[Robin]

Monday when I was going to work, when I pushed forward on the handlebar to take the bike off the center stand, it didn't go forward, but rather it fell on it's right side. The right leg broke off the center stand. The legs of the center stand are a single piece of tube, bent in two places, each going down toward the ground. The tube broke at the right bend.

The bike has about 76,000 miles, and I use the center stand a lot, specifically every time I fuel, and every time I park in my garage because that takes up less room. I tend to drag the center stand while cornering and that may have been a minor contributing factor, but since the stand will give upward, I think that was negligible.

Damage included the center stand, of course, which I'm going to replace with a 2008 model - Suzuki reinforced it a bit that year. But when it fell, the Clearview windshield hit the grab bar on the other bike and broke about the right six or so inches off the windshield, which costs more to replace than the center stand. The plastic vampire fang trim at the bottom of the windshield had the right screw attachment broken off, but I think I've repaired that with JB Stick. And, the windshield put about an inch scar along the top of the grab bar on the other bike - shucks!

Photos...

The bloody nub on the bike:

The amputation:

And the foot:

 

[Colchicine]

Thanks for the report Robin. I'm happy to report that you've got the highest mileage breakage record!
I am quite disappointed to not only see the tube break, but the gusset attached to it as well.

http://burgmanusa.com/bkb/650+Centersta ... enterstand

 

[LeDude]

A word of advice to the wise:

if you have a Burgman 650 without the added reinforcements, take the center stand off, and add those two pieces, it won't cost more than $20-30 and you will have some piece of mind.

there is no way of telling when the center stand may break or how it may break and what kind of damage you can expect from the failure.

I was lucky, as mine broke as I went to put the bike on the center stand and was able to control it and get the side stand down in time and suffered no additional damages.

DIY - Center Stand Replacement / Maintenance

 

[Robin]

Hmmmm. Does it come from the factory unpainted? Not a big deal, but surprising. My replacement will not arrive until next week some time.

 

[Robin]

I'm happy to report that you've got the highest mileage breakage record

And I'm delighted to have given you pleasure :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[LeDude]

Hmmmm. Does it come from the factory unpainted? Not a big deal, but surprising. My replacement will not arrive until next week some time.

No, I stripped this one down to the metal and primed and repainted it after I added the mods to it.

Your new one will look like this one, all painted and ready to go:

I didn't rebuild the broken one, found a 2nd hand one and modified it.

I would not recommend rebuilding a broken stand.

I have since then replaced it with a newer 08 OEM stand.

 

[Robin]

Hmmmm. Does it come from the factory unpainted? Not a big deal, but surprising. My replacement will not arrive until next week some time.

No, I stripped this one down to the metal and primed and repainted it after I added the mods to it.

Oh!!! I didn't understand - you rebuilt the broken one.

 

[Daboo]

What kind of center stand do they use on other bikes this heavy? Is there something from their design that could be applied here?

Chris

 

[Dave_J]

Chris, a lot of ikes do not come with a centerstand. The early 650 one is TRASH! But it can be saved before it breaks.

I can do the modification, just come on by. I have a Mig and Plasma cutter. I could try to make a bent pipe like the 08 up or a bar like LeDudes. You could ship me one and I would modify it and ship it back but the turn around would be awhile. The cost would be shipping. Buy someone a cup of coffee and be happy.

I have 1 03 650 stand (Unmodifed) in the garage.

 

[Buffalo]

From what Robin has told me her stand did not break down where the brace is. It broke above the brace up in the bend of the pipe.

The 07 stand already has the side brace welded to it. The only difference between it and the 08 stand is the cross brace. Looks like the side brace solved the problem of the stand breaking down by the pedal but moved it up higher on the stand to the bend. The cross brace would help keep it from breaking in the bend.

I'm thinking I may cut a piece of 1/4 steel plate to fit the U on the stand. I would weld it in as a gusset to fill the U up down about 3 inches. That should provide even more strength than the cross brace.

 

[Dave_J]

Between all of us we should come up with a better mouse trap. I am sure we have members all the world that have welding skills and equipment. Like I said just PM and I will help.

 

[LeDude]

I guess the folks at Suzuki did learn from their lack of proper engineering over time and beefed up the center stand to withstand the stresses that it needs to support.

If modifying an older center stand, make sure that you add both reinforcement pieces, on the side and in the middle.

I had no idea that mine was anywhere near a breakage point as nothing showed during my regular weekly wash / inspection.

The black paint does a good job of hiding any imminent fracture signs etc...

This kind of failure is purely stress induced, poor design and poor choice of material. A heavier gauge tubing may alleviate the problem a bit
but I think the redesigned center stands have a much better chance of not failing.

the only remaining option in terms of reinforcement is to add a small vertical tube over the middle tube in the center to spread the load even more

or you could do a V addition from the center of the middle tube to each opposite corner at top of the side tubes.

[attachment=0:2dhhdkod]burgman 650 center stand 02.jpg[/attachment:2dhhdkod]

 

[NormanB]

Robin - it was not anything you did that precipitated the centre stand failing - well other than putting the bike on the centre stand! The original design is just woefully under spec.

I very much doubt draggin' the stand applies any significant stress or fatigue.

 

[Buffalo]

I doubt dragging the stand in corners has anything to do with the failures either. If so we would be seeing breaks occur in both legs. Instead they seem to be limited to the leg on the pedal side.

 

[Robin]

I doubt dragging the stand in corners has anything to do with the failures either. If so we would be seeing breaks occur in both legs. Instead they seem to be limited to the leg on the pedal side.

Well, this break was on the right side. But I, too, doubt dragging in corners will create stress. I mentioned that to disclose all data that could possibly be relevant.

 

[Buffalo]

Oh, misundersood. I though it broke on the other side. First time I remember hearing of one breaking on that side.

 

[Robin]

Those other pix were taken with the intent of showing how it broke, close up of the broken spot, but apparently left no impression of what it really looked like.

So here. I blocked the stand open with a piece of scrap lumber and took this:

I had a huge oil leak from a failed water pump oil seal just before the stand failure. I don't keep a clean bike, but the undercarriage is particularly filthy right now. That's my excuse and I'm stickin' with it.

 

[LeDude]

... So here. I blocked the stand open with a piece of scrap lumber and took this: ....

that's a very strange place for the stand to break, it's purely metal fatigue, unless your ride weights twice as much on the right vs the left.

 

[Buffalo]

I added the gusset to my center stand today. It's hanging up drying the paint right now. I ended up using 3/16 plate instead of 1/4 inch but I think it will be plenty strong. Looks like this.

I did a good inspection of it after I removed all the old paint and I couldn't find any signs of stress fractures. I don't think it was in any danger of failing soon but this should help keep it from doing so.

I figured out an easy way to get the springs off and on that requires no straining, levers, pliers or even pennys :lol: . Basically I just use 2 wrenchs and the bolt that holds the left bracket on. Robin's new stand should be in sometime next week and she is comming over here so we can install it. I'll see if I can con her into bringing her video camera and videoing how I do it.

 

[LeDude]

Nice job Buffalo...

I personally would still add the bar in the middle to help spread the load between the two legs further down...

... I figured out an easy way to get the springs off and on that requires no straining, levers, pliers or even pennys :lol: . Basically I just use 2 wrenchs and the bolt that holds the left bracket on. Robin's new stand should be in sometime next week and she is comming over here so we can install it. I'll see if I can con her into bringing her video camera and videoing how I do it.

yeah, that's the easiest way to put the springs back on... check out this DIY for step by step instructions:

DIY - Center Stand Removal / Installation