Centre stand question

Information relating to the Matchless G80 or AJS Model 18 500cc Heavyweight.
AJS_Chris
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Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 7:45 am
Location: Wiltshire

Centre stand question

Post by AJS_Chris »

Morning all,
I have a 1951 Model 18 and have a question about the centre stand. When I bought the bike the first time I rolled it off the centre stand it fell away from me, fortunately I had a good hold so no damage done. I assumed the stand was planted in hold but it happened every time I rolled the bike off the stand. I removed the stand from the bike and it was twisted, i.e. the legs were not parallel. Holding one leg of the stand in a vice I was easily able to twist the other leg so the legs were parallel again, like this the bike rolls off the centre stand nice and square. However after a few weeks it looks like the stand has twisted again, the bike falls away from me as I roll it off the centre stand. I always stand to the left of the bike when moving it (why is it so difficult to be on the 'wrong' side of a bike when getting on and off or pushing it?).

I have a devil of a job pulling the bike onto the centre stand, I'm wondering if I'm twisting it when I do this? Is there a known problem that explains the twisting?

The sun is shining, I'm off for a ride :o)

Cheers,
Chris.
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Rob Harknett
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Re: Centre stand question

Post by Rob Harknett »

Getting bikes on and off the stand can be a problem, there is a knack to achieve. The bike will very easily go away from you. It is very difficult to stop it going away once it goes just a little. I usually lean my bike towards me to help prevent this happening. You can bear the weight easy, which you cannot do if it goes away. This does mean the bike is getting pulled up on and off the stand on the nearside leg only. Perhaps that's how they get bent. Some bike stand legs have a large radius leg, they are better to roll on and off, with less effort, as the radius allows them to roll. Unlike our old type stands with straight narrow legs.
Mick D
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Re: Centre stand question

Post by Mick D »

Hi

It sounds like your centre stand is damaged - my guess is one of the legs is no longer welded, (brazed), to the horizontal bar, (otherwise you wouldn't have been able to re-align it so easily).

It's an easy fix but you'll need the stand off the bike and access to a good gas torch or oxy-acetylene to re-secure it.

Regards Mick
leswaller
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Location: Chipping Norton

Re: Centre stand question

Post by leswaller »

Have you also checked that both of the lugs on the bottom rails that are used to hold the stand in the down position are still intact.
When I got my machine the stand was twisted and I discovered that one of the frame lugs had broken off
Les
Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of the wise
Andy51
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Re: Centre stand question

Post by Andy51 »

I had the same problem as Mick around 10 years ago, turned out the crosstube connecting the 2 legs had rusted badly and was twisting. I cut it off level with the leg, and made a new crosstube on the Myford, with the ends reduced to fit inside the old tube stubs still in the legs. Took it to a local engineer who brazed the lot together and it has worked ever since. Andy
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Duncan
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Re: Centre stand question

Post by Duncan »

I have a couple of old bent centre stands, looking at the cross section one is noticeably thinner than the other, it may be that earlier bikes had a lighter weight stand that was more prone to bending, is any one able to confirm this as a fact?
AJS_Chris
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Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 7:45 am
Location: Wiltshire

Re: Centre stand question

Post by AJS_Chris »

Thanks guys for the comments. The cross tube between the legs is held securely on both legs, the twisting happens to the cross tube between the two legs. Andy51's suggestion would seem to make perfect sense, thinning of the cross tube due to rusting. I'm now looking forward to taking the stand off again, I am so glad I read on the forum about using Jubilee clips to keep the spring coiled prior to removal, mind you, I wish I'd read it before I took it off the first time.

Put me down for a modified stand too please if the price is within my reach.
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Group Leader
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Re: Centre stand question

Post by Group Leader »

WIth regard to bent and twisted stands.

My recently acquired 16's stand was twisted, bent and the "ears" that engage with the frame stops were bent too, to such an extent that the stand was essentially unusable. With the addition of some heat and a suitable scafold pole type tube the twist was removed, a quick go under a small hydraulic press flattened it reasonably well "to almost straight" (pushing slightly beyond straight so that when it sprang back it was as close as it was going to get) and a half round file on the bent "ear" to give a half moon clearence to provide a snug fit for both ears on the stops simultaneously (most important to stop new twisting occuring). Seems to have worked a treat - particularly now I've adjusted the length of the "non-standard" spacer tube allowing me to assemble it with the bushes in the correct position!

I would be interested to hear the price of the proposed replacements - I might be tempted to have a spare lurking in the box.

Being short in stature I was concerned that I would find it very difficult to get it on the stand, which I did. Somewhere on another thread somebody posted details of the method by which some of the factory riders originally used and I have to say it works a treat and I can heartily recommend it. So, as I can't remember where I saw it but many thanks to the original poster, I will describe it briefly.

Assuming you are on the nearside but it works just as well the other way too (other than the natural difficulty of finding the stand behined the exhaust pipe);

Lower the stand to make contact with the ground using your left foot, grasp the rear mudguard handle with your right hand and then, using your left hand, grasp the underside edge of the saddle at its front just behind the tank (if you understand what I mean). Then lifting and pulling back with your righthand and pulling back with your lefthand you should find it goes onto the stand very easily - well it certainly works for me :) An additional benefit is that there's no chance of the lefthand handlebar grip coming off in your hand and the bike falling over!

Hope that helps.

Alan
1953 AJS 16MS, 1939 BSA 250 and a 1/3 scale Sopwith Triplane but that's another story ..... :lol:
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Pharisee
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Re: Centre stand question

Post by Pharisee »

Group Leader wrote: Being short in stature I was concerned that I would find it very difficult to get it on the stand, which I did. Somewhere on another thread somebody posted details of the method by which some of the factory riders originally used and I have to say it works a treat and I can heartily recommend it. So, as I can't remember where I saw it but many thanks to the original poster, I will describe it briefly.

Assuming you are on the nearside but it works just as well the other way too (other than the natural difficulty of finding the stand behined the exhaust pipe);

Lower the stand to make contact with the ground using your left foot, grasp the rear mudguard handle with your right hand and then, using your left hand, grasp the underside edge of the saddle at its front just behind the tank (if you understand what I mean). Then lifting and pulling back with your righthand and pulling back with your lefthand you should find it goes onto the stand very easily - well it certainly works for me :) An additional benefit is that there's no chance of the lefthand handlebar grip coming off in your hand and the bike falling over!

Hope that helps.

Alan
That way works for me, too. I'm only 5' 6" and I find if I put my foot and hands where you describe and then just lean towards the back of the bike, it rolls onto the stand with very little effort.
I'm from the Fens.... Gimme six.
Richard Mills
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Re: Centre stand question

Post by Richard Mills »

I use that exact same method but, although it is the 'easiest' way to do it, it still isn't easy! Looking forward to getting further details of the improved version of the stand.
Richard (5'10" & 11st.)
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