A motorcycle rear stand functions to move the rear end of a motorcycle between a first position in which both wheels of the motorcycle are on the ground and a second position in which the rear end of the motorcycle including the rear wheel are elevated above the ground. A problem associated with motorcycle rear stands is that motorcycles normally are retained in an upright position by a kickstand, which causes the motorcycle to lean over in the direction of the kickstand. One prior art motorcycle rear stand has a pair of spaced L-shaped side bars with wheels mounted at the vertex of the side bars and V- or U-shaped bike engagement members at the outer ends of the side bars, adapted to engage opposite sides of a motorcycle rear axle. The L-shaped side bars are connected by a U-shaped member which joins the upper ends of the side bars and attaches to the bases of the L-shaped side bars to thereby interconnect the side bars and to space them a fixed distance equal to the distance between opposite sides of the motorcycle rear axle. A handle member attaches to the ends of the L-shaped side bars remote from the bike engagement members.
In order to use the prior art motorcycle rear stand, the U- or V-shaped bike engagement members are aligned in close proximity to the rear axle projections on opposite sides of the motorcycle prior to lifting the rear end of the motorcycle.
Because a motorcycle leans at an angle such that the vertical axis of the motorcycle is not perpendicular to the ground when the cycle is supported on a kickstand, the prior art motorcycle rear stand cannot properly align the bike engagement members with the rear axle projections on opposite sides of the motorcycle prior to lifting the bike inasmuch as the angled position of the motorcycle causes the rear wheel axle projection on the kickstand side of the motorcycle to be lower in elevation above the ground than the motorcycle rear axle projection on the opposite side of the motorcycle. Consequently, the prior art rear stand cannot commence to elevate the rear of a motorcycle on a kickstand because it can securely engage only the lower, kickstand side axle projection and has little or no control over the opposite rear wheel axle projection. Lifting the motorcycle in this condition could cause it to tip over.
To remedy this situation, a user typically inserts a shim, which may be a block of wood, between the base of the kickstand and the ground to thereby move the leaning, vertical off-center motorcycle to a nearly vertical position. After this has been accomplished, the U- or V-shaped bike engagement members at the ends of the L-shaped side bars can be aligned with the motorcycle rear wheel axle projections on both sides of the motorcycle to thereby lift the motorcycle rear wheel from the ground. In order to safely return the rear end of the motorcycle to the ground, extreme caution must be exercised to ensure that the base of the kickstand engages the shim as the motorcycle is lowered to ensure that the rear stand user can retain control of the motorcycle. Thereafter, the shim must be removed and the motorcycle leaned onto the kickstand.
Some motorcycles have rear suspensions which utilize a single swing arm and have rear wheel axles which have a central axial bore. Preferably these motorcycles are lifted by means of a pin inserted into the axle bore. When these motorcycles are supported on a kickstand, the axis of the rear wheel is non-parallel to the ground, making it difficult for a pin on a rear stand to engage the axle bore.
The instant invention solves the problem of lifting a motorcycle leaning on a kickstand from the ground, to a position with the rear wheel spaced from the ground and the motorcycle in a nearly vertical condition and thereafter returning the vehicle rear end to the ground and leaning the motorcycle back onto its kickstand while retaining control of the motorcycle at all times.
A motorcycle rear stand for lifting the rear end of a motorcycle having a pair of rear end lift pivot points and supported on a kickstand having first and second lift arms having inner and outer ends and a connector member connecting the first and second lift arms. Bike engagement members at the outer ends of each of the first and second lift arms are adapted to pivotally engage one side of a pair of motorcycle rear end lift pivot points. A side support member having a base member at one end and a pivot connection at the opposite end is connected pivotally to the outer end of the first lift arm to thereby enable the first and second lift arms to pivot relative to the side support members when the handle is moved.
A method of lifting the rear end of a motorcycle having a pair of rear end lift pivot points and supported on a kickstand from a parked position on a lifting surface where the rear wheel axle axis is angled relative to the lifting surface to a position where the rear end of the motorcycle is elevated above the lifting surface and the rear wheel axle axis is parallel to the lifting surface comprises the steps of aligning first and second bike engagement members mounted on respective first and second lift arms with a pair of motorcycle rear end lift pivots and moving one end of the lift arms in a downward arc to cause the first lift arm to rotate about a side support member pivot and a corresponding lift arm bike engagement member to rotate upwardly in a fixed radius arc, thereby lifting one side of the motorcycle while simultaneously causing a second lift arm to move upwardly about a lower lift arm support pivot while rotating about the side member pivot axis, causing the second lift arm bike engagement member to move upwardly to lift the other side of the motorcycle and simultaneously causing the first and second lift arms to pivot transversely about the base of the side support member causing both sides of the motorcycle to be elevated above the lifting surface to a secured position.
A motorcycle rear stand for lifting the rear end of a motorcycle having a rear end lift pivot member and supported on a kickstand has a support frame with a stop surface at one end of the frame. A first pivot is on one side of the frame positioned forwardly of the stop surface a first distance, and a second pivot is on the other side of the frame forwardly of the stop surface a second distance. A lift arm is mounted on the frame projecting upwardly therefrom and a bike engagement member is attached to the outer end of the lift arm.
Referring to
Bike engagement members 20 and 22 are attached to the lift arm outer ends 16″ and 18″ by threaded fasteners 24 which pass through elongated slots, not shown, in the members 20 and 22. The slots provide a lateral adjustment for member 20 and 22. The bike engagement members 20 and 22 have laterally projecting pins 20′ and 22′ at one side thereof and U- or V-shaped recessed openings 20″ and 22″ at the opposite side thereof. The bike engagement members 20 and 22 are adapted to be rotated about the fasteners 24 such that pins 20′ and 22′ are utilized when the motorcycle rear stand 10 is used in connection with a motorcycle MC where swing arm lower lift arm surfaces L function as the motorcycle rear end lift pivot points as depicted in
A lateral brace 28 is attached such as by welding to leg proximal ends 12″ and 14″ to securely connect legs 12 and 14 and lift arms 16 and 18 and to provide the proper spacing for the bike engagement members 20 and 22 of lift arms 16 and 18. A central, longitudinally extending hand engagement member or handle 30 extends upwardly from lateral brace 28 of motorcycle rear stand 10. Lateral brace 28 alone or in combination with hand engagement member 30 functions to move legs 12 and 14 between raised or lowered positions as described herein below. The bottom surface 29 of lateral brace 28 functions as a stop or stop surface. The frame would not need separate handle member 30 or lateral brace 28 if proximal ends 12″ and 14″ of the legs 12 and 14 were joined together. In this instance the proximal ends 12″ and 14″ of the legs 12 and 14 could function both as a brace 28 and as a handle 30. Additionally, although not shown, a lateral brace alone could act as a frame member or connector to directly connect the inner ends 16′ and 18′ of lift arms 16 and 18.
Motorcycle rear stand 10 is supported on one side by a telescoping side support member 32 having a laterally extending pivot or pivot member 34 which is rigidly secured to the outer end 16″of lift arm 16. Pivot member 34 may be a pin which engages an opening in lift arm 16 or a tube which receives a pin which projects laterally from lift arm outer end 16″ or any similar functioning member. The length of telescoping side support member 32 may be adjusted by inserting fasteners 33 in various combinations of aligned bores formed in the side support telescoping members. A generally horizontal or longitudinally extending base member 36 having a bottom surface lateral pivot which may be a wheel 38 at each end thereof is affixed to the bottom of side support member 32. From the above, it may be seen that lift arm 16 is pivotally mounted and rotatable about pivot member 34 on side support member 32 and that as lift arm 16 rotates, bike engagement member 20 at the outer end thereof also rotates upwardly or downwardly depending upon the rotation direction of lift arm 16.
A lower support element which may be a rotatable member and which acts as a pivot such as a bracket-mounted wheel 40 is attached to the inner end 18′ of lift arm 18 by fasteners 42 which pass through aligned openings in the bracket 41 and in lift arm 18. Wheel bracket 41 and the inner end 18′ of lift arm 18 have a plurality of spaced bores. Thus, the length of lift arm 18 and its associated pivotal lower support element 40 may be adjusted by selecting different bore combinations in wheel support bracket 41 and lift arm 18. This enables the length of lift arm 18 and its associated bike engagement member 22 to be adjusted. In a similar manner, the length of telescoping side support member 32 may be adjusted as mentioned above to effectively change the length of lift arm 16 supported thereon and its associated bike engagement member 20. Adjusting the length of lift arms 16 and 18 enables motorcycle rear stand 10 to accommodate and safely lift a motorcycle supported on a kickstand leaning at an angle with respect to lifting surface G as illustrated in
Prior to operating motorcycle rear stand 10 to lift a motorcycle MC, the legs 12 and 14 and the inner ends 16′ and 18′ of the lift arms 16 and 18 are raised or rotated to a full upright position as depicted in
As frame legs 12 and 14 and the inner ends 16′ and 18′ of lift arms 16 and 18 are moved downwardly toward lifting surface G several things occur simultaneously. Bike engagement members 20 and 22 at the outer ends of lift arms 16 and 18 rotate upwardly in a counterclockwise arc, as viewed in
Additionally, referring again to
In order to again lower the rear end of motorcycle MC to the ground, legs 12 and 14 and the inner ends 16′ and 18′ of lift arms 16 and 18 of the motorcycle rear stand 10 are raised from lift surface G or pivoted counterclockwise from the lifted position, as illustrated in
From the above, it may be seen that during pivotal movement of legs 12 and 14 and lift arms 16 and 18 of motorcycle rear stand 10 in either direction several things occur simultaneously. The bike engagement members 20 and 22 at the outer ends of the lift arms 16 and 18 rotate in an arc about pivot member 34 of side support member 32 and kickstand side lift arm 18 moves upward or downward. Also, the motorcycle rear stand 10 pivots laterally about the lateral pivot surface on the bottom of side support base member 36 and about the lower support element (wheel pivot 40) at the inner end of the kickstand side lift arm 18.
Another embodiment of the instant invention is depicted in
A lift arm 116 extends upwardly from frame 102 adjacent side member 106 which is the shorter of the two side members 104 and 106. Lift arm 116 also may be mounted directly on side member 106. A bike engagement member 118 having a laterally extending pin 120 is mounted at the outer end of lift arm 116. A pair of reinforcing arms 122 and 124 extend upwardly from frame 102 to assist lift arm 116 in supporting bike engagement member 118. With the proper choice of geometry and materials, reinforcing arms 122 and 124 would not be necessary.
A hand engagement member or handle 126 projects rearwardly and somewhat upwardly from the rear of frame 102. A stop surface 128 is formed on the bottom of lateral member 108. When stop surface 128 and pivots 112 and 114 engage the ground or other lift surface G′, the outer end of hand engagement member 126 is somewhat above the lift surface.
As mentioned above, motorcycle rear stand 100 is utilized to lift the motorcycle having a rear suspension with a single swing arm S′ and an axle A′ having a central longitudinally extending axial bore formed therein where the motorcycle is supported on a kickstand mounted centrally on the left side thereof. In this position of the motorcycle, the center line CL′ of the rear wheel axle A′ is angled with respect to the ground or lift surface G′ as best shown in
Thereafter, hand engagement member 126 is pivoted clockwise on pivots 112 and 114 from the upright position depicted in
In order to return motorcycle rear wheel W′ to the lowered position depicted in
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11042425 | Jan 2005 | US |
Child | 11641130 | Dec 2006 | US |