Monster "Suicide Sidestand"

[mojo]

I have a '99 Monster 900s with the self retracting sidestand and I don't like it at all.  I've almost layed my bike down twice trying to park it on a slight incline.  I found a Nichols bolt kit to make the sidestand work like a normal one, but it costs $15 and it looks like it is only two bolts.  Can't I just go to the hardware store and buy two bolts?  Has anyone else found a different sidestand that will bolt up, or come up with a mod?

Thanks in advance

[A.duc.H.duc.]

It's actually just one bolt, but it's pretty specialized. It's a custom piece, you couldn't get it anywhere else. It's worth the $15.

[DarkStaR]

It's actually just one bolt, but it's pretty specialized. It's a custom piece, you couldn't get it anywhere else. It's worth the $15.

$15 is a deal compare to:

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&dfsp=32&catref=C6&from=R40&mppfqy=tpo+kickstand&satitle=tpo+kickstand+conversion&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&bs=Search&fmmk=&fmmd=&fylo=&fyhi=&mppfqy=tpo+kickstand&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=ZIP%2FPostal&sabfmts=1&saobfmts=insif&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=32%26fsoo%3D2

[mojo]

Looks like I'm probably gonna spend $15 on a bolt.  The only time I have a problem with the sidestand is when I'm trying to park the bike on a slight incline, or once on level ground, I thought I had the stand all the way down, and when I leaned the bike over, the stand kicked up and I barely caught the bike on the way down.

[scott_araujo]

Tank dings are almost guaranteed when you drop a Monster and run anywhere from a few hundred dollars for repair and repaint to $1000 for a new tank.  $15 isn't really all that much for the peace of mind you want.

Scott

[ScottRNelson]

In my opinion, $15 is a reasonable price for a high quality specialized bolt from Nichols.  My 888 still had the self-retracting stand when I got it and I was seriously considering keeping it that way, since the bike is all stock.  But when I took it to Nichols Sportbike Service to get new cam belts, Jim Davis encouraged me to put their bolt in there.  He was even willing to put it on for me with no labor charge, so I went with it.

If you're truly cheap, you can cut of the end off the bolt until the bracket on the spring clears it.  If you do it right, there is still enough room to get an allen wrench in there to remove the bolt.  One of the Monsters that I used to own had the problem fixed that way.

[SP3]

The first week I owned my Monster I chucked the bolt in the lathe and removed the nub. I then re-broached the hex so that it extened the full depth of the hole. Looks stock, works perfect.

"But when I took it to Nichols Sportbike Service to get new cam belts, Jim Davis encouraged me to put their bolt in there.  He was even willing to put it on for me with no labor charge, so I went with it."

I would hope that he'd do it for free. It takes all of 30 seconds to swap one out.

[akmnstr]

I think that you should also consider that riding with a sidestand in the down position is very dangerous.  I have learned to love my retracting kick stand but I can understand your issue with it.  In an earlier thread on this same topic a forum member chimed in with an easy way to wire in a switch so that the bike will not operate with the sidestand down. 

[mojo]

Tank dings are almost guaranteed when you drop a Monster and run anywhere from a few hundred dollars for repair and repaint to $1000 for a new tank.  $15 isn't really all that much for the peace of mind you want.

Scott

Good point. I'm probably gonna spend the cash on the bolt to save me some money in the long run, and save some dignity by not dropping the bike trying to park it.  Thanks for the input all!