I'm guessing that the simplicity of the answer will amaze/embarass me. I've never owned a bike without a centerstand. Some of the bikes I'm considering for the "next" bike either don't have an aftermarket centerstand available or the Eri... uh concept of centralized mass design exhaust system, preclude the use of a centerstand. So how do you perform chain, wheel, tire or shock maintenance ect.... without buying stand or when your on the road?
So how do I do this without a centerstand?
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Like vermicious said rear stand is good to have for a lot of those.
If your on the road and need to lube or adjust your chain you can probably have a buddy tip your bike up on the side stand lifting the rear wheel off the ground.
For shock maintenance, removing the swing arm etc. or anything that like that that will make using the rear stand impossible get a hoist, some straps and some 2x4's and you can hold the bike up with the hoist inside a garage. That's how I do it if I'm removing the forks, or changing the steering head barring etc.
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I missed the parts where you said "without buying a stand" and "when you're on the road"
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Do your maintenance before you leave?.....
I bolted two pieces of a 2x6 plank together and bolted a 4 ft piece of 1 in. pipe to it for the Snarley Davidson, works great and cost about $30 at Home Depot. Just slide it under the frame and use the pipe to lever it up.
I bolted two pieces of a 2x6 plank together and bolted a 4 ft piece of 1 in. pipe to it for the Snarley Davidson, works great and cost about $30 at Home Depot. Just slide it under the frame and use the pipe to lever it up.
I just got chain issues. At home I clean and lube every week, aprox 500 miles when it's not winter. Last chain went 20k before I noticed some kinks. When not at home I still like to lube every 500 and it has served me well. Would I like a interstate eating non chain drive bike? You bet. Not in the cards right now. Hoping to make that a retirement present to myself. I am a big fan of preventative maintenance, that's what winter is for. Prep'n everything so that nothing goes wrong next spring. And waiting for someone to trade in something that I'm looking for at the dealerships locally.
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Get a Scott Oiler or a Loobman. That will solve a lot of your issues with the chain.
By the way, 20k is not all that bad.
By the way, 20k is not all that bad.
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New o and x ring chains really don't need that intense maintenance like the old Diamond chains. Up here in the Pacific Northwet I still get 20k minimum out of my chains by just spraying them with penetrating oil and wiping them off with an oil soaked rag every thousand miles or so.
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I did a 1500 mile trip this past summer but I didn't find it necessary to have a center or rear-wheel stand to do it. I took a can of chain wax with me and walked the bike a short distance through a parking lot when I needed to re-lube.
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Ohh, jeeheezuzzz...Ever hear of a milk crate? But if you got one o' dem goofy bikes with an underslung exhaust where you don't have no flat soiface, here's what you do;
Kick the bike up on it's kickstand, 'till the rear tire is about two inches off the deck. Then, stick a block of wood, cinder block, bricks, cats, styrofoam cups, Buicks under the frame on the opposite side of the kickstand, wedged in real good like, and hold the bike off the gound.
Then you can adjust the chain, take off the rear wheel, etc...
Use to have me a whole seta 2x4's all cut down to the right length for the old KZ750 (The Valdez). Many milk crates, and 20mm ammo boxes....
Kick the bike up on it's kickstand, 'till the rear tire is about two inches off the deck. Then, stick a block of wood, cinder block, bricks, cats, styrofoam cups, Buicks under the frame on the opposite side of the kickstand, wedged in real good like, and hold the bike off the gound.
Then you can adjust the chain, take off the rear wheel, etc...
Use to have me a whole seta 2x4's all cut down to the right length for the old KZ750 (The Valdez). Many milk crates, and 20mm ammo boxes....
I've been the loobman route. The zip ties wear, it's a bit of a mess if there is sand on the road or any other type of crud. I use a dry teflon wax spray now works well in all weather. I got in 16k last year and I live in Upstate, that's above I-90, NY so that means plenty of crappy weather. All good ideas thanks. And maybe I'll get help with my chain issues.
In the mean time I'll find some 2x4's if I decide on one of those "underslung" bikes.
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Yeah, Loobmans are less expensive but they tend to overlube the chain. I'll be putting a Scott Oiler on my 599. (The reason I want to do it is because I ride long miles in short time frames. Stopping to lube a chain is not in my plans.)
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Guys, don't lose sight of the fact that, as pointed out above, modern "O", "X" or whatever letter -ring chains need lubrication only to protect them from corrosion, and maybe help the life of the sprockets.
The o-rings are on the chain to >keep the chain lubricant where it belongs<, which is on the bearing surfaces. Spraying your choice of lube on the outside doesn't do anything for the chain pins.
As a matter of fact, too much lube can act as a magnet for grit, which can then wear the sprockets faster. Not to mention the mess.
FWIW, I use a Grunge Brush and WD-40 to clean my chain; and I then coat it with DuPont Dry Teflon spooge, which seems to stick like grim death, and is clear. I buy it at Lowe's.
And lastly, the single most important thing to do to maximize the life of your chain is to make sure it is tensioned properly. It also helps if the rear wheel is properly aligned.
Sorry. We haven't had an oil thread in ages... I couldn't help myself.
The o-rings are on the chain to >keep the chain lubricant where it belongs<, which is on the bearing surfaces. Spraying your choice of lube on the outside doesn't do anything for the chain pins.
As a matter of fact, too much lube can act as a magnet for grit, which can then wear the sprockets faster. Not to mention the mess.
FWIW, I use a Grunge Brush and WD-40 to clean my chain; and I then coat it with DuPont Dry Teflon spooge, which seems to stick like grim death, and is clear. I buy it at Lowe's.
And lastly, the single most important thing to do to maximize the life of your chain is to make sure it is tensioned properly. It also helps if the rear wheel is properly aligned.
Sorry. We haven't had an oil thread in ages... I couldn't help myself.
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Well, that's the theory, anyways. I've had nothing but BAD luck with them pricey "X" and "W" -ring chains. Got nearly 28k miles from the original O-ring chain on my FZ6, and have put two of the "X"-ring chains ('cuz of availability and price) on my Hawk and the FZ6 - each has had links jam within a few-thousand miles, and are noisy as hell. I went back with O-ring on the Hawk, no problems so far whatsoever (Regina instead of D.I.D. brand). I'm about to do the same on the FZ. It needs lube almost daily now to keep from clattering-along.........
They're CrrrrrAAAP!!!
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