Farley,
Brown, Surefoot Sidestands and Reynolds RideOff Centerstand;
AND, repairing the sidestand, centerstand, etc.
For BMW Airhead Motorcycles
(and, a few references for other stands)
© Copyright, 2011, R.
Fleischer
FarleyBrownSurefoot.htm
79
Photos, showing differences between these sidestands and mountings; use of the Reynolds RideOff centerstand;...and some of the possible problems if any of these are not installed correctly, or used correctly....and more....
Here is a photo of George Turski's Brown Sidestand as on his 1982 R100RT; George has a heat shield on his muffler.
Below are FIVE photos of Snowbum's 1984 R100RT, which has BOTH a Reynolds centerstand and the Brown Sidestand installed.
Don't use the sidestand as shown above!
If the Reynolds centerstand is up first, the Brown will be held
outward, as shown, and the Brown can contact the ground on
sharp turns. Avoid doing this!
It is possible to modify the Reynolds tang, most would not want
to. See much later photos
further down this page, for a Farley sidestand with a modified
Reynolds centerstand.
In the above photo, the small red caption says that the Brown is
NOT touching the muffler anyplace. A closeup is further
down this page.
A closeup view of the Brown sidestand folded up to but NOT
TOUCHING the muffler.
This photo, which I have enhanced as best I can, shows the
Farley sidestand mounted on a 1983 R100RS. In order for the
Farley to fit better when folded up (the bike has a Reynolds Ride-Off centerstand),
has 3/4" sawn off the foot tang of the Reynolds. NOTE:
Very difficult to see, but in this particular installation, Farley supplied a
black crash-bar clamp, etc., which supports the front bolt area of the Farley
side-stand, at the BMW frame point for the centerstand. This was done
to avoid the problem of the Brown side-stand, and potentially the Farley
side-stand, from putting pressure on the exhaust header, if a clamp was used
around the exhaust header, and fastened to the forward side-stand bolt.
Below are three photos of Surefoot stands:
These are normally quite well welded to the footpeg, which either
is supplied or exchanged.
References:
Custom side stands: Robert Van Farowe; 2792 24th
Avenue; Hudsonville, Michigan, 49426; (616) 896-8469
Note that
engine studs come in more than one length, see my hardware
article on these, as you might need a longer stud if
installing an aftermarket stand.
Stock BMW Sidestand and its pin:
The /5 sidestand fits on a pin
that is pressed into the frame. BMW supplies the
replacement as oversize, and you must ream the existing hole for
a good interference fit. The oversize part number is
46-51-1-231-233.
BMW has had at least two bulletins on the sidestands of the later
airheads. The first was 46-006-83 (2076) and said
that during the 1983 production year, the bell/barrel bushing was
eliminated and the frame stop was modified. The result was
more lean angle, and also the automatic folding-up of the
sidestand as the weight of the motorcycle was lifted off
it. That modification fit the 1981 and later, but not the
G/S and ST. Kits were available,
46-53-2-302-026; and for the R65 and R65LS the kit was
46-53-2-302-061. I have been unable to actually find that
-026, no references in my parts book, perhaps deleted or a typo
originally. The -061 was updated a few times too.
A later bulletin, 46-029-90 (2419) applied to the 1981-1984 model year. Again, kits were offered. These included a mess of parts including two shouldered bushings that had to be installed squarely (a bolt and washers will do it just fine), and the thicker shoulder bushing goes AT THE BOTTOM. The kit was 46-53-1-454-750; and 46-53-1-454-751 for the R65.
NOTE: The 83+ models used a bushing 46-53-2-302-000
Install the sidestand before the left front spacer.
Centerstand:
If you have trouble getting your
early 1980's bike on the centerstand, you may want to upgrade
with the BMW replacement upgraded CENTER stand parts.
NOTE that MOST centerstand problems are wear in the
bolt/bushing/stops areas....and can be repaired with new parts or
a bit of welding and grinding, etc. A nice fix is to
drill the hole out and install a custom-made (or; commercially
made....seen these available in Stainless Steel...) shoulder
spacer.
46-52-9-056-256 and 46-52-2-301-593 were the early
80's upgraded center stands.
There are numerous ways to repair badly worn centerstand lug
threads. One can make an insert on a lathe, for instance. I
believe you can now purchase SS inserts, can't remember who is
selling them.
I can not recommend the weld, drill, and tap method, but it has
worked for some.
Here is one way to go about it that works well:
Get a 10 mm x 1.5 mm Helicoil repair kit. It will require a 13/32" drill to be used to drill out (do it very squarely, if you have a drill bushing guide, that is best) the threads, and then using the Helicoil tap, to tap the threads for the Helicoil. You will have to shorten the Helicoil to about 6 turns, snipping off the rest, do not bend the Helicoil. Clean-up the cut area so is smooth.
Install
the Helicoil, then reach into the recess and remove the insertion
tang with a needle-nosed pliers. Be SURE that the Helicoil
does not stick out of the lug from either side!
Install new stock bushings and bolts and note that
BMW probably will have already put red Loctite on the bolts, if
not, YOU do that. The Helicoil threads you installed
MUST be clean and dry before installing the centerstand and
Loctited bolts.
Use a moly grease on the bushings and the holes in the stand
during assembly.
22 footpounds, and check these at your normal nuts and bolts
inspection time.
The centerstand lugs threads
do wear.
Wear includes the stops for the centerstand. The
springs also wear, and get weak, and can break, and I HIGHLY
recommend new sidestand and centerstand springs.
Rev:
04/1/2008: Add photo of the Farley as installed, with notes on the forward
clamp, etc.
04/19/2009: rename, and add the Surefoot stand
07/23/2009: Add photo of George Turski's Brown installation
07/26/2009: Add 5 photos of my 84RT, add captions, etc.
04/21/2010: Add another view of the Surefoot (the tall
photo), as it is not mounted normally.
03/29/2011: Add information on sidestands and centerstands
and repairs to threads, bushings, etc.
© Copyright, 2011, R. Fleischer