on without mucking up the exhaust.

Storm, I'd love to run loud - but my neighbors probably wouldn't appreciate it when I start the bike up at 4:30 in the morning...:lol:

 

alot of times the reason the center stand wont fit with a 4-1 is due to the foot lever (the part you stand on the pull the bike up on the center stand) hitting the muffler, which is why with the muffler removed, the stand fits. My solution to this on previous bikes was to cut the lever off the center stand, install the center stand, and then grind the angle of the cut end of the foot lever until it fits properly on the opposite side of the center stand, and reweld it. with some careful grinding and spray painting of the center stand after welding, it looks like a factory install, but is still functional. personally i could not go without my center stand. the ease of working on the bike makes it a necessity, especially when you mount your own tires. when i purchased my bike (turbo seca), the previous owner had done a hackjob attempt at welding a factory titanium muffler off of a gsxr 1000 onto an elbow with a flange to bolt to the turbo in place of the factory exhaust. the sound was actually surprisingly good, but it was too big, and required the PO to take a torch to the center stand to make it fit. I found one on ebay for 25 bucks shipped, reinstalled the factory pipes, and installed the center stand. ever since, I will never remove a center stand, it is too damn usefull.

 

Yeah, but who needs neighbors, anyway? ;-)


I feel bad enough when I'm warming the bike up at 5:30, too... my pipes are louder than stock, but not a lot - but at 2500-3000, they're loud enough.