Suzuki DR650 Sidestand Page

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Suzuki DR650 Sidestand (AKA Kickstand) Page

Suzuki DR650

The stock DR650 sidestand is sufficient for as is in its unmodified form, but can be trouble some if you are parking your bike on soft ground. Since the footprint of the sidestand is small, it may slowly sink into the earth, especially with the addition of a little rain.

If you like to kick start your DR while the bike is on its sidestand , you will get a little more kick and a little bit of wear on the bottom other sidestand . After many kickstarts like this on pavement, you will find that the bottom of the sidestand will grind down to the point that all you have left is a sharpened metal stake for a sidestand that is certain to sink into just about anything - including asphalt. If you have gotten to this point or are heading in that direction, it may be time to reinforce the bottom of your sidestand .

Sidestand Plate

Carbon Fiber Sidestand Plate with Lanyard

A Sidestand plate (AKA coaster, Jiffy Stand Coaster, Sidestand Plate and footprint) can be thrown on the ground under your Sidestand. These can be fancy lightweight titanium, ABS plastic, carbon fiber or just made from a crushed drink can. Some insurance companies and bike shops give away plastic ones with their advertisement on them.

Sidestand Pad/Extension

These can be welded or bolted on the bottom of your sidestand and makes a nice permanent fit that should last for a while.

How to use a Sidestand

This seems like a simple task, but it isn't uncommon to hear of riders finding their bike have fallen on its side for no reason at all. Well, no reason that they may be aware of.

Hills - if parking on a hill, aim the bike up hill, this way gravity will pull the bike back and help lock the sidestand, instead of unlocking and pushing it up. You will also want to shift your bike into first to act as a park break on a real hill.

Ground - if you aren't on firm concrete, assess where you are parking. Avoid soft ground as the bike's sidestand may sink in over time. You may need to find a better parking spot or us a plate, brick, etc under your sidestand .

Engaging the sidestand - after you pop the sidestand down, lower the bike and sidestand onto the ground and dismount - it's time to engage the sidestand . While standing to the left of the bike, grab the handlebar with your left hand and the rear grab bar with your right and pull the bike towards you so that the front the rear tire breaks friction with the ground. Both tires should move away from you and the base of the sidestand . This extra little distance between the tires and sidestand may the whole bike a much more stable tripod.

Sidestand Height

This is generally a non issue, but can become a problem if a rider lowers or raises his/her suspension with suspension mods or when overloading the suspension with cargo weight. This makes the bike much less stable on its sidestand, necessitating a sidestand height adjustment. You can find a proper sized sidestand, cut and weld or even replace the stock stand with an adjustable height stand. A sidestand with an adjustable height can be made with a long machine screw or with different diameter tubing that telescopes.

Puck-UP

The Puck-Up is made for BMWs and is one way you and increase your sidestand's footprint as well as adjust the height as you and adjust the number of shims under the sidestand to raise or drop the height.