Bent centerstand

thumpalong · Post by **thumpalong** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:21 pm

Anyone know how straight a '79 center stand should be? My rear tire has dropped lower and lower over the last 30 years (kinda' like my stomach?) and the center stand has a noticeable bow to it. There's also a small dimple on the rear side of the legs just above the cross brace. I've read somewhere about someone that straightened one and added a gusset to reinforce it - I want to do that. Someone else posted that when they straightened theirs, it was hard to get the bike on the stand (too tall) I don't want to do that.

Any suggestions on getting the shape of a '79 center stand "just right"?

alimey4u2 · Post by **alimey4u2** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:46 am

No hard to get a competent welder/ fab shop to reinforce a centerstand. However, what bothers me is the "dimple" or kinked tube. I would possibly borrow someones & take it down a fab shop & say copy or search for one to buy.... 2nd option maybe the cheapest.

broook · Post by **broook** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:06 am

First time I heard of the centre stand bending. It is common for the kickstand to bend and the frame mounts to develop cracks.

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 12:06 pm

The early centerstands are indeed known to bend or even sometimes crack. The Prolink centerstands were much improved, probably because of that. Some have switched to the later stands, but I think there may be a problem with them hitting the exhaust. George (cbxtacy), who has done virtually everything you can surgically do to a CBX (with the help of a sawzall) may know the details. Maybe he'll chime in.

cbxtacy · Post by **cbxtacy** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 12:19 pm

I shortened my center stand but not in the area where you're talking about the kinks. I'd try to get another. If that fails, try to straighten you're stand and then get some 1"dia steel tubecut it open and form it around the stand legs where it's bending and weld it there. If you have to transport a bike in a truck or trailer, don't tie it down with the side or center stand touching. That's a good way to bend them. If you have to, buy a few more tie downs. Tie downs are much cheaper then stands, o0r bodywork and paint. Back to the stand, if it's real difficult to place it on the center stand when straight, while your banging on it, 7/8" dia pipe fits inside the legs pretty tight. Shorten the legs and there will be less stress on the legs to bend them again. Here's a link with some pic's of my shortened stand. If you look careful you can see where I cut it. viewtopic.php?t=4737 and here's another link viewtopic.php?t=3743&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

Don #6141 · Post by **Don #6141** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 3:19 pm

EMS wrote:Some have switched to the later stands, but I think there may be a problem with them hitting the exhaust.

I heard that rumor too . . . . so I bought a ProLink stand and attempted to put it on my '79

Now I'm not saying it can't be done . . . . but I think it would be simpler to build a new one from scratch than to do all the cutting and welding necessary to adapt the later stand to the early bike

For one, the position (fore and aft) where the stand is attached to the frame is much different - On the ProLink, they moved the centerstand forward to compensate for all the extra weight of the fairing. This enabled them to completely redesign the stand to make it much stronger, with the cross brace between the two legs lower down than it is on a '79 stand - Because it's farther forward on the frame, the lowered cross brace doesn't come too close to the rear tire, but even if you could just stick the ProLink stand on the early frame the cross brace in the later stand would hit the tire long before the stand could be raised

The mount to the frame is also much different in that it's rotated lower on a ProLink frame so they curved the stand a bunch for extra road clearance with the lower mounting point - The '79 stand is nearly straight by comparison. The other big difference so far as swapping them is concerned can be seen when comparing the tops of two - They're functionally even more different than they look

The stands sorta look like bretheren . . . . both look like they were made by the same company, but the similarities end there - They certainly ain't interchangeable . . . . not without LOTS of cutting and welding

The early stands are flimsier and several folks have reported breaking them but it would be better (easier) to repair what you have than hang your hopes on retrofitting a ProLink stand to your early model

Don

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:06 pm

Thanks a lot, Don! That's an awesome report on this particular issue. Also the picture is nice and will probably answer the original question about how straight the early stand is. I wanted to take a picture of an extra 79 centerstand I have in my parts stash. When I pulled it out this morning, however, I saw exactly what you described: It looks like it is made by the same company, but it is definitely not a 79/80 CBX centerstand. It is also not a Prolink part. God knows what Honda it is off