Been to check in on my P&J this afternoon, all tucked up under a cover, on an Abba Stand so rear wheel off the ground, cloth stuffed up the exhaust pipe, battery off and on charge. Looking very cold and unloved so gave it another polish just so it knows I still care. Lifted the front wheel to rotate the tyre, then thought, mmmm if I order some R&G fork protectors with the cotton reels on I could prop the front of the ground on some axle stands I have. I have ordered the fork protectors on the tinternet and then afterwards thought, can I do this or will it bend the spindle, I doubt it as it bolts into the bottom of the fork legs each side. Has anyone done this before and will it do more harm than good. Thank you in advance.
i got mine on an abba stand and just use a normal front paddock stand that fits under fork legs. you can get front stands for about £25.
I have my P&J up on paddock stands back & front to save the tyres deforming because of the cold ground (new Sportsmarts) only a couple of hundred miles on them! I have my garage carpeted but not takin any chances as they're £240 a pop
Believe it or not i have done this for years and years .....fit the Abba stand to the bike get someone to press down the back of the bike till the front wheel is aloft the put a empty jar under were the front exhaust manifold is... sit bike back down and job done ...being doing this for years never had a problem
Out of interest has anyone ever actually had flat spots on their tyres after leaving their bike unmoved over winter? Not for years, just the few winter months? I can understand this on old classics with ancient tyres or tyres that have gone flat but with modern bikes I think it's just another internet myth.
Its not just the tyres your helping out by lifting the bike of the ground but also the suspension as i does not help it sitting in the way place all the time either ...so it kills to birds with one stone
Normal paddock stands don't take the weight off the suspension, so you'd need an Abba stand and a headstock stand to do that. How many people have those ? I just don't think it's necessary.
Mines currently on Headstock stand & harris rear stand, but tomorrow will be on headstock stand & rearset stands, leaving my suspension nice and free.
What exactly is the issue of a bike standing on it's wheels ? After all cars stand on their wheels all their lives. Putting a bike on any sort of stand does't stop the suspension from sitting in one position for a period of time. It just means the load of the bikes weight is taken off. The springs of both the rear shock and the forks will still be under a certain amount of compression even if the bike is on a abba and headstock stand. I still don't see why this is necessary. What harm is done by leaving a bike on it's wheels over winter ? Again to clarify I am talking about a standard winter lay over of a few months, not long term storage.
Agreeing with you abv- IMO no issue, ensure your tyres have correct pressures, give the wheels a spin every now and then. The stock suspension, oils etc are well capable of being preloaded. Race boys however may need to keep their highly precision, springs that are sized against bodyweight ect load free.
I agree with you guys. Flat spotting modern road tyres over winter is bollocks. Soft race tyres possibly, but not road tyres!
