[HansenCTX]

Hello Forum,

I just spent four hours attempting to get the spring hooked to the center stand. I have successfully got one (the big spring) hooked and now the smaller one is all messed up. The center stand's 14mm bolts come with lock-tight on them, so after I installed those I knew I would not be getting them off easily (I tried... no luck). At this point I feel the center stand is secure enough to take the bike to the stealership (dealership) and have them do the job correctly.

Who has successfully installed their center stand and how did you do it? Could you please provide steps? I used the installation instructions from the Honda web site http://powersports.honda.com/documentum/MW01/08M70-MJN-A00.pdf ) but that last step was the problem.

Thanks

 

[tbonesullivan]

I am also probably going to install my center stand myself, once I get one. What did you use for grease?

Anyway, there is unfortunately not really an easy way to get the springs on, and you really almost need two people: one to pull the spring, and one to hold the bike in place.

If it was a single spring, there is the penny trick to make things easier, where you put pennies between the coils to make the spring get longer and longer without having to pull it hard, and the pennies fall out once you set the bike on the stand.

 

[jugbelly]

I could only get the small spring hooked on mine. I took it to the dealer, they said they had a hook tool, but they also had a lot of trouble hooking them. Said they had to unbolt the stand and install the springs first. I thought of that but was not sure I could pry the stand into place with the springs attached. Works fine though.

 

[TennesseeSmith]

I downloaded the instructions to see how involved this would be. I'm not confident about using pennies on the double spring. They have a lift, a couple of strong young guys, and better tools at the local Honda shop.

I'll be ordering my center stand this coming week. My plan is to hang onto it until the 8000 mile service. Then I'll let the shop mount it while they have the bike.

 

[HansenCTX]

Thanks everyone. I got creative and tried many ways to install this spring (in the south we do some crazy ******* $%*& to make things happen). The tension on this spring is crazy strong and can be extremely challenging to open. I got the small spring to hook only to have the 'hook' on the center stand end straighten out and slip off. Now the metal hook on the smaller spring is compromised (it can no longer connect due to it being straight and no longer curved). It took me about 4 hours to get the big spring hooked. Now I have one spring hooked and the other stuck inside the other. I contacted Honda to see if they will look at it.

I installed my tall windshield, rear carrier, and passenger backrest with no problem.

 

[Den]

After being unable to get the springs on, I unbolted the stand, hooked the springs then used a ratchet strap to pull the stand back in place and install the bolts. Took just a few minutes once in got the strap in place. I put a hook on each side of stand and ran the strap around the back tire. The stand almost popped into place.


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[gadgetman]

Thanks for the Tip!
I was going to try large Phillips head screw driver tip and leverage the springs in which my dealer suggested, but after review of the area felt yours was a better path.
Worked real well though I had issues with bolt install. Being a retired engineer plus Polish, I got wrapped up in good progress and forgot the install notes on right side bolt being left hand thread. So of course I had bolts in wrong locations which did not want to thread in even though the holes in stand were perfectly aligned with bikes. After about 10 or so frustrating minutes the light bulb went on recalling the left hand threaded bolt note. Once that was resolved all was well. I put it on the center stand with ease and proceeded to install the new additional CTX 700 mirrors I ordered along with center stand. :smileygarden_de_banMirrors look like they belong there. Need to clean up and take a test ride to check out and adjust the added mirrors.
Thanks again for the tip:smiley-party0005:

 

[Den]

Let me know how the mirrors work out. Was looking at them my self. Picture would be nice.


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[gadgetman]

Let me know how the mirrors work out. Was looking at them my self. Picture would be nice.


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Took a short ride and liked the results. They give great view of right behind me which stock ones can't... Plus plenty good to side. I then set set fairing ones really wide so there are no blind spots. Drove on highway to check how they worked together for passing or being passed and I'm quite pleased! I may do a bit more fine tuning and maybe some tweaking with bars now that I have much more flexibility... And feel so much safer now. I did take some pix and will try to post soon. I will say they look like what Honda should have included and match bikes lines well. After I put it in the "Car Cave" spot on center stand and looked back at it, the mirrors almost seemed to disappear ( blend in that is).

 

[Den]

Looks real nice like they belong there.. I'll probably get a set.


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[bob]

Sorry, I can't help it.
With the fairing mirrors incorporated into the primary design, in spite of anyone's opinion of them, any mirrors added to the bar mounts look to me like the add-on extension side mirrors added to a truck when hauling a wide trailer. The only way I would add any permanent additional mirrors would be to attach on top of the existing mirror cover, and even then those would need to meet the same general flow of the bike fairing in shape and be slim so as to be unassuming and blend in as much as possible.

It is likely I would add these if I put a hitch on the bike to pull my camper and used only when I'm pulling the camper, but not likely to be on my bike otherwise. My camper is just tall enough that my ST1100 mirrors looked just along the top of the camper and the CTX mirrors, while the same level to the bars, are lower overall due this bike being lower so I would need the higher mirrors to see over the camper. The view past the sides of the camper would be unaffected per without the camper.

 

[hanadarko]

After being unable to get the springs on, I unbolted the stand, hooked the springs then used a ratchet strap to pull the stand back in place and install the bolts. Took just a few minutes once in got the strap in place. I put a hook on each side of stand and ran the strap around the back tire. The stand almost popped into place.


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This is how I got my shocks on my rig. They are 4000lb pressure shocks and 3 guys couldn't even compress them, but a ratchet strap to the rescue.

People don't ever think about this idea and it works REALLY WELL.

:ty:

 

[Critter]

Gadgetman, thanks for the mirror pics. Looking at doing that myself.

 

[V0X]

FYI, my dealer quoted one hour ($89) to install the center stand. In case anyone is considering trying to install themselves. For me, it would be money "well" spent.


Eric

 

[gadgetman]

I should have posted pix

In hindsight, I should have posted the mirror Pix on the Mirror vs. Center stand Topic. :350x700px-LL-66dd6d (I may go back an do that if I can't figure out how to point to where they are in this topic). Plus I should have posted Center Stand install process pix here.
After looking at what it would take to stretch and hook the springs per Honda's sequence/ instructions (even using a large Phipps tip to lever them in to the hook) I then thought and looked more closely while I reconsidered Den's Plan B (and much better) alternative... I went with his a Dens Alternative process.
Attached here are those.
It worked like a gem and much less than an hour of time! :smileygarden_de_banThanks again Den! :smiley-party0005:
Hopefully this will help those on the fence about doing it yourself.:smiley-happy0034:

 

[V0X]

I got the center stand installed with a few other extras last weekend. This beast is heavy to rock back onto the stand compared to my CB500x.

 

[Den]

I was also having a very hard time getting the bike on the center stand. This is my first bike that had one. I looked on the web and found some videos of how to do it properly. Doing it the correct way is very easy.
This is a good one.

 

[Maktal]

Thanks Dennis,

I ended up doing my center stand this way. Much much easier than trying to get the spring on per the instructions.

 

[V0X]

Good video Den, and that's how I did my Honda CB500x, that also had pillion grab rails. The CTX grab rails are integrated, and I found that I can't "lift" the bike with these. I resorted to putting a little bit of body weight into the saddle bag and pushed back, while pulling he handle bars back, all while standing up in the center stand.




Eric

 

[bob]

I wrote on this many years ago on the GWRRA web site. The simple explanation I used is basically the same as in the video as far as putting the bike up on the center stand... with some minor differences. Left hand on grip only for steadying yourself. Right hand on grab rail keeping the arm straight. Right foot on center stand lever. Press the lever down and let the leverage stand the bike up off the side stand until you feel both feet of the center stand holding the bike up. At this point, if you are somewhat standing on the center stand lever the bike will hold itself up. Then I just straighten my right leg and at the same time act like I'm trying to separate the center stand lever from the grab rail. DON'T "LIFT" the bike with the grab rail but just stand on the center stand lever and keep your right arm straight and your back straight as well. The bike will leverage up onto the stand by itself. Doing this on my GW it will hop right up popping the bike right up so much it slides a bit back on the center stand feet.

To get it off the stand I would simply hold the same points with my hands only, lean way forward with my feet on the floor and pulling forward on the grab rail. The GW would easily roll off the stand. I tried getting the GW off the stand while sitting on it but found I was unable to most of the time. I guess you have to be longer legged to do that successfully. Plus my GW windshield was very tall and would be in the way of being able to lean forward very far without hitting it. So this was the best way for me.

You do have to experiment a bit with any method to find what works for you.