Any ideas?

The simplest "cure" while at home is a piece of 1/2" thick wood under the rear tire. When away from home, use the side stand or "man-up"

If cutting the stand, I would cut the "feet" off, shorten the tubes and weld the "feet" back on - reduces the weight and seems tot me to be a stronger solution.

I would definitely fit longer rear shocks with weaker springs. From reading on this forum, there is a need to counter-steer to get most Commandos to tip into corners - that says they under-steer. With slightly increased rake due to the rear being lower when you ride, they should tip in more easily and feel safer as you accelerate out of corners. You might be able to ride faster. Under-steer acts as a deterrent - if you begin to run wide when you accelerate when on a lean, you tend to be more careful. Most road bikes are like that.

How would you know Al as you don't ride on the road or even ride a Commando.

acotrel said:

With slightly increased rake due to the rear being lower when you ride, they should tip in more easily and feel safer as you accelerate out of corners.

Click to expand...

It's amazing to me that you never get this right...

If you get more rake because of a smaller diameter back wheel (so your bike is more like a chopper) it gets MORE DIFFICULT to tip the bike into a turn...

It does NOT "tip in more easily" with more rake.... Do some research FFS....

Talk the customer into new longer shocks. It would be a pain in the butt to carry a piece of 3/8" or 1/2" plywood on every ride.

Shock spring rate might come into play with 50 year old springs.

Question for yourself: How much static sag do the rear shocks have now? Is the bike easier to get up on the center stand cranking the preload to the max?

The longer shocks 13.4" really made a difference in effort needed to raise it up on the center stand (CS). But...the seat height is way too high. It's a weird riding position. I have seen this problem with the new seats being sold (this may not be ALL the seats being sold today). They give a "perched on top" feeling rather than "sitting in" the bike. I would rather have an old somewhat ragged seat than a new one like this. I do not want to trade one for the other. I want both. It's looking to me that there is only one way to achieve this using this 18" wheel.