This Forum is now CLOSED use the link to get more details viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13924#p102587
By Scoot
#83931
Hi guys, I'm new to the forum but not to bikes. I'm running a 500 bullet to work and back I have bigger bikes I could use but she just makes me smile :D Thing is I keep catching the centre stand on corners and islands? I'm no lightweight 15 stone, but I think I'm going to remove it, the springs ok it's not hanging down or anything. Has anybody else had this problem?
I rescued this little bike from certain death, she had been left outside for over two years with no cover when I convinced the owner to let me take her away. A new battery, oil change, amal carb kit from Hitchcocks plus a bit of playing around saw her live again.
Oh and now she a proper Enfield because I noticed the other day there's a small oil leak started :lol:
Scoot
By Super45
#83996
check the stand springs haven't stretched over time could be causing the stand to hand lower than normal, if that checks out ok add a bit more rear preload to the shocks to lift the rear slightly, I'm about 18 stone and my stand doesn't catch even with questionable stand springs
User avatar
By stinkwheel
#84086
Yes, the stand is the first thing to touch down on mine too so I left it off my 612 bullet. Even with 10mm over-standard shocks, it still touches down if I'm riding enthusiastically on my 350 (even on safety mileage tyres). Worst on the left side because of the lever. Pretty horrible because it tends to lift the rear wheel off the road and start a slide.

Our hosts sell an adjustable bump-stop for them (part: 35060) which allows you to raise the point it comes to rest but there is a working maximum level you can lift the stand without it fouling the exhaust/chain (this varies from bike-to-bike depending on their setup).

I've not managed to get the pegs down yet... With them being fixed, I imagine it would be a similarly unsettling experience.
User avatar
By Wheaters
#84087
Rather a coincidence! I finally got my missus out on the pillion seat of my Bullet 350 this afternoon. First decent corner, half a mile from home and still in the village doing less than 30 mph - the centre stand grounded. I suspect the weight of the pillion (if you're reading this, obviously only a featherweight, dear) reduced the ground clearance because it only normally scrapes when I'm really going for it on cornering or riding off-road on a rutted surface.

Probably won't be an ongoing problem in my case - wife got terrible backache and I know it will be a long time before she gets on that bike in the future. But It needs to come off for some paint because it's the rustiest part of the bike.
User avatar
By Trev
#84102
Yup, removed centre stand from mine (2008 efi ) after my first decent ride when I got it 5 years ago as the thing touched down if any spirited cornering. Easy to take off and I leave mine hung on the garage wall as simple to put back on (minus spring) when I need to get wheels off the ground and don't want to go to the hassle of using my bike lift.

I also disconnected the side stand switch as, on mine, it wouldn't run in neutral if the side stand was down which is a bit of a pain.
By weedsy
#84103
Hi Scoot - another newbie here - I too grounded the stand the second ride out at totally reasonable speeds - '57 Super Meteor. There were comments on the seller's site that the" sidestand was easy to ground on left-handers". I have discovered that unless I deploy the sidestand before rolling the bike off the centre stand, it prevents the centre stand from folding completely back into place. So I think it's the centre stand that grounds under these circs.
Evidenced by the fact that if you don't put the sidestand down before rolling off the centre stand, the next time you wish to put the bike on the sidestand, the centre stand stops it folding out, i.e. it's trapped with the centre stand underneath it.
Sorry if this sounds complicated, it didn't until I started to write it! Will post more and pix after dismantling and checking - the bike's got the wrong gearbox, so it may well have the wrong sidestand as well . . . . . usual journey of discovery with a "new" old bike! Cheers, Weedsy
By Scoot
#84108
Hi Guys pretty much what i thought, I will remove the stand in the next couple of days!
I was out on my tractor(Harley) over the weekend and no problem, this morning I floored the centre stand on my Enfield on the way to work, so it't coming off!
By weedsy
#84399
More centre stand/sidestand issues - '57 Super Meteor - has anyone seen a side stand like this? I don't think it came from anywhere near Redditch!
IMG_1184.jpg

And the centre stand doesn't seem to tally with our host's Parts list diagram . . .


Any help welcome :?
Attachments
IMG_1179.jpg
IMG_1180.jpg
User avatar
By Adrian
#84402
It looks like your centre stand is the original Redditch allow one, but modified with the bolted-on "foot" to try and match the Indian version, which is actually a lot easier to use, put your weight on the foot, a gentle tug back on the bars and hey, ho, up she rises.... My '57 Bullet with its original unmodified centre stand was harder work.

I have not seen a side stand like that, I was wondering if it's off a later Interceptor, but it doesn't seem to match the parts book for that either. Homebrew suspected.

A few of us have taken to fitting Indian Bullet centre stands and Samrat side stands to our Redditch framed models, though the the Indian centre stand would not normally be usable with a twin unless it had siamese exhaust pipes fitted. Presumably whoever modified your original stand made sure that the extra piece didn't foul the l/h exhaust pipe.

My old Electra-X would ground its centre stand if left hand corners were taken enthusiastically, it may have had softer rear suspension than my current bikes.

A.
By weedsy
#84540
Adrian wrote:
Mon Jul 29, 2019 10:38 am
It looks like your centre stand is the original Redditch allow one, but modified with the bolted-on "foot" to try and match the Indian version, which is actually a lot easier to use, put your weight on the foot, a gentle tug back on the bars and hey, ho, up she rises.... My '57 Bullet with its original unmodified centre stand was harder work.

I have not seen a side stand like that, I was wondering if it's off a later Interceptor, but it doesn't seem to match the parts book for that either. Homebrew suspected.

A few of us have taken to fitting Indian Bullet centre stands and Samrat side stands to our Redditch framed models, though the the Indian centre stand would not normally be usable with a twin unless it had siamese exhaust pipes fitted. Presumably whoever modified your original stand made sure that the extra piece didn't foul the l/h exhaust pipe.

My old Electra-X would ground its centre stand if left hand corners were taken enthusiastically, it may have had softer rear suspension than my current bikes.

A.
You're right - homebrew is probably correct - the PO was an engineer of a certain age; see the length of the kickstart, very neat job! Sorry, there appear to be three pix, and I can't get rid of two of 'em.
The extra bolt-on foot (anyone remember "Jake the Peg"?? ) makes life a lot easier, but does definitely restrict the upward movement of the centrestand, and therefore the sidestand which sits underneath it. This combined with the turn downward gives very little clearance.

Whilst perusing our hosts' accessories section for inspiration, I did see the Samrat sidestand and wondered if it would fit my bike - I don't know whether the frame details are the same for all Redditch models, twins included? If you have a pic of your own fitment, it might give me a clue - no need for three . . . . (!)
Next stop is otherwise Hitchcocks for suggestions - I can't find siamesed pipes anywhere, so that doesn't seem to be a solution. As ever, thanks for your help, Weedsy
Attachments
03 RHS CRANKCASE.jpg
03 RHS CRANKCASE.jpg
03 RHS CRANKCASE.jpg

Shop for accessories at Hitchcocks Motorcycles