Any ideas?

seattle##gs said:
I'll try the 1/4" plywood idea.
This bike requires a lot of effort to put it on the stand. The feet of the stand earlier than they should.
Click to expand...
Seattle,
I roll my rear wheel up on these 2 pieces of 1/4 plywood to get mine up on the center stand.My strength is not what it used to be and this makes a world of difference.
Mike
 

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All right gentlemen, you've been waiting for my conclusion. With the wooden struts in place it was much easier to haul the bike up on the centerstand. However, now the seat height was too high, like the current remakes of the seats with unforgiving foam. Not acceptable.
The best idea is to find another wheel with a 19" rim and substitute.
Idea #2...cut a bit out of the centerstand legs and weld back together. Idea #1 is the best.
 
Here's where I shortened my Mk 3 CS:
Made it much easier for little ole me to get it up. (No wiseguys...)
jaydee75

Thread 'Shortened my center stand'

Weigh 150 pounds and just cannot lift my bike onto the centerstand. The Mark III stand is fairly complicated in it’s fabrication and difficult to cut down. There is three-quarter inch of straight pipe marked by the tape in my photos that allowed me cut three-quarter inches out of its height. For insurance I put a spool piece inside to reinforce the weld. Back together now and it’s better than I had even hoped. I can easily roll the bike onto the Centerstand now.
Shortened my center stand
Shortened my center stand
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seattle##gs said:
All right gentlemen, you've been waiting for my conclusion. With the wooden struts in place it was much easier to haul the bike up on the centerstand. However, now the seat height was too high, like the current remakes of the seats with unforgiving foam. Not acceptable.
The best idea is to find another wheel with a 19" rim and substitute.
Idea #2...cut a bit out of the centerstand legs and weld back together. Idea #1 is the best.
Click to expand...
Wooden struts are not shocks
I suspect if you tried shocks of the same length of your wooden struts you'd get very different results
The shocks would compress slightly under the weight of the bike alone and even more so with a rider aboard
 
seattle##gs said:
All right gentlemen, you've been waiting for my conclusion. With the wooden struts in place it was much easier to haul the bike up on the centerstand. However, now the seat height was too high, like the current remakes of the seats with unforgiving foam. Not acceptable.
The best idea is to find another wheel with a 19" rim and substitute.
Idea #2...cut a bit out of the centerstand legs and weld back together. Idea #1 is the best.
Click to expand...
A 4:00/18 is the same size as a 100/90 x 19. 26.4

ROADRIDER MKII

Designed for motorcycles of all ages, the Roadrider MKII provides a step forward in performance and reliability over its predecessor.
www.avontyres.com www.avontyres.com
 
As I mentioned previously, maybe your lifting technique needs some adjustment? Lots of youtube viddies ahowing short guys and gals, 5ft, 130 lbs etc, lifting 500+ lbs motorcyles on to CS's with ease. Hard to beleive a little old Commando is a struggle b/c of a slight wheel diameter difference.
 
seattle##gs said:
I realize that but it's $200 to make the test.
Click to expand...
With respect, it is not a test. That RR Mk2 @MichaelB mentioned is the same rolling diameter as the 19" one. And it's a lot cheaper and easier than replacing a new rim.
You have not mentioned what tyre you currently have. What is the rolling diameter of that?
You could spend a whole lot of money and effort for no change - maybe proving @Tornado was right.
Cheers
 
I could come over and show you how to do it, but my shop rate is $1400US for the first hour and free for the next 7. 🤣
 
You might think I am a bit strange when I write about machine handling. However I raced for many years while knowing almost nothing about it - I always adjusted to the bike, then wondered why some guys were much faster than me, and were doing it more easily. What I have found out has been mainly by sheer luck - not rational thought and planning - that came after I had made changes to set-up. I have never thought the 850 motor would be good for racing, however mine is excellent and almost unmodified. It is what goes along with it, which is important. It loves close ratio gears, and it's smooth power delivery really helps.
 
robs ss said:
With respect, it is not a test. That RR Mk2 @MichaelB mentioned is the same rolling diameter as the 19" one. And it's a lot cheaper and easier than replacing a new rim.
You have not mentioned what tyre you currently have. What is the rolling diameter of that?
You could spend a whole lot of money and effort for no change - maybe proving @Tornado was right.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Does a bike handle better with a fatter rear tyre ?
 
Measure the radius of the existing from the axle to the ground or bottom of tire.
Shim under with whatever to match 13.2", the radius of 26.4.

The 110/90 x 18 is also available at 26.1... A little less costly, but less tread depth.
 
seattle##gs said:
It is a Shinko 100 x 90 x 18. What is the O.D. ?
Click to expand...
In theory:

100/90 x 18:
100mm wide, 90% of that tall so 90mm.
18 * 25.4 = 457.2mm
457.2+90+90=637.2mm
637.2/25.4=25.09" in diameter (Avon says 642mm/25.3")(Shinko says 25.08")

110/90 x 18:
110mm wide, 90% of that tall so 99mm.
18 * 25.4 = 457.2mm
457.2+99+99=637.2mm
655.2/25.4=25.8" in diameter (Avon says 663mm/26.1")

100/90 x 19:
100mm wide, 90% of that tall so 90mm.
19 * 25.4 = 482.6mm
457.2+90+90=637.2mm
662.6/25.4=26.1" in diameter(Avon says 671mm/26.4")

Put another way, a 100/90 x 19 is about 1" larger in diameter than a 100/90 x 18 which stands to reason.
 
...but if you go to a larger 18 you can get the same rolling diameter as the following shows (posted before)
The dark highlight shows what I have - 19 front, 18 rear - both with 671mm diameter. The rear is only 7mm wider than the front.
Screen Shot 2025-03-18 at 7.47.34 am.png
 
marshg246 said:
In theory:

100/90 x 18:
100mm wide, 90% of that tall so 90mm.
18 * 25.4 = 457.2mm
457.2+90+90=637.2mm
637.2/25.4=25.09" in diameter (Avon says 642mm/25.3")(Shinko says 25.08")

110/90 x 18:
110mm wide, 90% of that tall so 99mm.
18 * 25.4 = 457.2mm
457.2+99+99=637.2mm
655.2/25.4=25.8" in diameter (Avon says 663mm/26.1")

100/90 x 19:
100mm wide, 90% of that tall so 90mm.
19 * 25.4 = 482.6mm
457.2+90+90=637.2mm
662.6/25.4=26.1" in diameter(Avon says 671mm/26.4")

Put another way, a 100/90 x 19 is about 1" larger in diameter than a 100/90 x 18 which stands to reason.
Click to expand...
And, that 1" greater overall diameter means 0.5" of actual ride height difference (radius). Still have trouble understanding why that causes trouble putting on to CS?
 
Last edited:
4"x12"piece of 3/8" plywood is a heck of a lot cheaper than a new rim and tire, or just a tire. Neither of which would get you more height than 3/8". Roll the bike up till the rear tire is on the plywood in the 12" direction and lift it up on the center stand. Done or not if you have a bad wrist and shoulder.
 
baz said:
Wooden struts are not shocks
I suspect if you tried shocks of the same length of your wooden struts you'd get very different results
The shocks would compress slightly under the weight of the bike alone and even more so with a rider aboard
Click to expand...
The wooden struts are a quick, easy and cheap way to test an idea and proved I was on the right track. The next step would be to cut the CS, add the internal sleeve tube, cut spacers to adjust the length forward and back to get just the right length via trial and error. However, this is a customer's bike...does he want to pay for all the time?
But...it is possible.
 
seattle##gs said:
The wooden struts are a quick, easy and cheap way to test an idea and proved I was on the right track. The next step would be to cut the CS, add the internal sleeve tube, cut spacers to adjust the length forward and back to get just the right length via trial and error. However, this is a customer's bike...does he want to pay for all the time?
But...it is possible.
Click to expand...
But wooden struts has no give
A better test would be to place a piece of wood on the floor the thickness of the extra length shocks he was considering
Allowing for the angle of lean on a commandos shocks
if it was mine I'd definitely cut and weld the centre stand
Try not to add too much weight to the centre stand as the spring will struggle to hold the weight
Only use tube to sleeve it not solid bar👍
 
Last edited:

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