Center stand: Why would I get one?

[Kiwi]

As a new rider, I am interested in the many aftermarket parts one can bolt onto a Tenere. I saw on Insta this morning a loverly lady with a Tenere equipt with a center stand.

 

Why would someone mount one? What are the advantages?

[JB700]

First thing the dealer did at pdi, was fit a centre stand

I wouldn't buy a bike without a centrestand, easier for any maintenance or loading luggage

[Ray Ride4life]

And my opinion is that advantges could be reached by other means and there are only disadvantages left.

More weight... But it's very low? Yep but still weight, less ground clearance and more things sticking out.

When you're a road warrior with an occasional gravel or fire road, fine. You do more technical and single tracks it will get in the way sooner or later.

[Guest]

I'm new too and I got the Center Stand mounted on the bike.

PRO
Mainly because of the motorcycle dolly in use. The ascent to the parking at home is steep and the parking is far to narrow to turn the bike just on it's two wheels. Plus it's easier for some maintenances.

 

CONTRA
Very heavy and yes, things stick out. But for now—as @Ray Ride4life mentioned—I'm the typical occasional gravel road rider. The stand comes off if ever it gets in the way more and more …

Edited January 20, 2023 by TéNéRéLOADED

[john_aero]

I have always used them on my bikes

 

For me this time i am not going to fit one.

 

I will make up an enduro leg from an old crutch for my bike. in the shed i have a selection of lifts, tables and paddock stands that will help me during maintenance.

 

Adventure Bike Hack: Making a portable trail stand on the cheap

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How do you mend punctures and adjust chains if your bike has no centre stand? Make a portable trail stand of course! Ride Expeditions breaks out the tools.

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by john_aero

[Hollybrook]

I was sure that I didn't want a centerstand on this bike, but after a few weeks decided to add one.

 

I keep the bike on it in the garage and it helps with maintenance. While I do have a jack that lifts the bike quite high, my garage space is limited and using the jack requires clearing some space first. For basic maintenance the centerstand is much more convenient and saves time. It is also more secure than a trail stand and I worry about this relatively heavy bike falling over without a wheel installed and having to get it back in the air to reinstall the wheel. 

 

A tree and a strong strap or rope can also be used to lift a wheel along with the side stand, so there are options without a center stand. I'm sure that if I was going to be doing a really rough trip the center stand would be coming off temporarily. 

[Windblown]

The popular theory is that centerstands are super convenient right up to the point they aren't, which is usually about the time you find yourself someplace you already regret deciding to go on the bike and the centerstand is making life harder rather than easier.

 

In truth, its just a weight thing for the most part as far as legitimate reasons go.  There is the perceived coolness factor or lack there of with having one though...

 

I had a centerstand on my 800XC and rode that bike into many a serious sketchy situation. The centerstand never caused me grief,  I did that all on my own. LOL.

 

Now the other side of the coin....  I do not have a centerstand on my T700or my 790. Why? Because of weight mostly, ground clearance to a lesser degree, and well... cool factor.;)  There is nothing I can do with a centerstand that I can't do without one. Convenience is their one and only claim to fame. 

 

 

 

 

[Zero600]

29 minutes ago, Hollybrook said:

I was sure that I didn't want a centerstand on this bike, but after a few weeks decided to add one.

 

I keep the bike on it in the garage and it helps with maintenance. While I do have a jack that lifts the bike quite high, my garage space is limited and using the jack requires clearing some space first. For basic maintenance the centerstand is much more convenient and saves time. It is also more secure than a trail stand and I worry about this relatively heavy bike falling over without a wheel installed and having to get it back in the air to reinstall the wheel. 

 

A tree and a strong strap or rope can also be used to lift a wheel along with the side stand, so there are options without a center stand. I'm sure that if I was going to be doing a really rough trip the center stand would be coming off temporarily. 

Did you see that Chris Birch video about using a rope and sidestand to lift a wheel?  It changed my mind about even carrying a trail stand.  Bear in mind, I usually ride in areas with trees around.  And with a friend.

[Saba13]

Io ho montato il cavalletto centrale sabato scorso (moto comprata in gennaio 2022).

La prima ragione per cui l'ho montato è per quando la tengo a riposo, per alcuni mesi. Con il cavalletto laterale le gomme diventano ovali, con il cavalletto centrale la moto rimane dritta, la gomma dietro non appoggia a terra ed è ottimale... poi si possono svolgere meglio le manutenzioni di routine.

Adesso vorrei smontare quello laterale originale, ma non trovo nessun articolo che ne parli.

Qualcuno sa qualcosa?

Teoricamente, una volta smontato la moto non dovrebbe andare in moto, come se fosse appoggiato a terra. 

[Ray Ride4life]

56 minutes ago, Zero600 said:

It changed my mind about even carrying a trail stand.

And what when there is no tree nearby?
I have a trailstand that weighs next to nothing and is hardly noticed in my toolpack.

[Tenerider]

Actually I have a centerstand...yet. It doesn't work very well with my +25mm suspension, the rear wheel just touches the ground now. And removing the front wheel on the trail requires additional stuff as far as I guess, unless you have a pillion who pushes down on the rear.

But I really like it for any kind of work on the bike. It's rock solid.

 

My main reason to keep it: Harder for my kids to accidentally knock over the bike (not worrying about the bike here). I keep the bike in a shed with a bit of a wobbly ground. It would never fall over by itself, but I really don't want one of my kids to lie under it when they are about to get their bicycles out of the shed.

Perhaps somebody here has another idea of securing the bike from tipping over (walls of the shed are not rigid).

[Zero600]

32 minutes ago, Ray Ride4life said:

And what when there is no tree nearby?
I have a trailstand that weighs next to nothing and is hardly noticed in my toolpack.

Fair enough. As I said, I will probably eat my words someday!

 

Still I though the rope technique was cool and might help me in a pinch.

[Hollybrook]

You probably should have a tow rope anyway, so why not have both a stand and a rope?  That gives you many options without very much weight.

[Zero600]

10 minutes ago, Hollybrook said:

You probably should have a tow rope anyway, so why not have both a stand and a rope?  That gives you many options without very much weight.

Because the extra weight keeps me from riding like Chris Birch

[motonap]

16 hours ago, Kiwi said:

As a new rider, I am interested in the many aftermarket parts one can bolt onto a Tenere. I saw on Insta this morning a lovely lady with a Tenere equipt with a center stand.

 

Why would someone mount one? What are the advantages?

I believe I may have seen the exact same post on Insta this morning. But she looked like she was struggling to get the T7 off the stand!

 

Centre stand - sticky little topic, some the idea and others total dislike it (from what I read on this forum as well). Personally, as long as I have a paddock stand that allows me to do the basics of maintenance, a centre stand isn't an absolute must. Unfortunately for me, the existing paddock stand doesn't work for my T7 because I don't have the Y frame thingys for the paddock nor do I have the cotton reels installed.

 

I have been doing maintenance using a stool - locking the front brake, tipping the bike over and pushing the stool under the swingarm to hold the rear off the ground. Waiting on logistics to deliver my trail stand and then that would be my go to for everything now!

[Fiddyone]

For the center stand ride away.

 

Bike parked on the center stand. Stand up on the foot pegs put the bike in gear. Rock the bike forward as it falls off the center stand let clutch out and ride away.

 

 

[Tenerider]

1 hour ago, Fiddyone said:

For the center stand ride away.

 

Bike parked on the center stand. Stand up on the foot pegs put the bike in gear. Rock the bike forward as it falls off the center stand let clutch out and ride away.

 

 

Don't do it with a raised bike though (more suspension travel). My centerstand needs a little help now to flip up completely - obviously the bike doesn't drop down enough for it to overcome the point from which it folds up by the spring. Annoys me.

 

I once learned a good way to dismount it: standing left of the bike, turn the bars slightly to the right, push. Bike will come down and slightly lean towards you, so you can stabilize it with your hip.

[Alf Meister]

They can be a hindrance offroad getting snagged and caught up, they are quite heavy (but its all weight low down). But heres why I have one, when I’m working on the bike, I have a stable platform to work on, I can remove the wheels, remove the swing arm, clean and lube the chain, clean the wheels, get the car and bike in the garage, sit on the bike why waiting for the ferry in the que, load my bike with luggage easier, etc, etc. you dont need a centre stand, but there are many benefits to having one. Only you can decide whether you need one. 

[Alf Meister]

45 minutes ago, Tenerider said:

Don't do it with a raised bike though (more suspension travel). My centerstand needs a little help now to flip up completely - obviously the bike doesn't drop down enough for it to overcome the point from which it folds up by the spring. Annoys me.

 

I once learned a good way to dismount it: standing left of the bike, turn the bars slightly to the right, push. Bike will come down and slightly lean towards you, so you can stabilize it with your hip.

That’s a good tip for those unaware. 

[EstRider]

My answer is simple, I park in an underground garage with a slight slope and as much as it pains me the neighborhood kids (and mine) like to go OOOO BIKE BIKE BIKE and sometimes touch it. The Center stand from Yamaha on the Tenere takes effort to get the bike off If my bike got knocked over on a kid...yeah, center stand for increased stability and safety when parked.

Really though I wish kids wouldn't go near the bike, but on the other hand my son going DADDY'S BIKE and squealing gives me hope for the future!

[Tenerider]

1 hour ago, TéNéRéLOADED said:

If it's just for the wobbly floor, just put a board underneath to level the ground? 

Thought about something like this...

[kdeleon]

mine came with a center stand already.  It's two bolts to take off so i put it on only when doing maintenance and shed the weight when on trips.  I figure i can deal with annoyance if ever i have to do work on the bike on the road.  Also the OE center stand sticks out, and i've had it drag on left hand corner -- no bueno.

[Alf Meister]

43 minutes ago, kdeleon said:

mine came with a center stand already.  It's two bolts to take off so i put it on only when doing maintenance and shed the weight when on trips.  I figure i can deal with annoyance if ever i have to do work on the bike on the road.  Also the OE center stand sticks out, and i've had it drag on left hand corner -- no bueno.

I was going to add that myself, get a centre stand, fit all the mounting hardware and when you know your going somewhere you wont need it, remove it (2 bolts and the springs, 5 minute job) and your good to go. That way you have a center stand to work on the bike, or to park it upright when required. 

[FredBasset]

Quite simple, you either want one, or you don’t.
 

I’ve always had one in the past and just fitted a Hepco & Becker one to my World Raid (Hepco & Becker one fits closer to the bike than the Genuine Yamaha one does). As Alfmeister has suggested, it’s a 5 minute job, to remove the 2 bolts and springs (large spring on first, then smaller spring, and to remove, small spring first, then the large one), if you don’t want it on a particular trip.

Edited January 21, 2023 by FredBasset

[Ray Ride4life]

Works just fine at home.