To Center Stand Or Not To Center Stand

Plenty of advantages with a centre stand, chain lube and adjusting, checking fluid levels, tyre pressures etc.
I can't think of any disadvantages and I would ALWAYS have a centre stand if one is available, I currently have a Speed 400 and a centre stand is not available which I am finding is a complete pain!!

 

@TelemarkTumalo: With an additional centre stand you have many positive advantages. Maintaining, cleaning, especially the spokes and the chain, etc. is much easier. It is not cheap, but worth the money!
As an alternative you may use an moveable motorcycle lifter/stand in your garage, if available.

 

My T120 has a center stand and it's super. It makes cleaning and oiling the chain much easier. Without it, holding the bike still is hard, more so on rough land. I say get one; it makes taking care of things much simpler. Could cost a bit, but it pays off.

 

The only negative of a centre stand is the weight penalty, which hardly applies to the Triumph Classic range. I have a paddock stand for home maintenance but I'm thinking of adding a CS to my Scrambler.

 

Last two bikes have had one and when I get another, no center stand may be a deal breaker, definitely the way to go. I agree with @Pegscraper, only potential negative is weight savings, which might matter if you were racing on tracks with high end sport bikes or trying to lighten your load on single track trails... which I doubt is happening on a Bonneville

 

you will not feel it

 

I added the centerstand to my bonneville before I even picked it up. A must have for chain maintenance in my opinion. Also very helpful for oil changes if you do your own in your driveway like I do.

 

When head scratching over which new bike to get last year I marked the Tiger Sport 660 down because there was no centre stand option. My mk1 SV650 didn't have one and I found the padock stand and bobbins a right faff. Surprised I never dropped it to be honest.

 

Just to mix it up - I haven't had a centre stand since my Royal Enfield Bullet many years ago..... a universal paddock stand pops the bike up for maintenance and saves me carting about a big lump of iron everywhere.

Then again, I have been buying lighter bikes as I get older, so I don't fit racks and crash bars and other stuff that adds weight.

 

This is not really a problem. It "hides" well between the pipes.

 

I use one of these wheel rollers:

 

Also use one of these if I need to remove wheels or forks etc

 

I know centre stands are useful but personally I can't stand the sight of an appendage dangling beneath my undercarriage

 

You used to be able to get a bar from TEC that slipped through the rear axle I think and you could then support this on a paddock stand.

I've also seen a hinged something or other recently that fits under the swing arm and jacks the wheel up enough to lube the chain

 

Snap jack: