Making a C15 centre stand effortless

[Tigerfeet]

Getting my C15 onto the centrestand require an inordinate amount of effort. I have five bikes, and this is the smallest - yet it requires more than twice the effort of any of the others.

All the other bikes have a lever on the centrestand. So I need to design and fit one. But I can't be the first person in the world to reach this conclusion. So - has anyone made a C15 / B40 centrestand lever - and if so, can I have piccies please?!

My thinking so far is that the lever will need to go on the right, and be shaped to curl around the exhaust when up....

[rhyatt]

If the hinges pins are worn or the lug holes worn , the legs can go too far over centre making things difficult.

[limeyrob]

I don't recall C15's or B40's being hard to get on the stand if everything is working as it should be.  Its hard to know where to start, the feet, pivots, lugs all wear.

[Tigerfeet]

Well - I definitely need to fettle (build-up with weld) the up limit stop area. So maybe I also need to build-up the down limit stop area as well. I was thinking I'd progress the lever idea at the same time, but based on those comments, maybe I'll park the lever idea until after I've tried the stand exactly back to the BSA original configuration. Thanks.

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

I have found B40s and C15s a bit awkward to get on the main stand.  When young it is less of a problem as brute force can overcome most things.  Now less brute force available so strategy comes in to it.
A 'stand on' lever would be great but in the meantime I roll the back wheel on to a piece of wood - this make it a lot easier.

Dave.

[TTJOHN]

My center stand is built up about 1" at the feet and I have the pivots in good fettle but I don't have any problem with putting it up on the stand, the A7 and Golden Flash are a different kettle of fish, I think I need to take a muscle man with me, in fact it's getting a little bit noticeable now that I'm not so young as I was and am thinking about selling the big ones and just keeping the C15G.

[limeyrob]

Some years ago I bought a Harley (that's another story). Harleys don't have centre stands so when it got a puncture I had to buy a bike lift.  The Harley has gone but I kept the lift and I use that for all the jobs that require the centre stand.  For riding I only use the side stands.
The lift I have is the type with two bars that fit across under the lower frame tubes.

[Tigerfeet]

he A7 and Golden Flash are a different kettle of fish, I think I need to take a muscle man with me, in fact it's getting a little bit noticeable now that I'm not so young as I was and am thinking about selling the big ones and just keeping the C15G.

My A50 doesn't have side stand, so it always goes on the main stand. I am planning on altering the lever arm on the mainstand to make life easier.  I have a BMW R80 and it goes on the centre stand as easy as wink - BMW have got the lever arm etc perfectly sorted. The foot pad on lever arm must be about six inches behind the foot, whereas on the A50 it is two or three inches.

[ringding]

My Barracuda had no lever on the center stand, but the feet were like a cam. The trick was to stand with the left foot holding the base of the stand in place and to pull more backwards than upwards. Then it would roll on the cam and put it on the stand. Not sure if that makes sense! I was trying to lift it onto the stand before I got the knack of it.
Not sure if the C15 is similar to the C25 though.

[limeyrob]

My technique is to stand to the left of the bike at the rear, about level with the pillion seat.  I balance the bike carefully then put my left foot on the centre stand foot.  Legs apart and bent.  Then I get a good grip on the grab handle or rear mudguard stay (if there's no handle) and pull back and up using my legs.  It takes a bit of practice to get the balance but if you get the posture right you can get a lot of force where you need it.
The tricky part is going from sitting astride the bike to standing next to it at the rear. At some point you have to transfer you hands from the bars to the rear, you can do this by very slightly leaning the bike on your legs.
And yes, it can go wrong. I was doing this on an A10 and had my foot firmly on the ball on the stand, I gave an almighty  heave and put all my weight on the ball, which then punched through my shoe sole so I was stuck, too painful to keep going and no way to free my foot as the ball would not come out.  I ended up working my shoe off to get free and giving up on the stand.

[Jim S]

To get a bike on the centre stand at home I use gravity and a ramp.

I push the front wheel up the ramp so that it is 3-4 inches above the floor then put on the front brake and swing down the centre stand with my right foot, which stops the bike from rolling back when I release the brake. Then I use my right hand to pull up and back on the rear grab handle. The bike wants to roll back down the ramp but instead easily goes up on the centre stand.

I use a ramp to get a B33 or an A10 onto a centre stand.

Jim

[limeyrob]

I like that idea, I'll try that.

[Tigerfeet]

My trial (tack-welded) fitment of a 'stand on' lever on the C15 was successful (made a positive difference) until it fell off....  I shall provide piccies once I get it rewelded properly.