KZ900 leans too much on side stand

I welded this one up over 10-12 yrs. ago. Nice TIG weld will hold fine!

Mikaw wrote: Pictures are distorted like looking through glasses that are to strong.

My 1978 Ltd 1000 leaned to much, but not as much as your appears to. I swapped in a Kz900 side stand to straighten it up. I’ll measure both and let see what yours measures out at.

EDIT: Added photos.

I made sure the level and the yard stick were parallel and the top of the stand was sitting against the level square. The Kz900 measured 11-5/16” and the Ltd was about 3/4” less at 10-9/16”

Those are both short ones, I have just measured my thou A series stand and from bolt centre to heel of stand which are the critical measurements it is 10 1/2 inches, a fair bit longer than my ltd stand which is the same as the one on the right, putting those two at around 9 1/2 and 9 inches at the important measuring points

No technical advice here. Its just funny how the chopper sites have threads on making your bike lean (i.e. fucking up stock stand).Then you all have every spec of every available stand ever to fix said mod.I love the attention to detail here.There is o so much to learn from you all ! just laughing at the ying and yang of the world.BE WELL

kevski wrote:

Mikaw wrote: Pictures are distorted like looking through glasses that are to strong.

My 1978 Ltd 1000 leaned to much, but not as much as your appears to. I swapped in a Kz900 side stand to straighten it up. I’ll measure both and let see what yours measures out at.

EDIT: Added photos.

I made sure the level and the yard stick were parallel and the top of the stand was sitting against the level square. The Kz900 measured 11-5/16” and the Ltd was about 3/4” less at 10-9/16”

Those are both short ones, I have just measured my thou A series stand and from bolt centre to heel of stand which are the critical measurements it is 10 1/2 inches, a fair bit longer than my ltd stand which is the same as the one on the right, putting those two at around 9 1/2 and 9 inches at the important measuring points

I can agree that is a more accurate why to measure, but look at this. My level it magnetic. sticking the top of the stand to the mag represents 90deg to the povit. The offset will have an effect on lean also what kind of offset is there in the 1000A stand. If it’s more like the LTD than the 900A4 then the extra length has less impact for vertical

The A 1000 stand has an offset like the A4, I opted for the 1000 stand over the A4 because my rear shocks are 1 1/2 inches longer than stock shocks.

With all this talk about side stands, I'll throw this out there. Last summer on a test ride Ol' Dumb Ass forgot to check his gas supply. Sure as shootin' I end up running out of gas on a skinny two lane road with almost no shoulder what-so-ever. When I pulled over and stopped it was a real chore to get the side stand down and the bike was almost vertical. I get on the cell phone and ask my kid to bring me some gas but I know he is at least 45 mins out and the sun is departing. So I elect to put the 4 ways on and hang onto the bike so it doesn't get blown over by a passing vehicle. No driveways are close by to push to so I wait. The gas arrives and I put it in the tank and problem #2, no start with the button. So now I decide to kick start the beast but that's pretty tricky because I can't get the bike to lean over on the side stand so I just jump on the kicker with no side stand support. Not a good time at all with a 4 foot deep water filled ditch right next to you. Thankfully she started on the second kick and off I went. I would not have minded having a side stand that allowed a bit more lean in that situation. And don't forget shock height can have an impact on how the bike lays on the side stand as well as tire size. Sometimes a little more lean on the side stand is a good thing.

Rick H.

The shocks appear to be stock

Shankkole wrote: No technical advice here. Its just funny how the chopper sites have threads on making your bike lean (i.e. fucking up stock stand).Then you all have every spec of every available stand ever to fix said mod.I love the attention to detail here.There is o so much to learn from you all ! just laughing at the ying and yang of the world.BE WELL

I hate to rip on anyone for their personal tastes but as far as mine go, that whole chopper thing came and went for me in the 60s and 70s. Funny how all of a sudden manufacturers were putting things like goofy sissy bars, step seats and hi rise bars on what was a great looking bike. Norton had a Commando that tried to be Easy Rider in the mid 70s. Just my personal opinion but no better way to destroy a bike than to chop it. Here's a perfect example... a chopped KZ900 that someone put a ton of money into that I wouldn't give you a thousand bucks for... unless maybe I needed the motor to put in another bike.

It looks like that bike is licensed in Wisconsin?? My home state , go figure.... Looks like the owner wanted the hard tail look, but not the hard tail ride as evidenced by the shock absorber under the seat. I'll be that bike was pretty darn quick in a straight line, just don't try to take tight curves with it.

Rick H.

Is there a consensus among motorcycle manufactures as to what the proper lean angle should be on a motorcycle when on its side stand?
A quick check of the bikes currently in the garage:
81 KZ305 18 deg.
92 XT225 15 deg.
85 VF1100c 12 deg.
84 VF700c 12 deg.
85 VT500 16 deg.
78 GL1000 15deg.
When parking the Magna with any high side slant in the road, the bike stands to vertical. Where as the KZ305 has too much lean when the road has a low side slant.
I would say 15 -16 degree lean is about right.

Shit man it aint personal against me to have an opinion different than mine. I agree that thing is hideous .Please realize some folks have lots of money that they can play with, others lots of time.I still insist that choppers are rolling folk art.I stress the ART.Not too many folks agree on what art looks good. Which is what we have here.I also don't agree with cutting up a working bike in operating condition, but dear god man there are junk yards and not running bikes for chopping.I am grown man that has never went home and cried when someone says my bike is ugly.I do laugh when someone says if it was mine I would do this, I think.... then do that to yours.I like riding MY bikes not HARLEYS or KAWS or ZUKS.Lets all learn to laugh again instead of getting offended .Your opinion is great part of freedom hold on tight to it. sorry for sidetracking just trying to have more of a community that motorcycle teams or one lane thoughts.again BE WELL

Did I hear you say not everyone know what art looks good?