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Electric center stand

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6.9K views 21 replies 20 participants last post by  FIRE UP  
#1 ·
I'm on the short side of 5'6" and really don't like putting my 2018 DCT Tour on the centerstand. Does anybody make and electrically actuated centerstand? Thanks
 
#6 ·
I would be interested in one of these. I think they are cool. A few years ago a riding buddy of mine had a BMW and he would pull into a parking space, push a button and PRESTO the bike would be up on the stand. I think this would be particularly useful if pulling the trailer. Almost impossible to put on the center stand with trailer attached.
 
#19 ·
I tested a BMW in 2004 or 2005 that had this and was it amazing. With my wife and I on the bike it would go up and down with ease. I would love it if Honda did that 20 years later!
John
 
#8 ·
You do not need an electric center stand to lift bike easier on the center stand. Does not matter how long or short you are, the bike is heavy and needs a lot of weight to be lifted.
I have done this on all my 3 wings. Center stand modifying and the bike is easy to lift .
All you have to do is to take the stand off and do this... If you can not do it yourself, take it to any metal workshop and they can do it for you. All jobs takes no more than 30 minutes.
On the bottom part on stand there is a pipe which connects the left and right hand vertical pipes. Cut the pipes on bottom of the cross pipe and you have two small legs pipe pieces. Cut them 15 to 20 mm leaving the bottom sliders on. Then weld back the bottom parts where you cut them out from. Put the stand back and you can see the rear wheel touching the ground.
Now you need less than halve pressure to put the bike on stand. But do not forget to make a small piece of timber to put under the stand in case you need to take rear wheel. Then you can ride of with bike on stand and you can lift up using reverse gear. Look complicated but it is actually very simple. All you need to do is to shorter the center stand.
Much easier than extending yourself.....
 
#9 ·
I bought a ride off centerstand. Works great. You can use reverse to put it up on the stand of get off and do it manually. It is very easy to do manually. As someone else said you will need a block of wood under the stand if you want to lift the rear wheel off the ground. Good luck.
 
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#11 ·
That's a really good idea, I'm going to try it right now. I probably I'll still get the Baker to get me through this riding season, but I'm planning on doing a Traxxion suspension upgrade this winter and while I have her stripped down I'll see if an electric stand can be incorporated into it. Thanks
 
#12 ·
You and I are approximately the same height. Although difficult for me at first, I found that using the proper technique (for me) solved my difficulty in initially placing the bike on the centerstand. Bike on level surface; front wheel straight; stand close to bike and drop stand until it touches ground while grasping left side passenger handrail; straighten right leg and bike rises and stand deploys. I found (for me) that if the ground wasn't level and especially if the front wheel was not straight...performing this action would be a chore...if not impossible for me.

Regardless, I hope that you find a solution that works for you!
 
#13 ·
I used a piece of 5/4 board to try that technique and it worked flawlessly. BTW, when I tore my calf muscle up last fall I used zero technique, was in a hurry and took a shortcut so I was my own worse enemy. Now, thanks to all the feedback I can 'fix stupid' so I'm going to take a closer look at designing/adapting and electric stand when I do the suspension upgrade this winter, I really like the idea of it if for nothing else it's really cool. Thanks Team Goldwing.
 
#17 ·
My K1200LT had an electric stand. Yeah, I loved that gimmick. Worked like a charm. I was genuinely surprised that my 2008 bike had it stock and it wasn't even an aftermarket option for my '21 wing.

That said, the only time it is an issue is if I'm messing around with the bike in the garage and I'm not wearing shoes. Attempting to put the fat girl up on the center stand barefoot - uhh, I do not recommend.
 
#20 ·
LOL, an old thread has come to life again.
Image
 
#21 ·
Woodman10; I feel your pain.
I've struggled with getting both my 2002 and now my 2018 on the centerstand. Yeah, everyone says anyone can do it if you know how...my friends have shown me a dozen times...guess I'm just too old/slow to learn. SO, first thing I put on my 2018 was a ride-off stand. Couldn't believe how easy that's made putting the bike on the centerstand. Not a little difference, It's like night & day different! Highly recommend it to anyone.
 
#22 ·
Woodman10; I feel your pain.
I've struggled with getting both my 2002 and now my 2018 on the centerstand. Yeah, everyone says anyone can do it if you know how...my friends have shown me a dozen times...guess I'm just too old/slow to learn. SO, first thing I put on my 2018 was a ride-off stand. Couldn't believe how easy that's made putting the bike on the centerstand. Not a little difference, It's like night & day different! Highly recommend it to anyone.
Woodman10,
"....I guess I'm just too old/slow to learn...." Well Sir, there's other factors at play here other than the brain. I don't know your size and or strength(s) and THOSE make a HUGE difference in raising a battleship up on the center stand. I'm 72 years old, 6' 2 1/2" and presently at er, ah, dare I say, 245+ lbs. Due to age alone, I've lost a fair amount of the arm, leg and back strength I used to have when I was a pup a few thousand years ago. But, BUT, I still have enough girth and your basic elephant physique, that raising both my older '08 Level II Wing and our present '18 Tour DCT Airbag up on the center stand is fairly easy.

Many of us can describe here on the forum, just how to do it but, actually seeing how it's done is waaaaaay more effective in conveying technique. Smaller, shorter and lighter riders most certainly are at a disadvantage when it comes time to crane the big girl up on the center stand, no doubt about it. But us gargantuans, DEFINITELY have the advantage. I'll give you my short instructions on what works for me and you can do with it what you please. It's pretty simple.

1. With the bike already on the side stand, stand next to the left side in fairly close proximity to it but not touching any part of the bike with your body.

2. Put your right foot on the lever that's part of the center stand, your left hand on the left handle bar, and your right hand is grabbing the passenger left side grab handle with your palm facing OUT.

3. Using your right foot, lower that center stand 'till it touches earth and, rock the bike easily away from you and back to you, insuring the center stand feet are BOTH in contact with earth and you're holding it in this position.

4. Now, in one fell swoop, literally STAND on that lever that's part of the center stand, all the while pulling on the left handle bar AND, using your RIGHT leg muscles, PUSH on that lever THAT YOU'RE STANDING ON, and your right hand is attached to the passenger grab handle and is PULLING UP ON IT. Basically, you're trying to lengthen the distance between the lever on the center stand and the passenger grab handle. It works EVERY time.

All these legs, hands, muscles, AND your weight, are all working together for a period of about 1-3 seconds total, to raise that U.S.S, Enterprise up on its center stand. Oh and by the way, it's always better if the handlebars are pointed so the front wheel is as straight ahead as possible. If your bars are even slightly turned, the bike is actually trying to TURN as it's on its way up and that's NOT GOOD because it puts additional strain on the lifting effort.

Again, the size and weight of a rider surely makes a BIG difference in putting a larger touring motorcycle on its center stand.
Scott