Installed Spools :-)
 

So I picked up some cheap stands and spools for the wifes bike to park for the winter. Since the bike didn't have spool mounts I just drilled and tapped the swing arm. Really happy with how easy it went and how well it worked. I have never felt safe using the swing arm pad designed stands the spools are much better.

Only thing I would suggest to anyone else considering doing this is to make sure the spools clear the exhaust. I now have had to order low profile ones to clear during suspension travel.

Guess she is officially parked for the winter.

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Good job. Did you use *spool-inserts*? If not, did you reinforce the bolt mounting/threading location in some way? While your mounting location & bolt may be strong enough initially, over the long haul, the area/bolt may weaken/strip...that is, if you use it a lot. The spool-inserts reinforce the mounting area & provide long term/permanent support. The Pitbull insert kit for spools is excellent. Its the only kit that my shop uses.
Here's links for the kit... Pit Bull Motorcycle Stands & Accessories: Insert Kit for 6mm spools
Super Bike Supply - Your source for sportbike parts and accessories geared for racing and street bikes and their owners. : Pit Bull Insert Kit for 6mm spools (F0013-001) - .

When I first started tracking my F4 some years ago, I was going to weld up spool mounting points similar to my RC51's. However, I purchased the Pitbull combo rear stand (std/spooled)Pit Bull Motorcycle Stands & Accessories: SS Rear Stand (Standard/Spooled) & found it to be very strong & sturdy. However, spools do provide that extra sense of stability & security.

Your motorcycle parking/storage area looks very similar to mine. I have my bikes straight upright btwn vehicles as well. ;-) I use front wheel chock/stands, Baxley & HF, to roll into to keep the bike upright.

^ I drilled through the swing arm both sides then tig'd an aluminum slug in. I then drilled out the slug and tapped the slug. Personally I think it's way over kill but I was bored since our riding season is over. I then loc tighted that hardware to prevent them from ever coming loose.

I installed spools on my old F4 but only drilled and tapped the swing arm. The spools were still good when I sold it 4 years later with no sign of letting up.

I do agree if you are going to just drill and tap the swing arm then you definately need a spool with a large mounting face to help distribute the load to prevent them from coming out of the holes prematurely.

I would also agree that Pitbull manufactures some of the best products out there. In fact my other set of stands is from them for my bike. I just couldn't see purchasing another set of Pitbulls to hold a bike for the winter on....lol

That does sound like excellent reinforcement!

Do you have any pics of the job??

Thats awsome - i find my pad stand pretty annoying to work with alot of the time. If wasn't thinking of upgrading to a 1K next year I would seriously consider this mod.

You definitly would not want a heavy rider on that setup as of now- that spool will probably go right through the exhaust! Low profile is a good call.

Sorry i'm one of those "gets to focused on what i'm doing to stop and take pics" kinda of guys...lol

It actually almost clears like if I shaved it down just a little it would clear. Thanks for the positive comments folks I was surprised no one had pics or anything at all about it that I could find at least.

nice job age I hate using my stand as well spools are def in my future!

Shabammy picked up a new set of low profile spools from Bluestreak. Or since they came all the way from the UK I guess they call them Bobbins...lol

http://img864.imageshack.us/img864/3588/dscf2270k.jpg

Those look like they'll fit the bill nicely.