1200 center stand made easy

[ekap1200]

Good day from New Jersey. While reading this months Rider mag I came across a tip on raising a bike on the center stand. I have been using this same method for years and thought I would pass it along to our newer owners.
Keep a 6" x 6" x 3/4" piece of plywood handy and roll the back wheel up on it. Now put the center stand up in the usual manner. That slight added rise in height makes it much less work no matter how old your knee's are.
Gene

[krasmu]

great tip to make the easiest center stand I've ever used even easier.
I'm glad the stand is so easy to use. On a recent trip my kick stand broke and was not able to use it. many of todays bikes don't come with a center stand, but luckly the Voyage does and an easy to use one at that. I was forced to use it for two weeks until I was able to get the kick stand welded and repaired.

[Mr Jensee]

Fortunately I have not had a problem putting my Voyager up on it's center stand. I have to back the bike into a tight corner to keep it away from my wife's car and I have had issues backing it over uneven pavement in my driveway. I would never be able to back it up over even a piece of plywood even if I wanted to.

[trikebldr]

Good day from New Jersey. While reading this months Rider mag I came across a tip on raising a bike on the center stand. I have been using this same method for years and thought I would pass it along to our newer owners.
Keep a 6" x 6" x 3/4" piece of plywood handy and roll the back wheel up on it. Now put the center stand up in the usual manner. That slight added rise in height makes it much less work no matter how old your knee's are.
Gene

OK, so I have a 1300 or two, and our two-stage center stands are suppose to be real easy to set the bike on! Well, they aren't bad, but I looked at how high that rear wheel is off the ground when on the stand and wondered why it had to be that high (almost 2-1/2!!!). And, you probably know me well enough, Gene, to know that I won't leave well enough alone! So, I removed 1" from my center stand! That 1" from the stand equates to almost 1-1/2" at the rear wheel. But, it makes getting the bike on the stand almost effortless. Effectively it removes about 60% of the heavy lift movement needed. It took just a bit of chop, cut and reweld to remove that 1". Gotta be careful where you relocate the pegs that stick out to the side so they don't interfere.

Even though my '84 is connected to it's "third wheel" now, I will still use the center stand to prevent rolling away.

Of course, I'm talking about the 1300's stand, but I'll bet at least some of the XII's stand could be removed to simulate setting the tire on that wood block.

[voyager55]

You people really have that hard of time getting the bike on the center stand???

[starrider]

I'm going to try the wood block. The 2002 I had was a piece of cake to get on the center stand. The 2003 is a bear. Not sure what the difference is. Not tires because I took the E's off the 02 and put them on the 03.

[ekap1200]

I'm going to try the wood block. The 2002 I had was a piece of cake to get on the center stand. The 2003 is a bear. Not sure what the difference is. Not tires because I took the E's off the 02 and put them on the 03.

Try some spray lube, on the moving parts on the 2003, a little lubrication works wonders.

[cushman eagle]

I don't have trouble getting my VXII on the center stand,but I recently worked on a neighbor's GL1500,and it was impossible for me to get on the center stand myself. I needed to go to our shop and get our crane or forklift to do it without help.

[Lucasind]

The Voyager's center stand is great compared to the wing (and others) and it was "patented" !
I thought I remembered this from one of my factory training sessions 30 + years ago...so I went on line and found this piece :


Living with the Voyager, you note many other impressions not solely applicable to its function as a luxury tourer. The Voyager incorporates a trick (and patented) two-part centerstand. To hoist the ZN, first slip the stand's legs down so they're brushing the ground. Then kick the trailing part of the stand down to touch the legs; that piece levers the bike up. It's about as easy as raising a standard 550. Nice. Getting the bike off the stand is more difficult; that requires jerking the bike forward like you really mean it. Other features include three hot leads for accessories (like electric garments). There's one behind the right front turn signal, another under the left grabrail, and another behind the right side cover

This one was from the first Voyager (1300)

Also .if ya read down thru this link...there is more stuff to read about the center stand,this is from our AVA tech tips page:

https://www.amervoyassoc.org/techtipsXII2.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mr Jensee]

I agree that getting the Voyager XII OFF the stand is a lot harder than getting it on the stand. There have been days when I was just too weak to get it off to ride it. I figured if I was that weak then I should not be riding at all, even though rolling the bike feels like a lot smaller lighter machine. To put my Voyager on the stand is easy. I just put the first section on the pavement and rock the bike a little left and right to make sure the stand has contact with the concrete at both legs. Then I grab the left handgrip with my left hand, grab the left handhold next to the passenger seat, put my left foot on the center stand foot lever and press down while pulling back slightly on my hand holds. The bike easily comes up with a thud and stays.

[chicagorandy]

This stand is easier to deploy than the one on my old 82 Honda 550 Silverwing was.

However....... Watch that you are not on an incline 'forward'. The bike can come off the stand and roll forward - good to leave the kick-stand down to avoid major issues. Level or grading backwards ground? Not a problem.

[Tonyvdb]

My centre stand "first stage" lever is broken off. I guess the previous owner was not too careful so getting the bike up on the center stand involves a little more care for me thankfully Im tall and have long arms so as long as Im on level ground I can hold the bike up while reaching under and setting the first stage by hand.
Any thoughts on how to replace that piece of metal lever?

[trikebldr]

My centre stand "first stage" lever is broken off. Any thoughts on how to replace that piece of metal lever?

Just re-weld it back on if you still have the piece, or look at another one to copy it. The hardest part of working on these center stands is always removing/installing the springs.
You can always find them pretty cheap on eBay, too. I bought a spare (to modify!) for $15 for my Voyager 1300.

[SgtSlag]

I don't weld, but my mechanic does... PO had broken off the bar from the 1st stage, so I asked my mechanic to weld something on in its place. He did, and it works fairly well. I still have some difficult days getting it on the 2nd stage, but it might be I just need practice. I weigh 215#, and some days I can stand on the 2nd stage and not get it on (I run Pirelli MT66's, front and rear, which may change the heights a bit). I may find a piece of wood, as Gene recommends, for my garage. When we tour, I never put it on the center stand, as it works just fine on the side stand for overnight's. Thanks, Gene! Cheers!

[Bonsaicat]

I am new here, this is my first post. im happy to pick up a low mileage 88 voyager xii with only 30K miles for only $550. It has been neglected but i did drive it home. so far ive changed: choke cable, starter, battery, oil, brake fluids, spark plugs, and i plugged a hole in the rear dry rotted tire until i can get a new tire. this morning was the maiden run to work. it ran smoothly, still some gas flooding into the reservior, i believe from stuck float. i hope the new fuel filter and fuel hose helps with that. when i started out this morning i rocked the bike off the center stand and the stand collapsed forward! all the warning lights on the dash came on too! this weekend i broke off the lower stand arm somewhere on the road...
has this ever happened to anyone else?
will the 1300 voyager stand fit?
I obviously cant use this stand anymore....
Lee

[sheiserman]

I am new here, this is my first post. im happy to pick up a low mileage 88 voyager xii with only 30K miles for only $550. It has been neglected but i did drive it home. so far ive changed: choke cable, starter, battery, oil, brake fluids, spark plugs, and i plugged a hole in the rear dry rotted tire until i can get a new tire. this morning was the maiden run to work. it ran smoothly, still some gas flooding into the reservior, i believe from stuck float. i hope the new fuel filter and fuel hose helps with that. when i started out this morning i rocked the bike off the center stand and the stand collapsed forward! all the warning lights on the dash came on too! this weekend i broke off the lower stand arm somewhere on the road...
has this ever happened to anyone else?
will the 1300 voyager stand fit?
I obviously cant use this stand anymore....
Lee

My lower arm is missing too. Normally I can get my boot up under there and get the feet down, but occasionally have to hold the bike upright with my left hand and squat down to get my right hand to do it.

[cranky]

You people really have that hard of time getting the bike on the center stand???

... my center stand is unusable.... I've watched many big folks try to use it....
2 can do it... you hafta be a monster for 1..... JM2C

... and yes, even after I put Progressive's on the front!!!!!

[doug of so fla]

Cranky: maybe your rear is lower cause of weak shocks, or needs more air in the rear shocks they are usually all the way up with 40lbs in them, with a standard size rear tire, Should go up easy.

ALSO if any part of the center stand unit is bent or malformed even just a little it will be extremely hard to get up. One place to check is on the lever side where the lever is welded to a plate in the down position there are two separate plates that MUST be EXACTLY PARALLEL with each other. This is where all the leverage is applied and when you try to get it up when it won't go up it bends the plate making it even harder to go up.


Shiesman:
A 1/4" by 1/2" flat bar ( I used a piece for the flat bar used on the end of a chain link fence) can be bolted onto the two flat rounded tabs on each leg. Just need to drill holes in them for bolts) or if you can weld the bar on. then when in the up position bend it to fit along muffler, used that for years.

[Van Voyager]

Just curious: is the 1200's C stand a 2 stage unit like the 1300's? I find the 1300 stand can be a bit finicky to get the first stage to deploy correctly but the second stage is a breeze - definitely easier than the center stands of some other smaller bikes.

[cranky]

Cranky: maybe your rear is lower cause of weak shocks, or needs more air in the rear shocks they are usually all the way up with 40lbs in them, with a standard size rear tire, Should go up easy.

A 1/4" by 1/2" flat bar ( I used a piece for the flat bar used on the end of a chain link fence) can be bolted onto the two flat rounded tabs on each leg. Just need to drill holes in them for bolts) or if you can weld the bar on. then when in the up position bend it to fit along muffler, used that for years.

.. this sounds like Ya are making the C stand legs longer... wouldn't that make it harder
to put it up? Where are you adding the material, sounds like the bottom of the legs......?