Do you run a centre stand?

[hondaror]

I am absolutely freaked out by how many people run centre stands on their RZ/RD 350s. It's the first thing to come off when I buy a bike. Immediately.
I thought it would be a good topic of discussion. Do you run with a centre stand? Why or why not?

[JonW]

on some i do... I like em for easy of maintenance.

[silverstrom]

I did on my all stock 87 350, but all of the 2 strokes I have now do not have centre stands, either by design, or due to pipes. I have several maintenance stands so not having the centre stand isn't a problem.

My VStrom didn't come with a centre stand. It was the first thing I bought for the bike. I can't imagine not having one on that bike.

[RuZty]

My RZ has one, it is handy to put the bike on in the garage but that is the only time I use it. I have had it hit the ground mid corner (major pucker) but since adding an R6 shock that hasn't been a problem.

[T.RexRacing]

Mine has one only because the pipes currently on the bike rub the sidestand and no amount of tweaking will allow it to clear.

[rbenz]

No center stand here due to pipes. Side stand is fine for the amount of maintenance that I do. I take the bike to someone else for bigger jobs I can't handle.

[2smoke]

My RZ350 was the first bike I have ever owned with a centerstand. I love it. So solid. So quick and easy. For washing and doing maintenance. See those turn signals? Its a street bike not a race bike. Lol.

[hondaror]

I love it!^^^^Signals? Oh, I might actually hang on to those for this bike. I don't plan on racing this one. I'd pick-up a TZ250 for that.

Keep 'em comming guys. It's interesting to read.

[pearljam724]

Yep, a center stand as not as cool looking as it seems. Is wonderful for driveline and wheel maintenance if you have the stock swingarm. It's a real pain in the ass to do something as simple as changing a tire without it and not being able to use a swimgarm stand. Makes cleaning, lubing and chain adjustment so much easier also. If it weren't for the maintenance side of things, I'd prefer a side stand. But, I recently chose 1 of the 2. Being my side stand was useless, with a higher rear end as a result of an R6 shock. The oem side stand is useless if you insist on the bike being higher. Which I do. So, I ditched the side stand. Regardless, of how uncool the center stand may be. I'm also lucky, that my expansion chambers allow a center stand. Most bikes with expansions, you'll have to ditch it as others have said.

[RuZty]

See those turn signals? Its a street bike not a race bike. Lol.

I can't see my signals, that must be the problem.

[Evans Ward]

Love my center stand for all the reasons mentioned already. I have old school Spec II pipes that allow CS retention. Bike is so much more stable when parked on the CS. Ask jeevans1 about when I caught his restored RZ when it fell off the side stand when we were assisting a down cruiser rider on the Dragon one year! IMHO, the side stand placement by the factory is not ideal and I don't feel confident when using the side stand at any time. YMMV.

[hondaror]

One of the reasons I took mine off years ago was the bike flopped off the centre stand. Crappy placement on my part, but boy, did it fall hard. I figured a side stand fall wouldn't be so bad. Never had any issues other than the occassional slide backwards. Leaving it in 1st stopped that. The weight savings was welcomed and so was the lack of additional rattling, against my pipes.

[hondaror]

See those turn signals? Its a street bike not a race bike. Lol.

I can't see my signals, that must be the problem.

It looks great with no signals. Maybe I won't run signals.

[RuZty]

It looks great with no signals. Maybe I won't run signals.

They are there, just integrated into the tail light. They are actually a lot easier to see (when on) than the small signals a lot of people install, brake and tail filaments blink on the side that is on.

[aaronmvrider]

+1 for center stand....