Center Stand Footlever

[JSBKC]

My R75/7 came with a broken footlever on the center stand. Rather than having to reach down and pull the stand down by hand, I'd like to weld a new lever on. Problem is I've never seen what the factory lever looked like (appears like the original was a 1/4" wire?). I'm tempted to just weld a 1" pipe at the base of the stand that is long enough to stick out past the frame rail. Does this seem reasonable or would another design seem better? TIA - Jim

[James.A]

I wrapped an aircraft, ribbon style hose clamp around my center stand right over the nub of the broken tang. I positioned the screw housing so that it was nearest to the road when in the up position or on the front edge when deployed. It's pretty easy to get the toe of a boot on it and flip the stand down.

[flash412]

My R75/7 came with a broken footlever on the center stand. ... I'm tempted to just weld a 1" pipe at the base of the stand that is long enough to stick out past the frame rail. Does this seem reasonable or would another design seem better? TIA - JimThe "foot lever" to which you refer is NOT a foot lever and that is why it broke off. That little tang is used simply to make the stand drop down to touch the ground. Then, you position the ball of your foot on the "ball" of the stand. The more weight you apply to the stand, the easier it is to pop the bike up on it.

A 1" pipe is both deployment overkill and invites improper stand usage.

[JSBKC]

The "foot lever" to which you refer is NOT a foot lever and that is why it broke off. That little tang is used simply to make the stand drop down to touch the ground. Then, you position the ball of your foot on the "ball" of the stand. The more weight you apply to the stand, the easier it is to pop the bike up on it.

A 1" pipe is both deployment overkill and invites improper stand usage.

Thanks! This makes sense and is quite different than my R1150RT set up - where the foot lever contains the ball used to pop the bike up.

Perhaps, using a hose clamp, I mount a ridged piece of wire (or small diameter pipe) that sticks out from the sideframes. I can use this to push the stand down to the ground and then use the 'ball' of the stand to raise the bike. Sounds like a simple (although not elegant) solution. My other approach could be to replicate the R1150RT type lever/ball on the R75.

Appreciate all the help.

[lkchris]

The "foot lever" to which you refer is NOT a foot lever and that is why it broke off. That little tang is used simply to make the stand drop down to touch the ground.


To which I'd add ...

... if the original poster had an owner's manual, he'd know that because it's in there.

Also apparently little known is that manuals are still available, as are new centerstands.

[dbrick]

Perhaps, using a hose clamp, I mount a ridged piece of wire (or small diameter pipe) that sticks out from the sideframes. I can use this to push the stand down to the ground and then use the 'ball' of the stand to raise the bike. Sounds like a simple (although not elegant) solution. I used a similar tactic on my R1100RS centerstand, when — after remounting the footpegs on GS footplates — the original centerstand tang hit the footplates, and had to be removed. A 1" steel rod was welded onto the left leg of the stand, sticking out from the bike. It's easy to push down with my toe; then I move my foot to the end of the sidestand leg, lift and push.

[coyotebmw]

I have a 1983 R80RT with a factory center stand. When I first got the bike the original owner had changed to a drive off center stand, and after I had some problems (dumped the bike once) because of the "modifications" he had to make to use that after-market drive off stand, I replaced it with the factory center stand. The problem I am having is the metal in both the center stand and the contact point on the bike seems very soft and after awhile the center stand "dents" the metal and doesn't work properly. I have had my brother-in-law, who is a professional welder, weld beads on both the center stand contact point and the bike stand stop points, but both spots have "dented". Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

[James.A]

Coyote, your best bet would be to have your welder apply multiple passes to "thicken" the steel in the weak spots. It is important that the welds be made hot enough to "sink" into the original tube stock. Then restore the original contours with a grinder. E-mail or PM for more specific instructions.

[flash412]

your best bet would be to have your welder apply multiple passes to "thicken" the steel in the weak spots. It is important that the welds be made hot enough to "sink" into the original tube stock. Then restore the original contours with a grinder.That will fix the STAND. Once you've done that, fix the PROBLEM. Replace both springs. When you go over a bump, the stand is dropping down and the road surface is grinding it away.

Use a roll of pennies stuffed in between the spring coils to lengthen the spring enough to install it without stretching. Then yank out the pennies with a pair of pliers.

[donkey doctor]

Hello; I like that roll of pennies idea. I have a Luftmeister two into one exhaust on my 77 /7 and the tang looked silly hanging out in mid air with no pipe to hide it, so I just cut it off. Without the exhaust pipe I find it easy to find the centre stand with my toe. I guess this doesn't help you with your problem very much.

[lkchris]

Hello; I like that roll of pennies idea. I have a Luftmeister two into one exhaust on my 77 /7 and the tang looked silly hanging out in mid air with no pipe to hide it, so I just cut it off. Without the exhaust pipe I find it easy to find the centre stand with my toe. I guess this doesn't help you with your problem very much.

Not to be a PITA or anything, but if you reinstall the OEM exhaust, you'll get your lost power back!

[James.A]

Using pennies to elongate the spring?.......BRILLIANT!!!!!
I'm gonna use that trick.
Thanks flash412.

[donkey doctor]

Hey Woodnsteel; Does that nickname have anything to do with Taylor guitars? You sound a lot like me.

[coyotebmw]

I my last post I discussed some of the problems I have had with the center stand on my 1980 R80RT. I finally took it to a shop near me (Not a BMW, but a Ducati dealer, Eastside Motosports of Bellevue, WA) that I have some good luck with in the past on work on my bike. The Shop Manager, Dave Rookaird, has in past been a BMW mechanic and BMW shop manager, so he has a great deal of knowledge about problems with BMW's. Besides the owner of the dealership is a BMW lover as well, and has resorted several old BMW's (including an R4), so I have found a place that demostrates knowledge of the ins and outs of older BMW's. This is helpful in that in the past year or so we lost our only local BMW dealership here on the eastside of Lake Washington in Seattle.

Anyway, Dave was able to get the center stand working right on my bike. What he did is had a Frame expert reweld the stops on the frame and re-grind them to original. Then he took the center stand and welded additional material on the "ears" where the bushing connect the stand to the frame. It not only strengthen a known weak point in the bike, but brought the frame stops back into original configuration.

If anyone else is having a problem with the center stand on the older (late 70's early 80's) bikes, this could be a solution.

[jgr451]

I,like Woodnsteel,am ass tounded at your brilliance,Flash 412!!!Penniesto benignly stretch a spring!!Hold on!!

I had problems with the bushings on the centre stand(a Reynolds ride-off) on my 84 R100RT (a wonderful bike BTW).A machinist friend machined new bushings and welded on and ground to shape a piece of pipe to replace the rusted down end.Perfect solutions.