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I recently wrote a post about how to size a replacement motorcycle kickstand spring, so now it is time to discuss some tips and tricks for actually installing a motorcycle kickstand spring.
Writing this particular post was on my to-do list for a while, but it was actually my Twitter friend Mark Griffin (@MarkGriffin59) who reminded me to stop slacking off and to get around to writing it.
Anyways, we are going to discuss the coin or washer trick for installing a motorcycle kickstand spring.
Now, the “problem” with motorcycle kickstands springs is that they are kind of beefy – they need to be in order to support the weight of the kickstand itself and to hold the kickstand tight against the body of the frame when riding down the road. Stretching a motorcycle kickstand spring by hand or with a pair of needle nose pliers is difficult to nearly impossible. Trust me, I know because I installed my kickstand spring Wednesday night, and my hand is still sore today (Friday morning).
One really good trick for getting the job done quickly and relatively easily is to get yourself a pile of small coins or washers. Loop one end of the kickstand spring around something and bend the spring to the left. As a gap appears on the opposite side (right), slide a coin firmly into the space. Once done, bend the spring in the opposite direct (to the right) and install a coin on the left.
Repeat as many times as you can, bending the spring one way and then the other. Essentially, when done, you will have the spring manually extended with a bunch of coins sticking out of either side.
Install the spring on your bike, finding the position of the kickstand such that the two holes for the kickstand spring are closest together. On old Harley’s like mine, there is a safety tab that you remove and you turn the kickstand until it is pointed toward the front wheel. This brings the hold on the frame and on the kickstand arm itself closest together.
You may need to stretch the spring a little more depending on how well you did inserting coins, but this will certainly be better than stretching it the entire length required for installation.
Once the spring is in place, start pulling the coins out with needle nose pliers. Also, you need to wear safety goggles during this ENTIRE process (coin insertion and removal). The force of the coin popping out from between the rungs of the spring can send it flying and nobody wants to take a penny to the eyeball.
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Didn’t find what you needed in this particular post? Check out the HappyWrench Motorcycle Repair Link Database. It is a one-stop shop for all your DIY motorcycle repair information needs.
Also, forgive any typos or grammatical errors a I wrote this blog post from my phone.
