side stand ..aka jiffy stand
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,594
Likes: 178
From: east texas
Its interesting to contrast the HD locking stand with various others.
Like Moto Guzzi and their darn near auto retract design, which is notorious for dropping bikes.
Or Honda and their rubber tab, designed to flick the stand up should you ride off with it still down.
Yamaha and others with the kill switch on the stand, letting you start the engine in neutral with the stand out, but killing the engine should you put it in gear.
as well the degree of lean, or not. The size of the footprint.
Youd think someone by now would have figured out a way to combine the best of these features to make a superb side stand by now. Aye, Harleys is arguably one of the best, when deployed on a parked bike. But ride off with it extended and dive into a left hand turn... not so nice now that locking tab.
Like Moto Guzzi and their darn near auto retract design, which is notorious for dropping bikes.
Or Honda and their rubber tab, designed to flick the stand up should you ride off with it still down.
Yamaha and others with the kill switch on the stand, letting you start the engine in neutral with the stand out, but killing the engine should you put it in gear.
as well the degree of lean, or not. The size of the footprint.
Youd think someone by now would have figured out a way to combine the best of these features to make a superb side stand by now. Aye, Harleys is arguably one of the best, when deployed on a parked bike. But ride off with it extended and dive into a left hand turn... not so nice now that locking tab.
so that left turn with the stand extended will just kick it back to the frame. same as you kicking it back
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,585
Likes: 673
From: Rolla
I have rolled my bike out of the garage many times with the stand "down". As soon as you lift the weight off the bike, the stand is no longer "locked".
Any type of contact with the ground while rolling forward and the stand just folds up.
Stop the bike, extend the stand, lean the bike over on the stand and the weight will cause the locking tab to engage.
On a slope the bike might move an inch or so if it isn't in gear. But as long as the bike's weight is leaning on the stand, that jiffy isn't going to fold up.
You can drag it all over the parking lot and it won't fold up.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,594
Likes: 178
From: east texas
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,186
Likes: 2,412
From: USA
tried it out riding early on, thought if anything, it was a strong spring holding it forward. But, I can see it being a a dirty joint quite easily.
In in any case, the stand would slide on the pavement as I leaned or turned left and the tab go up into the slot, locking the stand.
Thats why some years ago when I was new to harleys and this forum I asked if there was a Honda like rubber tab available.
Never felt the need to further follow up on it. I did eventually clean up and lube the pivot, but Ive never retested it.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 437
Likes: 107
From: Indiana
Yep!
Stop the bike, extend the stand, lean the bike over on the stand and the weight will cause the locking tab to engage.
On a slope the bike might move an inch or so if it isn't in gear. But as long as the bike's weight is leaning on the stand, that jiffy isn't going to fold up.
You can drag it all over the parking lot and it won't fold up.
Stop the bike, extend the stand, lean the bike over on the stand and the weight will cause the locking tab to engage.
On a slope the bike might move an inch or so if it isn't in gear. But as long as the bike's weight is leaning on the stand, that jiffy isn't going to fold up.
You can drag it all over the parking lot and it won't fold up.
When I park I keep the bike in 1st gear as a safety precaution.
Here is my "complete noob" stand story though that is super embarrassing. I'm riding the first bike I've ever owned, and had zero idea what I was doing for the first few hundred miles (I survived!). I pull up to a gas station on my 3rd or 4th ride, and instead of leaning the bike to the left for the stand, for whatever reason I lean it right LMAO thinking the stand was on that side. Dropped the bike.
Here is my "complete noob" stand story though that is super embarrassing. I'm riding the first bike I've ever owned, and had zero idea what I was doing for the first few hundred miles (I survived!). I pull up to a gas station on my 3rd or 4th ride, and instead of leaning the bike to the left for the stand, for whatever reason I lean it right LMAO thinking the stand was on that side. Dropped the bike.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 437
Likes: 107
From: Indiana
I always do the same when parking it, the only time its really ever rolled is when I take it out of the garage before work and start it while off the bike. Scared the life out of me a few times, was for sure it was going down!
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,897
From: Bedford UK
When I park I keep the bike in 1st gear as a safety precaution.
Here is my "complete noob" stand story though that is super embarrassing. I'm riding the first bike I've ever owned, and had zero idea what I was doing for the first few hundred miles (I survived!). I pull up to a gas station on my 3rd or 4th ride, and instead of leaning the bike to the left for the stand, for whatever reason I lean it right LMAO thinking the stand was on that side. Dropped the bike.
Here is my "complete noob" stand story though that is super embarrassing. I'm riding the first bike I've ever owned, and had zero idea what I was doing for the first few hundred miles (I survived!). I pull up to a gas station on my 3rd or 4th ride, and instead of leaning the bike to the left for the stand, for whatever reason I lean it right LMAO thinking the stand was on that side. Dropped the bike.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post