Pit Bull Stand

I like to keep my motorcycles on race stands when I'm not riding them. It keeps the tires off the ground (avoiding flat spots) and makes maintenance simple.

The design of the VFR1200 final drive makes the use of a conventional (rear axle) stand impossible. Certain "single sided swingarm" designs can accomodate special stands but only when they have a hole through the middle, like a Ducati or a BMW. The VFR has no such passage.

Honda offers a permanent centre stand for the VFR that mounts on a pair of dropouts on the bottom of the frame. The centre stand is very handy for a chain-driven bike like the VFR800 where you need constant upkeep of the chain but on a shafty like the 1200 it doesn't make sense to carry the weight and bulk (and reduced cornering clearance) of the stand everywhere you go. The Honda centre stand is also very pricey.

Pit Bull makes a stand specifically designed for the VFR1200 that uses the mounting points for the factory  centre stand. I love their products... they are built in the USA with quality materials and fine craftsmanship. There are many cheaper "made in China" knockoffs but Pit Bull is (literally) the golden standard. A tag on their packaging proclaims "This stand will outlast your bike" as quoted by number 34 'living legend' Kevin Schwantz. I can attest to this... I've had my same set of Pit Bull race stands through 3 different motorcycles. That's another great thing about Pit Bull stands: they're (mostly) universal. Just adjust the lifting points and / or insert the appropriate pin and they work with all modern sportbikes. But as I said, the unique design of the VFR neccessitates a special stand so I bit the bullet and ordered one from Bayside Performance out of Vancouver. Shipping took a long time but only because the stand had to be special-ordered from Pit Bull in Alabama. The pricing was excellent though and their service and communication were great.