Powered Kickstand For a Motorcycle, Interested? Feedback?

Would you buy a powered kickstand, and if so, how much would you spend?

  • Total voters
    133
I am quite interested in this proposal because my kikstand on my sv650 is quite awkward to get to. But then, I wouldn't buy it yet, because I might not keep the bike long enough to rip the benefit (thus minimize the cost). Bottom line is, I suggest you build this product for specific models that have "awkward" kickstand
 
The only benefit I could see from this is if it could be set up so that, if you accidentally put the bike into gear while the stand is out, it would automatically fold the stand up instead of killing the engine.

Needless to say this would require some sort of proximity sensor on the bottom of the stand so that it could be sure that the bike is not actually ON the stand when this happens (i.e., bike is upright but with stand out), since having it kick in with the bike actually sitting on the stand would almost certainly be an instant drop.

I can see no reason I would want it to do the opposite (unfold the stand) under it's own power though. And even the benefit I list above isn't worth the weight. If it weight more than a pound then it's still a better solution to just avoid doing that (putting it into gear with stand out) in the first place.
 
I am a farkle and accessory freak and tend to buy things that are not too necessary just to have a "complete" package. Somehow I always find an excuse. It is always about how much value you think you can get. The only value I can see with this is a "show-off" factor so unless this thing will be under $30 and takes 10 minutes to install, which I know is completely unrealistic, even I will find it difficult to justify.
 
Jeez, I voted 'no thanks' in a haze of busy work-mode insanity and reading it as a powered kickstarter. A powered kickstand, really?

"I need to show there is a market for this" ... looks ominous
 
Adli said:
It would wiegh between 5-10 pounds. If you are that worried about it you could just go on a diet? ;)
Just kidding, but yeah, wieght shouldnt be an issue,

-A
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5-10lbs not being an issue? are you crazyy
 
mike100 said:
So were you planning on adding a compressor and receiver(air tank) as well to power the cylinder?
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No sir, that's the beauty of electricity, a 12v dc motor instead of pneumatics like in the current patent owned by Ridely motorcycles.
 
Brian P said:
While still maintaining that I would never buy such a thing regardless of price ... From the purely technical point of view, I have some questions for the original poster to mull over.

1. Fault-tolerance. What happens if something goes wrong? What happens if the actuator loses power for some reason? The common sense thing to do is to provide the standard manual method of operating the kickstand. (And if that's the case, and a manual method of operating the kickstand is necessary anyway, what's the point? But I digress.)

2. What happens if the operator presses the button at the wrong time, while the bike is moving? It will need an interlock to the vehicle speed in some way so that this can not occur. And with that ... see point 1. If it's interlocked so that it can only operate in neutral or with the clutch pulled in, what happens if the operator does this while the bike is still moving? If it's interlocked to the vehicle speed sensor, what happens if the VSS fails, and gives a zero speed indication even though the bike is actually moving?

3. What happens if someone operates the kickstand with the ignition switched off? Easy fix ... only let it operate with the ignition switched on. But then ... what happens if one wishes to move the bike around the garage without the key being turned on? Again, it's necessary to have the standard manual method of operating the kickstand in order to address this. And this again begs the question ... what's the point of the whole thing?

(by the way, my "real job" involves its fair share of technical risk-assessment and FMEA - failure mode effects analysis ...)
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While I could not see too much value in this idea myself, it is an interesting concept. Brian brings up some excellent points...but actually not insurmountable. I have been engineering hydraulics and pneumatic circuitry for almost 20 years so this kind of stuff is something I do at work all the time.

The trick here is that the device must work pneumatically as well as manually. So to do this there must be a mechanical detent on both open and closed positions of kick stand. Something to mechanically lock it firmly in place, but still allow the user to kick it off either position manually.
So the pneumatics would move the stand to either position and then the lock takes over and the valve returns to a neutral position(no air pressure to cylinder). Not difficult to do, just hardware which all exist. This takes care Brian's point 1&3.
Now for the interlocks that Brian mentions, and I agree they must be there. So the easiest answer it to interlock both the neutral switch and the VSS, so that the valve cannot shift and initiate an action unless both the are in the correct position. This redundancy provides for a safe circuit.
But the real question is could this be done cost effectively, and unless you could generate some serious volume purchasing then it is going to be expensive.
My 2 cents worth.
 
ducati rider said:
power kickstand would work on a big bike. dont some huge bmw bikes already have power steering? y'all shouldn't be this narrow minded. remember in the 80s, IBM exes said why on earth would an average family need a computer. look at today.
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Well put. This isn't targeting sport bikes or 50 cc scooters, maybe large cruisers. Probably the same demographic that would buy an automatic motorcycle...
 
Two posts above are very well written and articulate great points that I have been brainstorming. I appreciated the detailed responses.

Just to clear things up, for cost purposes and simplicity, I will likely be considering a strictly electronic set-up, with a high torque 12v dc motor, as opposed to the pneumatics seen in the drawings ( courtesy of Ridley Motorcycles).

I don't have time to get back to you with a proper answer, but I will do so shortly. and as mentioned above, redundancy is vital, not to mention quality. But let's not put the cart before the horse!

Thanks again for your comments, and great idea on the pneumatics with mechanical locks.

Keep an eye on the thread for details and brainstorming,

Thanks again,
A
 
I really like using my heel to pull out my kickstand. It makes me feel like I am riding a motorcycle.
 
Maybe some visual appeal? Would having this allow your kickstand to be out of sight under your bike?

Not saying that's the answer, but it's an interesting marketing idea. "The Invisi-stand"? TM
 
jeero said:
I really like using my heel to pull out my kickstand. It makes me feel like I am riding a motorcycle.
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Personally what does it for me is the sound of the stand snapping upwards. Every other type of two wheeler I've ridden (bicycles, scooters, ebikes) has a more resistant kickstand that you push up gradually, with no special sound to it... that snap is distinctive and gives me that same feeling.
 
Honestly, maybe a centre stand for a gold wing or some large bike, but I think it's just not a viable product. Plus your foot would have to be out of the way, so riders would need put the right foot down and keep the left up. That's a big commitment to change of habits as far as bikers go. The votes don't lie.
 
I'm a "No Thanks" voter.

Power centre stand: Maybe, hmm, BMW K1200LT has one...
Powered side stand: Hahahaha. (sorry!)
 
Myztyk said:
Maybe some visual appeal? Would having this allow your kickstand to be out of sight under your bike?

Not saying that's the answer, but it's an interesting marketing idea. "The Invisi-stand"? TM
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The problem being, in the event that the fancy gizmo-contraption fails, you'll still need a method of operating the kickstand the same way as you normally do it ... which precludes hiding it out of sight in a place that you can't reach the same way you normally do.
 
Brian P said:
The problem being, in the event that the fancy gizmo-contraption fails, you'll still need a method of operating the kickstand the same way as you normally do it ... which precludes hiding it out of sight in a place that you can't reach the same way you normally do.
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No arguments there, however my sense is that most people on this board are purely functional and not cosmetic bike modifiers. (Just based on what I read) Just trying to give the OP a different way of looking at it.

Perhaps a string is required...lol
 
Adli said:
Just to clear things up, for cost purposes and simplicity, I will likely be considering a strictly electronic set-up, with a high torque 12v dc motor, as opposed to the pneumatics seen in the drawings ( courtesy of Ridley Motorcycles).
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I think we have driven home the point that this thing still needs to be capable of being operated manually (overriding the powered mechanism) in the event of a problem of some sort.

If you want to use an electric actuator, your next challenge will be designing this in a manner that allows this to be done.

Electric actuators invariably use a ball-screw or lead-screw of some sort. If you want to operate the mechanism manually then this has to be capable of being back-driven (lead-screws don't like that, too much friction, and ball-screws are EXPENSIVE) or it has to be designed in a manner that it only pushes/pulls and the manual actuation overruns it.

Something in all of this reminds me of the automotive trend to use a push-button to operate a parking brake, thus replacing a simple mechanism that does exactly what the driver wants with an inordinately complex one that doesn't always do so - albeit in a way that saves a wee tiny bit of space between the seats so that the driver can have a bigger cup-holder.
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