Query about Reynolds Ride OFF stands

Hey all,
I have two BMW airheads; a 78 R100RS and a 84 R80RT. Both of the bikes have Reynolds ride off stands installed. According to the numbers stamped on the stands, they are the correct stand for each bike.

So, on the R80RT, the stand works like a charm, in fact, it was because of this I installed a RRS on my 78RS. Love it!

Not so much in love with the RS stand. I have no problem getting the bike up on the stand however, getting it off or riding off can be a pain. For example, I put the RS on my lift to work on it and getting onto the stand on the lift is not a problem. My problem arises when I unclamp the front wheel and attempt to roll the bike off of the center stand so I can wheel it off the lift. The SOB Reynolds stand does not want to retract! Of course with the short low bars of the RS, it is a handful for me to get it on and off the stand to begin with. The stubborn center stand makes it very frustrating.

Anybody else with Reynolds Ride Off stands have the same problem? Could there be a problem with the stand I cannot see or with the springs? Everything is installed as it should be and the mounting holes are round not elongated or weird.

Cheers, St.

I have a Reynolds on my /7. Duane has a copy of the flyer for the applications...I believe the flyer is only up to 1983 but likely it cover's your 1984.

http://www.w6rec.com/duane/bmw/reynolds/reynolds12.jpg

There is a note that a different stand is needed for the 1000cc models if the bike is equipped with the Nivomat shocks.

That said, when I roll mine off the stand, I firmly grab the handle on the left side of the frame and lean very heavily forward and pull the handle. I don't use the handlebars at all other than as a place to put my hand and be ready to stabilize the bike when it comes off the stand. It does take some pulling, though. And I also put the toe of my right foot just in front of the left extension of the stand just to keep it from sliding and to help it stay down and eventually fold up once it goes past center.

Hey Kurt

Hey Kurt, thanks for the reply.

I can't wrap my head around the difficulty on getting the RS of the stand. I have no problem whatsoever with the RT.

I also put my foot in front of the stand in order to retract it. I just have a nearly impossible time getting the stand to retract while it is on my lift and a moderately difficult time on my garage floor.

I don't see much action on this thread so perhaps it would be best to kill it.

I will double check the hardware and mounting of the stand, could be something I have missed when it was installed or something has worn out I am missing. St.

Steven -

Not sure if you're trying to lift the bike. I don't but try and drag the bike forward. Obviously, if the distance between the foot and the pivot point is different, that's a different lever amount. Maybe make some comparable measurements of both bikes, including height of lower frame rail above the floor. See if there isn't some geometry issues.

Not need to kill the thread. You never know if someone will wander by and offer some input. Or maybe a lurker could benefit in some way. The Reynolds was not widely used, so the pool of owners who has one might be a little small.

If we lived closer, I'd be over in a heart beat to experience the issue!

Thanks Kurt

Hey Kurt, next time I am out in the garage I will have to do some measurements.

Crazy how one stand works so well and the other does not. Most of the time it is not a big pain only when I have it on the lift. Then, I can't get it to retract. Too slippery on the metal lift or something. LOL. St.

Problem found

So, upon getting the bike up on the lift where I can see it, I have found the mounting system for the stand is messed up. Not sure exactly how as I have not taken it apart yet. Looks like the holes in the stand are too big from the bushings. So, I may go back to the original center stand. St.

Thanks for the follow up. Getting those eyeballs down at that level sure helps. I don't have a lift so that task would be harder to do for me.

Nice thing

Nice thing it is an airhead, easy to work on. St.

Mounts on frame for centerstand are weaker on ‘81-‘84 models. Ride off will probably tweak them.

Buyer beware

So, one of my thoughts with this ride off stand problem is I bought the stand used from Ebay long time ago. Looked pretty in the pictures, even had the Reynolds sticker still on it. I can't remember if the stand number was stamped on it or not. It even came with the hardware.

So, three thoughts now in the buyer beware scenario. One, the mounting holes are worn out. Two, the hardware is somehow wrong or incomplete in some way. Three, if there is no number stamped on the stand, I may have gotten the incorrect stand despite what the seller told me.

The bike is not an 81 to 84, it is a 78. I have a Reynolds ride off on my 84 RT and it was because of it working so well and the stability of the stand, (I have never had the bike fall over, get knocked over, off the side stand or center stand since installing the ride off) that led me to install it on the RS.

I found on the internet instructions for mounting the stand in Duane Asherman's web site. I have also found another stand with hardware for a reasonable cost.

I am really hoping the frame is not bent as it looks like I will most likely have to get the engine out of the way in order to bend the tabs back. Ugh, I really don't want to do it but if so, that bear will be crossed. Cheers, St.

My '78 got the R320 Reynolds stand...I suspect that your same year bike should have the same one. I don't have a picture of the stand prior to installation. But I did take a picture of the mounting hardware as shown in this picture. The grids are 1/4-inch squares.

Hi Kurt

Hi Kurt, The hardware you have in your picture looks like what I have on the bike. Thanks for posting it.

Unfortunately, I can't see a number stamped on the stand, my luck it is on the back side facing the oil pan, LOL.

The stand I just bought, is a 320 stand and according to Reynolds data, it is the correct one for the 78RS.

Until I get off my butt and get it up on a lift where I can work on it, I am still in limbo. There is a good chance the frame tabs are bent, I am praying they are not.

I would love to have bought a new stand from the get go but alas like so many airhead ventures, the company is gone. At least then, I would know I had correct stand, and parts.

Too busy riding to work on it now. cheery bye, st.

The number should be on the left vertical leg, on the small extension above the bolt head on the left side. You should be able to easily see if when the stand is in use and visible looking around the frame and/or exhaust header. Just checked mine...ooops...I need some lubrication in there!

Mystery or bad eyes

Hey Kurt, I looked the other day and did not see the stamped number, perhaps I need to spray some degreaser in there and put on my reading glasses. LOL.

My pretty RS is shedding the sins hidden by her pretty face. As such, I am riding it more and working on her less. Since I cannot get the bloody thing off of the center stand when I have it on my lift, I will have to take it to my friend's shop. His lift is recessed into the floor, he can get more leverage and has less chance of dropping it. This bad habit of the RS is why I started this thread. My RT's stand works like silk, the way it should, not this SOB. Not sure if it is a sin of my beauty or a sin of buyer beware due to the stand. Thank God the side stand works well. Cheers, St.

74 r90s

My 74 R90S had a Reynolds stand installed combined with a Brown side stand. With that combo the Brown hits the foot of the Reynolds. So you have to untangle them every time you use the side stand.
I never drove off the Reynolds but agree it was a bear to push it off. Luckily, I had all the stock parts so I re-installed the stock center stand. My feeling is that it is an improvement in stability compared to stock, the downside being tougher to get going.

A package arrived

The postman left me a package of another ride off stand and hardware to fit the 78RS. I am interested in how if at all swapping the stands changes things. Perhaps a comparison of the stand I have on now versus another one will show something causing my problem.

The ride off stand on my 84 R80RT is a gem, works like silk, I have never had the bike fall over since it was installed. I expected the same for the RS. I really do not want to go back to the stock stand.

Fingers crossed, the story is not over yet. St.

Buyer beware or?

So, I got my newest ride off stand from Ebay. Turns out, it won't work on my bike as I have a deep oil pan.

With the bike on the lift and the problem stand off, it was noticed the mounting tabs on the frame were bent.

Now the tabs could have been bent in 2000 when I was hit by a car on the left side of the bike. The bike sat in tubs until 2015 when it was taken to my friend's shop for reassembly. After the accident, I had taken everything off the frame and had it checked by a frame guy to make sure it was not bent. The front forks had been twisted and I was afraid the steering head might have been bent out of alignment. I NEVER gave a thought to the center stand being hit and twisted in the impact so, I never inspected the mounting tabs on the frame. While the bike was being assembled, I installed a used ride off stand that looks good. The problems started soon after. No telling how much more I messed things up dragging it off of my lift a couple of times because I couldn't get it to retract.

So, where do I stand with my stand? I have bent the tabs back into proper position making a vast improvement. I am Leary about the holes in the stand. There is a bit more slop than I would like to see and more than the second stand I now have that won't fit. My friend says not to worry he has seen worse.

It is working much better and time will tell if I don't tweak some more on it. That however will have to wait until winter. Cheers St

Just curious, what are the major dimensions of the stand you recently bought as compared to the one that was on the bike? Also have you seen/documented the Reynolds part numbers for the two stands. It appears from the Reynolds brochure that they don't address or caution about a deep oil pan. Not sure if deep pans were a big consideration in the early 1980s.

Newest versus older

Hey Kurt, The two stands are identical in over all dimensions. The only difference is there is a bar welded about midway down from the mounting holes on the current stand I am using. This one fits with the deep oil pan. It was supposed to be a 320 which according to Reynolds material is correct for my bike. As you say, I have not seen any mention of a stand specifically made for /7 our pre 81 RS bikes with deep oil pans listed. In fact, I haven't seen any mention of deep oil pans at all.

The stand I just got from Ebay is supposed to be a 320 unit as well. On this stand the cross brace is further up the stand which hits the oil pan. it is chrome and in good shape with hints of the factory sticker still on it.

The stand I am using now which clears the oil pan is also pretty and has a factory sticker on it. It does not show any signs of having the cross brace cut out filled in moved down, welded, and re powder coated or painted.

Alas, neither of the stands have a number stamped on them. So, for all I know, neither one is the correct one for the bike. Buying off of Ebay is always buyer beware. Not saying someone conned me on purpose.

The stand is much better now the tabs are straight. It will take me a few times of using it to tell if more is needed to be done to it. The smoothness and ease of use on my R80RT is the goal I am trying to attain.

I may have a friend who has one on his 79 RT, and I can compare the two. I mean, the stand on the R80RT is different than the 78. St.

On my 320 stand, which is chromed not powder coated, the inside distance between the upper cross piece and the horizontal foot is around 4.25 inches. I have the stock oil pan. There seems like quite a bit of room for a deeper pan, but I guess there are different kinds of pans with bigger dimensions.