Motorcycle Stands: How To Use Them and Why You Need Them! | The Shop Manual

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Want to up your DIY game? Get a set of motorcycle stands! They’ll change the way you work on and store your bike. Learn about the different stand configurations and how to use them in this episode of The Shop Manual.
Start with a rear stand rvz.la/40ib9ip
And add a front stand rvz.la/3yHQZCH
Need a set of swingarm spools? Here ya go! rvz.la/3mTcSfr
Want more information on garage equipment and bike maintenance, or just the latest news and moto content? Click over to Common Tread: rvz.la/3JNcfgG

[@RevZilla]

Ready to add a set of stands to your moto-maintenance arsenal? Revzilla’s got you covered! rvz.la/3mZKuZh

[@gradientO]

Why wait 15 hours to upload a video

[@john_barnett]

ready to pull out a ladder and some straps!

[@citizensoldier27]

Why is Revzilla no longer carrying Pit Bull stands? I just looked a few days ago to get a front stand and did not see any Pit Bull options anymore.

[@REDLINERUNNER]

Ladder and rachet straps, HILARIOUS!!

[@hulkhatepunybanner]

*Jack stands for Harley and Triumphs?*

[@8OneOfTheNobodies8]

Another tip is to stand on the other side then the kickstand when you get your mc on the rear stand, that way the bike can not fall to the right since you are preventing this with your body and the bike can not fall the the left since the kickstand will save it, also a lot easier to pull the bike up to balance point rather then to push it up to balance point

[@kingnfs1]

Too bad my dominant hands is right. For left-handed this is golden.

[@RadDadisRad]

@@kingnfs1 This is coarse movement so it shouldn’t matter which hand is dominant since it doesn’t require finesse.

[@jameshisself9324]

Maybe, but not being able to see the side stand is nerve wracking for many of us.

[@alejandrotobienne8220]

Makes sense.

[@alejandrotobienne8220]

@@kingnfs1I am left handed.

[@defaultuser3410]

Ari always gives the best advice, I hope you guys never stop making these videos.

[@timboyer8783]

Dude's legit. Big fan.

[@timdesmond1327]

Hey guys, something that was not mentioned in the video is about the turning of the bars to help point the bike left. Something that I've been doing for many years now is turning the bars to the left so that when you pull it off the rear stand it will actually fall left and hopefully won't go right😊. With the bars are straight it sometimes a bit 50/50 unless you've got 100% control over the bike.

[@aussiebloke609]

And this is why I love old bikes that come from the factory with a center stand. Not only do they pick up the rear wheel for tyre & chain repairs/adjustments, but if you sit a friend on the pillion, you can also gain forward clearance to remove the front wheel and forks - at which point the reduced weight in front shifts the balance and your friend can get off without the bike doing a nosedive. Very convenient, you carry it everywhere with you, so you can make use of it on the roadside if necessary.

[@harrisk.9889]

This is genius! Your comment saved me, I'm in this exact situation but was worried about what to do once I get the tire off.. Thanks for the explanation!

[@AlexeyB9]

You forgot to mention some options for single sided swing arms however it is still a great video! (as always)

[@christophermikrowelle7093]

Such like most BMWs? A had the same thoughts. May be somebody has an answer.

[@danielshaw5174]

Absolutely love your videos. You guys have educated me on so many things already and now this. Thanks for holding our hands throughout this journey 🙏

[@charliesmith5227]

Would love to see a whole service shops manual episode! Everything you should do during a service, how and why!!!

[@enderjensen428]

This was exactly the video I was looking for buying a pair of stands two years ago 😆 glad it’s here for new riders now 👍🏻

[@stilldajoker]

I stand on the right side of the bike w/ kickstand down. Already have the paddock stand lined up and contacting the left side spool and centered for the right. Left hand on the stand, push it down while your right hand leans the bike upright, just focus on the right side alignment for the stand to the spool. Has worked great for me over the years but I am only 67 and still have things to learn. Thanks Ari! Your vids are the best

[@rn2cro03]

Best video yet about stand purchase and use. Thank you.

[@ShootingAir]

Just want to talk about a value purchase... bought my Pitbull stands in 1997~8 when I first got into trackdays and racing. I went the MC mechanic route in 2000 and these things have been used and abused since then. NEVER a problem, always reliable and beyond needing to source the right pin for the front frame stand (which isn't an issue for me now, I've bought them all) they've needed nothing more than some new rubber bits (handles, pads for the rear). I have NEVER had a dropped bike with these stands, even when the bike on a stand Next to mine crumpled and fell into mine. Glad I spent the money so many years ago, they have Absolutely been a "buy it for life" item.

[@AriH211]

+1. Pitbull is what I have in my garage and they're excellent.

[@j4zzx297]

After many sketchy moments trying to get bikes on paddock stands, I finally bought an abba stand. It' was a really good purchase. Take up little room when you fold it away and is a lot safer to use when you're by yourself and the floor isn't 100% level

[@ctrlaltowned5223]

As always, the Shop Manual coming in clutch with the great info.

[@moorepower13]

Front wheel cradle type stands are super handy for getting your bike upright and on to a rear stand. Also super handy for truck loading.

[@jahmic]

Love my Pitbull front and rear stands. I've owned several other brands in the past, but won't go back. Just upgraded my front stand to service the forks. Thanks RevZilla for keeping my garage functional

[@syedthefunnyguy7570]

this tutorial has been extremely helpful. Thank you so much

[@JDnBeastlet]

Great episode! I use a rear stand in conjunction with a lift. It makes the bike super stable when I'm working on it, and puts it at a comfortable height too.

[@jameshisself9324]

Agreed, the platform lift is really the way to go. Comfortable height and no stress from the bike 'almost' falling over every other minute.

[@OntarioAndrews415]

Brilliant! Thanks for posting/sharing. Cheers!

[@MrTommer2]

Ari you do a great job!!🏁

[@kibawosdashcamgermany]

Super informative! Just bought my stand for upcoming winter. Thanks :)

[@jimsmith9912]

Thanks dude. All I have to do now is buy one for my bike. And you are right. I'll get a good one. THanks.

[@ChuckMahon]

Great video - and as a first time bike owner - the stand is a neccesity. My local shop will do a simple tire change for $20/wheel if I bring them just the wheel and tire - under 10 minutes in and out.

[@stravoxylo3678]

Good reminder on stand use. I'm another happy Pit Bull stand owner. Bought 13 years ago and still doing the job.

[@michaelfaith]

Super helpful demonstration. Thanks

[@MLSInVA]

Thank you Ari for another informative video. You know what you're talking about and present it well. Also props to the video production crew. I'll add a couple of tips that help me. First, I put a 2x4 block under the side stand before I leverage my bike onto the rear stand, this makes the bike nearly vertical and allows the paddock/rear stand to 'catch' the swingarm spools. Then it's worry-free to complete the process of getting the stand under the bike. Second, I make sure the front wheel is pointed straight, for whatever reason, the front wheel turns to the left when my bike is on the side stand.

[@AriH211]

Good tips, thanks Matthew!

[@Robocoppat]

what a great video. this is EXACTLY what I've been looking for. another Great Revzilla video.

[@grandiagod]

If you have a bike with a sturdy skid plate you can also use a motorcycle scissor jack or hydraulic motorcycle/atv lift. Just make sure the skid plate has solid attachment points.

[@ImpalaSS08]

I’ve had Pitbull front and rear for 20 years but recently bought a Bursig center lift stand and it changed my world. No comparison.

[@EBthere]

Thank you Ari. Most helpful.

[@WDGFE]

FWIW, I recently added T-Rex spools to my CRF250 Rally. Their kit includes a clamp that goes onto the right swingarm, solving the lack of a spool mounting point on that side.

[@Bikergramp57]

Excellent video

[@timmyzhou1]

Got to love and laugh about the last bit. Thanks Ari!

[@pirateadam3686]

There are also jack lifts - flat tipped jack pads that go ubder your frame - for those with larger bikes. I had to get one because mine was over the max limit on all those style.

[@thanosa2206]

Lovely!! I didn't know that christoph waltz likes motorcycles!! You are an inglorious motorcyclist mr Christoph!!! Nice 👍

[@Cruel_Shoes]

I’ve always wondered how those rear stands worked. Great video.

[@Hill3001]

I was today years old when I learned the secondhand Pitbull stands I was gifted have reversible mounts LOL. Thanks Ari!!

[@marcusespinoza2961]

Great video, this was really helpful.

[@ninja1970fin]

I loved the idea of using ladders to change the rear shock! Many thanks, need to try it! :)

[@ninja1970fin]

does it make sense to also lock the front brake with some duck tape ?

[@fjones1914]

I've had my Pitbull rear stand for at least 20 years. I bought the front stand a couple of years later. After a ride, I place the bike on the stands to assist with cleaning, storage and prevention of flat spots in case the next ride is months away.

[@bryanharrison3889]

Bruh you've been doing this shit for a long time and STILL killing it as always. I watch these regardless of whether or not I "know" the info already that's how good they are, plus, there's often nuggets I didn't know anyway so its a win-win. ALSO, side note, looks like that burn from the firework on your neck has healed quite nicely.... Although it didn't seem like you were TOO worried about it because you were SHOOTING VIDEOS LIKE THIS WHILE IT WAS STILL HEALING FOR THE WIN. Bruh, mad props..... you're an official icon.

[@LoveHandlesss]

Good review....as always!

[@fumanpoo4725]

I bought a cheap HF stand years ago. Works perfect.

[@KensGarage1]

Great video. The pitbull stands (and trailer restraint) are great products. Highly recommend.

[@robinwells8879]

I’m coming back to biking after 40 years and I was a surprise to see that the centre stand was now an option and not standard. Weight I suppose but I always have my centre stand and I might not always be near my garage!

[@MianCowell]

Ari, I'd love to see you do a review of the Abba Skylift stand. Everyone I know who's bought one agrees it's something they can never do without.

[@Quatra05]

As always, great content.

[@ful48j]

I don't know if they're available in the US, but in the UK we also have the Abba stand which is a modular stand that fixes to the swing srm pivot so lifts the bike securely. It's not light, but is sturdy and affordabl.

[@GVMotoring]

Love this! I will say, as someone who has worked on a number of bikes over the past 5 years my $30 harbor freight rear stand has served me VERY well, for several years holding things as 550lb Sportster 1200. Front stands tend to be more complex so I own a pitbull stand for that, and yes there is a quality difference but I wouldn't dismiss affordable stands as an non-viable option

[@mfennell70]

Would have posted the same if you hadn't. Promo shots for the new $92k Indian track bike have that exact stand in them.

[@amerigo88]

Thought you might mention that Ari has a conflict of interest given that Revzilla wants to sell high quality motorcycle stands instead of us going to Hobo Freight.

[@clue0001]

This makes me want a center stand mounted on my bike even more 😅 I use the same process for now though.

[@azonic2002]

Great video. I've been on the hunt for a table or lift so I can take off some rear end parts on my motorcycle and get in there for some wiring work. Seems like a much more compact, cost-effective option for getting the bike up in the air.

[@willjohnson5861]

If you work on your bike a lot, or plan on buying and work on multiple bikes, you cannot beat a lift table. They make the process so much easier, and your back will thank you. Handy lift is my personal favorite.

[@Thirsty_Fox]

I'm glad you mention that the front fork stands can be a bit finnicky... the one I use tried to roll around and let the forks come right off. I had to brace it pretty heavily to make sure it couldn't move around on the fork.

[@jimmyswollnuts7662]

I have the pit bull front fork cradle stand, paid more money for it than I should have, and it's so sketchy I won't use it. Just sits up high on a cabinet in the garage like a sad, sick, expensive trophy

[@robertadams4415]

Hey Ari I already have my shop manual Kershaw cryo

[@Hansengineering]

I didn't know about the front frame stand. That looks really nice. I use my center stand and a regular aluminum jack applied at the front of the double cradle.

[@kalhanratty1]

I so miss a center stand on my newest bike....

[@ottomondo1368]

Amazing videos. Thanks.

[@Oneindig318]

i got myself an abba superbike stand (i dont know if other brands sell the same concept) and although its a two parter and needs a bike specific part, it feels so much more stable and safe and same goes for pulling it up and lowering it back down compared to the stands shown.

[@juanmaldonado3281]

SUPER. AWESOME. REAL. AND TO THE POINT. TNKS👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@khanhnamle1694]

got mine, love it

[@czierwo]

Great video. Stuff everyone uses, and not many really understand. Stands are the most basic, yet absolute game changer equipment. Certainly save time, effort and pay for themselves after tire changes not paying the wheel removal fees really quickly. Plus, if one has more motorcycles, same stands take care of all of them, unless single sided swingarm stand is required.

[@njohnson3331]

2 Stands and a mini stool have helped me get through a lot of maintenance and repairs. It's a lot quicker to do the chain and brakes for example. For me I got the cheap stands, and they constantly need looking after. There's a lot of play in the parts, so I'm about to replace with something higher quality.

[@John_Ridley]

Thanks I already had a rear stand, but didn't really understand about front stands. The fork kind that I saw looked sketchy enough that I never bought one. Now that I know about the triple tree one I'll buy one.

[@davapod]

Try the ABBA superbike stand. bought the stand and front lift kit plus the swingarm removal kit , you are then sorted for those super difficult jobs. I use it all the time.👍

[@otlndsh]

Also great for safety especially for being able to tell if the front wheel rotates freely. You see lots of accidents where people go from paved to dirt and crash because there's rolling resistance on the front wheel they didn't know about.

[@ChiefSmokeDezHoez]

What do you mean by that? I'm unfamiliar with that; I've never had any problems transitioning between terrains. Do it everyday

[@kennedymcgovern5413]

I just did the maintenance on mine. I thought about buying one of these. But then I started thinking about ways around it. I used my floor jack on one side, and blocks of scrap wood under the kick stand on the other. The work is done.

[@Ahhh-in7jk]

Wish I had seen this video before purchasing, now to make the best of what I have for a while.

[@znismo1]

It's funny that you guys didn't advertise your own Revzilla "Trackside" stands lol. So are you saying that those are garbage since they are around 60 dollars?

[@ZinoAmare]

frame stand is awesome if I look at it :3 I would buy that for sure.

[@pmdinaz]

Thanks Ari!

[@dukie1616]

Thank you because first thought was, I know all this. Then I watched it through and actually learned something with that ladder and ratchet strap. I have to replace the triple tree of a bike that you can’t get a stand under the case.

[@Martinez271992]

Excellent, I didn't even know there were front stands. I did the ladder+ratchet and it was a sketchy setup and can easily damage fairing paint. Good job. How about lighting upgrades for another vid?

[@stevenfarmwald6979]

Thanks for answering questions that I'm too embarrassed to ask. 67, and still learning

[@Bweizr]

Ladder and ratchet straps? Brilliant! I won't be using that on my Versys 1000 but my 1976 CB550K will probably be perfect on that

[@justinmarshall136]

Any chance a video like this but for lifts? Thanks, and keep up the amazing content

[@RevechoRides]

Learn something everyday, both from this video and from the comments 🙌🏾

[@kernal9093]

A guy from work gave me a stand of his he didnt use (he had 2 of them) and man does it make work a million times easier especially when it came to the rear tire. I used to use a combination of (no joke) a car jack, a plank of wood, and 2 jack stands to get my bike off the ground enough to work on.

[@bakernicholas123]

great video!

[@yossarian6743]

Great stuff! I'm an apartment dweller, so my bike is parked on the street in front of my building and I don't have access to a garage. Therefore, when I was looking for a motorcycle, one of my required criteria was the ability to add a center stand. It makes chain maintenance (among other things) so much easier. I'd love to have a stand and a place to use it, but I find a center stand to be the next best thing in my circumstances.

[@Starfireaw11]

These kinds of stands fold down to nothing and will fit in a cupboard or under your bed.

[@dylanc2806]

@@Starfireaw11 center stands are still better

[@pmacc3557]

Great vid

[@DieselSniffer3500]

Should make a video on tuning/adjusting suspension

[@Mytwistedvoices]

Cycle gear has a universal stand I have used for years. It works on bikes with spools 15.75” across. And works with bikes without spools. $100

[@coenduc]

Hehe , the ladder stand trick i like that one. Can be handy.👍👍

[@ZeeBri]

I tend to use a rear stand and a trolley jack on the sump when i need to take the front wheel off. Not recommended but works

[@ianendangan7462]

To most of us using mopeds and scooters with 200cc and below engine, center stands is already built-in and we often use it in the Philippines.

[@coryfisher6943]

Worth noting, stand on the opposite side of the kickstand incase it falls away from you l, you got the kick stand to hopefully save you. Love these vids keep them coming!!!

[@markharrison2484]

I’ll take an ABBA stand over front and rear stands any day of the week. Bomb proof!

[@Jagknorr]

I got the pitbull rear spool stand that has the lever on the side - greatest stand eveerrrrrrrr

[@oramac7237]

Great video!! Sadly it didn't touch on forward facing rear stands though. But still, really good and useful info!

[@johnb5519]

Cant beat a center stand. It's the main reason why I never liked new sport bikes, but I finally got one, and I hate using the paddock type stand by myself.

[@Crazylalalalala]

This guy is such a great resource.

[@valeja2002]

Ari you the Man! thanks for the video, what rear stand will you recommend for a 2010 Triumph Bonneville SE? the exhaust are on the way 😮 Thanks

[@derekgray7716]

Abba Stands here in the UK!! The all in one stand

[@PkwyDrive13]

I wish they'd make some for my road glide 😂 spools on my bagger. Sweet

[@jimalcantara6638]

Centerstand helps a lot also.

[@juha2031]

Thanks !

[@castle228]

Pitbull stands FTW! Ari, can you demonstrate the ladder and ratchet strap configuration, please?? :) Thanks.

[@jonnybegood4848]

I bought and used a pair of Woodcraft stands for my bikes and I can attest to their quality. I'm just now down to one bike and it has a single sided swing arm. Woodcraft states they're working on one to be sold this summer but currently does not offer this option. I'm waiting. Removing the rear tire looks more complex at a glance and may require special tools. I'd love if you'd do a video regarding this. Your tire changing video has saved me plenty in the past and I'd like to continue doing that on my new bike.

[@dimitrisnestoridis888]

Thanks for the informations..

[@ZinoAmare]

I can watch Ari work on bikes for days :3

[@davedonedis]

Perfect timing! Getting ready to order. Now I wonder if there is a front frame stand for KTM 890?

[@Scoupe400]

Hated the cup stand for the RS125. But love my Harris stand with bobbins. I lift differently, no precarious balancing - just start with side-stand, steering already left, align stand to bobbins, once they’re hooked in (stand is on left caster wheel, held with right hand gently); can grab the rear set with left hand (or frame) and apply pressure with right hand (probably a little nudge with my hip into the bike) - bike automatically goes upright and is steady; push harder to lift up rear wheel.