Front Paddock Stand - which one?

[pmapp]

They come with 5 different adapters:

"sizes included are 13, 15, 16.5, 17 and 18mm"

Dunno if they fit the SV, but would assume one did.

[flymo]

Originally Posted by petevtwin650

You can drop the fork tubes out using those stands I believe, but aren't they bike specific with adaptors to suit.?

Yeah, but for the rare occasions when I've needed to drop the forks out I use a rear paddock stand and a car jack/block of wood under the engine.

you could get your self a set of stands on ebay for around the ?50 quid mark.and they will probley do the job fine but if its just the front your looking i think the we spike/prong ones would be best for it!

I've already a rear stand, just wanting a front too.

Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium

I've already a rear stand, just wanting a front too.

I'd get a Champion one then, with the prongs that go in the recesses under each fork.

I think the front paddock stands are pants. I have the two prong ones. Just think they are inherently unstable once the wheel is out. Even with the rear paddock stand on the SV near fell off the front P. stand, so I never use it now. I borrowed a headstock lift like the one shown on this thread to drop my forks - very stable. The hole under the headstock is 22 mm. I got some 22mm pvc tube and cut a slot lengthwise in it to sleeve the headstock hole before using the 18mm pin - worked a treat.

As others have said, the ones with the prong that goes into the hole between the top of the forks works much better on SVs (well, my K4 pointy at least) than the ones that go under the bottom of the forks. On 3 seperate occassions (prior to getting the prong type) I've had the bike slip off the stand and I've had to shout for someone to come and I talk them through putting the stand back in place whilst I stand getting sore arms holding the front end of the bike in the air.

Because they fold down, they are not significantly bigger to store/hang up than the more traditional sort, either.

As Ejohnh says, the traditional sort are particularly bad when you have the front wheel out and make it a pig to get the front axle back through as they wind up at different heights (and they're hard to move as the bike's weight is supported on them). Bit of a critical flaw for something that is primarily used to get front wheels out.

One ot the headstock types sounds more appealing, especially if I'm going to change bikes in the future.

Bite the bullet and pay a bit extra for an Abba or similar stand maybe.

[timwilky]

I agree headstock ones, or an Abba/NWS type

The ones that go under the forks tend to be unstable and restrict access to remove spindle/ wheel etc.