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2nd Gen 14 w/center stand

6K views 16 replies 5 participants last post by  Malie1986 
#1 ·
Hi: I have a 2012 zx14r with Two Brothers Carbon Slip On exhaust. I just ordered the center stand for it. I know there is an issue with no stop on the exhaust and 2 Bros sells a chuck of metal for 36 bucks. I was wondering what, if any, fixes anyone else has come up with. I know it is not going to be an issue to come up with something, but maybe someone idea can safe me some tinkering time. thanks
 
#2 ·
Some slip-ons come with a welded-on bracket and rubber bumper to accommodate a centerstand. My Scorpions did. The bracket is welded to the midpipe on the right side to match the stop bumper on the factory centerstand. Sounds like your TBR pipes have an add-on bracket available. You will have to remove the underbelly winglet and it's bracket.
 
#3 ·
Hammerhead - thanks. I installed them on two previous zx14's with oem exhausts and it was quite simple. My two brothers offers an plate that cost 36 dollars and from what I read, it does not work all that well. When the stands arrives I will install it and come up with a nice bracket. It cant be all that hard.
 
#4 ·
Only thing is, if you have it welded to the mid-pipe, you may be looking at replating. If the midpipe is stainless, and you can fab up a bracket out of the same grade, most kitchen equipment fabrication places can weld it up. A little sanding and polishing and you're good to go with stainless.
 
#9 ·
Bungles: I just sold my two stands for several reasons. One reason, although the least, I downsized my house and garage so I have limited space, although it was not really and issue. The main reason is it allows me to clean and service my chain when I am a way from home. I clean, lube and check adjustment on my chain ever 300 to 500 miles. I hate carrying my rear stand with me (LOL). As far as weight - by the time you remove the lower cowling it does add up to much. I used to race bikes (the pedal type) and knew these guys that would weigh every component, trying to reduce grams. The truth is weight, such as a center stand has very little to do with anything. There are two types of weight; static and dynamic. Wheals being dynamic and dynamic weight is a real killer. I would run lighter wheal and tires that were 19mm and take 175 psi to decrease the rolling resistance. I would wear gear that did not flap to decrease wind resistance. Resistance and friction have more effect. Rolling resistance such as properly inflated tires. Wind - enough said there. And friction/resistance generated by a dirty improperly adjusted chain have a much greater effect. to say nothing of the life of the chain. I usually get about 18K to 25K to a set of sprockets and chain. I can off load two or three pounds out of my tank bag. However I am not out there trying to break any records, just enjoying the ride. If I was going to a track competitively, than yes the center stand, side stand, mirrors and my tank bag would come off.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I finally got the time to install the center stand. Pretty much the same as the 1st generation zx14, with the exception of the grab handle. That was a little more detailed. But the installation was pretty much a “cake-walk”. I played around with several ideas for a stop. I like the Brooks stop, but it is metal against metal and does not work on the second generation from what I read. So I decided to build my own. I used a piece of cardboard to make a template. Then I migrated to a square brace I had laying around with hopes it would work. Hell the holes lined up; but no, it was too flimsy. So I purchased a heavy duty gate brace from Ace Hardware for a little over four bucks. I down size my house and no longer have a shop, so just used a good ole hack saw to cut it and small vice to do the final bend. It was already shaped pretty much the way I needed it. I drilled the holes utilizing the spring mount. I was going to make it so It had a place for the spring to mount, and not use the supplied piece, but thought I would just go for simple and if I wanted to, I would make another one later. I wanted to get the bike back on the road. So you can see it works well with one tiny hiccup; the rubber stop is a little soft and compresses when the stand is allowed to spring back fully, it tap the pipe ever so lightly when allowed to snap back. I will look for another black, stiffer, rubber or maybe nylon stop. When I go take the bike off the stand I will just put an old sock or something on it. I am sure I will find a nice black hard rubber stop I Napa or Lowes.
 
#14 ·
Malie1986 - I bought Muzzy stainless slipons, which have no stop bracket. My solution didn't end up perfect, but decent. I ordered a sheet of stainless steel off the internet, fabbed a stop bracket identical to the OEM one, just using a vice, drill, sawzall, grinder and file, then had it welded to the Muzzy mid pipe by a local guy. Turns out the stainless I bought was a tad thin, and I prob shoulda had the bracket welded 1/8" lower or so, so when the stand is allowed to snap back up the left side of the center stand contacts the Muzzy mid pipe on that side ... so I took a piece of ~1/8" thick black rubber gasket I had laying around, and with black electrical tape secured it to center stand so it cushions the blow. I also now usually take the bike off the center stand not allowing the stand to freely snap up - I straddle the bike and restrain it with my left foot. The black rubber and electrical tape on the black stand, you can't even notice it. No problems now - works good.



 
#16 · (Edited)
And you are wise to be concerned, because 1) the guy I got to weld these, he used Mig not Tig so these little dot welds are susceptible to rusting altho I keep my bike indoors so no rust yet, and 2) I stood right there and watched him weld these, and WOW the stainless steel Muzzy uses is thin very thin, the Mig welder melts it instantly so it's very easy to burn a hole in it which the welder must then re-fill with Mig ... not great.
 
#17 ·
ZX-14R - Thanks, that is what I was afraid of, and cant weld to pieces of rod together. Have you tried placing a rubber stop on the kick stand also; so that is rubber to rubber. This should eliminate the slight tap. I traveled Whidbey Island out to the east coast and back on my 2011 zx14. It was the most fun, painful at times, I have had on a bike in a long time. The ZX14 motor is just unreal. High mountain passes, temp over 100 at times and down in below freezing at other. The motor just purred. I did see 52 mpg at one time.

But without a center stand it would have been a real pain. moving the bike to clean and lube the chain. Trying to adjust the chain from the side stand is not easy. Carrying the rear stand is not an option. That is why I put one on. Head up to the Glacier National Park then to Banff in 2016. I have toured on everything from a Honda 360/4, Harley Heritage Classic and a shaft drive Yamaha. The shaft is nice, but not nice enough to give up the zx14 motor.
 
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