Center Stand '85 K100

[thompsonr]

My center stand broke today is this a weldable thing or are there replacement stands out there? Got lucky the bike didn’t fall! 85 K100 RT :cry

[Burnszilla]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/K1-K100-K1100LT-Center-Stand_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el12 47QQcategoryZ35610QQihZ018QQitemZ280210581834QQrdZ 1QQsspagenameZWD1V

[BuddingGeezer]

Is it the center stand or the bushing bolts the stand rotates on. The bushings are not expensive, or hard to install.

Ralph Sims

[thompsonr]

Is it the center stand or the bushing bolts the stand rotates on. The bushings are not expensive, or hard to install.

Ralph Sims

Its the center stand just got it off. Broke just at the top of the curve on left side.

[thompsonr]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/K1-K100-K1100LT-Center-Stand_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el12 47QQcategoryZ35610QQihZ018QQitemZ280210581834QQrdZ 1QQsspagenameZWD1V

That stand looks very different than mine. Mine has curved legs. Will keep an eye on ebay anyone else have an extra? Will haul this to welding shop for possible repair.

[thompsonr]

Ok Had center stand welded old boy added a little support to the inside of left leg of center stand looked like a good idea…Wrong…. Leg just about hit tire nothing an hour worth of grinding cant fix. Get all done painted and try to install foot assist bar making contact with floor holding left leg off the floor when on the center stand, very unstable.

Ok torch heated foot assist bar got it up and leg down on floor feels like it use to think this will work. My only concern is the left leg ( when stand is up ) is still only about an inch from the rear side wall of the tire. I never paid any attention to the distance before so I cant be sure if this is enough clearance. Can anyone tell me if this is enough clearance? Thanks R.T.
:dunno

[deilenberger]

Its the center stand just got it off. Broke just at the top of the curve on left side.That's the usual spot. For a long time BMW would replace them free of charge. Dunno if they still do - worth trying to find a dealer who has been in business for more than 10 years and ask..

The later stands don't tend to break at that point, BMW modified the welding done on the reinforcing gusset to the foot-pedal-thingie (tech-term) and the triangular gusset between the cross-bar and the two uprights. The early ones were closed gussets, the later ones are open.

It also happens more if you habitually ride off the stand..

[deilenberger]

Ok torch heated foot assist bar got it up and leg down on floor feels like it use to think this will work. My only concern is the left leg ( when stand is up ) is still only about an inch from the rear side wall of the tire. I never paid any attention to the distance before so I cant be sure if this is enough clearance. Can anyone tell me if this is enough clearance? Thanks R.T.
:dunno

More than enough.

[deilenberger]

One additional comment.. if one leg broke, the other one is weak. Be worth trying to find a newer (new) centerstand. Cheaper than bodywork.. or a broken leg (they have been known to fall on people when trying to put them up on the centerstand.)

[thompsonr]

Thanks to all, will keep my eyes open for a better stand and use caution when using the existing stand. :dance Thanks R.T.

[LHairgrove]

Mine broke at the last fillup just before we got to Trenton in 2002 for the big event then. It was a curved type as well. I'm glad the design finally was changed. My bike was loaded with camping gear etc., and I'm glad I wasn't hurt when it gave way. I had it welded when I got back home, but never trusted it again.

[thompsonr]

I did email the closest BMW shop (still over 100 miles away) to see if possibly these were still a warranty option to replace as Don suggested but several days later I still haven’t heard anything from them. I guess I can take that as a no….:dunno

[98lee]

I just experienced the sickening feeling when putting my bike on the centerstand at a gas station. It felt different and I couldn't figure out why the bike was falling away from me. Despite my best efforts (and I'm a big guy) it rolled onto it's right side. After picking it up (and totally finishing off my back from the initial awkward grab at trying to save it) I found this:13857

You can tell by the little bit of rust part way around where it tore, that it has been cracked for a while. The way the forces act on the center stand makes it want to tear apart right above the weld on the rear side of the left leg.

This stand in an early style (May '86) K75S stand. I had been under the mistaken impression that the K75 stands and '86 and later K100s had been upgraded, but this is NOT the case.

The K75 stands were not up graded until after May '86 and before June '88.

Please excuse the multiple posts as I do not know how to post multiple photos in a single post.:scratch (computer challenged)

:dance :dance :dance

[98lee]

Here is the upgraded stand ('til they went to the straight leg stand on the 4V bikes:13858
Notice the longer gusset on the lever arm to stand connection.


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[deilenberger]

Lee,

That is the newer style stand - note the open ends on the triangular gusset.. on the original early stands (subject of a service bulletin/warranty) - the gusset was welded all the way around. EDIT: And apparently they came out with yet a 3rd design.. (your 2nd photo.)

The stands do tend to rust from the inside out, especially if the rubber plugs aren't keep in good shape on the ends of the tubes.

The later straight-leg stand won't easily work with the earlier bikes, it interfers with the self-retracting sidestand mechanism, meaning it's not useable on any K75's.. (which kept this feature right through the end of production in 1995.)

It is worth anyone who owns a K bike with the older stands examining the stand carefully for any cracks. The finish on them gets dinged up from stuff thrown off the rear wheel and the external rust is a good excuse to take the stand off once a year, sand it down and repaint it. I also squirted a lot of enamel paint into the tubes after removing the rubber plugs (which were then replaced..) to try to keep the internal rust down.

EDIT: I'd also suggest not riding off the stand. That puts a lot of additional strain on the stand with the riders weight on it as it pivots upwards... in our local club everyone who rode off the stands ended up breaking one sooner or later. It was rare for the people who didn't to have problems with the stand.

[98lee]

The later stands don't tend to break at that point, BMW modified the welding done on the reinforcing gusset to the foot-pedal-thingie (tech-term) and the triangular gusset between the cross-bar and the two uprights. The early ones were closed gussets, the later ones are open.

I know your working from memory (and that gets a little foggy at our age).
Actually the early one is open and the later one is more closed (although noticeably larger). Also there is NO difference at the crossbar to upright connection.

The upper stand is a later model '88-at least '92(I have two '88s and a '92 in my shop right now and they all have this style). The lower is a May '86. 13859


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[98lee]

Being a person who thinks "overkill" is a compliment (if some is good, more is better, and too much is just about right), I took a newer stand and really reinforced it:13860
Don:
That must be awful hard to ride off the centerstand on most K75s as the rear wheel doesn't touch the ground when on the centerstand. Not saying that it can't be done, but it sure doesn't seem like it would be as smooth as a taildragger (like most other BMWs)

If you have a picture (or if any one else does [thompsonr?]) post a picture of the earlier style stand.

We all need to learn as much as we can about these bikes (the dealers sure don't seem to remember much about them anymore).

:dance :dance :dance

[deilenberger]

Lee,

The one you're showing isn't the original original stand (the bikes started in '83 with the K100).. the very first generation had a fully welded gusset. I had one on an '85 K100RT, got a free replacement from the dealer when it broke (this was around 1994 or so..) as did a number of club members. The replacement one had the partly-welded gusset like your broken one does.

As far as riding off - if you have a K75 with stock suspension, the rear wheel is only about 3/4" off the ground when on the centerstand - and by rocking it back on the stand you can get enough traction to bump off it. Several local club members made a habit of it, until they broke their centerstands, then they thought better of it. It did require longer legs than I have since they'd bounce the bike forwards, compress the front forks, let it bounce back up as the rear wheel contacted the ground - goosed it and off they went. It probably also helped that they weighed about 300lbs..

Yes - my memory is erratic at times - but since I experienced the early generations of centerstands, and always watched out for bikes with the 1st generation (never parked next to them.. especially on the left of them) I do
rather clearly remember the fully welded one vs the open-end-gusset one
that replaced it.

[thompsonr]

My stand broke just about the same place yours did. Good thing is mine didn’t fall. Had parked it in the drive and like you felt something just wasn’t right when I took it off the stand to move it a few feet and when I tried to put it back on the stand and tilted it to the right as I always do I to almost dropped it. Here are some hurried photos of the now repaired and replaced stand. Looking for a replacement but who knows if a used one isn’t just closer to being broke than my repaired one.

[98lee]

Well then, if there are three versions, the first two are junk (open ended or not). The problem with their design is that it puts the stress of lifting the bike just ABOVE the end of the reenforcement. The third design (around the end of '87 or early '88) extends the reenforcement higher.

I would recommend that anyone with the smaller gusset (open or not) have the left leg reenforced from the lever arm to the crossbar BEFORE their bike falls over and causes considerable cosmetic damage to their bikes.

I was lucky because I sacrificed my back so that it was only a few inches off the ground when I let it go (or should I say I couldn't hold on any more). But, between the scratched mirror and the deeply scratched virgin integral case lid, that was over $300 in damages. It could have been significantly worse if I had lost my grip sooner and actually dropped it on the fairing. It could have caused enough damage for some insurance companies to want to total the bike!


Any one that abuses their bikes by doing something that it was not intended to do (riding off the centerstand on a K75) and is so obviously hard on the machine should not complain when it breaks. If they don't care if it breaks, more power to them. Just stay away from others. Don't get others caught up in their disregard for their bike.

I used to think that neutral-dropping my dad's '65 Galaxie was a pretty cool thing to do but, in hind sight it was pretty stupid (but fun). I was just lucky I didn't blow the tranny or the driveshaft.


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[98lee]

THOMPSONR:

Lets see a picture from the other side showing a detail of the original gusset on the foot lever.

So far I see NO differences on the crossbar on ANY of the stands. But I would like to see the third gusset design.


:dance :dance :dance

[thompsonr]

Just when I think I know how to do something on this dang machine (computer) #%^(&

[thompsonr]

another

[35634]

As if I didn't have enuf to worry about (splines, deer, open manholes) now I'm
going to be scared every time I pop my K up on it's 22 year old-never-been-touched
centerstand. Thanks alot!:violin

[98lee]

THOMPSONR: 1985 K100RT. Well if Don is correct, I guess yours has been replaced before and that is the replacement that broke. Like I said, that is no better than the original.

35634: I see by your profile that you have an '86 K75S. Is it a '87 US version K75S built in '86 or a '86 Non US version? What's the last 6 numbers of the VIN? If it's 15xxxx, then it's a US version '87 model built in '86. Mine is 150081 built in the first week of US production. Maybe ours were litter mates.:buds

Also I see by the photo in your profile that you are a high school wood shop instructor.:rofl


:dance :dance :dance

[98lee]

As if I didn't have enuf to worry about (splines, deer, open manholes) now I'm
going to be scared every time I pop my K up on it's 22 year old-never-been-touched
centerstand. Thanks alot!:violin

Brace it before it breaks! Replace the clutch rod boot (or possibly the swing arm boot) while you there (see puddle in photo).

When you get to be our age, it' just like Roseanne Rosannadanna used to say: "IT'S ALWAYS SUMPTHIN'"

http://video.aol.com/partner/hulu/saturday-night-live-roseanne-rosannadanna-on-smoking/RGQ5Vqh7b0EWKPZcfGg821m-vouH6yhO
Wait for the commercial to end before the video starts (jeez, commercials everywhere!)

:dance :dance :dance

[98lee]

Does anyone have a photo of the original '85 or older centerstand foot lever to leg gusset? (The closed one that Don was referring to.)


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[deilenberger]

Took a bit of digging to find these, from a UK wrecking yards website:

http://smithduck3.home.comcast.net/~smithduck3/kbikeparts/pics/fairingbody/2vcenterstand100k.jpg

and

http://smithduck3.home.comcast.net/~smithduck3/kbikeparts/pics/fairingbody/2vcenterstand53k.jpg

If you do a Google on "85 K bike centerstand" - a few links pop up (besides the two above)

One is Anton L's execellent K bike history: http://www.largiader.com/k75/khistory.html

Another is from the German Flying-Brick K-bike club: http://www.flyingbrick.de/GB/modifications.html which mentions the modified stand went into production on 10/84.. Which was midway in the US 1985 K100 model production (they were introduced in '84 as a 1985 model in the US.)

[98lee]

Took a bit of digging to find these, from a UK wrecking yards website:

http://smithduck3.home.comcast.net/~smithduck3/kbikeparts/pics/fairingbody/2vcenterstand100k.jpg

and

http://smithduck3.home.comcast.net/~smithduck3/kbikeparts/pics/fairingbody/2vcenterstand53k.jpg

If you do a Google on "85 K bike centerstand" - a few links pop up (besides the two above)

One is Anton L's execellent K bike history: http://www.largiader.com/k75/khistory.html

Another is from the German Flying-Brick K-bike club: http://www.flyingbrick.de/GB/modifications.html which mentions the modified stand went into production on 10/84.. Which was midway in the US 1985 K100 model production (they were introduced in '84 as a 1985 model in the US.)

UK Wrecking Yard???? Those pictures are from Drake Smith's website kbikeparts.com.
http://smithduck3.home.comcast.net/~smithduck3/kbikeparts/kbikeparts.htm

He's in SEATTLE! (might be why the prices are in dollars instead of pounds).

He also clearly lists them as K100/ K75 centerstands part #46522310475.
That number is the CURRENT listing for ALL K75s.

They are IDENTICAL to the ones that I have on my two '88 K75Ss and IDENTICAL to the one that is on a customer's '92 K75S and IDENTICAL to the two K75 centerstands that I bought off Ebay (no year was specified).

Also, I do find it curious that while one upgrade WAS mentioned to the centerstands in both articles (excellent by the way. I've read them before) NO mention was made of what you would suggest is the THIRD (and much more extensive) modification to the centerstand.

IF there are three, and the first one was a closed one, I would suggest that the first two used virtually the same gusset and they just stopped welding the top and the bottom in a mistaken assumption that heat embrittlement next to the weld was the cause of the cracking. I would suggest that after they found that that wasn't the answer, they redesigned a larger gusset that more reenforced the stress area. That is what is on '88and later K75s and is currently what is available from BMW.

Once again, I would very much like to see an original PRE '85 centerstand gusset. And I would further recommend that anyone with the smaller gusset (open OR closed) replace or reenforce it before it fails. Obviously the open ones are suspect because two have just failed and BMW superceeded them for a reason 20 years ago.


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[thompsonr]

35364 check your stand just above the gusset dont want to worry you anymore than you allready are but i see a brown rust looking line just above the gusset on the left leg in your photo where both of our stands have broken. might be worth a second look. Not real sure the best way to check it but sanding that area to check it may be needed. Very little or no warning when these go. R.T.

[deilenberger]

UK Wrecking Yard???? Those pictures are from Drake Smith's website kbikeparts.com.
http://smithduck3.home.comcast.net/~smithduck3/kbikeparts/kbikeparts.htm

He's in SEATTLE! (might be why the prices are in dollars instead of pounds).

SmithDuck just sounded so UK like.. :brad

He also clearly lists them as K100/ K75 centerstands part #46522310475.
That number is the CURRENT listing for ALL K75s.

Somehow I doubt if he found the PN on the parts. Call me goofy, but I can't recall BMW even putting the PN on the centerstands. So I'd guess he looked on RealOEM or an ETK disk to find the PN, and assumed..

They are IDENTICAL to the ones that I have on my two '88 K75Ss and IDENTICAL to the one that is on a customer's '92 K75S and IDENTICAL to the two K75 centerstands that I bought off Ebay (no year was specified).

If you look closely at the photos - it appears both ends of the gusset are welded. On your photo, only the longer end is welded. Perhaps it's rust disguised as a weld.. But, whatever..Also, I do find it curious that while one upgrade WAS mentioned to the centerstands in both articles (excellent by the way. I've read them before) NO mention was made of what you would suggest is the THIRD (and much more extensive) modification to the centerstand.

IF there are three, and the first one was a closed one, I would suggest that the first two used virtually the same gusset and they just stopped welding the top and the bottom in a mistaken assumption that heat embrittlement next to the weld was the cause of the cracking. I would suggest that after they found that that wasn't the answer, they redesigned a larger gusset that more reenforced the stress area. That is what is on '88and later K75s and is currently what is available from BMW.

I think that's a close assessment. The 2nd gusset design has some relief cuts from the tubing that the first didn't (the weld would have been VERY large and ugly if they did) - but the basic shape/position of the gusset was the same.

And you can postulate about "IF" - I now know there were three (actually 4 if you include the staight-leg one) and it really isn't something I care to continue debating. The 10/84 reference on the German website would seem to be enough proof of Stand1 turning into Stand2, which you say was replaced much later than that with Stand3. And if you check the production dates of K75's - they weren't being made in 10/84.. so they ALL would have received the 2nd generation stand (which perhaps is what's causing your confusion.. I've owned both an '85 K100RT and an '87 K75S..)Once again, I would very much like to see an original PRE '85 centerstand gusset. I'd suggest you keep looking then since I'm done looking for one..
And I would further recommend that anyone with the smaller gusset (open OR closed) replace or reenforce it before it fails. Obviously the open ones are suspect because two have just failed and BMW superceeded them for a reason 20 years ago.Good recommendation. Gen-1 cracked right where the gusset weld was on the tube (which makes your assumption why BMW changed to an open gusset a reasonable one.)

I doubt very much if there are many Pre'85 stands left. They were the subject of a service campaign by BMW so the vast majority got replaced, at the same time as the grounding wires were added to the handlebars and the footpeg mounts were changed to the solid mounted ones from the rubber mounted ones, and the soggy ignition modules were replaced (the EWS of it's day..) VERY rarely I see a K100 that apparently was never taken in for the service campaign (easily spotted by the footpeg mounts and how the exhaust is mounted - solid to the left footpeg mount), I'd guess that's probably the only place you'll see the first generation centerstand.

I'm now bored to death with the discussion, so please continue without me.. I'm headed out to go riding shortly. :dance :dance :dance :dance

BTW - if you want further I'll happily PM you with the email addresses of Tom Cutter, Anton L, and Brian Curry. If that doesn't work, I also know the chap who was head of BMW national service around that era and I'm sure he can sort it out for you (Gene Shirley.)

[35634]

35634: I see by your profile that you have an '86 K75S. Is it a '87 US version K75S built in '86 or a '86 Non US version? What's the last 6 numbers of the VIN? If it's 15xxxx, then it's a US version '87 model built in '86. Mine is 150081 built in the first week of US production. Maybe ours were litter mates.:buds

Also I see by the photo in your profile that you are a high school wood shop instructor.:rofl


:dance :dance :dance

OK, it really is an 87, but I bought it 9/86. The VIN is 150231. I guess that would make it 150 bikes newer than yours! The puddle is from sloppy topping off oil that
is leaking around the valve cover that I just got new gaskets and grommets for.

Good call on the wood shop - I photoshopped it to make it look worse than it is
Never believe everything you see. :jester

[35634]

35364 check your stand just above the gusset dont want to worry you anymore than you allready are but i see a brown rust looking line just above the gusset on the left leg in your photo where both of our stands have broken. might be worth a second look. Not real sure the best way to check it but sanding that area to check it may be needed. Very little or no warning when these go. R.T.
Thanks Tompsonr! I noticed that too, after I got the picture up on the computer.
Cleaned it off and it looked like a rub mark. Did a little investigating and when the
sidestand and centerstand are up, the sidestand foot can rub the centerstand there.
I have a Luftmeister slip on, so the positioning may be different than stock.:dunno
To sum up; old, rubbed wrong way, know problem, not upgraded and may be on verge
of total collapse. Sound like me!:banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead

[98lee]

I've found out a bit more about when they changed from the second "open" gusset version to the current larger gusset centerstand.

I had assumed (you can see were this is going) that because both of my '88 K75Ss were within 100 of each other on their VIN #s, that the were the same. WRONG

They are #1274 and 1376 both made in July '87. One list I have shows 1274 being the last S built in June '87 but the frame tag says July. Probably started on the last day of June and out the door on the 1st of July.

Anyway, both my '87 (#0081 built 5/86) and my spare '88 (#1274 built July '87) had the small "open" gusset centerstands (one of which has failed). This was NOT a rust failure. This is a garaged California bike that very rarely has been in the rain and is cleaned with rags and polish not a hose. The inside was NOT rusty. But there was slight surface rust 1/4 of the way around the tear indicating that it had started to crack some time ago.

My wife's '88 K75S (#1376 also built in July '87 has the larger gusset current design as does the '92 K75S that I am currently working on.

I would conclude that BMW upgraded to the current large gusset design in July of 1987. All bikes produced prior to that would have the suspect small gusset and might consider bracing BEFORE a failure occurs. An ounce of prevention...... Those stands are 21years old now and stress fatigue is a cumulative thing.


:dance :dance :dance

[breyfogle]

....My wife's '88 K75S (#1376 also built in July '87 has the larger gusset current design as does the '92 K75S that I am currently working on. ... I would conclude that BMW upgraded to the current large gusset design in July of 1987.

Just to add a bit of confusion: my K75S, #0151464, build date July 87, VIN tag MFD of 8/87, has the smaller open weld design just like your #1274. :dunno Makes me think that BMW made a design change but continued to install both the new or older style stand until the existing inventory was depleted.

[98lee]

Just to add a bit of confusion: my K75S, #0151464, build date July 87, VIN tag MFD of 8/87, has the smaller open weld design just like your #1274. :dunno Makes me think that BMW made a design change but continued to install both the new or older style stand until the existing inventory was depleted.

:doh

Just when ya think you've got BMW figured out.:banghead :banghead :banghead
:dance :dance :dance

[deilenberger]

Just to add a bit of confusion: my K75S, #0151464, build date July 87, VIN tag MFD of 8/87, has the smaller open weld design just like your #1274. :dunno Makes me think that BMW made a design change but continued to install both the new or older style stand until the existing inventory was depleted.Were you the original owner of both? If so - that's the best hypothesis, it not - I'd bet a former owner may have replaced one or both for some reason.

[98lee]

Were you the original owner of both? If so - that's the best hypothesis, it not - I'd bet a former owner may have replaced one or both for some reason.

I'll bet you're right. I'll bet 1376 was also a victim of a failed centerstand and got replaced with the current style. I bought 1274 from the original owner, but am only aware of the last 10 years for 1376.

Once again, so much for assumptions. :banghead :banghead :banghead


:dance :dance :dance

[barryg]

Back 4 or 5 years ago my 87 K100 RT started leaning over to much for me. I had already bent it back slightly several times. It was badly faded and somewhat rusty, so it also needed painted or powdercoated. The center was kinda looking beatup and deteriorated as well. I just ordered new ones along with new springs. Bike set up proper now on new center and sidestand. Sometimes U have to bite the bullet, and buy new pieces. One of these days I'll pull the old pieces out, refurbish them and have them for backup. I wish BMW had built a sturdier stand system. I will admit that I'm a little rough on my equipment at times, that said those pieces should have been sturdier.

[Paul_F]

EDIT: I'd also suggest not riding off the stand. That puts a lot of additional strain on the stand with the riders weight on it as it pivots upwards... in our local club everyone who rode off the stands ended up breaking one sooner or later. It was rare for the people who didn't to have problems with the stand.

Don, dumb question but is sitting on the bike and pushing it off the stand going to cause the same wear as riding off the stand? My weight is usually about 145 pounds.

[breyfogle]

Were you the original owner of both?

Don't know nuthin' about 98lee's Kbike, but I'm the original and only owner of mine. It's got the same center stand it had when it left the showroom.

[thompsonr]

Back 4 or 5 years ago my 87 K100 RT started leaning over to much for me. I had already bent it back slightly several times. It was badly faded and somewhat rusty, so it also needed painted or powdercoated. The center was kinda looking beatup and deteriorated as well. I just ordered new ones along with new springs. Bike set up proper now on new center and sidestand. Sometimes U have to bite the bullet, and buy new pieces. One of these days I'll pull the old pieces out, refurbish them and have them for backup. I wish BMW had built a sturdier stand system. I will admit that I'm a little rough on my equipment at times, that said those pieces should have been sturdier.

Where do you find a new center stand and how much do they cost? Dont really trust my fixed stand and the bike is parked in the garage between my beloved truck and the wifes new car,if the stand breakes while its parked there I lose BIG! would be worth some $$$ to replace it not to mention piece of mind.. R.T.

[98lee]

http://www.chicagobmwmotorcycle.com/store/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=+46522310475&osCsid=25b372dbfb2d4252baeacfc3a0cf6fd6&x=


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[deilenberger]

Don, dumb question but is sitting on the bike and pushing it off the stand going to cause the same wear as riding off the stand? My weight is usually about 145 pounds.It's certainly putting more stress on a part that was marginal in design to begin with.. Think where they break, then think of the stress on that point when you rock the bike back to get the momentum to roll it forwards.

I wouldn't do it.

[barryg]

Where do you find a new center stand and how much do they cost? Dont really trust my fixed stand and the bike is parked in the garage between my beloved truck and the wifes new car,if the stand breakes while its parked there I lose BIG! would be worth some $$$ to replace it not to mention piece of mind.. R.T.

Your local dealer. The only problem is the exchange rate. I did it back when it was in our favour. The condition mine was in was not going to cause a major problem, it just wasn't right. It looked funky in that angle of repose. I knew that buying a used one was not going to help the situation, as I already had a used one. Just do a close inspection of both stands. With the bike on the sidestand, get down and look at the centerstand and rotate it back and forth and inspect the bottem of it for wear. Put the bike on the center stand and do a close inspection of the sidestand. Pull the centerstand 90 degrees off the pivot point, if its sloppy U will feel it and look at the straitness of the stand and see if there is a bend in it. After 30 years use it probably has both. This causes the overlean. I can just tell it by looking, some people just are not oriented to evaluating problems like this.

[thompsonr]

[. This causes the overlean. I can just tell it by looking, some people just are not oriented to evaluating problems like this.[/QUOTE]

Didnt really take too much to figure out something was wrong and that it was a problem with the center stand as the old girl looked like a pig on ice. I could just tell by lookin, seen a few pigs on ice........:laugh

[timbro]

I am reviving this thread due to the many new owners of vintage K100's; plus the fact that I totally missed this great thread back in 2008. Two weeks ago, while placing my bike on the centerstand at a Casey's in Beatrice, NE the bike felt strange placing it on the centerstand and then it slowly fell on it's right side.

The mirror careened across the parking lot, and fortunately the bike fell away from me rather than falling towards me and pinning me against the gas pump. Always great to have so many strangers run to your aid to help you pick up your bike. Snapped on the mirror, payed for the gas, and down the road I went. What I had not been doing was performing a regular inspection of the stand as outlined many times in this thread.

In addition, if you are missing the end plug, replace it. My plug was missing allowing moisture inside and no doubt accelerating corrosion from within. The centerstand was original to the bike and broke right next to the support bracket weld.

25464

[timbro]

This is a pic of the bearing pivots. As you can see both are badly worn and the snap ring/circlip is distorted. The original '85 centerstand did not come with grease zerts. The new stand does.

25465

[timbro]

This is the new centerstand BMW Part # 46 52 2 310 475. It comes equipped with grease zerts and a larger welded reinforcement gusset where the breaks typically occur. Bottom line: inspect those K bike centerstands on a regular basis for any cracks above the welded gusset.

Tim Bro
'85 K100RT; '90K75RT; 91K75RT; '05 R1200GS

25466

[98lee]

Also it helps to be sure BOTH legs of the centerstand are in contact with the ground BEFORE hoisting it up on the stand.

I used to be pretty sloppy about that until...........:banghead

I was putting double the load on the near leg during the first half of lifting the bike. I'm sure that accelerated its demise.




:dance:dance:dance

[brewmeister]

When my 88K100lt broke it's c-stand I machined a solid steel plug to fit up to the attachment point and down to the curve.It was welded onto place.This seems much stronger than being hollow. I also machined new pivot bolts from scratch,now they're much better. I also welded 1/4 inch pads on the bottom of each leg where it contacts the ground,this also works much better and the bike still goes on the c-stand easily

[timleary]

my 85 k100rs c/stand finally bit the dust. have read on the k100rt newsgroup that the k1100 centerstand/sidestand assembly could be bolted on the early k's with little or no modification. has anyone had experience with this? my sidestand still holds it up, but i usually used the centerstand 'til it failed.

[pjar]

This is a response to Paul F in London, Ontario.

Those that are tall enough may consider this method.

I straddle the seat, put both feed on ground and stand (off of the seat), then push her off of the center stand. My thinking is that no undue weight is put on the stand AND if the center stand wants to break the bike will not tip over. Seems like you are getting the best of both worlds with this method.

If you need to push off of the center stand from the side then you must regularly inspect it for cracks to avoid dropping your loyal friend.

Pete