Whether you’re looking for a safe way to store your motorcycle off its tires or you need to lift it for routine maintenance, using a motorcycle stand is an easy way to get your bike off the ground. Read on to learn how to use a motorcycle stand, and why it’s smart to invest in both a front and rear stand for your bike.

Safe access for repairs

You may think you can get away with using your bike’s kickstand to keep it steady while you’re working on it. Unfortunately, this is simply unsafe. The bike needs to be grounded while you’re working on it, and the only way to do that is by lifting it off the ground using a stand. Kickstands give way much too easily, and even a slight movement can shift the bike. To be safe, you need to invest in a high-quality rear stand, at the least.

Whether you’re planning to do routine maintenance like oil and filter changes, or you just like to keep up with cleaning and lubricating the chain, a rear stand is essential. Investing in a front stand in addition to the rear stand lets you work on the front wheel, brakes and forks, letting you perform virtually any maintenance task you can think of.

Motorcycle stands are also a great way to store your motorcycle. So, if you only ride seasonally, motorcycle stands for both the front and rear helps keep your bike in great shape for the winter, preserving the tires and preventing flat spots.

Rear motorcycle stands

There are both front and rear motorcycle stands, and while you can use a rear stand by itself, you should never use a front stand without a rear one because it will leave your bike unstable and create the potential for damage or injury.

Although rear stands employ different lifting techniques, most stands require axle or swingarm spools that fit the make and model of your bike and are installed permanently. They act as the equivalent of jack points, serving as safe mounting anchors to elevate the bike off the ground.

The majority of motorcycle stands on the market operate with manual cantilever action, using a handle that lowers to the ground while simultaneously elevating the rear tire.

Black Widow’s Rear Stand Options

The Black Widow Spool Rear Motorcycle Stand works with bikes that have spools installed. The spool pins cradle the rear spools on either side. Alternatively, if you’re looking for an option that doesn’t require installed rear spools, The Black Widow Rear Motorcycle Stand features rubber-coated lifting pads that elevate the bike by the swingarms to reduce the risk of scratching the bike.

How to use Black Widow Rear Stands

Super simple to use, the Black Widow rear stands roll into position behind your rear tire on rubber-coated casters. Once you ensure the supporting pins fit correctly under your bike’s swingarms or spools, you hold the bike steady with one hand, then push down firmly on the stand handle with the other hand until the rear tire is lifted and the handle is resting on the ground.

When it’s time to lower the motorcycle, keep it steady by firmly holding it with one hand. Then, use your other hand to pull up the stand until the motorcycle is back on the ground.

Although you can operate the stands by yourself, we recommend having a buddy nearby to hold the bike steady while you push down on the stand, or vice-versa.

Front motorcycle stands

It bears repeating: You should never use a front motorcycle stand without a rear one.

That said, you need to secure the rear of the motorcycle using the steps detailed above before applying a front stand.

Like rear motorcycle stands, front stands operate with the same cantilever action. The main difference is that instead of spools, you elevate the front of the bike with the arms or fork tubes. Fork pins or prong pins provide options depending on what works best for your bike, and the steps to use the front stand are similar to the rear.

With both stands engaged, you have complete access to all areas of your bike, so you can get “under the hood” and perform maintenance on otherwise hard-to-reach places.

Find the right motorcycle stand for your bike at Black Widow Pro

A high-quality motorcycle stand helps you maintain and store your bike with ease and complete safety. Want to find the best stand for your bike? Reach out to the experts at Black Widow Pro—we’re happy to answer all your questions and make sure you find the stands that best fit your purposes. Have any tips on storing or maintaining your bike? We want to hear them! Let us know in the comments.