Adding A Supermoto Kickstand
Unless you intend to race your Supermoto adding a kickstand should be part of the conversion and there are plenty of aftermarket designs to choose from.
However, the overall length of these kickstands were designed for the original wheel size of the dirt bike and because Supermoto wheels are smaller in diameter this can mean the kickstand is too long.
This will make the bike stand more upright and in danger of tipping over.
Dual sports that already have a kickstand will most likely have the same problem once the Supermoto wheels are fitted.
How To Shorten The Kickstand
Most kickstands have a hollow shaft and are made from either steel or aluminium and will need to be shortened anywhere between 30mm to 45mm (as a guide).
There are various methods on how to shorten a kickstand but the safest is to find a qualified welder that can simply remove the foot, shorten the length of the kickstand shaft and then have the foot welded back on.
Caution: Although it might be tempting to get the new welds ground flush for cosmetic reasons, this is never advised as it will weaken the integrity of the weld.
Buying A Shortened Kickstand
There is some good news if you own a KTM, Husaberg or Husqvarna as Warp 9 Racing sell shortened Supermoto kickstands for a lot of these models.
Trail Tech also offer a broad range of aftermarket kickstands and are popular with Supermoto conversions.
Another favoured choice for Supermoto kickstands are the designs made by Pro Moto Billet who acquired Fastway Performance back in 2006.
DIY Note: On some KTM kickstands there is a plastic foot fitted which can be prised out from the hollow body of the kickstand shaft.
The shaft can then be carefully cut with a hacksaw to the required length and the plastic foot simply re-inserted and bonded in with some Loctite.
Final Thoughts
Some Supermoto owners choose not to fit kickstands to their bikes. Maybe they prefer a more standard motocross look?
However, the majority of conversions will have a kickstand fitted and this is far more practical than having the hassle of finding somewhere safe to lean the Supermoto. After spending so much money on the conversion why would you risk it falling over?
Before cutting down a kickstand it is worth researching what final measurement other owners decided for their modification.
