Our Opinion on Bike Stands and Wheel Chocks: How They Benefit Bike Riders

Let’s be honest: when it comes to storing, transporting, or working on your trail or dirt bike, there’s no substitute for having a rigid stand, wheel chock or tie-down braces keeping it upright. The fact is, while dirt bikes are built in expectation of spending some time on their sides, not only does keeping it upright make sense if you’re not riding, but it also takes the headache (and backache) out of doing maintenance and performing repairs if it’s laying at an angle or completely on its side.

Possibly the most compelling argument in favour of using a stand or chock, however, is that they’re inexpensive protection. You only need one, and you’ll be surprised by just how much it can save you in unnecessary bike damage and inconvenience.

Simple Stands and Chocks to Keep Your Dirt Safe and Bike Upright

From making the most mundane maintenance tasks easier, to being able to give your bike a proper scrub down from top to bottom, high-quality trail and dirt bike stands and wheel chocks give you the freedom to move cleanly around your bike without any interference or difficulty. These upright helpers may not be as glamorous as most of your shop tools, but they have a major role to play in how conveniently storing and taking care of your bike can be.

First and foremost, trail and motocross stands and chocks are designed to save you the dilemma of laying your bike against walls, trees, or other stationary objects, and hoping it doesn’t hit the ground if a wheel slides or the handlebars turn. And while a single ground strike doesn’t seem like much, the consequences can include a host of costly damages such as:

• Paint, finish, or other aesthetic damage;
• A cracked engine case, or clutch plate cover; or,
• A loss of fuel, oil, or even corrosive battery acid.

With a motocross stand or wheel chock, these types of mishaps are completely avoidable, and at a fraction of what it would cost to repair or replace any of these parts. Sensible design and durable construction, however, are what separate top-quality stands and chocks from ones that are too short, flimsy, or heavy to be of any practical value. That’s why it’s no surprise that the best and safest upright hardware is also built to be the simplest.

Sturdy Bike Stands Make Bike Maintenance a Breeze

A sturdy, no-nonsense dirt bike stand that you can use on the track, in the pit, or in the garage is the kind of solid platform that’s needed to support your bike’s full weight without fear of it rocking off when you’re pulling maintenance. And with portability being an essential quality for any stand, a full-blown hydraulic or scissor lift stand that may look great in your garage, is going to be a troublesome 15 – 20kg anchor if you’re consistently moving it into and out of your vehicle.

Simplicity is the key to building a great platform for bikes, and the attributes of a heavy-duty, fixed-style angled stand include:

• 4mm, 5083 structural-grade aluminium construction;
• Full TIG welding for extra strength;
• An integrated tool and parts tray;
• An oil, fuel, and slip-resistant rubber top pad; and,
• Foot plates for added stability on any surface.

With standard availability in either polished, or a range of power coated finishes, these simple but reliably constructed motocross bike stands are perfect for all types of upright activities, including:

• Oil, filter, and tyre changes;
• Replacing clutch assemblies; and,
• Repairing brake and exhaust components.

Ease of maintenance is only one benefit that a well-built stand has to offer, and that’s especially true once you realize just how much space your bike is actually taking up while it’s simply laying against the wall.

Stands Help Protect Your Bike During Storage

Make no mistake: a motocross bike stand is good for much more than cleaning and maintenance. If you don’t plan on riding for an extended period, storing your bike upright on a stand is going to help you:

• Avoid flat spots on tyres by keeping them off the ground;
• Reduce downward pressure on suspension and forks; and,
• Minimize floor space usage by keeping the bike vertical.

Even if your bike has a proper kickstand or centre stand, getting it off its tyres and not allowing it to occupy 3 or 4 times as much space by resting diagonally against a wall is going to make a big difference in how you’re able to manage your garage space. And if you have more than one dirt bike, the space savings can be considerable.

Stands still aren’t the only option when it comes to upright dirt bike storage, though. Wheel chocks can be equally valuable for keeping your bike off its side, and they can be invaluable when it’s time for transport.

Wheel Chocks are the Simple Solution for Bike Transport

Wheel chocks are an intermediate-term storage solution for keeping your dirt bike upright, with the added advantage that they can be bolted directly to a ute tray or truck bed to aid with transport. By keeping your bike upright at all times, wheel chocks allow you to do away with an array of nuisance, and potentially dangerous transport approaches that could lead to damaging your bike, as well as your ute or truck.

Universal wheel chocks come in two main styles; and like bike stands, they’re built around a core of simple, heavy-duty specs that include:

• A 3mm, 5052 marine-grade aluminium tubular or tray frame;
• 4mm, 5083 marine-grade aluminium TIG welded gusset plates for extra strength; and,
• Predrilled floor plates to facilitate floor mounting.

When used together with heavy-duty ratchet tie-down straps, and bolt-in aluminium anchor points or moveable tie-down braces, you can be sure that your bike’s going to stay upright and safely secured anytime you get ready to move it. And after a long day of riding, you’ll appreciate not having to wrestle your bike between vertical and horizontal.

The Final Word

At the end of the day, keeping your dirt bike upright when you’re not riding is a smart move; and the fact that there are so many different types of dirt bikes stands is significant. They can help save you a lot of needless cost and frustration; and simplicity is the key to making one that’s suitable for every purpose.

Whether it’s maintenance, storage, or transport, dirt bike stands and wheel chocks are the only way to go to keep your bike upright and stable whenever you’re not riding. They’re the economical way to avoid an array of damages that don’t have to happen, and you’ll quickly see how much of an asset they can be.

---