Stands

[windchill]

I boughty an MG workshop stand a few years ago, the one that goes on the "pork chop" bolts. It is very agricultural, unless I am using it wrongly, and tends to remove the red finsih rather too often: hence doesn't get used.

 

Has anyone fitted "bobbins" to their swing are? There are two 5mm (I think) threaded holes just forwards of the axle. will these take the weight, or is there a way of making them more substantial?

[ponti_33609]

Hi,

 

FWIW - I "dipped" the ends that fit under the pork chop bolts with that plastic dipping liquid you can by at Home Depot (in the states). The stuff that is on the handles of tools. It has done a nice job for me in not having dings from the use of the shop stand.

 

Bob

[Guest ratchethack]

Windchill, the threaded holes just forward of the spindle will definitely NOT take the weight of the bike. These are flimsy little "expansion" sockets that are hardly sturdy enough to secure the hugger. If you can take these out (I've replaced them with more robust alternatives, and it's harder than it looks), you're looking at large (~10 mm if memory serves) open, non-threaded holes in the swingarm. In order to mount bobbins for standing the bike, you'd need to weld substantial threaded bosses on the swingarm.

 

No need for bobbins here at the Ratchethack Guzzi Garage. The MG stand takes a little getting used to at first, but I've found it to be invaluable, and continue to get lots of mileage out of it. I've been using it for 6 years now without nicking the paint (as I did the first few times). I put small vinyl "closet hardware" tips on it to protect the paint. I've used it so much that I've modified it to extend its utility by putting a caster wheel on it (see below), which affords the great convenience of wheeling the bike around anywhere I want it in my home shop with either front, rear, or both wheels off, and found that it affords the same flexibility and convenience when using it to remove the transmission.

 

Despite hardships upon knees and back, there is an advantage to keeping the mass of the bike low to the ground, and it's very stable with one or both wheels off. Several hereabouts have reported dropping their Guzzis off fancy stands from considerable heights, with predictable carnage. . .

 

No telling how many cases of the above go unreported for um, obvious reasons. . .

 

BAA, TJM, & YMMV

[GuzziMoto]

While I would think the Guzzi stand would be a good choice, particularly after covering the ends, there are many companies that makes swingarm stands that do not require spools. I use an old one from Lockhart-Phillips and have seen them from Pit-Bull and others. Since you already have a Guzzi stand I would try to modify that so it did not scratch the pork chops first, but if that fails there are a few brands to chose from that make swing arm stands.

[fotoguzzi]

I just got this for 52.00US at Harbor Freight.. I'm quite pleased with it. once set up for tire size I can roll right in and walk away.. I trust it more than a sidestand in my garage. the straps are not needed.

[windchill]

Thanks chaps. I think I will try the dipping stuff: guess something like belzona liquid rubber woud be worth a go.

 

Fotoguzzi's stand looks nice. I use the bike grab version.

[ponti_33609]

"look ma, no hands!" 3-Jacks, 1 bike!!

 

 

The liquid stuff works well! Good luck

[stockport claret]

I use a Micron paddock stand for getting the rear end off the floor and used two scissor jacks under the bar between the 'pork chops' to support the bike when

I removed the rear wheel, swing arm and drive shaft though next time I'll get one of these stands as they seem much more stable.

 

[tmcafe]

Thanks chaps. I think I will try the dipping stuff: guess something like belzona liquid rubber woud be worth a go.

 

Fotoguzzi's stand looks nice. I use the bike grab version.

Another thing that's been discussed already and experienced by more than one of us was that the Guzzi OEM stand often seems to have a wider than desired span between the points where the bolts sticking out of the porkchops are supposed to rest. Perhaps paradoxically this makes it more likely to scratch the porkchops because all the fiddling it takes to position the stand so it won't look like the bike will collapse if you sneeze When I get a chance I'll try ratchet's suggested fixes to narrow the shopstand's span. And coating the tips helps--I've used some tape.

[Admin Jaap]

Bought myself a wheel chock too. Especially for the 1200 Sport where there is no possibilty for a paddock stand. Next thing is modifying the small bike lift with mounts that go in the sideplate holes.

[windchill]

Now I know what I want for my birthday!! Where do those cute little lifts come from?

[ponti_33609]

Now I know what I want for my birthday!! Where do those cute little lifts come from?

 

 

I think that is called a "Bike Chock". I think they are out of England. I do not think I have seen them in the US. Mostly Condor brand that I see.

 

Bob

[stockport claret]

two places that I've seen have the small scissor jack at the mo,.

Think I remember seeing one in the Machine Mart catalogue as well.

 

http://www.worldofpower.co.uk/Motorcycle-A...1342/p7933.aspx

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Centre-Stand-Scissor...A1%7C240%3A1318

[fotoguzzi]

OK here's my new apparatus, a friend built this for me, I paid him 50 bucks.. it fits tightly on my jack stand and is a trick to get under the bike but once up it's very stable side to side.. it can still rock fore and aft a bit so when I work on one or the other wheels I'll support the other end. I need to avoid working on my knees some of the time.

 

my jack doesn't seem to have full power, can I rebuild with o-rings or something to fix it?

 

 

[Guest ratchethack]

OK here's my new apparatus, a friend built this for me, I paid him 50 bucks.. it fits tightly on my jack stand and is a trick to get under the bike but once up it's very stable side to side.. it can still rock fore and aft a bit so when I work on one or the other wheels I'll support the other end. I need to avoid working on my knees some of the time.

Nice photo's, Foto. Having an appreciation for home-fabbed apparati, anything that provides knee relief, and an increasing affection for high bang-fer-the buck cost/value (let's not bring up the economy, OK ) this looks pretty snazzy. I see it's fully mobile once raised. Having this capability now with my simple MG stand, I don't know if I'd ever be able to do without. As far as that fore-aft pitching thing -- How's about getting your Pal to affix foldable outriggers? T'would be a relatively quick and easy addition, unless I miss my mark, bark up the wrong tree, and mix my metaphors in a most politically incorrect manner (it happens). . .