center stand question.

[baroda]

Hello everyone! It is my first time here. I recently bought two airheads a 1984 R80RT which I plan to restore to stock and a 1984 R100RT which I want to customize and use my creativity with. I am presently working on the R80RT and have a few questions. These are my first airheads, and I am actually more experienced with more modern bikes. I have experience with K-bikes (K100, K1100 and K1200) and other bikes.

1. The first thing I noticed is that when the bike is on the center stand, the wheels are still resting on the ground. None of my other bikes did this (both k bikes and other european and japanese bikes). Is this normal, or do I have the wrong size rear shocks?

2. On a k-bike, before I remove the shock, I put a 2 x 4 or other support to support the wheel. I guess the same goes with the airheads, but there is no space in my case. Anyway, I forgot about this and removed the shocks and the rear subframe (for rust removal). I removed it from the main stand (I did that to remove the headers) and now the bike is stuck and won't move. I am also not able to put it back on the center stand. I am guessing this is because of the shoes in the drums getting stuck. (I put the rear sets back and made sure it was in neutral). Am I right? The bike did roll (I did get it running before starting to disassemble for restoration).

3. My R80RT came with two kick stands! One looks original (more towards the front) and the other one looks aftermarket. Why would someone have two kick stands? I prefer to use the center stand.

I will probably have more questions soon! Thanks!

 

[lee]

Sounds like your bike has a aftermarket ride off stand.

 

[20774]

Welcome to the forum! Pictures would certainly help. But the stand sounds like a Reynolds rideoff stand. Here's an old thread that discusses the Reynolds

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?69987-Reynolds-Stand-Part-Numbers

 

[baroda]

Aha! That would make sense. Yes it does look like the picture in the link you mentioned. I will post pictures later. It is chrome, and not black as I would expect in a stock bike. I don't have a lift at this time, and I think finding a used original stand and replacing would make more sense for servicing the bike. Can this be done with the side stand on? In worst case I can lie down the bike (The fairings, tank, etc are off the bike).

 

[baroda]

Is the wheel getting locked without the rear suspension normal? Is there a way I can put the bike on the center stand? I was thinking of raising the rear wheel with the help of a ramp and then try to put it on the center stand.

 

[20774]

I have a Reynolds stand and do it one of two ways. One is to run the front wheel up on a 2x12 and then put a 2x4 squarely under the stand. Having the front wheel on the board helps with the leverage needed to get the stand onto the 2x4.

The other way is to take a couple of small pieces of 2x4 and pre-position on either side of the bike. From one side, push the bike away from you enough to slide the 2x4 under with your foot. Walk around and repeat on the other side. Works pretty quickly.

 

[Anyname]

People buy aftermarket side stands because the stock ones are nearly impossible to deploy while straddling the bike and they have a nifty self retracting feature that means even a fairly light bump to the bike will let the side stand retract.

 

[manicmechanic]

If the second sidestand has a clamp around the exhaust header,then you have a Brown's stand. I actually prefer it over the stock. You just have to remember to put it down.

 

[BlueWaterCooled]

Is the wheel getting locked without the rear suspension normal? Is there a way I can put the bike on the center stand? I was thinking of raising the rear wheel with the help of a ramp and then try to put it on the center stand.

I am not sure I understand the problem. Could you jack up the bike with a scissors jack or hydraulic jack under the engine pan, putting a couple of jack stands under the cylinders for security. Then you could do what ever you want with the center and side stands.

 

[donbmw]

Regardless of which center stand you have. To get a wheel up higher place a 2x4 under the bike and put the center stand down on the 2x4 and left the bike up on the stand.

 

[lkchris]

On the 80s-on bikes, one that's had a ride-off stand fitted will quite likely have bent centerstand mount tabs.

Most aren't aware of the quaint history of Airheads, where it was factory specified that the bike NOT be taken off the centerstand with the rider sitting on the bike. Stand beside it. Frame designed accordingly. Ride-off stands were wrong in more ways than you might think.

The normal behavior of an Airhead on its centerstand is the bike resting gently on the rear tire. If you remove the rear wheel, it will then pivot to rest on the front tire. A really cool thing, seen on no other bikes I'm aware of.

 

[baroda]

Thank you all, I was able to put the bike on the stand by lifting the frame with more force. I just realized that I need more strength training. I will put a 2 x4 (or a wider board?) next for servicing. I think it will be more difficult to lift, so I will perhaps use the suggestion about using jackstands/scissor jack.

The problem I was trying to understand is this: With the bike on both wheels (no stand) and the subframe/shocks removed, I am not able to roll the bike. I am not sure why. Is this because of the different angle the rear drive gets into, or somehow due to the brakes?

I will check if there is something bent under the bike when I get to the garage.

Thanks!

 

[surfdad1060]

I don't think its a good idea to take the bike off the center stand without the shocks or sub frame, I've never tried but I feel like there is nothing to stop the rear end and wheel from going all the way up to the fender. I might be wrong but thats seems farther than the swing arm should swing. I have a 76 90s, on the center stand which ever wheel you pull it sits on the other just don't pull both at the same time it will fall over. Luggage racks make the rear tire a little tricky to take off. As for the 2 side stands, the brown is much better than the stock stand as has already been pointed out, the reason the stock one is there also, at least on older airheads is you have pull the engine mount and jack the engine up in the frame to get it off. It sounds worse than it is. Hope this helps. If you use a jack I would spread the weight with a 2x4 acroos the frame or pipes, I don't think the oil pan is up to carrying all the weight of the bike.

 

[20774]

If you use a jack I would spread the weight with a 2x4 acroos the frame or pipes, I don't think the oil pan is up to carrying all the weight of the bike.

Doubt the pipes would be good for support. The frame should be stout enough. I wouldn't put jack stands under my cylinders. Maybe for a safety support, but the cylinders weren't really designed to take load that direction. Might not really hurt, but I'd be reluctant to do that.

 

[PAS]

I have enjoyed the Reynolds ride off on my 81 R100RT for the past 100 plus K miles. If I need to raise the bike I simply slide a short piece of 2x4 under the right side while lifting then do the same with the other side using the handle to lift the bike and slide with my foot.

 

[baroda]

I have enjoyed the Reynolds ride off on my 81 R100RT for the past 100 plus K miles. If I need to raise the bike I simply slide a short piece of 2x4 under the right side while lifting then do the same with the other side using the handle to lift the bike and slide with my foot.

Thanks everyone. I am finally starting to understand the difference between the stock and Reynolds center stand. At first I was uncomfortable after finding that the stand was so easy to operate (if it is easy to put it on, must need very little to push the bike out of the stand). My driveway is sloped and with the bike on the reynold stand it starts to slip (never had this issue with any bike). But now I understand that it does rest on three points (two tires and the stand) and overall it has more support. It might be safer with a kid sometimes playing in the garage and climbing my bikes. No doubt the original is much better for servicing. I have decided to keep the reynolds, and use the recommendation of using a piece of wood when it is needed to take the wheel off.

Yes, lesson learnt about not removing the stand with the subframe/shocks removed. The headers were rusted (especially at the crossover/pipe connection), and the only way to remove them (as one piece, two headers with the two crossovers attached) was to remove from under the center stand.

 

[Anyname]

If your bike is parked facing down hill, and you are using the side stand, you should leave it in gear.

 

[20774]

But now I understand that it does rest on three points (two tires and the stand) and overall it has more support.

I tend to think that the Reynolds actually rests on 4 points - two tires and the left and right points of the center stand. (That's certainly the case when parking on concrete or in a garage...less so on dirt as the stand sinks into the ground a bit.) It's more obvious on the stock stand that the rear tire and the two legs of the center stand would make 3 points.

One problem that can come up with the Reynolds when parking in less firm dirt/soil. The stand will sink somewhat, thus redistributing the forces on the tires and the stand. Caution needs to be used in these situations.

 

[BlueWaterCooled]

Doubt the pipes would be good for support. The frame should be stout enough. I wouldn't put jack stands under my cylinders. Maybe for a safety support, but the cylinders weren't really designed to take load that direction. Might not really hurt, but I'd be reluctant to do that.

I suspect it wouldn't hurt anything, but I agree that it is safer not to test supporting the weight of the bike on the cylinders. I have only used jack stands under the cylinders as a safety to limit the bike tipping when it is supported on a jack under the engine.

 

[brownie]

Reynolds experience......

Used a Reynolds ride-off center stand for years on my RS......the contact tips finally wore too flat to provide decent stability....put oem rocker stand back on.....boy do I miss the Reynolds......also....have used a Brown side stand for years.......VERY well made......