Targa Track Stands


Casualties of the ever-escalating race to build a lighter, better-handling sportbike include the always-useful centerstand. Sure, it seems like a good idea to ditch that heavy lump when your new bike is on the weigh scale, but what happens when it's time to change tires? Trying to heave your bike onto a milk crate or hoist the front end with tie-downs connected to your garage's roof beams only results in broken bikes and backs. The solution? Get yourself some track stands.

Sure there are some different brands that look better, but they cost more too.

Here at the MO offices, we had a pair of second-rate aluminum stands kicking around for a couple years. But after a few testbikes fell due to the stands' flimsy thin-walled aluminum tubing and too-small swingarm contact patch area it was time to break out the corporate credit card and buy something better. So we started flipping through various sportbike catalogs. After eyeballing a bunch of different models and styles, we finally chose Targa's Swingarm Lift and Paddock Front End stands. Features include a welded frame of 1 1/4 inch steel, powder-coated finish, and 2 1/2 inch rubber wheels. After a year of use, we couldn't be happier - not one bike has fallen off the Targa stands.

Targa's front stand features sliding square bars that have pins and an alignment tab on the end -- the idea is that the pins sit in the

holes in the bottom of your forks (almost all forks have a large-diameter bolt hole in the center of the bottom that holds the damping rods in place) and the tabs help locate the pins when your motorcycle is on the ground. By sliding the bars in and out, a range of 6-5/8 to 9-7/8 inches can be achieved, enough range to fit almost any bike, Harley-Davidsons included.

Out back, our Targa rear stand also has adjustable width supports, this time via cotter-pinned tubes that have three positions for a range of 11 to 14-1/2 inches, again enough to fit most any machine -- from Harley 883 Sportsters to Yamaha's potent YZF1000, these stands have fit every street-going machine we've tried them on.

Overall, we're very pleased with our Targa stands. They are well built and hold bikes securely. There really isn't much more you can ask of a pair of track stands. Sure there are some different brands that look better, but they cost more too. One note -- safety wire the rear cotter pins to the stand itself so you don't lose them. And unless you have spools welded to your swingarm (or have a modern sportbike that comes with a threaded hole for bolt-on ones) make sure you get steel stands -- aluminum ones are just too flimsy.

Price of Targa's front end stand is $99.95, or $114.95 for their model to fit Ducati's 916. Price of the swingarm stand is $94.95.

Available from:
Targa Accessories
21 Journey Rd.
Aliso Viejo, Ca. 92656

(714) 362-2505 California(604) 525-9396 Canada(800) 521-7945 National(714) 362-2515 Fax
Brent Plummer, Editor-in-Chief
Brent Plummer, Editor-in-Chief

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