Center Stand Problem

[llewellync]

I've had this 1979 R65 for 2 years now. Quick history, the frame is from an R65 but has a rebuilt R100/7 engine. So far, I've ridden the bike for 6400 miles in the last 2 years. I started the bike to warm it up before going out for a ride today. I always use the center stand when parking the bike. As I pushed the bike forward, the center stand would not go up. It's just dragging on the floor. There is a spring on the right side and none on the left. I never really attention to the center stand before so I don't remember if there was one on the left side, to begin with. I posted a BEFORE pic. It's too hard to tell. I'm currently using tie-ups to keep the center stand up.

Has anybody encountered this situation before? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[fmdualexhaust]

Yes, there should be 2 springs.
I always carried a spare.

 

[Omega Man]

This thread from a Tag Cloud search may help you-

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthrea...uestion-Center-stand-return-spring-and-sheath

Good luck.

OM

 

[20774]

The R65 has two springs but a slightly different arrangement. There are two #17 and 18s as seen in this picture:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=0363-USA-03-1979-248-BMW-R65&diagId=46_0072

 

[dduelin]

BMWs of this era had really crappy center stands. A spring may have fallen off but the countersunk bolts (#7) and nuts (#8) and bushes (#20 & 22) that the stand pivots on have a bad habit of coming loose and one side or the other comes loose and the spring falls off or the stand jams cattywhompas. You have to get under there and check it all out.

 

[robsryder]

I had one of the center stand springs break on my 77 R100RS. I'd gone to a gas station about a mile from my house when the spring broke.

The center stand was dragging along to road for a while until I figured out the source of the odd noise. Fortunately I had a few zip
ties in the tool storage area and could effect a field expedient repair until I got home.

A new spring and a few dabs of black paint and back to working as desired.

 

[20774]

I'd not heard that the '79 center stands had issues, but the '81-82 center stands were poor designs, forcing BMW to issue upgrade kits. Those upgrades were included in next models.

 

[stevenrankin]

65

I won't write with certain knowledge of this particular center stand, only my experience with a big brother bike my 78RS. I was having problems with my center stand that turned out to be bent mounts on the frame issues. Somehow over the years I had cocked the center stand in the frame. LOL, at least repairing it didn't requires pulling the frame and any kind of welding or such. Just a bit of bending things gently back into place. After that, I made sure I was setting the bike up onto the stand straight. Then I got rid of the stock stand and installed the much better Reynolds ride off.

The 82 and newer bikes like my 84 RT changed the mounting so the issue is not a problem. I am NOT certain how the stand is mounted on your R65, but you need two springs and things to be straight for it to work properly. Good luck, St.

 

[k1200lt00]

When was the last time the center stand pivots were lube. A little lube does wonders.

 

[lkchris]

Believe it or not, BMW specified the following procedure for getting an Airhead off centerstand: stand next to the bike and push it off.

The meaning is, the frame tabs aren't really designed for you to be on the bike when you push it off the centerstand. They certainly aren't designed for fitting ride off stands.

If the old days it was always my mantra at a BMW rally ... never park next to an Airhead on its centerstand. It may be perfectly maintained in perfect condition, but the bike can easily fall over. There may be wind. It may rain.

Bottom line: don't be obsessed with your centerstand. Use it maybe 5% of the time, less being better. It's for maintenance only. (Yes, I consider an empty fuel tank a maintenance requirement at the filling station.)

 

[20774]

Bottom line: don't be obsessed with your centerstand. Use it maybe 5% of the time, less being better. It's for maintenance only. (Yes, I consider an empty fuel tank a maintenance requirement at the filling station.)

My position is completely the opposite. I only use the side stand taking the bike out/in the garage where it sits on the center stand...it's a ride off but I've never ridden off of it. Side stand at gas stations. I stand beside the bike to gently put the bike on the center stand...same taking it off.

As they say, YMMV!

 

[stevenrankin]

Ride off

Since I installed ride off stands on both of my bikes a long time ago, I have never had one fall over off the center stand. This has been in spots of soft dirt, grass, soft pavement places the stock center stand would dig into all kinds of uneven surfaces, not even a close call.

I never put a bike on any center stand while still on the bike, I always get off and lift and pull it up with the handle and handlebars. I have never seen anyone put a bike onto a center stand while still seated on the bike, either a stock stand or a ride off.

The ride off stand makes it a whole lot easier to get the bike on the stand and of course then I can ride off the stand. LOL, hence the name "ride off" stand.

The ride off stands were made to be more stable as well as to allow easier on and off, so why would they add more strain to the frame than the stock stand?

I won't have a stock center stand on any of my airheads if I can find a ride off stand to replace it with, they are far better designed and work so much better. Sadly they are not made anymore and the supply of used ones is dried up.

As for twisting the frame lugs with a stock stand, my RS bike had this happen, I sum it up to a case of previous owner's disease. Once the lugs were straightened and the ride off stand was installed things worked great. 39 years on my one owner bike and 28 years in my RS. St.

 

[ebeeby]

Interesting. First thing I did to an R90S when it got here was replace the ride off stand with OEM.

 

[stevenrankin]

Minus

The negative thing and the ONLY one I can say I have about the ride off stand is that I have to put the bike on the stand onto a piece of wood or some kind of extension to check the air in the tires. Actually, I just take the bike off the stand and roll it back and forth a bit to get things lined up.

As for repairing a rear tire with the stock center stand, I have only had the pleasure of doing it once and it was just as big a pain in the butt as it is with the ride off stand. Now if I am on the side of the road and alone, I will just put the bike onto the right cylinder or guard and pull the wheel out sideways. Or if I have help, like my wife, she pulls the wheel out while I lean the bike over onto its side. This clears fender and the luggage racks.

LOL, luckily. I have not had to repair a flat in a long time and may jinx myself by even bringing it up.

The stock stand has no positive attributes I see worth keeping one installed for.

Anyway, this was a discussion on a problem the original fellow posted, I see he has gotten some advice as to what to look for to solve his problem and I hope he forgives me for launching a pro ride off tirade, LOL. St.

 

[llewellync]

Believe it or not, BMW specified the following procedure for getting an Airhead off centerstand: stand next to the bike and push it off.

The meaning is, the frame tabs aren't really designed for you to be on the bike when you push it off the centerstand. They certainly aren't designed for fitting ride off stands.

If the old days it was always my mantra at a BMW rally ... never park next to an Airhead on its centerstand. It may be perfectly maintained in perfect condition, but the bike can easily fall over. There may be wind. It may rain.

Bottom line: don't be obsessed with your centerstand. Use it maybe 5% of the time, less being better. It's for maintenance only. (Yes, I consider an empty fuel tank a maintenance requirement at the filling station.)

I probably contributed to my center stnd problem. Two things: 1) I sit on the bike when I push it off the centerstand when I start my ride. 2) When I finished riding, I put the bike on the center stand, then I turn the bike around 180 degrees by using the center stand as a fulcrum. I'm now paying for mistreating my airhead. Shame on me.

 

[stevenrankin]

Oh well

I have seen an old BMW guy swivel his bike around on the center stand, as well as a lot of things I questioned. LOL, the thing is, you know what the problem is now and how to fix it. At least I think with your bike bending things back into shape should not be a problem if it is the same frame set up as my RS was.

 

[20975]

A bit off topic but when using my Reynolds stand the springs attach on the frame cross member below the battery. How do you stop these digging in and marring the paint? My springs have pieces that lock into this frame piece and in doing so they dig in. I just powdered coated the frame and dont want to mark it up.
Thanks,
John

 

[pauls1150]

Just an idea - slip some heat-shrink sleeving over the ends....?

 

[stevenrankin]

84

When I get a chance, I will try to get some pictures of the set up of the ride off on my 84 R80RT, alas, I no longer have the 78 R100RS, it is at a friend's shop being parted out as totaled.

Don't know if it will help but might give ideas. St.