Bike cleaning and stands....

After years of bikes with centre stands, I finally have one without (Sprint
RS). And after owning it for three months, I need to clean it. Not a big
fan of cleaning really, I ride bikes for transport, fun, fear, pride, in
that order.

But...I'm contemplating the act tomorrow and thinking....what a pain on the
side stand, can't clean the wheels properly, lubing the chain will be a
pain, the asymmetry offends me generally etc etc. I've resisted buying a
stand for it as I don't have anywhere to keep it but a (mildly) cambered
road, so don't really relish the embarassment of trying to lever it up onto
a clumsy chunk of metal, failing, braving the neighbours sniggers....

So....what do others do? Wheel the bike forward a bit to clean the wheels,
lube etc? Or do I just bite the bullet and go and get a 'proper' stand?

 

I use a short length of 4x2" propped under the swing arm on the opposite
side to the side stand (3 points of contact - front wheel, side stand,
4x2).

It's enough to lift the rear wheel off the ground so that it will turn
for chain lubing.

I don't have anything similar for the front though.

HTH

 

I wheel my bike forward to get to the parts of the wheel others can't reach,
but it's a pain when you need to clean/lube the chain. I'm considering
buying a stand, but it's not so serious for me as I can wheel the bike along
my drive rather than the road.

 

rb secured a place in history by writing:

I like this idea. Despite working for an engineering firm, this hadn't
occurred to me. Off down the cellar now to seek suitable chunk of
timber.....

How do you get it in, push it in place and kick it until the wheel's off
the ground?

 

Ferger wrote in

Fit a centre stand? Althought the pukka Triumph one is a sill price IIRC

 

adapt and overcome...

It's easy enough to lift the back end using the swing arm, actually it's
more like pushing it further over onto the side stand and the back comes
up far enough to get the prop in.

 

wessie secured a place in history by writing:

Probbly, the other bits on this bike cost stupid sums (I checked before I
bought it - £100 for a grab rail!). It has a belly pan, not sure if that
can co-exist with a centre-stand...anyone?

 

rb secured a place in history by writing:

Ta - think I get the idea...I'll give it a go tomorrow.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, Ferger said:

I can't remember the name of it but there's a thing about the size of a
saucer that you can ride your back wheel onto and spin the wheel while
the bike's on the side stand.

The picture on the box shows some doofus lubing a chain but I'm buggered
if I can remember the name of it. Have a look in the accessory
catalogues, it's bound to be in there. About £30 IIRC

 

I've got a couple of blocks of wood for the Drifter. I place one under the
frame just ahead of the back wheel on the RHS, then push the bike over so
that the sidestand and the back wheel come off the ground (the bike is now
resting on the block of wood and the front wheel), then over a bit further
so I can kick the second block under the frame on the LHS. Then I let it
down onto the second block, leaving it balanced vertically with the back
wheel off the ground. This might not work with a sprotsbike, mind.

--
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R80RT (for sale - spares or repairs)
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And Saturday will see him down the spares shop, buying new brake lever,
new indicators, new plastics....

 

As was amply demonstrated at BOSM two newkie brown crates will hold a
Varadero so a piddly little triumph should be no problem.

 

For cleaning it's just a case of moving them round half a turn, so not
really a problem , I'd have thought.

Why? Almost any bike will lift the rear wheel if you just tip it over
on the stand. Left hand on the handlebar, right sprays the lube &
turns the wheel.

Advanced users may move on to: left hand holds the bar and operates
clutch, right hand sprays lube on moving chain.

 

Should be fine - the stand (going by the ST's one) will mount behind
the belly pan.

 

The place I get my (frequent) punctures repaired use a jack, under a
suitable point on the opposite side to the stand. Works quite well

--
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www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Catman secured a place in history by writing:

Now that sounds like the sanest suggestion of the lot....ta

 

I have a stand but only use it for changing wheels. If you're anywhere
near Flitwick you're welcome to borrow it.

I tend to lube the bits of chain that I can get to as I figure if I do
it often enough (ha!) they'll all get done eventually.

--
Adie
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

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Triumph 955iSS / GSF600 bandit
MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22

 

The Older Gentleman secured a place in history by writing:

I was all ready for this last night - but last night I was fuelled by
several tins of Caffreys and half a bottle of Rioja. This morning I am
less confident. You haven't helped

 

Whinging Courier secured a place in history by writing:

Interesting...off to do some research.

 

I use a paddock stand for lubing the chain, and why bother cleaning the
wheels? They'll only get dirty again.

Apparently I've got a centrestand, but I've never bothered using it.
Might take it off to save weight or something.