Simple Questions About Stands - Side and Rear

Buzz Kanter

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Non-VOC Member
Yes, I am very new to the wonderful world of Vincent ownership and please pardon me for all the many questions I am likely to ask here. After more than 30 years of tinkering, breaking, riding and fixing old motorcycles I have learned it is better to ask questions than risk damage to the machine or rider.

So today's questions relate to the stands on my Rapide B. It has left and right sidestands and a rear stand. My questions are: 1) how reliable and dependable are the sidestands? They seem less than confidence inspiring with a possiblity of flipping up when the motorcycle is at rest on them. And 2) is there a technique to raising the motorcycle easilty on the rear stand? I tried it yesterday and found it a bit difficult. What is the recommended procedure to raise a Rapid B onto the rear stand?

Thanks for understanding I appreciate all the sharing of experiences and knowledge with me.
 

bmetcalf

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I clip a square piece of 2x4 with two broom clamps to my crashbar to put under the propstand. 56228.jpg


It holds the bike more vertical. (As a bonus, I get to hear people speculating as to what it is.) Also, the wheel should be turned to the side of the stand you are using. Some people pull the bike up on the rearstand from behind the bike. I don't like it, because you have less lateral support. Sometimes people offer to hold the bike vertical for you, but I prefer to do it without help because I am used to balancing it myself.
 

Hugo Myatt

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Hi Buzz,
Using the side stand. Always use the sidestand that is on the higher camber side of the road and turn the front wheel towards the stand in use. Never use them if the bike is pointing downhill. Having said that these stands have become unreliable over the years due to wear in the pivot bolts, the stands themselves and the casting they are bolted to. Also alterations to the original springs, hydraulic dampers and wheel and tyre sizes add to the problem.
Rear Stand. Dave is right. It is a knack and once acquired never forgotten although for me I find it more difficult as I get older. One thing I would advise is to temporarily tighten up the steering damper to prevent the front wheel suddenly flopping over at the critical moment.
 

roy the mechanic

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although the machine has 3-count them- i recon the best way is to lean the s o b against a convenient wall + saunter away! -works for me every time , saves embarresment and-more importantly a hernia!(if you can't see the humor turn off now!) Regards Roy.
 

Newbs1

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Non-VOC Member
Hello Buzz,
I bought my Rapide in April this year. having owned many Brit bikes with kick start the first thing i bought was a tread down centre stand. Advertised in MPH by Dave Hills. Around £145.00 GBP / 230 US Dollars plus shipping. This is for the kit in primer i had my parts powder coated a little filing and a couple of hours later happiness and stability ensued.
Not only is it much easier to raise the bike off the floor in seconds it makes the bike very stable when you are kicking it over. It is of course an individual choice from my experience a great addition well worth while.
Hope this helps,
Regards,
Geoff
 

roy the mechanic

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Whilst i reccomend leaning against something handy to park, starting Has to be done Off the stand! the forces involved are not to be shared by the stand/chassis. If you read the manual- the valve lifter is the "starters freind" it took me a year to learn the "art" I reckon well worth it!-it actually works ,keep practising, who knows- you might end up riding it!
 

ET43

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Non-VOC Member
One way to make it easier to raise the machine on to a standard rear stand is to have a four inch wide x half inch or so thick piece of wood, say around nine inches long which can be thrown on to the ground and on to which you roll your back wheel before operating the stand. It really does work. Don't ask me where you store the piece of wood! Other than that one will have to learn to wear high heeled shoes. See, these sidecar drivers aren't all daft. Bah Humbug and all that. ET43
 

len.c

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Hi Buzz,Reading your thread brought back painful memories, before I saw sense and invested in probably the best single improvment to the Vin, the Dave Hills centre stand,I was working in my garage one evening and decided to put the twin on the rear stand, well to cut a long story short after several unsuccessfull attempts i had to lift it by grabbing the lower tubes of the rear frame member which was fine until the stop on the stand came to rest on the stop on the frame wiith my finger flat between them, I assure you you don't want to that twice.If I were you buy a centre stand. Len c
 

Newbs1

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Non-VOC Member
Hi All, Roy,
I understand where you are coming from regarding the valve lifter no problems there. As i say each to his own another benefit to the centre stand i find it is a natural standing position you are not twisting your body to lift the bike over the rear wheel.
Mind you i did see a Vincent a while ago leaning against a tree at the Stafford bike show. I am still trying to figure out how he got the tree there lol.
Regards,
Geoff
 

roy the mechanic

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sound like-if i had to explain it-you still would't understand! a Man starts his machine with the stand RETRACTED! first you murt show it who is the Master!
 
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