K75 Center Stand Difficulties

[ok75]

I've got an '87 K75S and lately it's been VERY difficult to put it on its center stand. About 50% of the time it's happy to go on the stand (simply press the foot on the center stand, one hand on the left grip, and the other hand on the center stand pull-up lever . . . and voila), but the other half of the time it is nearly impossible to put up on the center stand. Funny thing is, it sounds like there is some sort of pneumatic device engaged when I tried to put it on the center stand - a kind of air-like hiss coming from somewhere around the stand. Any thoughts / pointers about this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[frankenduck]

Make sure that it's in neutral with the steering straight before attempting to put it on the center stand.  If it's in gear then the "pneumatic" sound you probably hear is pushing air against the valves as the pistons move.

[ok75]

First off, thanks Duck for the reply and all you do here for K bike owners.

Some more details about the center stand problem . . .

I always park in neutral, so that is not part of the problem. I narrowed it down to two possibilities this afternoon: the shock or the swing arm. When I start to put it on the center stand, the rear wheel seems very high up off the ground (that is, the shock is compressed and the swing arm is swung high). If I'm able to get it on the stand (with a LOT of trouble), the rear wheel falls in a series of pneumatic hisses separated several seconds apart as the shock releases from a compressed state . . . the swing arm incrementally drops and the final drive / rear wheel "relax" into a normal position.

Thoughts? Is it my shock? Something in the swing arm?

Thanks!

[mystic red]

Sounds to me like your needing a new shock. :o

[Rick G]

A shock should not do that under any circumstances. I would say that's your problem.

[ok75]

That's what I thought . . . thankfully I've got a Works shock lying around at home.

Trouble is I'm on the road now and have got a 100 mile ride home tomorrow. How bad is it to ride 100 miles on a crumby shock? (I rode around town today ~ 10 miles and it seemed to handle just fine).

Thanks in advance.

[wmax351]

Trouble is I'm on the road now and have got a 100 mile ride home tomorrow. How bad is it to ride 100 miles on a crumby shock? (I rode around town today ~ 10 miles and it seemed to handle just fine).

Some people pay big money to remove the shock from their bikes. You'll do just fine:

[johnny]

greetings ok75...

when my stock shock pooped i had to wait 6 weeks for its replacement... put about 2500 miles on that pooped out shock waiting on the new one... i knew its limitations and didnt push it... you should be ok as long as you dont bicycle it in the twisties...

j o

[ok75]

Thanks for the pointers and the welcome. Will ride back home tomorrow and throw the Works shock on soon thereafter.

I'll try to get some pics posted of my K75's . . . I've got a stock 1994 K75S (black) and the 1987 K75S (white) that I'm in the process of converting to a standard / cafe bike.

Cheers!

[ok75]

I swapped out dead stock shock for the Works Road Racer today. The bike goes up on the center stand with ease now. Thanks for the help, guys!

Should I throw the stock shock in the garbage or can it be rebuilt?

[frankenduck]

Just chuck it.  Even it it were rebuildable (it's not) it wouldn't be worth the cost IMO.