Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all, noticed my side stand was a bit crooked the other day and when I looked I was surprised to find that the hinge part is separate from the leg, and the leg is actually a very thin tube, i always assumed that the stand was a one piece solid lump of metal, it appears that all that was holding it together was the chrome plating which has now separated, anyway i drilled the 2 parts and joined them with a nut and bolt, has anyone else had the same trouble ?

Yes. It happened ages ago, not long after I'd bought the stand (as an extra), so they replaced it.

Luckier than me!

I didn't notice the hinge and the tube start to part.

Until I kick started it on the side stand (not something I normally do) and it snapped and the bike fell over.

And landed on a Porsche.

Expensive side stand. I've not replaced it...

I can't remember how often I've done it over the past 45 years, not often, but I did it again the other day just to remind myself. I pulled it off the centre stand and rode off with the side stand down. Little bump entering the roundabout as the side stand folded itself up neatly. Oops.

That can bend or break a side stand.

Later inspection found the side stand undamaged. The leg straight and the weld solid, it's actually a very good strong weld by the look of it.

Can't explain the dodgy welding on your stands.

The leg is probably a tube because that is stiffer than a solid bar but it should be weaker than the frame, so the frame doesn't get damaged, sacrifice the side stand.

Bent side stands used to be something of a feature on bikes, simply from their weight leaning on them. Eventually we'd take them off and welt them with a hammer or visit a mate with a welding set.

I think my failure was due to corrosion along the weld. There was a ring of rust all round the top of the tube where the weld was.