There are lots of reasons why a paddock stand should be in your workshop, even if you've only got a basic motorcycle tool set-up.
First and foremost, bikes like being stored upright. There are several models that specifically don't like being stored for any length of time on just the side stand – the oil drains to one side and exposes the engine's internals to air and moisture, with potential corrosion issues.
They can also be very useful for general maintenance; if your bike doesn't have a centre stand but does use a chain, then cleaning and lubricating the chain is far easier if the rear wheel is off the ground, as is adjusting the chain tension.
Best value for money paddock stand: Oxford Premium Paddock Stands
Best paddock centre stand: Abba Superbike Stand
Best moveable paddock stand: Oxford Zero-G Dolly Stand
And if you need to remove the rear wheel for any reason – for example, if you're replacing the chain and sprockets – then you'll need to get it off the ground.
At the front, it's a similar situation; you may need to remove the front wheel to replace bearings or get tyres changed, for example, or just to get weight off the wheels and tyres during storage to prevent the tyres from becoming misshaped.
The Oxford Premium stands are made from 38mm tubular steel and feature a main loop with a separate
The Abba Superbike stand is a bit like a centre stand for bikes that can't use them. It fits, via
A movable paddock stand that locks into your back wheel and then allow the bike to be manoeuvred
Durable steel front dolly stand with heavy-duty fasteners and lockable caster wheels. As above,
Only a takeaway coffee more expensive than the MPW version, this rear stand from BikeTek uses
This interesting-looking item from BikeTek is designed more for storage and display than outright
Produced under licence from the MotoGP race series, this stand lifts the bike on the bottom of the
Available with either cups for swingarms or hooks for bobbins, the Renntec Moovamoto also has four
There are two main types of paddock stand; ones that are universal and ones that use bobbins. The universal variety will lift the rear of the bike on the swingarm and will fit wherever possible, while front stands also tend to be universal, lifting on the bottom of the fork legs.
The other variety uses a pair of conical bobbins that are fitted to the bike (and stay fitted), and then hooked brackets lift on the bobbins for a more secure mounting.
There are also stands that will lift on the front headstock allowing the front wheel and the suspension to be removed while the bike is up, and another option is for a lift to use a rod that passes straight through the wheel spindle from one side to the other.
Some stands replicate a centre stand with added functionality, while others lift the whole bike off the ground – but by that point, we're starting to move away from paddock stands and into proper workshop stands.
About the author: After qualifying as a mechanical engineer, Jim began working on magazines in the early 1990s. He remains passionate about product testing to ensure readers know what products offer good value and why. He relishes torrential rain to see if riding kit keeps water out and an hour or two to tinker on a project bike in his workshop.
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