Motorcycle Stands For The Motorcycle Mechanic In You
Every project is an excuse to buy a new tool.
So I did. A fully packed riding season split among three bikes means I do frequent tire changes. The Wild Rose Squad shares a tire changer and balancer so purchasing a set of front and rear motorcycle stands was overdue.
I ordered the GP Pro Series stands from GPI Industries which set me back $249.99. GP Pro Series stands are mandrel bent from one piece of 1 3/8″ tubular carbon steel meaning no joints, no wobbly bolts holding them together and no major assembly, just attach the wheels and they are ready to use. A lifetime guarantee accompanies every stand but after looking over their one piece construction I can’t imagine where they would fail.
GPI Industries GP Pro Series Motorcycle Stands.
GP Pro Series stands come with swingarm spool and paddle attachments and a headlift attachment for the front stand, enabling the user to lift the front of the bike by either the forks or the hole in the lower triple clamp. Since the GP Pro Series also includes 10 different headpin sizes and has five different headlift height adjustments, this set will likely accommodate any bike you have, or will ever have unless you own a bike with a single-sided swingarm. Unfortunately, GPI does not make a stand for single-sided swingarms. Yet.
Using the rubberized lift paddles on my 1998 Honda Superhawk’s swingarm, the large plastic wheels rolled easily under load and the extra long stand provided plenty of leverage. One piece construction meant an easy lift with minimal effort and zero wobbling on the transition. Once in the air, I gave my bike a hefty shove to the side with minimal wiggling.
Going through this many tires, I needed a set of stands.
Using the front stand under either the forks or the triple clamp, the lifts were also easy, smooth and wobble free, all traits attributed to the one piece, joint free construction. Stabilized on both stands I gave the bike one more hefty shove with no movement. Well done GPI Industries. I trust these stands. However, these stands do have some minor issues.
Long handles make for an easy lift.
When I unwrapped the multiple layers of bubble wrap from the stands, the stickers started to peel off. I carefully held down the stickers and removed the rest of the wrap. Also, after only two uses the silver paint started to wear. It might be my garage floor, or maybe just not a good paint job. Either way, I put some felt pads along the bottom of the stands for a softer landing, an easy fix. To be fair, my Pit Bull stand shows the same wear and I have felt pads on it as well.
Acres of bubble wrap packaging meant good protection during shipping, but also took off stickers when removed.
Lastly, one of the Y-shaped spool adapters had a manufacturing defect that could cause it to catch and rub on a spool during lift. I sent an e-mail and picture of the defect to the company about this and the sticker peeling issue. I quickly received a reply and an apology for the issues. Five days later another set of Y-shaped adapters arrived at my door with no questions asked, no forms to fill out and no fuss. Good communication and customer service are rare these days. Thank you Lee Myron of GPI Industries. Keep it up.
After only two test lifts, the paint on the GPI stands showed signs of wear. However, the Pit Bull stand I use for my single sided swingarm bikes also showed similar wear marks where the tip contacts my garage floor. I applied some sticky felt pads to the bottom of the stands for protection. Problem solved.
For $249.99 I got a set of stands made from one large diameter, mandrel bent tube, two swingarm lift options, a fork lift with a headlift attachment, 10 pins to fit any bike, a lifetime warranty and customer service from actual people. While more expensive than bolt-together stands many companies offer, these stands are cheaper than replacing bodywork from a dropped bike due to a flimsy stand. Even considering the paint and spool adapter issue, this was a purchase I recommend.
However, I have two VFRs with single-sided swingarms and GPI doesn’t make a stand for them yet. Are you reading this GPI Industries?
If you have any questions about the GPI Industries GP Pro Series stands, please hit us up in the comments section below.
The valley of the top Y adapter shows the manufacturing defect. GPI industries said they had never seen this before. After an e-mail to the company, a replacement set quickly came in the mail.
Positives
+ One piece, mandrel bent tube construction
+ Full selection of head pins
+ Good leverage for easy, smooth lifting
+ Excellent customer service
Negatives
– Paint rubbed off after only two lifts
– Stickers came off with bubble wrap
– No stands available for single-sided swingarms
– I should have bought a set years ago
*For more on the GPI Industries GP Pro Series, click here:
A complete and solid set of stands for a fair price.
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