I saw the coolest thing in Northern Ontario on the way home from our motorcycle vacation a couple weeks ago... we were at a gas station in Terrace Bay, sitting in the shade for a few minutes after refueling, when this guy pulls up to the pumps on a late model BMW touring rig. He shuts the motor off, flicks a switch and an electric centrestand comes down from under the bike and fully deploys with him still sitting on the seat!

I have got to get me one of those!

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Mike

'07 Road Glide/Ranger (Texas Sidecars)
The Blackbird Stealth Bomber

I didn't know that. I wonder why, that's very silly.

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2008 Ducati Hypermotard 1100
2006 Kawasaki KLX250S
2004 Honda CBR600RR
2002 BMW R1150R
1996 Ducati 900SS

The kawasaki Vulocan 900. Kawasaki puts on a windshield so tall that it has to be cut down or changed. The clutch lever is designed for strong mammoth hands. Almost everyone has to modify it.

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1st motorcycle 2004 Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic.

Battery box. Grrrr. Its under the seat and easy to get to, but once your battery is dropped into the magic box, try to get a hold of it to pull it out when winter hits. I usually need to use 2 screw drivers like chop sticks to get it up far enough to grab. And still end up racking off the skin on a couple knuckles. I should glue a piece of string onto the thing to make it a bit easier. Oh and the main electrical cable goes right over top to, so yet another obstacle. So glue a handle on the battery. Or hey, Kawai, make the batteruy box a couple inches shallower. Ugh.

Doesn't help that when I do this its usually cold enough outside to make you loose all sensation in your fingers in short order too. Lol

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2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD
CMC 049

Is there any other company apart from Harley Davidson still making push rod engines?

The new Royal Enfield UCE engines still have push rods. I think the 1700cc Yamaha Road Star twins are push rod.

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2005 Triumph Bonneville
2005 Suzuki V-Strom 1000
2003 Triumph Trophy 1200
2009 BMW F650GS (wife's)
1990 HD Sportster XL883 (for sale; wanna buy a Sportster??)

About a push-rod engine, it's a design look more than anything. In fact, I'd hesitate to say a push rod engine is more reliable than today's current design.

Mike

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2013 Motorcycle Model Guides
2012 Motorcycle Model Guides
2013 ATV/Quad Model Guides


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I think BMW boxers still used pushrods until pretty recently (like, last year).

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"If you ride like there's no tomorrow, there won't be."

Still very common in the car world, but otherwise mostly bigger cruiser motors.

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Have owned - 2001 Suzuki Volusia
Current bike - 2005 Kawasaki Z750S
MMI Graduation date January 9th, 2009. Factory Certifications in Suzuki and Yamaha

gotta add mine here because i an there now

honda deicded to put some overengineered fork on the left side that requires $200 of specialty tools to change, and no they do nothing else just the left fork on a vtx 1800 (not the 1300 it is regular)

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03 Honda VTX 1800c
87 Yamaha TT350
86 Kawasaki Vulcan 750 (sold) Have fun in Mexico Mr. Vulcan!


YES my spellin sucks, get over it, or you can be my personal spell check