The Best Aftermarket Motorcycle Jacks Stands

Motorcycles, being two-wheeled objects, can’t stay upright when they’re not moving; we have the laws of physics to thank for that particular inconvenience. To solve this problem, every bike comes with a side stand, also called a kickstand, to keep it upright when stationary.

Others have center stands too. However, when it comes to storage and maintenance, sometimes your bike’s built-in stands simply aren’t adequate for wrenching, or safe storage in certain situations. In this article, we have a look at the best motorcycle stands on the market for your particular motorcycling needs.

Summary: Best Motorcycle Stands Reviewed

We review 8 of the best motorcycle stands fit for every riders purpose.

Top Choice: STKUSA 1100lbs Motorcycle Scissor Jack Repair Stand

If you don’t need the extreme strength of a 1500lb lift, then the 1100lb capacity of the STKUSA stand, with its relatively cheap pricetag, is ideal.

Reviews: Best Motorcycle Stands

Here are the best motorcycle stands for track side maintenance, garage storage and DIY home maintenance.

VIVOHOME Steel Hydraulic Motorcycle Stand (1500 Lbs)

With a maximum weight capacity of 1500lb, the VIVOHOME Steel Hydraulic Motorcycle Stand is strong enough to lift up even the heaviest cruiser.

The VIVOHOME Steel Hydraulic Motorcycle Stand is, at 1500lb, one of the strongest motorcycle lifts on the market. Cruisers are notorious for their massive weights (in comparison to other bikes), so you need a very strong motorcycle hoist if you’re going to be lifting your cruiser off the ground for maintenance work. This hydraulic stand from VIVOHOME will allow you to do just that, but if you’ve got a particularly heavy bike, you might need a buddy to help keep the bike stable while you’re lifting it.

• 1500lb rating makes it strong enough for the heaviest cruisers
• Jack mechanism can be operated manually or with compressed air
• Great safety features
• You may need two people for very heavy bikes

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STKUSA 1100lbs Motorcycle Scissor Jack Repair Stand

If you don’t need the extreme strength of a 1500lb lift, then the 1100lb capacity of the STKUSA stand, with its relatively cheap pricetag, is ideal.

If you need a strong stand but don’t want or need to splash out well over one hundred dollars for the strongest of the bunch, then the STKUSA 1100lb stand – which is still a very hefty lift – will likely prove to be ideal for most of your motorcycle maintenance needs.

It can lift your bike up to a height of 14 inches, which should be enough for almost any maintenance task, and at around $50 it’s competitively priced. The features and the pricing of this Jack make it one of the the best value for money motorcycle jack stands.

• Very strong; 1100lb capacity
• Decent price at around $50
• Has 14” lift height
• Might need to take extra stabilization measures if working on the bike on your own

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Venom Motorcycle Front & Rear Combo Paddock Stands

The best way to keep your bike safe and secure off the ground for winter is by using front and rear paddock stands together. This front and rear combo from Venom offers just that.

By far the safest and most stable method of storing your bike off the ground over winter is by using both a front and rear paddock stand simultaneously. This way, no part of the bike is in contact with the ground, and there’s no way the bike will tip over.

This pair of stands from Venom saves you the hassle of buying a front and rear paddock stand separately and features in our list as the best motorcycle front paddock stand that doubles up as one of the best motorcycle stands for storage, given it’s small profile and easy maneuverability.

• Using these front and rear stands guarantees stability
• Better price than buying a front and rear separately
• A little overkill if you don’t really need to keep the whole bike off the ground over winter

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Venom Rear Paddock Stand

For basic maintenance tasks, the Venom Rear Paddock stand represents both great value and ease of use.

The humble paddock stand is probably the most commonly purchased aftermarket motorcycle stand. Using a stand like the Venom Paddock stand, you can raise your bike’s rear end off the ground in a matter of seconds by yourself, and keep it there in complete safety while you go about your maintenance.

The only instance in which this type of paddock stand won’t work for you, though, is if you have a bike with a single-sided swingarm. For most bikes and riders this is a super convenient jack stand that can be taken everywhere you go. Racers and riders alike will find this to be one of the top track side motorcycle stands due to it’s size and ease of use.

• Very easy to use on a variety of motorcycles
• Keeps your bike’s rear end off the ground for a number of maintenance tasks
• Won’t work on bikes with single-sided swingarms

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GOFLAME Motorcycle Balancing and Truing Stand

When it comes to balancing and truing your motorcycle wheels at home, a stand like the GOFLAME Motorcycle Balancing And Truing Stand is exactly what you need.

While many bikers are simply content to have a shop balance their wheels and tires for them, some enthusiasts prefer to do this themselves at home. If you’re one of the latter group, then the GOFLAME Wheel Truing Stand will allow you to balance your wheels perfectly on your own.

Of course, you’ll need some mechanical knowledge before using this kind of stand, so this isn’t exactly an item for motorcycle maintenance beginners. Also, some very wide tires might not fit on this stand.

• Can be used for a broad range of motorcycle wheels, from sportbikes to motocross bikes to cruisers
• Extremely wide tires might not fit

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ALPHA MOTO Front Fork Lift Motorcycle Stand

For any sort of maintenance tasks that involve removing your bike’s front wheel, a sturdy, easy-to-use front wheel stand is needed, and the ALPHA MOTO Front Fork Lift Motorcycle Stand is exactly that.

Getting and keeping your motorcycle’s front end off the ground for maintenance is a bit of a mammoth task on your own – unless you have a front wheel stand, in which case it takes all of about ten seconds and minimal effort. The ALPHA MOTO Front Fork Lift Motorcycle Stand is a versatile, easy to use and sturdily constructed front wheel stand that supports your bike by its forks. It’s adjustable and will fit just about any bike.

• Very easy to use
• Adjustable and will fit most motorcycles
• Good price
• Doesn’t have wheels like a few more expensive ones do

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Groller Motorcycle Wheel Cleaning Stand

If all you need an aftermarket stand for is cleaning your wheels and chain maintenance, and you don’t have much storage space, the Groller Motorcycle Wheel Cleaning Stand is ideal.

If you’re looking for a portable maintenance stand that you can literally fit in your pocket, the Groller Wheel Cleaning stand weighs only about a pound and is hardly much bigger than a fat wallet. For maintenance tasks that don’t involve wheel removal, this little device is perfect.

It’ll work on just about any bike, on the front and rear wheel. Once the bike is on the stand, it’s easy to rotate the wheel. You might find this stand a little tough to use if you have a very heavy bike, though.

• Extremely small and portable
• Can be used on either the front wheel or the rear wheel
• Should only be used on perfectly level ground
• Not great for very heavy bikes

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Extreme Max Motorcycle Wheel Chock

When you’re trailering your bike, you need a sturdy, well-built wheel chock like the Extreme Max Motorcycle Wheel Chock to keep your bike stable and secure.

When you’re hauling your bike somewhere, the last thing you want to happen is for your pride and joy to come off the trailer and get smashed to pieces on the interstate. A good, solid wheel chock will prevent that from happening. The Extreme Max Motorcycle Wheel Chock represents good value for money, and once your bike is locked in, it won’t be rolling anywhere. For extra peace of mind you can add some ratchet tie downs, but as far as we’re concerned this is one of the best motorcycle wheel chock stands for a garage space.

• Good price
• Well built and sturdy
• Fits a range of wheel sizes
• You still may need tie downs for extra peace of mind

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Why Do I Need An Aftermarket Stand When My Bike Already Has One?

While it’s true that every motorcycle comes with a factory-fitted kickstand, and sometimes a center stand too, the OEM item may not be adequate for maintenance tasks or for storing or keeping the bike standing upright in certain situations.

Many sportbikes, for example, roll out of the factory with only a kickstand fitted, as this saves weight. Some motorcycles, like cruisers or supertourers, are really heavy, and an aftermarket stand makes maintenance tasks a lot easier (and safer). Some bikes, like motocross machines, don’t come with any stand at all, so an aftermarket stand is a necessity if you don’t want to lean your bike against a wall.

If you’re going to be doing any type of maintenance, you’ll likely find that have the bike standing up straight and centered will make the job much easier. For some tasks getting the wheels of the ground would be a necessity, like changing tires. Speaking of which, give this post a read if you’re in the market for a new set of dirt bike tires.

Another benefit of aftermarket stands is that they help free up some space which can be very important if you are running low and need a little extra storage space. Many people don’t have the luxury of a big garage and rely on storage sheds. If you find yourself that position, we’ve identified a few great motorcycle storage sheds and given them a solid review.

What Kind of Aftermarket Motorcycle Jacks and Stands Are Available for My Bike?

The most widely used type of aftermarket motorcycle stand is the paddock stand. Paddock stands are simple devices, but are very useful to have around. They enable you to get the back wheel of a stationary motorcycle off the ground for tasks like chain adjustment, puncture repair and other items of maintenance.

You also get hydraulic lift stands for getting the entire bike off the ground, stands designed specifically for wheel truing, front and rear wheel stands for wheel maintenance, and a couple others. Read on to find out more about what the best motorcycle stand for your needs would be.

How to Use A Motorcycle Jack and Stand?

In terms of using a basic kickstand, this is pretty much the first thing any rider learns to do before even learning to take off. Using the kickstand is as easy as sitting on the bike, kicking your stand out, leaning the bike over onto the stand, and getting off. For simply parking your bike on level, solid ground, a kickstand is ideal.

There are a few important points about kickstands, however, that less experienced riders should take note of to avoid expensive damage to their machines.

While kickstands are perfectly safe on flat concrete or any other hard, flat, even surface, it can be risky to use them on less stable surfaces. On wet, soft or damp ground, like a lawn or grass verge, or soft sand, they can sink into the ground to the point where the bike tips over, which can cause expensive damage.

On slopes (particularly if your bike is facing down a slope – NEVER park your bike on its kickstand if it’s facing forward down a slope) the bike can roll forward and come off the stand, which is guaranteed to cause damage.

How to Put A Motorcycle On Center Stand?

In situations like those mentioned above, a center stand, which some motorcycles come factory fitted with, is a far safer and more stable alternative to a kickstand. Again, the exception is if your bike is facing forward down a slope – DON’T park like this! While putting a heavier machine on its center stand can be a bit of a challenge for smaller riders, as it does require a modicum of physical strength, it’s far more about technique than raw power. There’s an art to mastering the technique.

Basically, you have to coordinate the pushing forward of the center stand with the pulling up and back of the motorcycle. Stand on the left side of the bike, facing it, with your right foot on the center stand tang. If you have a grab rail at the back (or a grab strap on the pillion seat), grip it with your right hand, holding a handlebar in your right.

In one fluid motion, push down with your foot and pull up and back with your upper body, generating power from your hips, not your upper body. Voila! Your bike should be up on its stand. When taking it off the center stand, keep your finger on the front brake to prevent the bike rolling out of control.

How to Remove Front Motorcycle Wheel Without A Stand?

While a paddock stand or another type of maintenance stand is ideal for removing the front wheel, it can be done without the aid of an aftermarket motorcycle stand. If you’re simply removing the entire wheel, that’s fairly simple, if you’re trying to swap out the tire you’re going to want to get your hands on a good set of tire changers.

Anyway, if you really don’t want to invest in an aftermarket stand, you can get the bike off the ground to get the wheel off without a stand. If you have sturdy ceiling beams in your garage you can use them to hoist your bike’s front end up off the ground with ratchet straps. You can also use a car jack placed under the bike’s headers to lift it up, but neither of these methods are guaranteed to be safe.

If you need to lift the rear of the bike off the ground and you don’t have or wish to invest in an aftermarket stand, again, there are methods by which this can be done. Again, these are far more time consuming and labor intensive than using a stand, but if you’re in a pinch, they can work.

One method you can use is to remove the bike’s footpegs, and swap the left and right pegs. This means that the left and right pegs (when reversed) can only fold downward instead of upward, and thus they can be pushed from underneath, and support the weight of the bike in that way.

Then use a pair of jack stands under the reversed pegs to lift the bike off the ground. Again, as with the previous methods, it’s far safer and easier to have a buddy around to help you with this.

In terms of time, safety and effort, it really does make sense to invest in an aftermarket stand if you’re going to be doing motorcycle maintenance at home. It makes tasks like replacing brake pads much easier.

Motorcycle Stands Make Maintenance and Storage A Lot Easier

While there are ways, without using an aftermarket motorcycle stand, to get your bike’s wheels off the ground for maintenance tasks, or to secure it off the ground for winter, or in a trailer, most of these methods are risky, effort-intensive and time-consuming.

Why not just shell out a few dozen dollars, get yourself a good quality motorcycle stand and save yourself all that time, effort and worry? A good stand will last many years or decades, so look at it as an investment rather than an expense…especially with all the time and effort you’ll end up saving.