Have you just bought a dirt bike but it didn’t come with a kickstand? It probably left you scratching your head.
We assume that it comes with a kickstand just like a bicycle or enduro dirt bike. Unfortunately, some MX motorcycles don’t come with them.
Manufacturers don’t include kickstands with some dirt bikes due to the weight savings and ground clearance. They also aren’t so secure and can slide down when riding on bumpy terrain leading to an accident. Motocross riders typically don’t ride long distance and are simply coming back to the pits where they have a hardstand under the crew tent.
We see this typically with Chinese Dirt Bikes but it can be on any dirt bike really, especially motocross. enduro and dual-sport motorcycles almost always have kickstands as standard.
Supporting your Dirt Bike Without a Kickstand
So then, how do you go about keeping your dirt bike upright without a kickstand attached? There are several ways:
- Lean it against a tree or fence post. This is most common with the weekend riding crew. Find a tree or fence post out there and lean the fuel tank against it. While it’s tempting to lean the edge of the handlebars against something solid to prevent scratches to the gas tank, it’s likely that the handlebars will twist if it gets windy and your dirt bike will come crashing to the ground.
- Buy a workshop stand. These are great for changing tires and doing regular maintenance work. You should throw one in the back of the truck whenever you go out riding as they will be well used, especially if you are out in the sand dunes and nothing to lean your dirt bike up against.
- Install a triangle stand. These are different than your typical dirt bike stand in that they provide more support to the dirt bike. Perfect if you live in a windy location or the terrain is a bit soft and you need that extra stability.
- Install a traditional dirt bike kickstand. Yes, you can certainly buy these from the dealerships or online, but their lengths do vary. You’ll need to find one which is the right size for your dirt bike. We recommend the Ricochet Kickstand which is adjustable.
When You Definitely Need One
If you’re often riding on weekends with a crew of buddies, then you’re probably going to get sick of trying to lean your dirt bike up against solid objects often. This is when you’re going to want to invest into a good stand as we outlined above.
A common reason why people install dirt bike stands is that they’ve converted their dirt bike into a supermoto. Imagine going down to the local burger joint and not being able to park your motorcycle anywhere because you don’t have a kickstand. Awkward!
Also, if you’re out exploring trails often and are regularly opening and closing farm gates, then it’s wise to spend the $30 on a quality stand. It will save you from constantly looking around for options or backing up 40m to that tree you spotted.
You Can Do Without
It’s possible to own a dirt bike for years and still be smiling without a kick stand. The weight savings are minimal (as are the cost savings) and with carbon fibre becoming popular and cheaper, there will be more manufacturers installing these even on the most competitive MX bikes. You can do without the stand and it’s somewhat of a cool factor not having one when everone else has.
The most challenging time is when you’re loading/unloading your dirt bike and don’t want to lean it up against the truck. But get yourself a workshop stand and you won’t need to worry about this at all.
