Side stand extender.

Just wondering if anyone has ever put a side stand extender on the Silverwing.

Bob was looking at my SW and said how far it leans on the side stand. Especially when I have it packed for a trip. Left for the Black Hills, SD today. Got to Grand Island, NE 620 miles.

If anyone has any input on this subject it would be greatly appreciated. I did do a search on the forum but did not find anything.

Thanks.

I welded a piece of u-channel to the bottom of my side stand, about 5/8 inch tall. Works great but you have to be careful when using the stand on a side hill. I just make sure any side hill I park on that the down hill side is the side stand side.

I found that adding a half inch to the side stand foot thickness is sufficient.
I had a welder make my foot from a solid piece of metal.

Also nice to have a metal plate, something about the size of the lid to a tuna can, but with no sharp edges.

You can put it under the foot of your side stand when you park on soft ground. It will spread the weight out over a larger area.

Dan

Even better is to have a piece of cord attached to the metal plate so that you can retrieve it whilst sitting on the scooter, you will need very long arms without it !!!

It is next to imposable to topple it over I tried fully loaded plus putting my weight on it and could not make it fall over. A 1/8" puck size plate will help from sinking into the pavement.

Thanks guys for the input. I'll have to look into your suggestions.

I do have a kick stand plate with a piece of string attached to a close pin. Bob gave me that when I first got the Swing.

Thanks again. On to Rapid City through the Sand Hills of NE.

Wow Cathy! Looks like you have everything you could possibly put on a S/W I like. Greetings from Santa Barbara CA. The pearl of the West

I have a piece of plywood screwed to the underside of the sidestand's foot. It is about 3/8th inch thick. Makes lifting up the scoot into the upright position much easier. Using a puck sized plate means you always have it with you when needed on soft ground.
I use a piece of old numberplate to sit the sidestand down on - in the UK they are made of plastic, mine is part of a rear plate so yellow in colour.
Cheers,

The last time I went to a race meeting we had to park on the grass and they gave us all a nice bike shaped plastic pad for the side stand. I really must find it !!

The side stand lean has always worried me - it always looks as if it's going to fall over! I asked the mechanic, when I had it serviced, if the stand could be replaced by a slightly longer one. But he assured me that under normal circumstances it will never fall over. But I still have my reservations!!

Laurie

You must have come close to my "Neck of the Woods," Scottsbluff, Nebraska on your way to the Black Hills of South Dakota, unless you went north out of Grand Island, Nebraska and up. Would have been nice to have met you and maybe rode with you. How many of you were there and were you all on Silverwings?
Old Dave in Western Nebraska

What happened to use of center stand-----loads high and heavy, even with extended or block under sidestand can make front wheel come off ground using side stand.

I have stand-pads, one of which I have on a long piece of string so I can get on the bike and don't have to bend down to retrieve it.

bikerboy wrote:

Even better is to have a piece of cord attached to the metal plate so that you can retrieve it whilst sitting on the scooter, you will need very long arms without it !!!

What an excellent idea!

Why didn't I think of that!!!!!

bikerboy wrote:

Even better is to have a piece of cord attached to the metal plate so that you can retrieve it whilst sitting on the scooter, you will need very long arms without it !!!

I used to use a piece of alloy checker plate attatched to a length of stainless steel chain, now I just use the free plastic pucks that were give aways in bike mags. Unless I'm parked on soft ground where the main stand would dig in, I only use the side stand for getting on and off the scooter.

Tamjay,
I know what you mean. It does lean over far especially when you are on a slope. My bike has fallen over twice fully loaded. Once when I was getting on it my leg got caught swinging it over the seat. Fell and hurt my wrist and ribs. Once in a Wendy's parking lot the asfalt gave way. That was my fault sould of had my side stand disc down.

DaveR,

Just Bob (on his BMW) and me. We just got to Rapid City. We will be here till Friday morning. We came up NE 2 north of Grand Island to US 385 to SD 79 to Rapid City. About 440 miles. Great day for riding. DennisB was going to join us but it has been to hot down by him.

We were going to camp but changed our minds and are moteling it.

Dave, I just looked up where your at. we went through Alliance just east of you. I would of liked to of met you too. Do you ever come up to Rapid City are?
John Grinsel,

When I have the saddle bags on the bike and my camping seat bag it is difficult to raise the the bike on the center stand with out help from Bob. I can't get good grip on the passenger handles.

I still think it leans over a bit much on the side stand. You should be able to leave it on the side stand for normal everyday use for quick errands and such without it wondering if it will fall over.

Thanks again everybody.

First centerstands are a blessing----for maint., loading bike up before trip or simply getting stuff on/in scooter at the store.

Proper "get up technique" seldom taught by MSF.

Idea is not to use or waste a lot of power----left hand on handlebar, right (gloved helps) hand on passenger grab handle, roll bike a little forward then back...at same time step on stand arm (right foot works for me) and up she goes. Why waste power when a little motion will do the trick? works for heavy bikes, too.

John,

I can get the bike up on the center stand just fine when I can grab the passenger grab bar. But after it is loaded for a trip it is hard to grab the bar with all the luggage attached and hard to find and step on the stand arm.

The bike stills leans over a bit far on the side stand IMO.

I hope your bike has the recommended IRC or Bridgestone tires in the correct size mounted.

Over size tires besides maybe screwing handling up, make the sidestand lean more and hard to get up on centerstand.

I have metzler feel frees on. Which I like better than the hoops.

Off to Mt. Rushmore.

It is a good practice to use Parking brake to prevent rolling forward with side stan.

Thanks Tinman. I did that today. I will keep that in mind when the surface is less than perfect (flat and concrete).

Cathy, Sorry to have missed you. Yes I do get to Rapid City on occasion go to Hot Springs V.A.....by the way, be sure you "always" set the park brake when using the side stand.
Old Dave

There's no problem in remembering to set the parking brake. The problem is remembering to 'unset' it before moving off ! I suppose that I'll get the hang of it eventually !!!

Your very welcome Cathy N. As far the parking brake the trik is to releas it gently ,very gently,or it will keep locking.

If you have to rely on the side stand all the time because you can't or won't use the main or centre stand, isn't that an indication that the Silver Wing is too heavy for you.

I could lift my 650 onto it's main stand even with full touring gear of tunnel bag, soft panniers, and top box, and I can do the same now with the Silver Wing. It's more about the lifting technique than physical strength, but I realise as I get older pushing a big maxi scooter up the slightest incline or pulling it away from the kerb is hard work and is not going to get any easier as I grow older.

Agree with above---technique is the whole deal, women lack upper body strength and so prime is technique on stands.

Agree on getting older---me, 73, stroke, DAV, but still is good shape, ride everyday----pushing heavy stuff around not fun as you move along. Picked a Harley off an idiot last weekend---trailer biker/pony tail full halloween custome/loud pipes-----He put front brake on, in muddy field and wondered why he went down------ point here, boy, that bike was heavy to get up----and to think I once used them on duty.

Boy's your Superman days are over. :lol!:

Well, I don't have a centerstand (Shadows don't have them, it sucks), I picked up a small piece of wood from a craft store and used a Dremel to carve out a spot for the side stand foot, (I've felt the SWs foot IS a bit small) and carry that in my sidebag. Always remember to use the parking brake on the SW to keep her from rolling off, even on flat smooth areas (prevents it from being bumped over by some yahoo)