LCGB Forums

Hi all.

The centre stand on my series 3 allows both wheels to touch the floor when parked. As a result, if parked on an incline she will slide down hill. Looking at it I think it may be something to do with how far the stand rotates beyond the 90degreee point when the bike is lifted. I put a new spring on just in case it was a tension issue but did not really expect it to solve the problem (and was therefore not disappointed when it didn't). Has anyone got any photos of their centre stand so I can try and weight up what is going on please.

Cheers

Halflife

Hi there it sounds like your stand is worn and the two brackets at the top require straightening this can be done by removing the stand , warming up and adjusting with a big hammer , Dont adjust to much or you will make the stand to vertical .

I had the same problem so I used 2 square alloy wheel weights (the kind they use when ballancing your car wheels)I stuck them to the cross member where the stand brackets make contact.This was just enough to lift the front wheel and stop the scooter moving,I did this about 6 months since and so far they have stayed in position.

Adjustment as described may be needed but if it's only a little out why not just leave in gear to stop it rolling?

Adjust as recommended and don't sit on your scooter on the stand as this is the main cause of them bending

So, which centre stands are the ones to go for?

Corrado's stainless one is good.

Both wheels should be on the ground when it's on the stand - leave it in gear.

Digger wrote:Both wheels should be on the ground when it's on the stand - leave it in gear.

Why ?

HxPaul wrote:

Digger wrote:Both wheels should be on the ground when it's on the stand - leave it in gear.

Why ?

Cos that's how Mr Innocenti made them!

As Rich said, when they left the factory they all would have both wheels on the ground when on the stand.

As to why - probably so you can move it around with relative ease when it is on the stand. It's a lot easier putting a Lambretta in the corner of a shed or garage without wacking the rear light against the wall when you can move it around with the stand is down.

Digger wrote:As Rich said, when they left the factory they all would have both wheels on the ground when on the stand.

As to why - probably so you can move it around with relative ease when it is on the stand. It's a lot easier putting a Lambretta in the corner of a shed or garage without wacking the rear light against the wall when you can move it around with the stand is down.

I've seen standard Lambretta's with the original stand and when the stand is down the front wheel is off the floor - another one of Innocenti's anomalies.

Interesting, so it is probably right then. I will leave it alone and stick in great as suggested. Having a number of other bikes with centre stands it just didn't seem right

The full weight shouldn't sit on the front wheel when on the stand at least. If one stand leg or the other is off the floor or you can rock it from side to side then the stand or cross member is bent. Like that it will tend to roll.

The rubber stand feet wear through very quickly too not only the bottom but by the end of the stand drilling through the bottom of the rubber. There should be a steel washer in the bottom of the stand foot to slow the process down.

Personally I don't think a scooter should ever have both wheels touching the ground with the stand down. A stand has to have weight on it, because as far as I can see if both wheels are down it will roll without that pressure.

Front wheel 'touches' the ground on all of mine but only just and no weight on the front wheel. One of my pet hates seeing Scooters parked up with the front wheel several inches of the ground, just looks wrong

burnside wrote:Front wheel 'touches' the ground on all of mine but only just and no weight on the front wheel. One of my pet hates seeing Scooters parked up with the front wheel several inches of the ground, just looks wrong

I knew it had to be more than coincidence as all mine do apart from the one fitted with a stainless one!

As you say they should just rest on the ground.

Some suggested reading "Stickies" on the other thread which is fine but I thought I'd read a bit further and look at some other publications.

Vittorios's Definitive History, Cox's book and the new Lambretta Locomotiones History.

Each book contains loads of pictures of SI, SII, SIII and GP Lambretta's mostly period and some period brochures. I skimmed each book and recorded each sighting of complete, large frame Lambretta where it was on the stand and where it was possible to see both wheels in the photo.

Vittorio's

59 - 56 of which have both wheels in contact with the ground. 3 with the front wheel in the air.

Nigels

33 All of which have bothe wheels touching the ground.

Lambretta Locomotiones

144: 140 of which have both wheels in contact with the ground. 4 with the front wheel in the air (they are on the production line).

So what does this suggest?

Back in they day they were doing it wrong both in Italy and Spain?

Personally, I think they were doing it right.

Whether the front wheel touches the ground or not may also have something to do with the tyre, modern tyres are more rounded than square so the overall uncompressed profile is larger?

Stainless stands are notorious for being too long so front wheel sits up in the air, how hard can it be to make them the same length as original?

burnside wrote:
Stainless stands are notorious for being too long so front wheel sits up in the air, how hard can it be to make them the same length as original?

Corrados sits fine on mine, pressure just off the front wheel but not in the air.