Side stand question(s)

10drum · Mar 17, 2025

Greetings,

I ride a 72 Interstate, I really like the bike but the side stand is awkward for me because it is so far forward.

I've read through numerous discussions about Norton Commando side stands looking for an alternative.

The 70s BMW airheads have an awkward forward stand as well, but there is a "Brown side stand" replacement that mounts to the frame just below the gear box, that works really well.

Has anyone developed a replacement Commando stand?

Thanks for all replies

kommando · Mar 17, 2025

The stand works well if the wear is corrected, the bolt and bushes wear and the stops on the frame and the stand wear. New bolt and bushes, weld up the stops adding a bit extra and file until the stand just goes forward past the 90 degree to frame position.

Not aware of any alternatives, if you go for the earlier one then that comes with even more issues.

10drum · Mar 17, 2025

kommando said:
The stand works well if the wear is corrected, the bolt and bushes wear and the stops on the frame and the stand wear. New bolt and bushes, weld up the stops adding a bit extra and file until the stand just goes forward past the 90 degree to frame position.

Not aware of any alternatives, if you go for the earlier one then that comes with even more issues.

There is not problem with how the stand works, The problem is reaching the stand to retract it when sitting on the bike. I'm not sure if it's because the interstate tank is longer and I am sitting further back than I would on a roadster.

cash · Mar 17, 2025

10drum said:
There is not problem with how the stand works, The problem is reaching the stand to retract it when sitting on the bike. I'm not sure if it's because the interstate tank is longer and I am sitting further back than I would on a roadster.

Over winter I built up the frame stop wear with weld, re kommando, to prevent the side stand swinging way out of my reach. Quite happy now. I too am vertically challenged and have an Interstate.

Tornado · Mar 17, 2025

If stand if well past 90 degrees from frame when deployed, it is a sure sign someone has been performing kick starts while bike is on side stand. This can bend the stand, its bracket or even the frame over time.

Take a careful look at theee parts and see if there is damage or just worn away stop points. Possible to have some weld blobs put down on the stops and grind back to make it just past 90 degree to frame when deployed.

Some find it difficult to deploy stand...i tend to hook tip of my boot toe behind it then give it acrapid fling forward so it basically flies under its own momentum the last little bit to fully out. Have seen a mechanic doing commando SS deploys by just reaching down with his hand and pushing stand out fully.

kommando · Mar 17, 2025

If you get the bike up on the centre stand and operate the side stand so its retracted then you can see where its supposed to stop against the tube under the primary case. The slop in the bushes and bolt will allow the side stand to drop lower and go past the tube. So new bolt and bushes stop this droop, plus you can weld a flat plate where the side stand hits the tube to allow some wear before you redo the fix, other fixes such as fitting a jubilee clip over the frame tube. Also the side stand should have a long thin end which can be missing and make the side stand hard to get at retracted.

On the bolt it must be hi tensile, I use a slightly longer allen bolt 10.9 or 12.9 with a nyloc nut, I can adjust the clearance at the pivot and fix it at that clearance with the nyloc.

Tornado · Mar 17, 2025

kommando said:
If you get the bike up on the centre stand and operate the side stand so its retracted then you can see where its supposed to stop against the tube under the primary case. The slop in the bushes and bolt will allow the side stand to drop lower and go past the tube. So new bolt and bushes stop this droop, plus you can weld a flat plate where the side stand hits the tube to allow some wear before you redo the fix, other fixes such as fitting a jubilee clip over the frame tube. Also the side stand should have a long thin end which can be missing and make the side stand hard to get at retracted.

On the bolt it must be hi tensile, I use a slightly longer allen bolt 10.9 or 12.9 with a nyloc nut, I can adjust the clearance at the pivot and fix it at that clearance with the nyloc.

My stand has a worn pivot....does not seem to be the bush or the bolt....as they are fairly recent recently replaced. It appears to be the hole in the stand itself has worn enough to give a wobble when retracted...allowing it to pass under the frame tube if the rubber bumper has worn or split (usually the case). The pivot is a bad design as the bushing and bolt are held firmly while the stand rotates on its hole....I'd think the bushing should be held in the hole (pressed in, interference fit for example) and it should rotate around the bolt. This would let the bush or bolt wear and be replacement items for lower cost.

Deets55 · Mar 17, 2025

Tornado said:
My stand has a worn pivot....does not seem to be the bush or the bolt....as they are fairly recent recently replaced. It appears to be the hole in the stand itself has worn enough to give a wobble when retracted...allowing it to pass under the frame tube if the rubber bumper has worn or split (usually the case). The pivot is a bad design as the bushing and bolt are held firmly while the stand rotates on its hole....I'd think the bushing should be held in the hole (pressed in, interference fit for example) and it should rotate around the bolt. This would let the bush or bolt wear and be replacement items for lower cost.

When I started to get play in my stand/bush fitment I took a pointed punch and dimpled the O.D. of the bush to help take up the slack. Then I put the bush back in the stand and hit it on the long end a couple of time with a 3 pound hammer. That gave me a snug fit. Eventually I replaced the bush/bolt and nut with new parts and that solved the problem. When my center stand, left side mounting hole got super oblong I welded up the long ends of the hole and used a air grinder with a burr to get the proper size hole. If I had a drill press and a good vice I would have just drilled a new hole.

robs ss · Mar 17, 2025

10drum said:
There is not problem with how the stand works, The problem is reaching the stand to retract it when sitting on the bike. I'm not sure if it's because the interstate tank is longer and I am sitting further back than I would on a roadster.

I'm just under 5' 11" with an Interstate and have no problem. I think @kommando may be right about wear.
I spent time eliminating all slop from mine and it has not required any adjustment since I did that January last year
Here's the link: https://www.accessnorton.com/Norton...ation-to-kick-on-side-stand.38316/post-682991
Mine does have that nice steel block Matt (cNw) fits so the stand doesn't hit the exhaust pipe when retracting.
Cheers

Saber · Mar 18, 2025

I'd be interested in seeing that CNW nice steel block. Can someone post a photo?

robs ss · Mar 18, 2025

10drum said:
There is not problem with how the stand works, The problem is reaching the stand to retract it when sitting on the bike. I'm not sure if it's because the interstate tank is longer and I am sitting further back than I would on a roadster.

I wonder if your frame-stop is worn so that the stand goes too far forward?
Just measured mine - tip of stand, when out, is 180mm in front of C/L of front isolastics
How does yours compare with that?

10drum · Mar 18, 2025

kommando said:
If you get the bike up on the centre stand and operate the side stand so its retracted then you can see where its supposed to stop against the tube under the primary case. The slop in the bushes and bolt will allow the side stand to drop lower and go past the tube. So new bolt and bushes stop this droop, plus you can weld a flat plate where the side stand hits the tube to allow some wear before you redo the fix, other fixes such as fitting a jubilee clip over the frame tube. Also the side stand should have a long thin end which can be missing and make the side stand hard to get at retracted.

On the bolt it must be hi tensile, I use a slightly longer allen bolt 10.9 or 12.9 with a nyloc nut, I can adjust the clearance at the pivot and fix it at that clearance with the nyloc.

I had that problem, replacing the bushing solved it, Plus I drill and tapped the top of the stop, threaded a 5/16" bolt in there and covered it with a thick piece of rubber hose, so it won't slam against the frame.

10drum · Mar 18, 2025

Tornado said:
If stand if well past 90 degrees from frame when deployed, it is a sure sign someone has been performing kick starts while bike is on side stand. This can bend the stand, its bracket or even the frame over time.

Take a careful look at theee parts and see if there is damage or just worn away stop points. Possible to have some weld blobs put down on the stops and grind back to make it just past 90 degree to frame when deployed.

Some find it difficult to deploy stand...i tend to hook tip of my boot toe behind it then give it acrapid fling forward so it basically flies under its own momentum the last little bit to fully out. Have seen a mechanic doing commando SS deploys by just reaching down with his hand and pushing stand out fully.

I believe this is my problem, most of the wear seems to be on the side stand more than the frame tab. I should've replaced the stand instead of just the bushing. Thanks

batrider · Mar 18, 2025

My '72 stand is smooth with no tang to get a foot on like the later ones. I've always just gotten off the bike first and fished around with my foot. Makes for some oily shoes but never really bothered me.

10drum · Mar 18, 2025

batrider said:
My '72 stand is smooth with no tang to get a foot on like the later ones. I've always just gotten off the bike first and fished around with my foot. Makes for some oily shoes but never really bothered me.

oily shoe? you may have more than a no tab side stand issue.

Tornado · Mar 18, 2025

batrider said:
My '72 stand is smooth with no tang to get a foot on like the later ones. I've always just gotten off the bike first and fished around with my foot. Makes for some oily shoes but never really bothered me.

Late stands do not have a tang for deploying...just the skinny tip section bend. The midway knob is meant to be bumper for stopping at the frame...but the rubber nearly always cracks and no longer stops stand from going under frame once pivot allows some wobble.

batrider · Mar 18, 2025

No stop knob or skinny tip. Always been that way since new. Some chain lube gets on that area. A little oil does not bother me as it does some.

Stephen Hill · Mar 18, 2025

It may be possible to add (if it is missing) or modify the skinny rod at the end of the sidestand so that you can more easily access it when it is deployed.

baz · Mar 18, 2025

This has been covered a few times now but bare in mind but one reason the stand wears out is because of it's weight
As pointed out some years ago by commoz
If you support the stand when closed then it won't wear out as quickly through bounce
I've always kicked commandos and every other Brit bike on the side stand for the last 47 years without issues (I don't believe in centre stands)
But then I don't put weight on the side stand while kicking and the world hasn't ended yet

o0norton0o · Mar 18, 2025

It's simple enough to weld a toe tang on to the foot of the side stand. I just recently modified my early frame commando with the horribly short stock side stand to use a yamaha motorcycle stand. I welded a toe tang on it because it disappeared when I folded it up making it impossible to deploy while seated on the bike..... Not hard to do even for an non pro welder like myself...

Side stand question(s)

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