ProMotoBillet Kick Stand

Lynn Hodges, owner of Pro Moto Billet (PMB), was kind enough to send me one of their new kickstands that has been designed specifically for the Yamaha YZ4XXF. I currently own a Yamaha WR400F that came stock with a steel kickstand. There is no question that the YZF and WRF share plenty from the Yamaha parts bin however, they are not identical. Like most of you, I love installing cool, new parts on my machine, so I happily accepted Lynn's offer.

Finish
Some men sculpt in ice. Others sculpt in clay. The people over at PMB sculpt in billet aluminum! Their kickstand is nothing short of a piece of motorcycle art! The attention to detail is apparent everywhere with nice, smoothly rounded edges and the word "KICKIT" machined into the housing that hides a cleverly engineered, internally mounted return spring. Nice touch. The kickstand's two mounting holes have been machined to accept tapered-head metric bolts (supplied) that allow the head of the bolts to fit completely flush with the stand, as well as making for a rigid installation. The kickstand also has a nice matte aluminum finish that makes even my used WR look like it has a few more lives left in her and nobody will ever ask you if this trick kickstand is the stocker!

Fit
Unlike the Yamaha YZ4XXF, the WR4XXF comes from the factory with a steel kickstand that includes an extra tab welded to the frame that is drilled and tapped to hold one of the kickstand's mounting bolts. Since the PMB kickstand was designed around the YZF, this tab must be removed to make room for the kickstand's return spring housing. If you don't have a Dremel, this is your excuse to buy one of these must-have tools. I was able to cut this tab off in just a few moments with little effort using the Dremel's flex-shaft attachment. I suppose you could use a hacksaw however, there is not a lot of space where you will need to work. Once the tab has been removed, apply some paint to the unprotected steel to stop the start of rust. I had a small bottle of Testors hobby paint that just so happen to match the stock Yamaha blue frame paint nicely.

Like many riders, I have frame guards on my machine (courtesy of CRD) that utilize the same stock mounting points as the PMB kickstand. I thought that I might have to modify my frame guards to get everything to fit together however, I was pleased to find out that they fit over the top of the PMB kickstand without any modifications. This may or may not hold true depending up which brand of frame guards you choose to run.

Function
PMB's kickstand is more than just pretty. The first thing you will notice is that the kickstand's return spring is internally mounted. This unique, clever design addresses the long-standing problem of kickstand return springs that decide to make a break for it when you are miles and miles away from the staging area. Also, with the kickstand in the up position, it tucks nicely behind the bike's side panel, far away from trail debris and interference from the rider's boot. On the trail I didn't notice the kickstand (a good thing) and it never moved, even an inch, on small to medium landings. I can't speak for track conditions however, my assessment is that the steep angle of the kickstand in the up position, coupled with a pretty stout return spring mean that it is highly unlikely the PMB kickstand will ever come down, unless you want it to. Lastly, the foot-print of the kickstand is much larger than stock, allow the bike to stand-up in softer soil conditions.

So, is PMB's kickstand perfect? For the YZ4XXF, damn close. My only issue with the installation on the WR4XXF is that the kickstand foot just kisses the WRF's coolant return bottle inlet nipple (where the hose attaches) in its up position. This probably isn't a huge issue however, I decide to take a small piece of thick vinyl hose, split it length wise, and zip-tied it over the coolant bottle inlet nipple hose for extra protection. With this in place, I have no worries about running the PBM kickstand.

Pros
* Awesome quality
* Sexy looks
* Doesn't mount on your bike's swing arm
*Internally mounted return spring eliminates lost springs on the trail/track
*Tucks up out of the way, underneath the bike's side panel in the up position
* Large footprint for extra stability on soft soils
* Lighter than stock (WR4XXF)

Cons
* Some modification necessary for fitment on the WR4XXF
* Kisses the WRF's coolant return bottle in its up position

The Bottom-line
If you need a top-of-the-line kickstand for your YZF and you have the extra bucks to spend, the PMB kickstand should be at the top of your wish list. In terms of the WRF, your sensible side will be telling you that the stock kickstand works just fine. But, that is not what the PMB kickstand is all about. Dirt bikes were made for customizing and the PBM has the coolness factor that satisfies.