[Sachica]

So, now that the weather is getting warmer, I just wanted to put out a little reminder about what happens to Ducati kickstands. As you may have noticed, Ducatis have that itty bitty end on the kickstand that holds them upright. When the weather gets hot, the asphalt gets soft and that little kickstand can melt right down through the asphalt. The end result is your beautiful ducky on its side in the parking lot. :'(

New, dark, soft asphalt is the WORST kind, but it can happen anywhere if it gets hot enough. The best way to protect yourself is to carry a little kickstand puck with you when you ride. It's just a little plastic puck that you put underneath your kickstand to make sure it doesn't melt through the pavement. If you support DML and purchase your titanium membership, you get a super cool Ducati one for free! ;D Otherwise most bike shops carry them. Happy riding!

 

[czaja]

Business cards work too [thumbsup]

 

[ro-monster]

Or you can cheap out like me and use the top of a can.

 

[DesmoD]

My dad made me one out of metal for my ST4, I also use it with the Monster. It didn't realize how heavy it is till I started carrying it my pocket while on the Monster. It rides in the hard case on the ST.

 

[Mostrobelle]

A piece of bark, a bunch of leaves, a wad of trash...just about anything to spread out the weight of the bike over a few inches works well. In a bind, just lean 'er up against a building and don't bother with the kickstand. When you do this, balance your bike against the back wheel, not the handle bars. It's much more stable that way. [thumbsup] (I don't recommend the later technique for anything more than a brief stop though.)

 

[kc4ag]

A flattened soda can.

If you're going to be hanging out for a few mins and are just kicking tires with friends, just throw a glove OVER it. It keeps that particular spot of pavement from getting too soft.

 

[empress duc]

i swear by keeping my puck in my jacket pocket.

i haven't got time to pick trash to find a can, smash it, and hope
that there's not sticky old soda or funky stale beer squishing out.

besides... i'd have to carry wet naps to clean my hands so i could
get back to tying up my hair and putting on my "lip gloss of power"
(also always in my jacket pocket) so i'll be ready for my entrance
wherever i'm arriving.

ironically, i don't mind chain grease or brake dust on my hands.
[laugh] : [laugh]