Centre stand? Comfort seat?

[sheene7]

Hi all, just got k1300s motorsport, it’s mega👍, any advice on fitting genuine Bmw centre stand? And I was wondering about a “ comfort” seat, power bronze or top sellerie from France?
Cheers N

[black-k1]

Use the standard seat for a while before looking for alternatives.  Many of the Old Gits (me included) have done 600+ mile, 12+ hour days on the standard seat without discomfort.  It's a pretty good seat.

Fitting a center stand will require either cutting or replacing the belly pan. I did 6 years of K1300S ownership with an Abba stand and no center stand.  That may be an alternative approach.

Oh, and welcome to K1300S ownership. 

[richtea]

I think the belly pan has marks to indicate the cuts to make. Brian, didn't you do yours?

As David says, seats are very subjective so here are some opinionated views:
- Standard seat - numb nuts after an hour as you slide forward, and eventually find that you (they!) have settled there permanently.
- Powerbronze - looks comfy, but was just painful. Vinyl stretched over a plank would be a cheaper way to get the same effect 
- Sargent - never tried one, but Brian swears by them. But he swears at everything.
- Richtea custom - weirdly high for my long legs, but pleasant.

It's best to try and borrow one for an hour. You could try min, but you're quite a way off.

[Andym535]

I’d go with the centre stand. It’s easy enough to fit; you do have to cut the fairing but there are markings to follow and you hardly notice the difference once it’s back on the bike. They roll off the side stand really easily so always park in gear.

[Phmode]

I have never trusted side-stands and fitted a centre stand to my K12Sand to my K13S. You'll lose a couple of fingers following the stupid BMW instructions but it doesn't affect your hamd signals 

[Andym535]

If you mean the bit about hook the springs on, put one bolt in then use a ratchet strap to pull the stand back so you can get the other bolt in, that actually worked for me. Or maybe that's not tin the BMW instructions. Either way I don't remember it as being particularly difficult.

[sheene7]

Many thanks chaps, great advice, thanks for the welcome , been for a ride today, loved it 👍

[Phmode]

If you mean the bit about hook the springs on, put one bolt in then use a ratchet strap to pull the stand back so you can get the other bolt in, that actually worked for me. Or maybe that's not tin the BMW instructions. Either way I don't remember it as being particularly difficult.

No, that is the BMW instructions. It's when you don't have a ratchet strap and I don't know why anyone would have, that you lose a finger or two.

[richtea]

Strong springs, a bike on a side stand, and a ratchet strap - what could possibly go wrong? Ping.

(I admit to paying a man to do mine. I had fun with a Laverda one once. Still remember it, and that was supposedly easy.)

[Andym535]

So, shouldn’t that be ‘You’ll lose a finger by not following the BMW instructions’?

As is normal for this forum, I could now take this thread in a different direction and ask if anyone has changed the front ball joints, and how that went. There are a few videos on you tube of people attacking the joints with enormous sockets and impact wrenches. Has anyone tried this? Would a torque multiplier (like the things they use to do up the wheel bolts on trucks to about 500NM) be a better approach?

[raesewell]

Ball joints would be a new thread 

[Costas]

Hate the center stand.
Sergeant prooved strong after 12 years of ownership, last month changed the front part cover.
Still am considering it a seat for only long hours as it's hard for my bam, ooo and slippery for the pillion not to forget this serious downside.
Any good technician using gel foam solution will make an excellent customised seat.
Wunderlich makes very good job.

[farmer]

centre stand is mighty useful ...should be on all bikes.
seats are pretty subjective but the powerbronze one looks great...also i don't have one.(powerbronze that is ...i do have a seat)

[Matt]

So, shouldn’t that be ‘You’ll lose a finger by not following the BMW instructions’?

As is normal for this forum, I could now take this thread in a different direction and ask if anyone has changed the front ball joints, and how that went. There are a few videos on you tube of people attacking the joints with enormous sockets and impact wrenches. Has anyone tried this? Would a torque multiplier (like the things they use to do up the wheel bolts on trucks to about 500NM) be a better approach?

So do as Rae says so I can reply with "yeah they tried to do mine and couldn't get it out so replaced the whole thing"

[drumwrecker]

Farmer, there was a time when all bikes had a centre stand. Although a Vincent had a rear stand and two prop stands, but then it would wouldn't it?