What is the deal with Chinese dual sport kickstands?

[J4Fun]

Originally Posted by Do©Hawk

The stand on my 2022 Hawk DLX seems a little short. I got over it. A little chunk of 2x4 eases my nerves when it's on soft ground.

My kickstand is approximately 13.5” from center of mounting bolt to center bottom of the pad. It seems like the stand is about perfect, what’s your measurement? Thanks mine was built 12/20’ and is a DLX

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by J4Fun

I know and old post but if the they intended to raise the stand up with the rubber strip, why wouldn’t it be on the front side of the kickstand? I’m still sticking with the thought on post #20…

I have another theory:

A kickstand has play. The foot can slide away from the bike when you lean it over onto it.

This creates stress on the outer leaf of the kickstand mounting fork, and also allows the bike to sag over farther. The rubber helps plant the kickstand, preventing both of these things from happening, which reduces degradation of the kickstand mounting fork and keeping the bike more upright.

Regardless of whether this was the reason for the rubber foot augmentation, these are facts. Maybe the rubber foot assistance does more than one thing?

[TheBeardedVagabond]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

What's crazy is that the Kickstand on my KPX250 seem almost too long. The bike almost stands vertical and it a taller bike.

100% this. If the ground is perfectly level or sloped left I can't even stand the kpx up. I have thought about getting a slightly shorter one, and then just keeping the OG as a back up.

[Do©Hawk]

Originally Posted by J4Fun

My kickstand is approximately 13.5” from center of mounting bolt to center bottom of the pad. It seems like the stand is about perfect, what’s your measurement? Thanks mine was built 12/20’ and is a DLX

My stand measures the same 13.5". It's not as if the Hawk is gonna fall over, but, to me, it leans quit a bit. The Hawk is my 1st motorcycle, ever, so I have no comparisons.

[ChopperCharles]

Perhaps it's shock preload that makes the difference?

[Do©Hawk]

Originally Posted by ChopperCharles

Perhaps it's shock preload that makes the difference?

Could be, but I have mine basically bottomed out so I could get a bigger patch of foot on the ground. I would think that would have it leaning less. Now that i've got a little bit of riding experience, i may adjust it back a little to smooth the ride.

[old_airhead]

Originally Posted by Thumper

I have another theory:

A kickstand has play. The foot can slide away from the bike when you lean it over onto it.

This creates stress on the outer leaf of the kickstand mounting fork, and also allows the bike to sag over farther. The rubber helps plant the kickstand, preventing both of these things from happening, which reduces degradation of the kickstand mounting fork and keeping the bike more upright.

Regardless of whether this was the reason for the rubber foot augmentation, these are facts. Maybe the rubber foot assistance does more than one thing?

Folks, the internet and Google are amazing things. Just a short 10 second search yields several sites selling the rubber bits for older Hondas, describing them as safety devices.

Here is a quote from the Motorcycle Safety Institute of South Africa (?!): "Older bikes have a rubber ‘finger’ extension at the tip of the stand that will wear over me. The purpose of that little ‘finger’ is to grab the road surface before the metal part of the stand itself does and ATTEMPT to pull the stand out of its locked position before it hits. There is a wear marker on these rubber extensions and when yours gets worn to that point it should be replaced because it no longer reaches the ground before the metal part of the side-stand."

[Thumper]

There are potholes and pavement anomalies in most parking lots, or maybe you can usually find sloping pavement.. Also, a 4 inch long section of 2x4 under the rear tire would also work. That is easy to bring along.