Shortening the kick stand

I just took delivery yesterday of my immaculate 2005 VFR. It has a lowering link on it (which I need) the problem I have is the kick stand really needs to be shortened as the bike stands up nearly vertical. Has anyone had to do this before? or is there an aftermarket shorter kick stand available.

The stock part looks like it is cast iron rather than steel, that could pose a problem welding it back together after cutting it down to size.

 

Need to find a REALLY good old school welder. I had one shortened and when I went to pick it up the guy had also welded a 2 x 5/16 in. small piece of angle in where the joint was on the back side. Couldn't see it unless you were looking for it.

 

I have the same issue with my lowered 06, my service guy said it's possible to just heat the stand enough to bend it so it doesn't stand as upright. I ran this idea by a couple of buddies of mine and they thought it was good enough.

 

Did you go ahead with the modification? I'm a Mechanical Engineer and cast iron is not the greatest material to be heat treating and bending but it sounds like a relatively simple fix

 

Haven't done it yet, and now that I have a reason not to, I might not. The main reason I was considering it was simply because no one had given me a reason not to...

 

I tried heating and bending an extra kickstand but there are strengthening ribs on the outside edge that make it pretty tough to get much angle. I cut a wedge out of my lowered vf750f kickstand bent it out a bit and tig welded it with steel filler rod no problem.

 

Cast iron? I think the kickstands are made of steel from beercans.

 

I'd recommend getting better at using the center stand. After a few tries you will learn tricks to getting it on the stand better. Makes me feel safer leaving the bike on 2 posts rather than 1.

P.S. Heating the kick-stand sounds logical to me, but I'm not an engineer and did not stay at some hotel last night.

 

I have done dozens of side stands and even a center stand when I was into the Vmax.
You may have heard of them....
If you want it done so it still looks stock, *I can do that.*
Trouble is with a lowered bike, you will be heaving the mass onto the centerstand as well.

 

I use my pinky finger to lift my bike onto it's center stand.:flex::flip:


But, HEY, not everyone is a jolly green giant like myself.:bootyshake2::biggrin::unsure:

 

sawzall and done

 

.......and here I am wanting to make my kickstand longer because my bike sits over too far.

It might be because I'm +50mm or so on the rear ride height, but I'm not really sure....

 

Lowering would alter the geometry if the bike were equipped with a centerstand. All VFRs are not equipped with centerstands. There are situation where a centerstand is not the best choice as just one example: Angled nose in or nose out parking near curbs where road engineering is such that it provides for quick water runoff.

Seems to me that if a sidestand were shortened by sectioning, a short length of mild steel tubing could be used to reinforce the sectioned joint.

Most of the time when a VFR pitches over on one side or another on asphalt or concrete, it gonna be about a grand to fix it unless one is handy and can DIY. Ding the tank and the price goes up.

 

nice man i couldn't imagine lowering a bike for any reason unless it's a drag bike or your vertically challenged. me, i'm 6'4 so no reason.

 

Me too, my centerstand is completely useless. Make two if you make one up.. :biggrin:

 

The bike I was referring to is my SuperHawk, my older VF's don't have center stands because I pull them off.

 

I was referring to my '99 VFR, which uses the same sidestand bolt as the Superhawk. That may be solution for the OP, swap sidestands between bike models if you can get a measurement on the overall length.

 

I installed Thurn Motorsport lowering triangles on my '03VFR,and simply had my buddy Pez cut and weld the sidestand back together Computerdeals. He removed 3/4" of material between the footpad and kick tab on the sidestand. I had this done two years ago and haven't had any problems with my sidestand. We also looked at shortening the centerstand as well,it's just tubular steel,it could be done. We just never did it because once I installed the shortened sidestand I felt that it wouldn't be necessary. Thurn Motorsport actually sells a lowering triangle kit that includes a shortened sidestand in exchange for your stock sidestand. The other members who posted about it are correct about the centerstand though. With a lowering kit installed it requires more effort to heave your bike up onto the centerstand,however that's a small price to pay for the peace of mind,control,and stability that a lowering kit provides to a shorter rider. With the proper technique though,it's really not that much harder. As far as altering the geometry by lowering your bike,don't be to concerned about that. Your 6th gen. VFR is a long,tall machine with plenty of ground clearance. I've actually found that my '03VFR steers quicker now and handles better than it did in stock form. I sent along a couple of pics so you can see what that shortened stock sidestand looks like Computerdeals. I also sent along a pic of the sidestand on my '04RC51,it's made by Scott's Motorcycle Service. This particular sidestand is made of aluminum for light weight,and is model specific to the RC51 only. As far as I know Scott doesn't make sidestands for VFR's,I'm only using the pic of this sidestand as a visual reference for you. The footpad piece telescopes into the sidestand base and has threaded holes at spaced intervals. You unscrew the return spring bolt,line up the holes for the sidestand length that you desire,and screw the return spring bolt back in. Hope this helps you.

 

Good spot for the weld. I like the idea of the piece of tubing (tyvek?) on the spring.

With a lowered bike the reference to a change in geometry was the overall geometry of a lowered bike and a stock centerstand.


Got a bud who is not real tall and has a lowered 91. He can muscle his bike up on the centerstand with ease. He's a fireplug, in shape and a good athlete. This in not the case for say a 5'3" 115 lb woman unless she is on steriods. This is easy to spot. Those chicas usually have a nice stash and great abs.

In another thread some of the guys are getting beat by some wheelerdealer stealer dealers who are pulling toolkits and selling them as extras. This would make me think that just maybe, some dealers could have pulled sidestands off bikes that were equipped with same as OEM..

I have family in the car biz and contrary to popular belief, car and bike dealers do not love you like you were their best buddy. You are until the check clears if that is of consolation.

 

I'm 5'6" with a 29" inside leg so I am vertically challenged, the linkage dropped the height by about 1.25" but as was pointed out this creates a different issue getting the bike on the center stand. The previous owner had made a small wooden ramp that he would carry with him and he'd roll the back wheel up on to the wooden ramp then put it on the center stand, I tried unsuccessfully to heave it up without the wooden ramp and it was too risky for a drop. I'm just going to go for the 3/4" reduction and get it cut and welded.

Jerry, your statement:

"P.S. Heating the kick-stand sounds logical to me, but I'm not an engineer and did not stay at some hotel last night."

What was the reference to not staying at a hotel last night?????