Patent Publication Number: US-2005121867-A1

Title: Motorcycle stand

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/528,080, filed on Dec. 9, 2003 and entitled MOTORCYCLE STAND; the above-referenced application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND  
      Motorcycling is a popular hobby for both men and women. It is nonetheless difficult to train an individual on a motorcycle, particularly when the motorcycle is heavy in comparison to the individual. It is also difficult to disassemble or adjust the motorcycle because of its size and weight. For example, since the motorcycle typically parks on a kick-stand, a significant portion of the motorcycle&#39;s weight is on the kick-stand, making it difficult to work on mechanical components of the motorcycle. A motorcycle&#39;s drive mechanism also cannot be operated for testing or demonstration while the motorcycle is parked on a kick-stand.  
     SUMMARY  
      A motorcycle stand includes a base, one or more handles attached to the base, at least two axle support members mounted to the base, support fixtures, and wheels, such that when the base is lowered, a motorcycle may be levered off the ground and supported by the support fixtures. The axle support members may be adjustably mounted on the base to enable a single stand to adapt to motorcycles of varying sizes, or to other vehicles. The support fixtures may be notches in the axle support members. The support fixtures may be adjustably mounted on their axle support members to adapt to motorcycles of varying sizes, or to other vehicles. A locking mechanism may be included.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a side view of one motorcycle stand.  
       FIG. 2  shows a top view of the motorcycle stand of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  shows a front view of the motorcycle stand of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4  shows the motorcycle stand of  FIG. 1  with a motorcycle. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 3  show a side view, a top view, and a front view respectively, of one motorcycle stand  10 . Motorcycle stand  10  includes a base  12 , two handles  14 , two wheels  20 , four wheel support members  22 , and two axle support members  16 . Each axle support member  16  includes a support fixture  18 , as shown. Two gussets  24  provide lateral support to axle support members  16 , if desired.  
      Stand  10  includes two axles (not shown). Each of the axles connects through one of wheels  20  such that this wheel  20  can rotate about its axle, and such that stand  10  is pivotable, on ground  32 , about the pair of wheels  20 . Handles  14  may be textured or covered with suitable material to enhance the ability of a person to grip the handles with his or her hands.  
       FIG. 4  shows the motorcycle stand of  FIG. 1  with a motorcycle rear wheel  40  and axle nut  42 . In exemplary operation, a person lifts rear end  30  of base  12  off of ground  32 , by grasping and lifting handles  14 , so that base  12  pivots about wheels  20  (in a “pivot” state) on ground  32  and in the direction shown by arc  34 . With stand  10  in the pivot state of  FIG. 4 , the person rolls stand  10 , along direction  36 , to a motorcycle rear wheel  40 . The person then lifts handles  14 , pivoting axle support members  16  forward (and lowering fixtures  18 ), and positions support fixtures  18  under appropriate support members (e.g., axle nuts  42 ) of the motorcycle, and on each side of motorcycle rear wheel  40 . The person then lowers handles  14  in the reverse direction of arc  34 , rolling the front end  44  of stand  10  forward (in direction  36 ), to lift rear wheel  40  off of ground  32 . Stand  10  is in a “resting” state when base  12  is flush with ground  32 .  
      Stand  10  thus acts as a lever (i.e., moment arm) to raise motorcycle rear wheel  40 , such that a large movement of handles  14  lifts motorcycle wheel  40  by a lesser amount (to provide lifting leverage). With base  12  fully lowered to ground  32  (i.e., in the resting state), support notches  18  hold the weight of the motorcycle between wheels  20  and handles  14  such that this weight holds base  10  down, for stability.  
      To dismount a motorcycle from stand  10 , the above procedure is reversed. With reference to  FIG. 4 , a person lifts handles  14  in the direction of arc  34  until the motorcycle&#39;s rear wheel  40  rests on ground  32 , and until axle support members  16  are pivoted far enough forward to permit them to pass freely beneath support members (e.g., axle nuts  42 ) of the motorcycle, on each side of motorcycle rear wheel  40 . Stand  10  is then rolled backwards, in reverse to direction  36 , until clear of the motorcycle.  
      The motorcycle stand as described herein is thus suitable for uses such as training, display, detailing, maintenance, testing, and sales demonstrations.  
      Other embodiments are readily apparent without departing from the scope hereof. For instance, the dimensions of motorcycle stand  10  can be adapted to support motorcycles of varying dimensions, or to support other two wheeled vehicles. One or more of axle support members  16  may mount to base  10  with tracks or other mechanisms to allow adjustment of a stand  10  for vehicle wheels of different widths. Support fixtures  18  may mount to axle support members  16  with tracks or other mechanism to allow adjustment to accommodate vehicles of different heights. Support fixtures  18  may be other fixtures (i.e., other than “notches”) to support other parts of a vehicle; accordingly, the supported parts of a vehicle may be other than axle nuts. Multiple axle support members  16  may be added to support vehicles with three wheels or more. There may be more or fewer handles  14 , as a matter of design choice. Base  12  of stand  10  need not be flat, but may be any shape compatible with the use and removal method described above. Hardware may be added to stand  10  to affix a motorcycle or vehicle thereto (e.g., a locking mechanism may be added).  
      The changes described above, and others, may be made in the motorcycle stand described herein without departing from the scope hereof. It should thus be noted that the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method and system, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between.