So I need to change my pads on my bike. I only had it for 2 months now. I decided it's time to invest in some stands as I can see taking the wheels off in the near future. Yes I do know you don't need to take off the wheels to replace the pads btw. What stands do you suggest me getting? I was under a impression a stand is a stand they are all the same. After reading they have clearance issues and etc. Also I'm a little confused how the hell do they even hold the bike up? What does the stands use on the bike to hold it up? I haven't exactly got the whole idea down yet of using a stand.

 

I recommend Pitbull stands. There are other good high quality stands out there from like Two Brothers and whoever else, but all my personal experience has been with Pitbull. I toss them around, leave my bike on 'em for weeks at a time, sit on my bike while the bike is on the stands and they're still in perfectly good condition.. outside of some grease on 'em and whatnot. They're a good compromise between price and quality and so long as you don't something crazy, they'll probably outlast your bike.

A co-worker bought some cheapies called Black Widows.. first of all the, the construction required him to use them "incorrectly" by flipping the front holders for his upside down forks and they also bent on him from regular use. They are still functional, but I wouldn't trust my bike on 'em.

Sportbike stands use your forks and your swingarm as lift points. I prefer a rear stand that uses spools, but you've gotta drill into your swingarm to utilize them.

 

I prefer the front stands that use the point under the triple trees to lift the bike rather than the kind that just support the fork tubes from underneath. You just have to be careful with your front fender when lifting from the triple. The kind that list from the floor to see me to be last study especially is the handlebars get turned.

 

I recommend pitbull, hands down the best stands that I have used. They are expensive so sometimes they aren't within the budget, I used a set of trackside front and rear stands and they work great for an entry level set, stable enough for light to moderate wrenching (Had the entire rear end removed) and strong enough for long term storage(kept them on the bike for 7 months straight). I still have my trackside set, if you want them. I'm in San Diego and I have to drive up to San Francisco this weekend so if your not too far I can drop them off.