Top motorcycle rear wheel spinners

Make chain cleaning and lubricating easy by spinning the rear wheel

Using a log as a motorcycle centrestand

by Jim Blackstock |

Unless your bike has a centrestand, cleaning and subsequently lubricating and protecting the chain or cleaning the wheels can be a real pain.

You can’t spin the rear wheel easily if it is still on the ground and in the absence of a centrestand, you usually need to roll the bike forwards and backwards so you can cover the full length of the chain.

However, with the rear wheel lifted off the ground, cleaning and lubricating is so much easier; you can easily spin the rear wheel with the bike in one position, allowing you to much more effectively clean the chain and it makes lubing it much, much easier once clean.

There are several ways you can effectively lift the bike’s rear wheel off the ground to allow it to spin easily.

You can use a paddock stand for example, which will do this as well as allow you to work safely on the bike or you can set the bike on its sidestand and then, prop up the opposite side to briefly lift the rear wheel off the ground.

Related: Best motorcycle lifts and benches

You could park the bike on rollers or use a more serious stand to lift the bike up and allow you to work on it as well as spin the wheel.

Here is a selection of ways to lift the rear wheel off the ground so you can spin it and look after your chain.

1. Grand Pitstop

Description

This is perhaps one of the easiest and most straightforward ways of spinning the rear wheel so you

Grand Pitstop

The rollers turn, allowing the rear wheel to spin while resting on its own weight on the rollers. It is small enough to bump the bike up onto and you can use it on the rear wheel to clean the chain, as well as the wheel itself and on the front for cleaning.

Pros:

Small and compact

Weight rests on wheel

Good reviews online

Cons:

Need to get right size for bike

2. BikeTek Spinner

Description

Working on a similar principle to the Grand version above, this example from BikeTek features a

Once on, the rear wheel can rotate with the weight of the bike on it and the spinner comes with a rubber puck to place under the sidestand to help position the bike in a vertical position.

Pros:

Ramp to help loading

Puck to prop bike up vertically

Great reviews online

Cons:

Can’t think of any

3. Tru Tension Wheel Monkey

Description

Another ground-mounted roller, this version from chain-maintenance specialists Tru Tension uses

Tru Tension Wheel Monkey

Pros:

Small rollers so low profile

Knurled for grip on tyre

Easy to get bike on

Cons:

None we can think of

4. BikeTek Swingarm Lift

Description

This lift arm from BikeTek is designed to lift the rear wheel off the ground in conjunction with

BikeTek Swingarm Lift

You then wind the threaded collar until the rear wheel is off the ground. There is a serrated edge on the cup on the ground for grip.

Pros:

Well made

Use on any ground

Use on any bike

Cons:

May not work for single-sided swingarms

5. Laser Wheel Spinner

Description

A variation on a theme, this spinner from Laser is not only adjustable to cope with a wide variety

Laser Wheel Spinner

Pros:

Adjustable size

Ball-bearing use

Renowned manufacturer

Cons:

Nothing we can think of

6. Oxford Premium Paddock Stand

Description

OK, so this isnu2019t purely a wheel spinner but it will get the back wheel off the ground and

Oxford Premium Paddock Stand

This won a Best Buy tag from sister title RiDE in its test and will not only allow you access to the chain but will also mean you can store the bike off the rear wheel, over winter perhaps and work in it in safety and with the bike completely stable.

Pros:

Award winning stand

Ensure the bike is stable

Allow storage and maintenance of bike

Cons:

Need separate one for front wheel

7. JFG Racing Rear Stand

Description

This arm from JFG Racing works in a similar u2013 but slightly different - way to the one from

JFG Racing Rear Stand

Pros:

Folds up small so portable

Useful for long tours

Good value

Cons:

Possibly not as stable as some

8. Sealey Lift

Description

This handy device from tool specialist Sealey works in a similar way to a centrestand but for

Sealey Lift

The resting position is slightly over-centre so the weight of the bike keeps it in the raised position and it would appear to be a stable solution to not only raising the rear wheel but also, providing a way to lift the bike for more involved maintenance.

Pros:

Works for any bike

Simple and elegant solution

Well-respected manufacturer

Cons:

May not work with faired bikes

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