Blowing in the wind - the need for a revised kickstand

Journeyman28778 said:

You're the first person I know of to actually do something about this. Congrats!
Excellent job! May I ask how much your welder charged and if you think he'd want to do this for some of the rest of us? Btw, where are you located- Texas?

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None of the guys I know work on aluminum. So I dug around on the internet and found this place. M & M Metals ( mmmet.com ). That was the first time I used them. It cost me $170 for the cut down and weld. Like I said... an expensive bullet to bite. At least we know it CAN be done.
How sturdy is it? How do you test??
So far, so good. As an additional piece of information, I get on the bike by standing on the left peg and swing my right leg over. (That is the only way my hips will allow it). And, I weigh about 240. So, at the time I get on (or off) the bike, there is quite a bit of pressure on the kick stand. I will let you know if it breaks.. if I survive!!!
Once I am comfortable with the results, I may sell my old kickstand to someone else so they can get it cut down for themselves.

Some may be wondering how much I cut out and how I figured out how much.
I used various thickness boards under both wheels to simulate a shorter kickstand. Checked the lean with various set ups. Checked getting on and off the bike, etc. I went with a 3/4" drop. That equated to 5/8" cut out of the kickstand.

P.S. I am in San Antonio, TX

youzguyz said:

None of the guys I know work on aluminum. So I dug around on the internet and found this place. M & M Metals ( mmmet.com ). That was the first time I used them. It cost me $170 for the cut down and weld. Like I said... an expensive bullet to bite. At least we know it CAN be done.
How sturdy is it? How do you test??
So far, so good. As an additional piece of information, I get on the bike by standing on the left peg and swing my right leg over. (That is the only way my hips will allow it). And, I weigh about 240. So, at the time I get on (or off) the bike, there is quite a bit of pressure on the kick stand. I will let you know if it breaks.. if I survive!!!
Once I am comfortable with the results, I may sell my old kickstand to someone else so they can get it cut down for themselves.

Some may be wondering how much I cut out and how I figured out how much.
I used various thickness boards under both wheels to simulate a shorter kickstand. Checked the lean with various set ups. Checked getting on and off the bike, etc. I went with a 3/4" drop. That equated to 5/8" cut out of the kickstand.

P.S. I am in San Antonio, TX

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All good stuff- thanks!

youzguyz said:

None of the guys I know work on aluminum. So I dug around on the internet and found this place. M & M Metals ( mmmet.com ). That was the first time I used them. It cost me $170 for the cut down and weld. Like I said... an expensive bullet to bite. At least we know it CAN be done.
How sturdy is it? How do you test??
So far, so good. As an additional piece of information, I get on the bike by standing on the left peg and swing my right leg over. (That is the only way my hips will allow it). And, I weigh about 240. So, at the time I get on (or off) the bike, there is quite a bit of pressure on the kick stand. I will let you know if it breaks.. if I survive!!!
Once I am comfortable with the results, I may sell my old kickstand to someone else so they can get it cut down for themselves.

Some may be wondering how much I cut out and how I figured out how much.
I used various thickness boards under both wheels to simulate a shorter kickstand. Checked the lean with various set ups. Checked getting on and off the bike, etc. I went with a 3/4" drop. That equated to 5/8" cut out of the kickstand.

P.S. I am in San Antonio, TX

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According to the manual, the bike needs to be on the sidestand to take an accurate oil level measurement. Any concerns about the ability to check your oil with the cut sidestand?

They did a nice looking weld. That should last forever. I'm still looking to have mine just shaved/milled off at an angle to compensate for the new lean. Figuring on 5/16"or 1/4" at the thin edge of the foot to 3/16" on the inside thick part. Thinking that should allow it enough lean with support from the main beam of the side stand. The oil level shouldn't change much from that few degrees of lean. If worried just put a wedge under it to check oil.

ody2002 said:

According to the manual, the bike needs to be on the sidestand to take an accurate oil level measurement. Any concerns about the ability to check your oil with the cut sidestand?

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If need be, I can put a 3/4" chunk of wood under the kickstand. Trying to get the oil to read right has always been a challenge in any case. (lots of threads about that here!)

youzguyz said:

Once I am comfortable with the results, I may sell my old kickstand to someone else so they can get it cut down for themselves.

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I foresee a continuing sequence of someone buying someone else's old kickstand, having it cut down, and then selling their old kickstand to the next person. Count me in.

but the trick will be to find a chap who can do the welding correctly so that the bike doesn't fall over.

youzguyz said:

None of the guys I know work on aluminum. So I dug around on the internet and found this place. M & M Metals ( mmmet.com ). That was the first time I used them. It cost me $170 for the cut down and weld. Like I said... an expensive bullet to bite. At least we know it CAN be done.
How sturdy is it? How do you test??
So far, so good. As an additional piece of information, I get on the bike by standing on the left peg and swing my right leg over. (That is the only way my hips will allow it). And, I weigh about 240. So, at the time I get on (or off) the bike, there is quite a bit of pressure on the kick stand. I will let you know if it breaks.. if I survive!!!
Once I am comfortable with the results, I may sell my old kickstand to someone else so they can get it cut down for themselves.

Some may be wondering how much I cut out and how I figured out how much.
I used various thickness boards under both wheels to simulate a shorter kickstand. Checked the lean with various set ups. Checked getting on and off the bike, etc. I went with a 3/4" drop. That equated to 5/8" cut out of the kickstand.

P.S. I am in San Antonio, TX

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I will have the same thing done! I live here in New Braunfels and hate having to make sure I'm parked just right so I don't come back to a fallen bike. Making that call in a few!

youzguyz said:

If need be, I can put a 3/4" chunk of wood under the kickstand. Trying to get the oil to read right has always been a challenge in any case. (lots of threads about that here!)

Click to expand...

Being a dry sump level is not as critical as on a wet sump. Too much oil will make a mess.

I agree with other comments that the oil level is not critical enough to worry about here. Twice my bike was returned to me after service and both times when I checked the level according to the manual the oil was low! the dealer said that they fill the bike by volume and don't bother to check it since it always reads different however careful you are!! I now try to keep the oil towards the top line but on some checks it's over and on others under.

To return to the thread.

Youguyzl, I will be very interested to see how you get on with your cut down stand. My concern (and what has stopped me doing it to my bike) is that I worry about the strength of the flange on the engine that the kickstand is attached to and whether the extra weight of the bike at a steeper angle could stress that leading to a fracture. I keep thinking that Triumph designing the bike with such a small lean was not a mistake but a way of preventing the kickstand from breaking away from the engine casing? I'm not a metallurgist and I would be very interested to hear the opinion of one.
I sincerely hope the mod you have done works out and you don't have a problem "down the road". Keep us posted on how you get on.
Steve