Posts
3946
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Visalia, CA
US
Fantasy
1275th
Edited Date/Time
1/25/2012 4:57pm
As promised, here is the great Vital MX bike stand shootout, complete with pictures.
This was prompted by my winning an EZ Stand from Madracingmx.com:
Looking for the winner.
The contestants are:
A.) Stock triangle.
B.) Traditional 4 leg bike stand.
C.) FMF Lift stand.
D.) ASV Kick Stand
E.) EZ stand.
From last to first place, here are the results:
#5, last place- The Stock Triangle.
**Good stuff:
- Lightweight, easy to transport.
- Inexpensive, usually comes with a new bike.
- Can double as a dinner bell.
**Bad stuff:
- Easy to loose.
- Wheels on ground; bad for tire changes/lubing chain/etc.
- Unstable in most terrains, easy to knock over.
- Leaned over, unsuitable for oil changes.
***Overall:
There's a reason you don't see these in use except on the dealership's sales floor. You're better off just leaning the bike against a wall.
#4, next to last- Traditional 4 leg bike stand.
**Good stuff:
- Fairly easy to transport, aluminum versions are lightweight.
- Can be reasonably priced.
- Wheels off ground for tire changes/lubing chain/etc.
- Fairly stable in most firm terrain.
**Bad stuff:
- You have to lift the damn bike onto the stand.
- Despite the "oil hole", it's a pain for oil changes on a 2-stroke, forget about a 4-stroke with it's multiple drain locations.
- You have to lift the damn bike onto the stand.
- Sinks into soft terrain, rendering it useless.
- You have to lift the damn bike onto the stand.
- Everyone else has one.
- You have to, well, you know.
***Overall:
Better for the garage than the on the road or at the track. After a long moto, or even worse, after a nasty crash getting the bike on the stand may be less fun than a gasoline enema. Getting something like a XR650R on the stand at any time could require having an ambulance on standby for the oncoming hernia.
#3, middle of the road. ASV Kick stand.
**Good stuff:
- Lightweight.
- Folds flat for easy transport.
- Wheels off ground for tire changes/lubing chain/etc.
- Can be easy to get bike off the ground/up on stand.
- Stable on hard terrain.
- Unique and good looking.
**Bad stuff:
- Scratches easily.
- Oil changes not easy, though possible.
- Can be a pain to get the bike off the ground/up on the stand.
- If frame rails are oily or uneven, bike may not stay on stand.
***Overall:
A definite improvement over the traditional bike stand.
#2, runner up. FMF Lift Stand.
**Good stuff:
- Stable on most terrain.
- Wheels off ground for tire changes/lubing chain/etc.
- Durable.
- If the bike's ground clearance is high enough, and the weight is low enough, it's a cinch to get the bike off the ground.
**Bad stuff:
- Some bikes have less ground clearance, making it necessary to lift the bike onto the stand, and then it's very difficult to get the lift mechanism to pick the bike off the ground.
- Moving parts eventually wear out.
- If your bike to owner weight ratio isn't in your favor, then getting it off the ground may prove quite difficult. Eating additional burgers, french-fries, and apple pie on your part or getting a lighter bike are both viable alternatives.
- Oil changes are impossible (unless you like having oil running all over the stand and the floor).
- A little heavy and can really pinch the fingers if you pick it up wrong.
***Overall:
A good stand under the right circumstances, but try one before you consider buying one.
#1 Da' winnah! EZ Stand.
**Good stuff:
- Built like a tank. All steel construction; your grand kids will probably be able to use it on their solar powered, carbon sucking Green Meanies if they're still using a 21" front wheel at that time.
- Ridiculously easy to use. Ride onto the stand. Give it a little yank to back out. Ride and repeat as desired.
- Perfect for oil changes.
- Unique.
- Stable in most terrain.
- Capacity to be used as a transport device when used with the optional Chock Clamp.
**Bad stuff:
- It's a bit heavy, and large for transport (assuming you're not using the above mentioned chock clamp.).
- Wheels on ground; bad for tire changes/lubing chain/etc.
- If used on a slope, make sure the back end isn't pointed downhill.
***Overall:
A really neat design, surprisingly handy, and versatile. Only real downside is not having the wheels off the ground.
I hope this has been helpful, and that the pictures put to rest the vicious rumors that the EZ stand would only work on Honda 4-strokes.
This was prompted by my winning an EZ Stand from Madracingmx.com:
Looking for the winner.
The contestants are:
A.) Stock triangle.
B.) Traditional 4 leg bike stand.
C.) FMF Lift stand.
D.) ASV Kick Stand
E.) EZ stand.
From last to first place, here are the results:
#5, last place- The Stock Triangle.
**Good stuff:
- Lightweight, easy to transport.
- Inexpensive, usually comes with a new bike.
- Can double as a dinner bell.
**Bad stuff:
- Easy to loose.
- Wheels on ground; bad for tire changes/lubing chain/etc.
- Unstable in most terrains, easy to knock over.
- Leaned over, unsuitable for oil changes.
***Overall:
There's a reason you don't see these in use except on the dealership's sales floor. You're better off just leaning the bike against a wall.
#4, next to last- Traditional 4 leg bike stand.
**Good stuff:
- Fairly easy to transport, aluminum versions are lightweight.
- Can be reasonably priced.
- Wheels off ground for tire changes/lubing chain/etc.
- Fairly stable in most firm terrain.
**Bad stuff:
- You have to lift the damn bike onto the stand.
- Despite the "oil hole", it's a pain for oil changes on a 2-stroke, forget about a 4-stroke with it's multiple drain locations.
- You have to lift the damn bike onto the stand.
- Sinks into soft terrain, rendering it useless.
- You have to lift the damn bike onto the stand.
- Everyone else has one.
- You have to, well, you know.
***Overall:
Better for the garage than the on the road or at the track. After a long moto, or even worse, after a nasty crash getting the bike on the stand may be less fun than a gasoline enema. Getting something like a XR650R on the stand at any time could require having an ambulance on standby for the oncoming hernia.
#3, middle of the road. ASV Kick stand.
**Good stuff:
- Lightweight.
- Folds flat for easy transport.
- Wheels off ground for tire changes/lubing chain/etc.
- Can be easy to get bike off the ground/up on stand.
- Stable on hard terrain.
- Unique and good looking.
**Bad stuff:
- Scratches easily.
- Oil changes not easy, though possible.
- Can be a pain to get the bike off the ground/up on the stand.
- If frame rails are oily or uneven, bike may not stay on stand.
***Overall:
A definite improvement over the traditional bike stand.
#2, runner up. FMF Lift Stand.
**Good stuff:
- Stable on most terrain.
- Wheels off ground for tire changes/lubing chain/etc.
- Durable.
- If the bike's ground clearance is high enough, and the weight is low enough, it's a cinch to get the bike off the ground.
**Bad stuff:
- Some bikes have less ground clearance, making it necessary to lift the bike onto the stand, and then it's very difficult to get the lift mechanism to pick the bike off the ground.
- Moving parts eventually wear out.
- If your bike to owner weight ratio isn't in your favor, then getting it off the ground may prove quite difficult. Eating additional burgers, french-fries, and apple pie on your part or getting a lighter bike are both viable alternatives.
- Oil changes are impossible (unless you like having oil running all over the stand and the floor).
- A little heavy and can really pinch the fingers if you pick it up wrong.
***Overall:
A good stand under the right circumstances, but try one before you consider buying one.
#1 Da' winnah! EZ Stand.
**Good stuff:
- Built like a tank. All steel construction; your grand kids will probably be able to use it on their solar powered, carbon sucking Green Meanies if they're still using a 21" front wheel at that time.
- Ridiculously easy to use. Ride onto the stand. Give it a little yank to back out. Ride and repeat as desired.
- Perfect for oil changes.
- Unique.
- Stable in most terrain.
- Capacity to be used as a transport device when used with the optional Chock Clamp.
**Bad stuff:
- It's a bit heavy, and large for transport (assuming you're not using the above mentioned chock clamp.).
- Wheels on ground; bad for tire changes/lubing chain/etc.
- If used on a slope, make sure the back end isn't pointed downhill.
***Overall:
A really neat design, surprisingly handy, and versatile. Only real downside is not having the wheels off the ground.
I hope this has been helpful, and that the pictures put to rest the vicious rumors that the EZ stand would only work on Honda 4-strokes.
I'm not going to hide anything, but I'm not biased toward one product or another. If the EZ stand sucked, I'd say so. The folks at madracingmx would not appreciate it, but my honor is of greater concern to me.
The Shop
But that is a different class of stand and isn't something I take outside of my garage.
Also, I do not want 4 easy payments.
I would prefer 3 easy payments, and 1 super complicated payment!
Good job...
I see the milk-crate didn't rate and I'm irate, but that is great,
'cause it's late and I'm not Socrates and hey, where's my
nacho plate ?
There are many that couldn't care less about the simplicity of it and wouldn't spend the money. I can appreciate that, but there are many who do and will. its to each his or her own, I will say this we have an overwhelming demand for the little bike stands from parents, as well, and they are still in the production phase. There are many people that own an Ez stand and i have heard nothing negative, everyone owns a crate stand for maintenence. there for just that..
Thanks for all your posts good or bad that's great!
How much, dammit ?
And where do you get 'em ?
Colors ?
Chromage ?
Pit Row
Originally I figured that after snapping a few pics and saying thanks for the stand that would be it. It donned on me that I had several stands and it could be fun to do a little comparison.
Frankly, it's a good thing the EZ stand's a good product, because I would have not held back much when describing it.
Rock- What's a Mark Charles stand?
Risk Racing should have been included in your stand shoot out.
I always wanted a Mark Charles work stand......picked up something like it (aluminum) on close out from TR years ago.
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