bikes to own, bikes to lust for, bikes to ride.

[Jud Jones]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Hedrek wrote:

> > > I'm leaning toward no centerstand. Harbor Freight > motorcycle jacks are going on sale on 8/12, so home > maintanence could be OK, but I'm still stumped how you > get a bike up to fix a flat. I guess rope and a tree, > lean it over a fallen tree or embankment. I tend to > ride alone I have to be able to do it by myself. > > I saw something by Motion Pro which I think is a steel > or aluminum pole you stick under the right side > rear/axle somehow to lift that side. >

You can also use a hammer handle, a rock, a log, or whatever you can find at hand. A center stand is usually regarded as a convenience, but on a KLR, it is more trouble than it is worth.

[Analog Aardvark]

You can very easily prop up the back of the bike with the sidestand and a stick of approximately the right length under the right swingarm arm. You can prop up the front, somewhat more awkwardly, by sticking a stick under the front of the (aftermarket) bashplate. If you have a good thick stick, you can wedge it in one of the big holes in the bash plate. Check out http://www.cycoactive.com/mc/trail_tips/stick_jack.html -Luke --- Hedrek wrote:

> > I'm leaning toward no centerstand. Harbor Freight > motorcycle jacks are going on sale on 8/12, so home > maintanence could be OK, but I'm still stumped how > you > get a bike up to fix a flat. I guess rope and a > tree, > lean it over a fallen tree or embankment. I tend to > ride alone I have to be able to do it by myself. > > I saw something by Motion Pro which I think is a > steel > or aluminum pole you stick under the right side > rear/axle somehow to lift that side. > > Hedrek > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam > protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com >

__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

[phaedrus_1973]

Does anyone have any pics of their bike with the KLR650.com center stand with foot kick installed? I would like to see what it looks like on the bike from the right and left sides when the stand is installed. I am familar with the benefits of a center stand but am concerned about ground clearance, gawky look, and if that foot kick looks like a flag pole standing up beside the swingarm. Could it interfere with foot movement? I have an atv lift that I use most of the time but would like something on the bike for mid-trip repair and maintaince. Thanks, Brian in Virginia

[ED]

You know, the Dual Star Center Stand is a nice item for dong maintenance in the sticks or whatever, but really the design simply is not meant to be used that often. Other bikes like the GS or DL650 center stand have a foot step that transfers some of your weight to help the stand roll back and the bike right itself. Without this step to provide rolling action you are litterally lifting the machine up with your arms and legs and what little momentum you might gain by doing it quickly. This is absurd. But I guess in the interest of keeping the thin profile of the bike, they opted not to design in the step. Well this makes the centerstand unusable except in remarkable situations. I've kept the Dual-Star centerstand on my KLR and my wife's DR for travel purposes but often thought to just take them off to save weight. I don't believe you lose that much clearance with the stands but they certainly are heavy. I also have a bike jack, as well as a quickie swingarm jack in the garage that I much prefer to use rather than breaking my ass lifting either bike onto the centerstand just to lube the chains. Ed~

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Viertell" wrote: > > Greetings, > I'm new to the list so this has probably been covered but here goes anyway. > > I've only had the KLR for a week and having chased it all across the yard to oil the chain with the wheel on the ground, I started thinking about a centerstand. I saw that some people use (and there's even one available commercially) an adjustable rod to hold up the rear wheel in conjunction with the kick stand..."BinG" (sound of the light comming on!) > > Last night I went out and got one of my jackstands, stood on the right side of the bike and raised it onto the side stand, slid the jackstang under the swingarm and voila...Wheel's off the ground and got the chain lubed without chasin' the bike all over the yard... > > I guess a centerstand might still be the ticket on a long trip where you might need to lube the chain away from home... > > Steve Viertell, Chico, CA > '01 Concours, "Smurfie" > '01 EX250, "Ninjita" > '01 KLR650 "No Name" > COG 4274 IBA 6049 WA6ZGK > www.viertell.com/bikes/ >

[Thor Lancelot Simon]

On Sat, Nov 25, 2006 at 07:05:20AM -0000, Ed wrote:

> You know, the Dual Star Center Stand is a nice item for dong maintenance > in the sticks or whatever,

Ouch!

[revmaaatin]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ed" wrote:

> > You know, the Dual Star Center Stand is a nice item for dong

maintenance in the sticks or

> whatever, but really the design simply is not meant to be used that

often. Other bikes like

> the GS or DL650 center stand have a foot step that transfers some

of your weight to help

> the stand roll back and the bike right itself. Without this step to

provide rolling action you

> are literally lifting the machine up with your arms and legs and

what little momentum you

> might gain by doing it quickly. This is absurd. But I guess in the

interest of keeping the

> thin profile of the bike, they opted not to design in the step.

Well this makes the

> centerstand unusable except in remarkable situations. > I've kept the Dual-Star centerstand on my KLR and my wife's DR for

travel purposes but

> often thought to just take them off to save weight. I don't believe

you lose that much

> clearance with the stands but they certainly are heavy. I also have

a bike jack, as well as a

> quickie swingarm jack in the garage that I much prefer to use

rather than breaking my ass

> lifting either bike onto the centerstand just to lube the chains. > Ed~ >

Hello Ed and others, The little foot kicker on the centerstand is a very useful item and makes the centerstand far more friendly and useful. Before I had one one mine, list-wisdom suggested that: 1) roll the bike up on an eight to twelve inch long, 2x4 block prior to attempting to lift if by brute force and awkwardness, then 2)lower the centerstand and allow the bike to roll backwards while lifting (at the foot peg works well for me) using the rolling- momentum to help put the bike on the centerstand. 3)It might be a good idea to have some adult supervision when you try this the first time or two (place the adult supervisor on the right side of the bike while you are lifting on the left) so that there are no surprises, like unscheduled horizontal KLR lifting drills. While doing #2, you can let the bike roll off the end of the block or allow it to continue down the length of the block i you are using a longer block Using the 2x4 to lift the first 1 1/2 inch, then it takes very little additional lifting force (less than 1/2 of the previous effort) to get the bike on the centerstand. Remember to use your legs and not your back when wrestling (lifting) 'the pig' onto the centerstand or otherwise. Keeping that 2x4 block near where you park your bike every night, you will find that after a couple of practice times of putting the bike on the centerstand, you can have your bike on the centerstand faster than you can walk to the jack and roll it under the bike. revmaaatin.

[Pat]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Viertell" wrote:

> > Greetings, > I'm new to the list so this has probably been covered but here goes

anyway.

> > I've only had the KLR for a week and having chased it all across the

yard to oil the chain with the wheel on the ground, I started thinking about a centerstand. I saw that some people use (and there's even one available commercially) an adjustable rod to hold up the rear wheel in conjunction with the kick stand..."BinG" (sound of the light comming on!)

> > Last night I went out and got one of my jackstands, stood on the

right side of the bike and raised it onto the side stand, slid the jackstang under the swingarm and voila...Wheel's off the ground and got the chain lubed without chasin' the bike all over the yard...

> > I guess a centerstand might still be the ticket on a long trip where

you might need to lube the chain away from home...

> > Steve Viertell, Chico, CA > '01 Concours, "Smurfie" > '01 EX250, "Ninjita" > '01 KLR650 "No Name" > COG 4274 IBA 6049 WA6ZGK > www.viertell.com/bikes/

= = = Steve - Welcome! Before you pull the trigger for a centerstand, consider where you intend to ride. If it's for longish road trips with occasional forays on gravel, then it might be useful. However, if you intend to venture off pavement into that awesome country so close to you just east of the Sierra's, save your $$ because you'll want all the ground clearence you can get and you'll still end up bashing badly on rocks. The DS design allows impact to be transferred directly to the footpeg bolts instead of bash plate & frame. Check the archives for the many stories of what a PITA it is to finish a ride using the passenger pegs. Happy riding, Pat M Y2K

[Howard Morris]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ed" wrote:

> > You know, the Dual Star Center Stand is a nice item for dong

maintenance in the sticks or

> whatever, but really the design simply is not meant to be used that

often. Other bikes like

> the GS or DL650 center stand have a foot step that transfers some

of your weight to help

> the stand roll back and the bike right itself. Without this step to

provide rolling action you

> are litterally lifting the machine up with your arms and legs and

what little momentum you

> might gain by doing it quickly. This is absurd. But I guess in the

interest of keeping the

> thin profile of the bike, they opted not to design in the step.

Well this makes the

> centerstand unusable except in remarkable situations. > I've kept the Dual-Star centerstand on my KLR and my wife's DR for

travel purposes but

> often thought to just take them off to save weight. I don't believe

you lose that much

> clearance with the stands but they certainly are heavy. I also have

a bike jack, as well as a

> quickie swingarm jack in the garage that I much prefer to use

rather than breaking my ass

> lifting either bike onto the centerstand just to lube the chains. > Ed~ > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Viertell"

wrote:

> > > > Greetings, > > I'm new to the list so this has probably been covered but here

goes anyway.

> > > > I've only had the KLR for a week and having chased it all across

the yard to oil the chain

> with the wheel on the ground, I started thinking about a

centerstand. I saw that some

> people use (and there's even one available commercially) an

adjustable rod to hold up the

> rear wheel in conjunction with the kick stand..."BinG" (sound of

the light comming on!)

> > > > Last night I went out and got one of my jackstands, stood on the

right side of the bike

> and raised it onto the side stand, slid the jackstang under the

swingarm and voila...Wheel's

> off the ground and got the chain lubed without chasin' the bike all

over the yard...

> > > > I guess a centerstand might still be the ticket on a long trip

where you might need to

> lube the chain away from home... > > > > Steve Viertell, Chico, CA > > '01 Concours, "Smurfie" > > '01 EX250, "Ninjita" > > '01 KLR650 "No Name" > > COG 4274 IBA 6049 WA6ZGK > > www.viertell.com/bikes/ > > >I used to just carry a cut down piece of 2x2. Just prop it under the

right side axle nut and then lube away. My 2cts

[notanymoore]

Couldn't agree more about the KLR. Circumstances allow me only one ride. And with certain "roadability" mods, the KLR 650 ain't a bad bike to own or ride, for all the reasons given. Too bad the stock bike requires so much to change. But at least it's easy enough to. I see no attraction in the Versys, it's a standard vertical twin with all the vertical twin ridability issues. My "lust for" bikes are the Vstrom 1000 and Suzuki C50T shaft drive. I'm not into exotics, crotch rockets, boulevard cruisers, "hogs" or "hog wannabes".

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "mikeypep" wrote: > > LIving in a climate I spend most of the winter months reading > magazines, spending most of my time "wanting". Wanting to ride, > wanting to buy, wanting to shine, wanting to wrench. I spend > countless hours figuring how much cash I'll need to satisfy my lust. > I've got 4 bikes but still, I'm not satisfied. Then spring comes and > my whole perspective changes. I thought about it and here's what I > came up with; There are bikes to own, bikes to want and bikes to > ride. > The exotics are the bikes to lust for. Ducati, Aprilia, MV Augusta, > maybe even BMW or Harley. They are all about show and exhileration. > They really dont' make economic sense. Never mind that they spend so > much time in the shop, or they are so fast and noisy, not so > comfortable or the parts are made of "unobtainium". They are also > typically high owner maintenance bikes. > Then there are the bikes to own. These would be the classic Triumphs, > airhead BMW's, maybe an old Harley, you know, bikes that are just > cool to talk about. The ones everybody knows something about. "I've > got a BMW, yeh, an airhead, an R90. R90what? Oh, just a /6". Which is > usually followed by "I used to have one of those and maybe some day--- > " yadayada. > Then there are the bikes to ride. This is the domain of the Japanese > motorcycle. Typically reliable, inexpensive and pretty comfortable. > Usually minimum maintainance, reasonably good handling and so on. > Most of us land here. This is the land of the compromise motorcycle. > Good at many things, best at none. This is also where the KLR rules. > Its the best at nothing, good at everything and are readily > available. The new Versys even picked its name after mediocrity, " > versatile-system". Oh, you thought it stood for veritable sysboombah? > NO, I'm afraid it was contrived as a compromise. Corny, but true. > Now I look at my garage, at my R90,(its a /6) my Connie, my RM125 at > the KLR and think, maybe one bike really is enough. Time to go ride. > Ride often, ride safe. >

[oldrider25]

I'm a traditionalist and scoffed at a friend who put one of those TPI center stands w/ the foot assist on his KLR 650. It barely gets one tire high enough off the ground to spin. I figured, I'll just get some big rocks or stump to change my tires in the field and save the weight/stress on the foot peg bolts. Well, while on the trail this weekend, he got a flat on his front tire. Let's just say I'm sold. It was hot and miserable and the last thing I wanted to do was carry big rocks. No worries, up it goes on the center stand and our only worry was not pinching the new inner tube. So, last night, I ordered a stand. I just got notification from UPS that my center stand is on the way. No more lugging rocks for me! John