Kickstand plates

[SDFarsight]

These things

https://youtu.be/ihqCLIFcLJ8

I've been tempted to fix a kickstand plate to my bike as the stock one is fairly small and it's been sliding around far too much for my liking (probably an issue with the bolt rather than the foot, but it should still help). It seems like a no-brainer; more surface area so it's less likely to sink into hot tarmac etc. But something just doesn’t seem right.

If this is such a great product then why aren't they more common? You'd think that most motorcycle companies would be making their own yet it seems like 90% of these things come from one factory in China along with some suspiciously perfect Amazon reviews.

Would you use one? The only issue I think it may have is that the surface area might not entirely touch the ground since the angle of the kickstand is designed for a certain length. That and the few honest reviews that I have seen mentioned that the bolts need tightening every so often.

Alternatively there is the plastic pads that are literally just a piece of plastic that you park the stock kickstand ontop of; these seem to be more popular yet they have the obvious disadvantage of you having to place and remove it each time you park.
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Riding: 2009 Kawasaki ER6f
Previous: Sym Wolf SB125Ni, 2008 Kawasaki ER6f

[Riejufixing]

My son got a side stand plate free at a bike show. It's separate from the side stand, i.e. you just put it down under the foot of the side stand. You can carry it in a tail-bag, put a pouch on your bike/keep it somewhere on the bike, put it in a pocket or whatever. Seems a good idea. It's only a bot of plastic with a lip around it.

I don't think the ones that are bolted on look very good, they're an extra complication, *cleaning*, and bah!

[Islander]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

On the rare occasion when you need one I think the bike will be more secure using a side stand puck. Mine came free with bike magazines and I always carry one. The puck always will be flat to the floor whereas a bolt-on has no ankle flex; on a slope it could be tippy-toeing and thus digging in.

[Courier265]

Oh now this is interesting, bolting on an extension is just what I need for my CBF500, however I'm concerned about it interfering with the frame when I flip the stand up.
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CBF500 - 2 x Inazuma 250

[SDFarsight]

[kramdra]

There is a good chance of a bolted plate coming loose at high speed. Ive not seen the plastic pucks, but I do have a small rectangle of 20mm plywood under seat, which works very well.

[Teflon-Mike]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[goto10]

I use a basic plastic puck, never really felt the need to have one attached to the bike (this is more of a caravan idea, attaching feet to the corner steadies) - years ago I remember parking my bike on a tarmac parking bay on a hot summer day - as I returned to the bike I saw it gracefully sink down to one side - the stand had sunk through the hot tarmac - since then I've always carried a puck.
Also, my wife moans at me if i don't use a puck on the drive because my side stand sometimes leaves little rusty footprints.

I keep one under the seat and have one permanently on the driveway.
Pretty much exactly this:
https://bykebitz.co.uk/bike-it-stand-puck.html
Cheap & effective.
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'12 NC700S & '12 CB600F Hornet [Stolen by some dickless twat] Suzuki GT500 shed

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[c_dug]

I'm genuinely surprised there are people here who find the idea of a puck novel, I thought it was just one of those things we all sort of knew about and had one or two of kicking around.

On every bike but the GS I've been able to reach down and pick up the puck whilst straddling the bike. I was a bit stumped first time I tried that on the GS, but soon worked out the lean it against my hip whilst picking it up trick Mr Jimbo just mentioned. It's a little sketchy when the bike is fully luggaged up, wouldn't want to lose balance and get squished! I managed fine though.

I'd probably do the bolt on one if I needed it often enough, but not really necessary rising through London!
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[SDFarsight]

All things considered I think I'll go with the simple puck. The new bolt should stop the stand from sliding and I'd probably spend more time religiously tightening the plate with an allen key rather than just keeping a puck in my pocket.