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Wondering who makes the best dirt bike stand? Since the evolution of motocross racing, dirt bikes have been better off without kick stands. That’s why we rely so heavily on the aftermarket. While you can certainly get away with leaning your bike up against the nearest tree or tossing it up on an old Lowe’s bucket for a while, you eventually need to get yourself a good solid dirt bike stand. Besides, that old bucket is only going to hold up for so long.
Table could not be displayed.How to use a dirt bike stand
A good dirt bike stand is really worth its weight in gold. It provides a solid platform for storing and parking your bike when you’re not riding. And better yet, it keeps your tires up off the ground. This releases pressure from your tires and suspension, and makes routine maintenance a breeze. As a bonus, dirt bike stands make for excellent seating during garage hangs!
How to choose a dirt bike stand
You want to keep two things in mind when picking a new stand: height and weight capacity.
Height
Dirt bike stands come in a variety of sizes. While most are the same general shape, they can vary a good deal in height. You really want to do your homework and make sure that the stand is a good match for your bike. Get one that’s too short, and it will be virtually useless. Get one that’s too tall, and you’re going to have a tough time lifting your bike up to get it on the stand. In order to find the perfect stand for your bike, simply take your bike’s ground clearance and add 6 inches to that. To get your bike’s ground clearance, just measure the distance between your skid plate (or bottom of the frame where it will sit on the stand) and the ground. That extra six inches is the ground clearance you’ll have when your bike is parked. If you think you’ll need a little extra height, that’s fine. Just remember that this is also the height you’ll need to be able to lift your bike in order to get it up on the stand. Unless you’re riding a Syx Moto, lifting your bike much higher than that will take a toll on your knees and back!
Weight capacity
Just as important as height, the weight capacity of your new stand needs to be a match for your bike. The last thing you want is a stand to give way under a bike that’s too heavy for it. No real science here. Just be sure to check your bike’s weight. Either take the dry weight and add a few pounds for a full tank of gas plus fluids. Or, use your bike’s curb weight from your owner’s manual. When you’re shopping for a new stand, you’ll now know which can safely support your bike and which can’t. Every stand should have the weight capacity clearly identified. If you can’t find it, don’t buy it!
Cheap, solid stands
There are some things in life for which “cheap” and “quality” don’t mix. Dirt bike stands are not one of those things! These days, you can find a relatively light weight, well-built stand that won’t break the bank. All good, cheap dirt bike stands have two things in common: steel construction, and a basic no-frills design. These steel stands offer a lower price point at a slight trade-off for weight. Not weight capacity – but rather the weight of the stand itself. The steel stands are a little heavier than aluminum, which you’ll really only notice if you’re transporting it around – say to and from the track.
Adjustable Stands
You might be looking for something a little more versatile than the standard steel box stand. If you’re like us, you have a variety of bikes in the garage and not enough room for each one to have its own stand. In that case, you’ll want an adjustable dirt bike stand. Most are made of either steel or aluminum, and consist of a pad that can be raised and lowered via pump action similar to that of a small car jack.
You’ll still need to pay particular attention to the weight capacity of these stands. Using these stands beyond their weight capacity presents a safety hazard since the pump can give way abruptly causing the bike to fall to the ground. Adjustable stands will list a height range that you’ll also want to pay attention to as well. For optimal use, choose a stand with a lower range that is shorter than your bike’s ground clearance. This will allow you to simply slide the stand under the bike rather than having to lift the bike up onto the stand.
Must Haves: The Triangle Stand
Everyone should have a few of these lying around. Due to the fact that dirt bikes generally don’t have kickstands, someone long ago invented the triangle stand. Its design is incredibly simple, yet perfectly functional.
Most of these stands have two prongs that protrude from the top of the triangle. (The only difference between the two is the lean angle provided.) Simply insert the prong into the little circle at the bottom of your bike’s frame. This will be up near your left foot peg if you bike is so equipped. If not, you can insert the prong into your rear axle tube like you see in the picture above. Modern triangle stands even come with interchangeable inserts that you can swap out depending on the inner diameter of your bike’s rear axle. Given their price and versatility, we recommend picking up a few of these. Keep some at home and a few in the trailer!