Hey guys. I have a kat600 shock ready to go in. Will I need a longer side stand? If so, is there one from another bike that will swap in or must I modify the original? I'd kinda prefer to shorten a dual sport stand rather than lengthening the stocker.

Hi Josh, I put a SV650 shock on mine.  The bike sat quite a bit higher, so had to lengthen the stock one about 1.5" to keep it from toppling over. 

My welder cut the stock one in half and just happened to have some solid metric bar that fit the inside.

Not sure what choices are out there from other bikes.  Hard to tell until you get them on the bike, and you may still need to modify them.  I say just use the stock one and modify it to your needs.

Home Depot sells steel bar stock for ~$8 that is a good fit for the inside diameter of the kickstand. Just cut it in the middle, insert a piece of bar that will increase the total length by ~1.5" or whatver you need and then use steel stick epoxy to glue it together and hit it with some black spraypaint.

Apparently, when I did this I didn't do a good enough job cleaning the grease and oil off the kickstand and bar stock, because about 1,000 miles into a trip on the bike the bottom half of my kickstand fell off. Didn't realize it until I got to the next gas stop.
For the rest of the trip I got by with just the center stand until I found a bike shop that could fabricate a new lower half for my kickstand.

Quote from: Bluesmudge on November 07, 2016, 08:38:06 AM
Home Depot sells steel bar stock for ~$8 that is a good fit for the inside diameter of the kickstand. Just cut it in the middle, insert a piece of bar that will increase the total length by ~1.5" or whatver you need and then use steel stick epoxy to glue it together and hit it with some black spraypaint.

Apparently, when I did this I didn't do a good enough job cleaning the grease and oil off the kickstand and bar stock, because about 1,000 miles into a trip on the bike the bottom half of my kickstand fell off.

Surface prep is such a big deal for epoxy in what I would consider a critical application, I'm not that sure I'd trust it to hold alone. I think I'd prefer brazing it. Or making it adjustable by tapping both ends of the cut tube (assuming it's a tube) and running a length of stainless all-thread in between with a nylock lock nut on either end, red loctite to hold it once the length is set.

But I wonder if a k600 shock with less preload will require any mod. I guess I'll find out. If I ever get my bike back from the shop!

An adjustable stand!!.......why?
Its a solution to a problem that doesn't exsist 



You find a piece of stock bar the same OD as the stand itself.

You determine by how much you need to extend by .....say 50mm

You cut the bar to a length of 100mm

You chop the stand in half mid length and measure the ID

You turn the bar down to the ID less 0.5mm a distance of 25mm in from each end.

You 'V' the cut stand edges with a grinder

You insert the piece between the two halves of the stand making sure the foot is in the correct position relative to the fixing point. The stand will now be 50mm longer

You run a ring of weld in each vee around each end of the stand and the shoulder its up against

You smooth everything off with the grinder

You paint it black or silver

Job done........and it looks stock 

Quote from: sledge on November 07, 2016, 11:21:46 AM
An adjustable stand!!.......why?

1. because it's easier/simpler to construct vs. your method you mention below
2. it's easily returned to stock length if the original shock is re-mounted
3. it's easily adjusted in the event of future changes to the shock, ride height, etc.

Adjustable is always better, especially when it's far easier to implement.

Have to agree with mr72, I think a kickstand mod that doesn't require welding is probably simpler to implement than a permanent mod via welding. Doesn't necessarily make it "better", as that depends on what you want your kickstand to be.

Also, I wouldn't call it a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, that's utter nonsense. The problem is that the shock swap makes the stock kickstand unstable. That problem needs a solution, of which there are a few. Modify the stock kickstand as sledge stated, which would work if you don't ever plan on going back to the stock shock. This option probably looks more professional at the end. Or, you could modify the stock kickstand to be adjustable as mr72 stated, which works even if you revert to the stock or a different shock and doesn't require welding. It may look less professional though, depending on how its done. Or, you could purchase an aftermarket kickstand of some kind, which has the same pros as sledge's mod (looks professional, permanent), without the con of requiring welding. However it may be more expensive. OP would have to consider what resources he has, and whether he wants/needs the robustness of a welded, permanent kickstand versus the versatility of an adjustable one.

It seems an even simpler solution would be to do what the Ducati guys do and add a 1/2" thick or so plastic pad to the bottom of it, like Delrin or something. Even a piece of Corian countertop sample would probably work. Mill it to shape with a drum sander, drill and countersink a hole (or two), drill a hole (or two) in the base of the stock stand and tap those holes. Put an allen bolt (or two) through the spacer to attach. Even easier to implement than the adjustable mod, although potentially less slick.

Has anyone actually seen an adjustable stand?......ever?

This idea of yours for tapping the ID and putting some threaded rod up there. First thing that crosses my mind, you are going to need a thread somewhere around 20-25mm OD right?. Well we are talking about drawn tube here, is there going to be enough wall thickness to accommodate a thread this size? And if there is will strength be compromised?

Of course there will be, I have no doubt you have thought it all out thoroughly 

Who even has a tap that massive just lying around?


Just prep really well and use JB Weld or something.

Quote from: sledge on November 07, 2016, 01:49:12 PM
Has anyone actually seen an adjustable stand?......ever?

In person? No. But for sale? Yeah. Lots. Like:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Adjustable-Kickstand-Black-For-SUZUKI-GSXR-600-750-01-10-GSXR1000-01-06-GS500-/232130852838?fits=Make%3ASuzuki%7CModel%3AGS500&hash=item360c13b7e6:g:xHAAAOSwXeJYGGd2&vxp=mtr

Which says it fits a GS500, making this whole conversation moot. If mine turns out to be too short after I swap the shock, I'll just order an adjustable one.

If I was going down your road I would forget about JB weld and instead drill through the diameters top and bottom and knock a couple of roll pins in to hold everything together.

If I WAS going to make an adjustable stand and show off    I would use hex section for the insert and cut LH and RH M/F threads top and bottom. Then I could use a spanner on the flats to telescope the two halves in and out. Much easier than trying to turn the stand while holding the bike upright 

Quote from: mr72 on November 07, 2016, 02:03:02 PM

Quote from: sledge on November 07, 2016, 01:49:12 PM
Has anyone actually seen an adjustable stand?......ever?

In person? No. But for sale? Yeah. Lots. Like:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Adjustable-Kickstand-Black-For-SUZUKI-GSXR-600-750-01-10-GSXR1000-01-06-GS500-/232130852838?fits=Make%3ASuzuki%7CModel%3AGS500&hash=item360c13b7e6:g:xHAAAOSwXeJYGGd2&vxp=mtr

Which says it fits a GS500, making this whole conversation moot. If mine turns out to be too short after I swap the shocked, I'll just order an adjustable one.

Why not keep a standard size stand for the standard shock and keep a permanently  modified stand for use with the Kat shock and swap them at the same time?

Too easy I guess 

I mean its a spring and a bolt

Quote from: sledge on November 07, 2016, 02:11:55 PM
If I was going down your road I would forget about JB weld and instead drill through the diameters top and bottom and knock a couple of roll pins in to hold everything together.

Agreed. Easier than welding, since I don't have a welder. I'd never trust JB weld for this job anyway.

Quote
If I WAS going to make an adjustable stand and show off    I would use hex section for the insert and cut LH and RH M/F threads top and bottom. Then I could use a spanner on the flats to telescope the two halves in and out. Much easier than trying to turn the stand while holding the bike upright 

If I was going to make something to show off on this bike it'd be a "For Sale" sign, then I'd just buy something else.

So what happened to all this......."GS5s are the best bikes ever cos they are simple and easy to work on"?

Its not got you beat already has it?

Put a Kat shock in mine, didn't need to change the stand at all... I do run the preload on 2 though! .. maybe the higher settings lift it a tad more? .. 

There is a good lean on the bike though.  ... best thing is to install shock and go from there after seeing the difference with your preferred settings!

Quote from: Janx101 on November 08, 2016, 03:00:29 PM
Put a Kat shock in mine, didn't need to change the stand at all....... best thing is to install shock and go from there after seeing the difference with your preferred settings!

Right on. That sounds like a good plan.

Quote from: mr72I'd never trust JB weld for this job anyway.

All we need this to do is hold the bottom of the stand from falling out.  When the stand is down and weight is on it a wooden broomstick shoved in the severed side stand will hold the bike up.

We aren't talking about making a whole stand out of JB.  That's stupid.  But treated like an epoxy to secure an extension in place isn't an issue.

I've done some amazing things with JB.  When mixed right and allowed to set up properly, it can save a project.
I've even tapped into it and used it to hold a magneto on an old Briggs 5HP.
It will absolutely work on a project like this.  Won't be as good as proper weld or bolt/pin but its definitely viable and arguably the easiest way aside from buying a replacement.