I fancy a centre stand for my Transalp, but don't fancy forking out the ridiculous amount of money Honda charge for one. Given the transalp's been around for a while now, does anyone know if checking out breakers yards for one is worth a go, or is the mounting for the 650 stand totally different from the old 600?

And finally - any ideas if the touratech crash bars (check 'em out at http://www.touratech.de/shop/enter.html) are any good?

Thank's (and sorry for the dull questions)!

Centerstand: the old model does not fit. Tried it, had to buy the expensive Honda one. But learned a trick last weekend and I am now planning to remove. Instead use a sort of 'crack' that you place under the rear fork on the opposite site of the side stand. That way you can also lift the back wheel for maintenace on the road. And it is lighter.

The crashbars. I have the Givi ones. They are again heave and don't protect the fairing enough. The touratech look ideal!

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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

fireboomer,

thanks for the advice! I'm not too sure what you mean about the centre-stand substitute, though - do you think you could explain how you do it a bit more?

Thanks!!!

Hi,

mo-tech (www.mo-tech.de)in germany also sell centerstand/crashbars. Centerstand works good. Crashbars for serious crashes too small.

African Queens sell crashbars that look and feel quite strong (www.africanqueens.de).

Ralf

It is a metal tool with a U shaped profile on one side that goes under the back fork of the bike.
Simply tilt the bike over on its sidestand and place the tool. Give some kind of flat plate to have good support on the ground.
It is smaller and lighter then any centerstand and in my eyes does the same job.

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http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

Fireboomer,

You don't happen to have a link to one of these contraptions do you. Sounds like something I'd like to pick up for my xr650l.

I second what Lomaboy said, - definately sounds like a handy gizmo to have. Even a picture of it or something??

Nope, don't have a picture. Saw it on a trip couple weekends ago. This guy was doing his chain and then kicked something away from under the back suspension fork. We all went 'What was that'? He probably expected this and showed it to us with a big smile.

I'll try again:
Take a rod (thing you can wind a nut on). On one side of the rod you make some kind of foot so that it wont sink away.
Get 1 other piece of steel (or aluminium?)
On this piece of steel you place the nut so that you can connect the rod and the piece of steel.
On the opposite side you fix a low U-profile. This will fit your fork ( the thing that holds the back tire).

Now, when you want to do you chain you connect both pieces.
Place the bike on it sidestand and go to the opposite side of the bike.
Then the guy pushed the bike on his sidestand and frontweel. Then he placed his tool under the fork keeping the back wheel from the ground.
When he was finish he simply kicked it away.

And it can fit under you sadlle because it comes in 2 pieces.


I do think that the length is the tricky part and it migh take some experiments.


Really do hope somebody gets it know and can write down a decent explication in understandable English. I am running out of inspiration :-)))

Thank's for your explanation, Fireboomer! Much appreciated

Give this mob a call http://www.andersonstands.com/index.html. I have a prop stand that goes under the swingarm as described above. Great for sports bikes and dirt bikes that don't have a centrestand. I've used it to remove the wheel as well as oiling the chain. Cost was about $30 - $40 AUD. They haven't got it listed on their site, but email them and they can propably do something. Well worth the investment.

Cheers