Modern Vespa

I am wondering if someone has come up with a U shaped piece of steel that can be welded onto the right side of the center stand? A piece that would not hit the exhaust but would stick out like the left side for safety when down. I always park my GTS with the extended portion on the lower side so my GTS doesn't fall over. Anna's GTS fell over bec when she put it on the center stand the wind knocked it over on it's right side, and no she did not have a windshield.

Moved to General Discussion.

When I posted this as a question, I didn't know where to place it, at first it was in the Project Section and that was the incorrect forum. Thank you jess for moving it to the correct forum.

Do you think bikes fall over from bad centerstand? I would think that we always rush and may not get bike on the stand all the way, but draw a picture of what you want, I can have welders at work fab it for you on your stand.

I'm avoiding the whole GTS centerstand issue by getting a sidestand for the GTS 250 that I ordered. It seems to be an inexpensive and effective solution. I've had a sidestand on my Stella for three years now, and i've never had a problem with instability.

The GTS side stand is worthless and using it is almost a guarantee that your bike will be laying on the ground soon. 99% of us have had no problems whatsoever with the centerstand. In fact it works great. The sidestand or kickstand has been an issue since it came out. If you think using it is a better alternative to the centersatnd you are mistaken.

Here is a rough idea of what it could look like Jesse. The reason I had the large U shape was to not knock into the muffler. It could be welded 1 inch higher then the ground so when it starts to sink into the soft soil the out stretched pcs would stop it from sinking into the soft ground.

Has your scooter fell over?, It could be an easy weld job but I'm not sure its worth doing. I find the centerstand to be very strong. if a scooter finds itself on its side its 1 of 2 things IMO, operator error or some jack ass knocking it over for fun, like a cow tip. but if you like get me a center stand and I'll have it done for you.

My scoot fell over one time at band camp....No I mean Sleep Away Camp. Soft ground and center stand do not mix. Bummer, now I have a dented side.

I don't see how it would be practical to push a scooter forward off of this stand with a big "U" forward of the stock foot. Also, if the U is only on one side, it might be difficult to push off the stand without tipping the scooter.

---Edit: erich51 edited the picture to remove the "U" forward of the foot----

Is the intention to make it harder to push forward, have a larger right foot, and/or a wider stance?

That my friend is called operator error. they sell stand pucks that you place under the stand giving it a solid footing.

http://www.bestrestproducts.com/c-117-puck-up.aspx

Somthing like this is a better Idea. IMO

Even better $ .54 at hardware store

It's a cover for an electrical box

I've seen something similar done to a Buddy, so I'm sure it could be done to a Vespa by someone with the right tools and skills. The Buddy with the modified stand was for a gentleman who had problems with his right foot, and so could not properly put the bike on the stand the way it was. It was basically modified to have another foot-prop bracket on the left side, so he could use his left foot to put the stand down. Seemed to work just fine, and probably did offer a tad bit more stability. Might need to be a bit stronger for a GTS, though.

Harley-Davidson dealers sell an approx. 8" black plastic puck for a couple of bucks. It's about the only modestly-priced item in the whole store!

the centerstand on my LX is distinctly less stable than the one on my vino, and the one on my motorcycle. It's narrower. So, yes, it's more vulnerable to sideways knocks. The tip on the rigt side is ridiculously pointy, so it's quite happy sinking into soft asphalt. At home I use a foot-long piece of scrap metal under the centerstand. Never thought of welding it on, but if you do, it'd better be some pretty substantial welds, bcs that's a fracture just waiting to happen w/ all the stress it would need to endure.

Whatever you choose to weld on to increase the footprint may be in the way when the stand is up.

the guys at my work weld boiler tube that has a rated working pressure of 3600psi I'm not sure how much stronger it would need to be.

That jbox cover is velcroed to the underside of my motorcycle's rear rack, in case it ever needs it.

to tell the truth I avoid rock,grass,dirt, or anything that looks soft when it comes to parking My Harley, the scooter I've been lucky I guess it has not fallen over.

Wider stance, when ever I go riding with someone with a classic there center stand is very wide compared to the GTS. My ET4 also had a narrow center stand and it did fall over to the right side and I flound it on its side, soft tarmack. I like two of everything. Two mirrors, two wheels with tires, two fans with two radiators, you ge the point, two wide stance feet.
The drawing was just the rough idea of what I wish to accomplish.

Looking at what you want to achieve may I suggest making the feet of the stand a bit lager by welding on a half circle disk to the bottom of the stand adding more surface area to the center stand. It would be better looking and not take away form the good looks of the GTS.


You can start by cutting different size washers in half to see what would fit then we can weld them on clean it up rust proof and paint black to match stand.


If you can get a used center stand even better maybe trade yours to Mossimo after we mod yours

Let me see what I can come up with, I'll be going to Massimo's Vespa Shop with in the next week for my 19,000 mile oil change and look over. At that time I'll be having my Crash Bars installed. I'll talk to Massimo about the washer idea and see what he has to say. Thank you for that thought of a large washer, Jesse.

I have a sidetand on each of my GT200s. Wouldn't think of being without them.

Something like this any good ?

http://www.powersport.co.uk/07stockdetail.php?partno=OF103&catno=03&department=Accessories&groupid=0&show=17&group=1

We had similar pads for our folding camper's four corner steadies, although it was never going to turn over in the way we're envisaging a scooter could. They were there to maintain fore and aft and widthways levels by stopping the legs sinking into soft earth.

From the pic I can't quite see how they fix but it may be something which could be used whenever conditions warranted it, rather than be permanently mounted (and may be sticking out/fouling bodyparts).

UK supplier but I'm sure something similar would be available in the US.

Regards
Mike

Two of those should work for soft surfaces. They don't affix, BTW... they are just for occasional use as needed.

Whatever is used for parking on the center stand on soft surfaces, you need to make sure the material is tough enough to handle the "point loading" of the stand so that it doesn't punch through. The point loading of a center stand is typically higher than for a side stand and may be several hundred pounds per square inch.

I understand what you are trying to accomplish, and I've seen some people slip a length of pipe, or Rebar steel into the loops that make up the "feet" of the center-stand, after it's down and parked on softer ground....temporary-use if you will.

Of course the length of material has to be wider than the the feet of the centerstand to be effective, and you have to schlep it around with you (shouldn't be a problem!) when not using it, but its pretty effective at making a wider base for parking when you need it and only when you need it.

"Of course the length of material has to be wider than the the feet of the centerstand to be effective, and you have to schlep it around with you (shouldn't be a problem!) when not using it, but its pretty effective at making a wider base for parking when you need it and only when you need it."

This is why I wondered if a couple of extra (wider) feet might achieve the same result, but just live in the pet carrier when not needed.

They probably wouldn't help too much though for the "wind blowing it over" scenario. That's when the length of pipe would score.

I have an app with Massiom and will try finding the correct sulution.

im sure it can be done and when i get my new welder im gonna try FYI the italjet dragster has this bit on as standard and they are very stable the gts has a tendancy to lean to the right becouse of the stand when on soft ground