Hi can anyone tell me where the word jiffy comes from for the stand?
In the UK and also Australia it's called a side stand, why is it called a jiffy stand in America?
Thanks
Scouser

 

Originally, most bikes had a frame mounted 'center stand'. On most older HD models, there was a center stand clipped to the inside of the rear fender requiring the operator to lift the whole back end of the bike to swing it into place under the frame, the "jiffy stand" was a quick easy method of standing the bike up without getting a hernia...the term jiffy stand was coined to distinguish the center stand from the side or "kick" stand as it could be deployed in a 'jiffy'.

 

In the early days when police started using Harleys, they only came with a center stand. If the cop needed to get on the bike quick to chase it took too long to get it off the stand. So, Harley came up with the "jiffy" stand so that they could jump on the bike and chase in a jiffy.

 

I believe it was because it was a quicker and easier way than using a center stand. Thus it could be used in a "jiffy"

 

Harley Davidson. It was their 1st attempt of "Branding". Everyone else in the world calls it a kick stand.

 

Although several have tried to give an explanation I don't remember ever seeing one from H-D Motor Company. I think they just like to be different and use funny words to make them a little bit exotic. I've called it a kickstand as long as I remember and never heard anybody else use the jiffy nomenclature except a bonafide dealer.

 

Who gives a **** what "everybody" else calls it? It's a jiffy stand if you ride a Harley. If you don't get that, we cannot explain it to you. "Jiffy" is a nice old-fashioned word that was in use in the 19th and early 20th Century. It is one of those anachronisms that are associated with all thingsd H-D...

 

I gave a **** once... but my ex threw it away, the ungrateful bitch.

 

I have always wondered what was the origin of that term also.

 

[QUOTE=bjewell;9640034]Who gives a **** what "everybody" else calls it? It's a jiffy stand if you ride a Harley. If you don't get that, we cannot explain it to you. "Jiffy" is a nice old-fashioned word that was in use in the 19th and early 20th Century. It is one of those anachronisms that are associated with all thingsd H-D...[/QUOTE Dude, next time grab the decaf.,,