Hey Group,

I just recently bought a 2023 KLX 300, I’m a shorter rider (5’7”) and so I stand on my foot pegs to get on/off my bike. This obviously puts a lot of weight/pressure on my kickstand. Yesterday I was looking at the kickstand weld point and noticed a line in the metal. I think it’s just a weld point/line. But I just want to make sure it’s not a crack in the metal. I’m attaching a photo, you will see the weld line or crack inside the red circle. Do your bikes also have this? Is this normal?

Thank you.

 

I don't know about that crack, but realize you aren't throwing that much weight on the stand based on angles and direction of force if you are careful and lean into the tire side a bit as you get on the bike. The worst thing I've seen for kick stands would be actually sitting on the bike where the forces are higher on the kick stand. I've been doing the same deal getting on virtually every bike, standing on the inside peg and lifting the other leg over the seat/tail/bags/whatever starting to do so when I was in motorcycle sales. Just became the automatic and the norm.

If anything the crack would develop at the root area of the weld, not at the outside in the tab steel. That and based on the setup of the tab attachment I'd expect the crack to be in the back, based on the direction of forces and the angles of load. The tab would tend to fold to the outside if it was flexing/breaking. Maybe someone has dealt with this. I did searches and could only find one old post in Thumpertalk, but I couldn't get logged in.

 

That looks like it is probably just a bit of weld undercut and not a crack. I would also be surprised to hear any issues from doing this. I'm a big dude at about 270lbs and have mounted my 2012 for many years like this when I have a tailbag or gear on the rear.

 

Mine doesn't have that mark. I'd just keep an eye on it for any changes. You could always take it to your dealer to record the issue for an easier warranty claim just in case it gets worse.

I'm only 5'5" and don't do any dirt riding, so i lowered my KLX front and rear to make it more user friendly. The seat height is only 30 inches and even lower when I'm on it. I cut the kickstand and welded a washer onto the bottom for a "foot".

 

does your kickstand have any play in it? Mine has a ton of play so when the weight is at full rest, the bike moves down almost 4 inches

 

My stand only has the little bit of play which allows it free up and down motion. I never need to use the pegs to get off or on because the chassis is so low, so the stand never gets stressed beyond the weight of the leaning bike. I treat it like a bicycle kickstand.

 

I do the same for ever since I got the bike used 12 years ago it’s been like that ever since. Trying to pick my options on how to tighten it up a lot

 

Sounds like the slot has opened up. I'd take it apart and check out the mount hardware and the holes for wear. Take a look to make sure the bolt is good, the holes are good, then squeeze the slot closed a bit to take out the play. Not that it really hurts anything. My Bultaco Sherpa T had a bunch of play in it and I never messed with it.

 

A lot is fine at the top, but at the bottom it has 1/16 on each side the creates the wiggle. I was thinking bout just cutting off the first ear and running the same bolt through with a few washers for spacing to see what that does. If that doesn’t work, I was thinking of getting a new or used klx300r stand with all the needed mounting hard to move the spring to the front

 

Checked my side stand yesterday, on my 2009 KLX250S. It has a lot of play in it, probably wiggles about 4", maybe more, back and forth at the end where it contacts the ground.. I know full well that when I put the bike on the side stand it may settle a bit more, tipping further. Not enough to have me concerned though. My KLX650C also does that too.

Am I worried? No. Am I doing anything about it? No. Nothing is going to break, the bike leans over so it won't tip high side, the stand is easy to deploy and will not bind up, and virtually no way it is going to break. I might have a bit of concern on my street bike, if it had the same amount of play, it has a significantly shorter side stand, but I have no doubt it probably has an inch or so play in it too. Side stand mounts are a simple clevis type mount, no real precision. With about 22 years being around all sorts of bikes when selling them and over 50 years riding, I'd say ignore it. It is not an issue.

If you want to cut off the one ear, remember you will be cutting off about 1/2 of the material that is providing support to the joint, essentially doubling the stress on the remaining ear. With some knowledge about materials from an engineering background I am not giving the play in the stand on my bike a second thought. In fact the comments here really are what made me think about it the first time ever. I always knew about the play, quite obvious, but never concerned. I will tell you there is no way the bike wore that slot out that wide, it is the way it is made. Probably tens of thousands out there just the same way.

Never heard of any epidemic of KLXs tipping over or having the clevis joint break. Only about having the tab break at the frame when someone puts too much weight on it, like sitting on the bike leaning on the stand putting a lot of force on that area. With a bit of care, standing on the peg putting as much weight on the wheels as possible, to mount the bike will not cause any problems if, as noted, one tries to put weight on the wheels a bit. Mounting the bike also is a short stress cycle, where sitting on the bike at rest with a lot of weight on the stand, will increase stress, especially if moving about any.