Would it be possible to fit a center stand on the WM 20 Because for easy starting, I have to place the bike on the rear stand, and that is to heavy And I pull the bike to the right when starting on the side stand. 43 years ago there was no problem starting this bike.


John

email (option): john.kater@chello.nl

Hi John..You will need the centre stand, pivit stud, spring etc. and gearbox mounting plates from a rigid/plunger tele fork M Series model to do this mod.(some of this is on e bay at the moment from a plunger model that has been broken up) The gearbox plates from these models have the brackets riveted to them to take the center stand. Quite a job to fit the parts though as the gearbox/clutch etc. will have to come out.......Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Hello John
I have difficulties using rear stands also because of my back. I have a Harley WLC which is quite heavy! I stumbled upon the youtube clip below and it really works. If you rest your elbows on your thighs as shown I get very little loading on my back.
I have not tried this with my M20 but I cannot see why it should not work with the BSA also.
Paul


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7Zn8Mk3GrE

Have a look at the Technical Section of the website to see how I modified my rear stand and save my back...

email (option): viaconsu # planet dot nl

You will find that the centrestand version is ten times harder to use than the rearstand! I wouldn't do it!

Douglas has a point...my 51 B33 is a struggle as the 'balance point' of the stand is not good and it has to be lifted onto it. If I want an easy time with the M20 I just use the field stand...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Thanks for your advice.

John

email (option): john.kater@chello.nl

balancing the bike as you edge round the rear to lift it onto the rear stand i find awkward the best way i have found to put it on its rear stand is hold the rear most part of the pannier frame gives the best leverage i also have a piece of webbing on the front of the pillion seat frame which i use as a handle to pull it off the stand i dont start it on the stand

email (option): roger.beck@node6.com

If the problem is the starting procedure, I have to think that you are not making use of the exhaust valve lifter. In my experience (I, too, am a "senior citizen") judicious use of the valve lifter makes the M20 absolutely the easiest of my bikes to kick-start, even easier than my 2-stroke twin, since there is no back pressure at all when you are kicking with the valve up. (Or, at least, the easiest to kick, since the "start" part of "kick-start" is not always the result. )

email (option): jonny.rudge@verizon.net

I've noticed that my 16H which is an early version and thus without panniers is far easier to lift onto the rear stand than those with pannier equipment.

Not only is there a lot less weight over the rear wheel but it is much easier when standing closer to the machine and alongside. All that's needed is a single handed lift, combined with pushing the right foot onto the stand base.

Removing some of the later military equipment to reduce the overall weight might not be a bad idea anyway in terms of all round handling.

Archimedes famously said: "If I could stand somewhere else, I could move the world".

He was the master of leverage. That's the problem here. Leverage. I wonder if one of you engineers out there couldn't devise an aluminium lever of some kind that could be used to rack a classic bike up onto its rear stand.

Something telescopic maybe. Or articulated. Something that could be easily stored on a bike. We're an ageing breed. I'm sure there's a way to crack this one. Just remember to paint 'em olive drab or khaki.

email (option): dannydefazio@sumpmagazine.com

Have a look at the technical section of the website, "Rear stand modification", telescopic lever. Beautiful but a complete failure. But you are free to try and improve, or test something else

email (option): viaconsu # planet dot nl

" Give me a lever long enough and somewhere to stand and I'll move the world"

Hans has devised such a lever. See the technical section. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Thanks John (and others) for your remark, but I do use the valve lifter. Because when the bike does not start with two kicks I have to rest for 15 minutes The problem is that I cannot hold the bike. In my younger days I owned (and kickstart) a Harley Davidon Duo Glide 1200 cc.

John

email (option): john.kater@chello.nl

Ah, yes, and "in my younger days" I had hair! Would that we could go back. Bon chance.

email (option): jonny.rudge@verizon.net