Probably a dumb center stand question:

Hi folks: the 71 basketcase didn't have a center stand.(but it DID have a funky chopper style kick stand that refuses to saty put) so I needed to get one MUY PRONTO so that I can start commuting to work on the beast, at least now and then.


I just bought one of the reinforced ones from commando specialties.com (went to the shop, nice guys) . I forgot to ask those guys, and my manual doesn't have a clear picture of how the spring attaches. Does anyone have a decent diagram of the spring attachment points?

thanks in advance:

Karl

p.s...... I'm going to try and make it to the BritBike show in Auburn, Ma. this sunday... maybe I'll see some of you?

Not sure about the '71, as early center stands attached to the frame. For the later ones attached to the engine cradle the spring hole is just above the left side pivot hole on the cradle.

Weather permitting, I'll be at Auburn with my pretty red 850.

you know, Les, I was thinking about PMing you because you are THE Norton encyclopedia IMHO. :!:

thanks much....... I can finally park the bike without saying a prayer that the kickstand is going to slowly sag the bike onto the gound!

haqve a great weekend , all... get a ride in why don't you?

Karl

For the entire time we were testing the two prototypes, neither had a stand of any kind. We had to find a wall or tree or lamppost to lean them against!

An early road test in one of the British weekly magazines lamented that the center stand grounded at much too timid a lean angle and commented "Surely the test riders would have found this." It may be the reason that the design was changed, as the early ones were a bit Rube Goldberg.

frankdamp said:

For the entire time we were testing the two prototypes, neither had a stand of any kind. We had to find a wall or tree or lamppost to lean them against!

Click to expand...

Have you written your book yet?

For the entire time we were testing the two prototypes, neither had a stand of any kind. We had to find a wall or tree or lamppost to lean them against!

Whilst on the subject of sidestand/centrestand. Which method do most of you use when you are "parking" your bikes and why?

I noticed that the centrestand spring exerts some serious pressure on the centrestand where it attaches to the hole, when fully loaded. So much so that mine has "elongated" and cut along the steel by about half an inch. Quite a common problem it seems? Maybe the wall, tree or lamppost leaning may be an option?

gw88 said:

Whilst on the subject of sidestand/centrestand. Which method do most of you use when you are "parking" your bikes and why?

I noticed that the centrestand spring exerts some serious pressure on the centrestand where it attaches to the hole, when fully loaded. So much so that mine has "elongated" and cut along the steel by about half an inch. Quite a common problem it seems? Maybe the wall, tree or lamppost leaning may be an option?

Click to expand...

Which is probably one of the reasons the center stand was upgraded. You can use the side stand, but avoid starting the bike while on it.

GW88:

It can be a royal PITA trying to find a strong enough tree to lean a 400-pound bike against! The original center-stand was a modified version of the Atlas unit and the Commando frame was just not a match for it. The designers thought it would work just fine and introduced it into production with no testing.

I'd left N-V before the second version appeared, so I can't comment on it.