V7II centerstand alternative

[stevet]

After growing tired of waiting for Guzzi to come out with a centerstand for the V7II, I decided to go to plan B.  I only want the centerstand for maintenance related chores, so I bought this K&L center jack, and the accessory post adapter kit (which has 2 different height posts).  Even though the K&L is about twice the price of other similar center jacks, all the reviews said to skip the cheap ones and get the K&L.  And this thing is solid, and very heavy.  It can also be rebuilt, if you ever actually wear it out.  It's the same unit my local Guzzi dealer uses with their shop lifts.  K&L makes a bunch of professional motorcycle shop equipment.

Center jack-
http://www.klsupply.com/JACKSANDSTANDS/JACKS/MC450CENTERJACK.aspx

Adapter post kit (for some reason it's not shown at the K&L website)-
http://www.amazon.com/Post-Adapter-Kit-37-9888/dp/B00AC8E2U4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461034283&sr=8-1&keywords=K%26L+post+adapter+kit

I also built a wood platform, 6' long and 36" wide, 3/4" plywood with 2x4 around the perimeter and two 2x4 six inches either side of the centerline of the platform length to support the weight of the bike on the lift.  A wheel chock and 5/16" u-bolts for ratchet straps are at the front of the platform.  I then made a separate small ramp, about 18" long, to get the bike on the platform.

The post adapter kit wasn't required (a block of wood would work between the platform and the bike frame), but it looked like a great way to cradle the bike frame tubes when lifting.  I set the center jack below the rear tails of the bike frame, just behind the side stand.  But as I was raising the platform of the center jack, it came in contact with the side stand mounting.  Crap.  So I built a free standing wood block, drilled to accept one of the adapter posts.  To get the height of the wood block perfect I needed an extra bit of thickness, and an unused heavy steel electrical box cover fit the bill.  Oh, the side stand needs to be down for this lifting operation.  I guess I could lift from the frame in front of the side stand, or even from below the oil pan, but this way I've got the lift as far to the rear of the bike as possible.  (Is it okay to lift from below the oil pan?)

Anyway, after rigging up my wood block for the left side and getting the bike chocked and strapped, up the rear of the bike went.  Sweet!  (You need to supply your own wrench to operate the lift.)  And rock solid, the bike didn't move a twitch.  I brought the weight back down so the tire touched the platform and I proceeded to replace my shocks.  This setup will also be put to use for valve adjustments and whatever else.  And the nifty thing about this setup is that I could use it with other bikes.

So, Moto Guzzi, when and if you get around to putting out a centerstand for this bike, I won't need one.

Steve.

[Pmc]

Love the inventiveness and workmanship - and certainly makes working on the bike easier.
Also shows just how useful a centre stand would be!
Remind me, why did they stop fitting centre stands to motorcycles?
Couldn't have been just a money thing, surely?

[stevet]

Thanks.  It was an easy project using up some spare lumber, and it works great.  Even fluid changes will be better having the bike stand upright, for both of my bikes.

I have no clue what they are thinking with not having an OEM centerstand.  Nor does my dealer, who has been asking for it since last summer.  Nor does anyone here on WG.  And from what I've read of third party centerstands, especially the Hepco Becker unit (bike rolls forward off the cs way too easily), it would be OEM or nothing for me.

Steve.

[ohiorider]

Unlike the Bonneville for the past 15 years, the 2016 T120 comes from the factory equipped with a centerstand, instead of offering it as an accessory.  Don't know about the Speed Twin or Thruxton.  Maybe it'll start a trend.

[thepittsburghguzzi]

I love that seat! Where's it from?

[stevet]

I love that seat! Where's it from?

Thanks, a local upholstery guy in Minneapolis did that for me.  Need upholstery, he's there.  A little one-man shop.  He does lots of scooters, UJM bench seats, some café racers, etc.  He also does automotive upholstery and work for homeowners and businesses.

Looks terrific, but I wish I would have gone with a firmer foam.  It fits and sits a ton better than the stock 2-person seat, which this is a rebuild of.  Let me know if you want contact info.  I don't know if he'll work long distance or not.

The flat seating portion was widened to 13+ inches.  he carved out most of the stock hump between the two positions and then layered up with thin foam layers to create that shape.  Looks better in person than in the photos, but the coffee brown vinyl looks great against the off-red tank.

Steve.

[twowings]

That looks like a great solution to home-based maintenance!  Nice job...

[swordds]

Nice job and appears to be much more useful than a center stand but I still don't get the gripe about Moto Guzzi V7II center stand. First, center stands are becoming a rare thing and MG is certainly not the only one that doesn't provide one (which is even more of a problem with a chain driven bike!) and second, when I ordered my V7II Stone I asked if there was an option (on some bikes there is none) and my dealer said "no problem". So I paid a little extra and I don't know if MG makes the stand or not, my V7II has a center stand and it works great.

[SeanF]

That's a great looking motorcycle.