The frame was sitting too low, so let’s raise it up. First, here’s the failed attempt.
I carelessly cut V-grooves on the inside and outside, prepared a generous bevel, heated it, bent it, got the surfaces flush, and welded it.
I bent a hook for easy removal and welded it on.
Angular… angular… hmm… it looks ugly.
The spring catches slightly, so should I make a pin to extend it outward?
I’d think to myself, “Who made this?”
A stand like this basically stays this way forever.
If I see this myself years later, I’d think, “What was I doing posting something like this…”
So I decided to remake the angular stand and charge for the modification work.
First, I bend SUS304 HL pipe with a bender—nice and smooth. Since stainless steel discolors easily, it’s better not to heat it. (Since I have a bender, I barely heat it at all.)
I cut off the stand and press-fit it lightly into the pipe.
Just radiusing edges like this dramatically improves the quality.
I position it and weld it right in.
As always, it discolors terribly. (Tears and determination to improve.)
I laser-cut 5mm SUS304…
Just kidding. I cut it with a contour cutter and finished it nicely.
If the edges are sloppy like a cheap burr, it’s disappointing, so I radius these too.
I machine the pin that hooks the spring. A rounded tip looks nice.
I weld it all together.
I also made a sole cover.
Perfect! Now I’m satisfied.
Grinding removes the discoloration and makes it clean all at once.
The stainless hairline finish and subtle luster look premium.
I hate protruding stands, so I keep it tucked in as much as possible—no scraping and simple.
Of course, pointing it as straight down as possible reduces stress on the frame. Z-series and Katana bikes tend to stick way out.
A word of caution.
Aftermarket side stands and modified side stands often have what I call a “ballerina stand”—basically, the sole doesn’t contact the ground fully, so it’s on its tiptoes. The problem is that on uneven ground, poor stability means it tips over easily.
I’ve seen adjustable ones and custom-machined stainless stands, but they’re heavy and hard to find at a reasonable price with that tiptoe design.
We are not a custom shop or machine shop, so we don’t accept this kind of work at all. Please note.
