Is there anything wrong with not using the center stand?

Will not using the center stand over a long period of time cause problems? I have a debate with a friend. He says it doesn't matter, but i think if all the fluids are to one side that seals would dry up and there might be other problems.
So, mighty KZRiders, who is right?

I think it depends on how long it sits.

I'm saying a long time, so lets figure "a long time" to be between 9months and 16months.
Cause i know like a week or two definatly wouldn't bother things and i think a month or two even would be cool. But our debate is about long term. So think 9 months being the shortest.

I don't know about long term but I have heard that if you are going to let them warm up for more then five minutes (cold weather) you should always put them on the centerstand because otherwise the oil sits in the left side and the number 4 bearings wear harder. Especially since the engine is only idling and not building a lot of oil pressure yet. If you've ever torn down an engine and wondered why the number 4 bearing is more worn then the others... now you know.

I vote it makes no difference.

Ok, I'm game, just my worthless two cents worth...

Just sitting there, not running leaning on the side stand for whatever amount of time:
The angle difference in using a side stand isn't truly that much off center. What are we talking here, 10 to 20 degrees if that. Unless you have zero amount of oil in the engine case, I just don't see the oil seals drying up.

Once started and running:
Once the oil pump and crankshaft gears start a spinning, the oil is being splashed all over the inside of that engine. With this in mind, I just don't see this being an issue.

NOTE: Now to be fair, let's throw into the equation that the bike has been sitting outside in sub zero weather conditions.

If this is how you treat your bike, then you should be ashamed of yourself...

Then in either case, that oil is not going to be splashed around easily due to thickening regardless of which stand was used. Of course, slight disadvantage to the side stand versus center but as previously mentioned, small angle and no oil is no oil...

All in all, shouldn't make that big of a difference is my vote...

But then again, WTF do I know....

Old Man Rock

id say chances are really good that any motor sitting an extended period of time like that without atleast being cranked over once in a while is going to have dry starting issues,not to mention what it does to valve springs holding the same valves open constantly without a break. id say pull the plugs and wires and turn it over once a month then screw plugs back in to keep the critters out of it.

My bikes always sit for years. Last weekend got the 167,000 mile KZ650 out after sitting one year on the sidestand and it started up second kick. Regularly go 4-10 yrs between rides and have never had a seal "dry up". A friend of mine told me again yesterday "You let that H2 sit the crank seals are going to dry up". I had my response, "yea you've been telling me that for 30 years and they still aint dried up yet".

im not too concerned about crank seals its the valve springs going flat and rings gumming up and sticking that worries me .seals tend to swell right back up once thy get a little oil on em!:laugh:

The oil level is well below the crankshaft, so I doubt the crank seals are affected either way. The only gearbox seals are on the left side (on a KZ650 anyway) so they won't be affected. As to lube on #4 - the oil to the bearings comes from a pump, not splash, and is squirted from the con-rod up into the pistons and cylinder walls, so the lean should not affect that either!

My bike sat for 10 years on its kick stand - it has no oil leaks, seal or bearing problems - I did have to clean up the carbs, but that was all!

Well, my KZ came w/o a centerstand, can't even buy one used or an aftermarket, because there are no attachment points on the frame. Mine sat on sidestand 10+yrs and didn't find any problems w/engine rubber when I finally got her back on the road. So, IMO, it seems to me that if the manufacturer built them w/no centerstand and since I had a bike setting on sidestand for many yrs w/no apparant problem, I'd have to say it doesn't make a bit of difference, for long term storage.

I have a 650 that sat in a small tin shed for 15 years on it's side stand here in the Northeast. 15 cycles from 100+ degrees to -5. The tires were flat and chequed but held air when inflated. The engine has never been busted into (oops the top end gaskets have been replaced). Runs like a top. No oil consumption to speak of. My bro resurrected her as told in this story ambergrismooon.blogspot.com/2007_10_29_archive.html .

No doubt there could have been divine intervention. or lady luck pulled some strings... hell maybe bro was a sorcerer he was a wookie afterall. So your experience may differ.