Nu-Tec Quickstand

NU-TEC QUICKSTAND

CW EVALUATION

Home mechanic's helper

CENTERSTANDS ARE WONDERFUL THINGS. Oil changes, lubing and adjusting the drive chain, cleaning rims, tightening spokes, even setting tire pressure, all are easier with a bike securely positioned straight up and down, its rear wheel off the ground. Too bad, then, that centerstands are fast becoming the spotted owl of motorcycle accessories, seemingly on the endangered-species list. Fully half of all streetbikes sold in the U.S.-and all Harley-Davidsonscome equipped with sidestands only.

Bad news for all of us home mechanics, but good news for a company called Nu-Tec, which has filled the centerstand void with its QuickStand, a simple steel loop that levers the assend of a bike into the air.

Using the QuickStand is a snap: 1) Swing out the folding prop handle; 2) with bike held upright, slide the stand’s loop under the frame rails; and 3) push down on the handle. That’s it, a simple one-man operation.

Some cautions: Obviously, for the stand to function as intended there needs to be clear access to the lower frame tubes-it won’t work with full fairings in place, or if a bike’s exhaust system hangs below the frame.

And you’ll need the right size QuickStand for the job; our 8-inch-tall Model 550 worked well with classic bikes, but didn’t lift some newer models high enough, meaning that the rear tire couldn’t be spun freely. For those bikes, the 9-inch Model 850 is the answer. Nu-Tec (1648 Taylor Rd., Unit 212, Daytona Beach, FL 32124; 800/806-2012) has an application chart for most current Japanese cruisers and Harley-Davidsons.

Our only real complaint about the $90 QuickStand concerns the cheesy non-slip strip glued to its top tube. This is too easily nicked, and its ends were already coming unstuck when we removed the stand from its cardboard shipping box. Otherwise, this is a handy product that’s found a welcome home in the Cycle World garage. U