How to Put Your Dirt Bike on a Stand

Since most dirt bikes are not equipped with kickstands or center stands like their on-road counterparts, making use of a dirt bike stand is a must. 

A proper dirt bike stand will make storage, maintenance, and repair a whole lot easier. 

But first, you’ll need to learn how to get your bike onto a stand. 

Follow these tips to make it easy. 

How to Get a Dirt Bike on a Stand

If you’ve never done it before, you might be scratching your head as to how to lift your dirt bike up onto a hard stand, or MX stand. 

There are a few main methods for putting your dirt bike on the stand, including:

• The side lift. 
• The rear tire lift. 

To get your dirt bike on the stand using the side panel lift:

• Pull your bike up alongside the stand. 
• Lean your dirt bike towards you. 
• Use your body to hoist your bike up and onto the stand. 

To get your dirt bike on the stand using the rear wheel lift:

• Pull the bike alongside the stand. 
• Try to keep the front wheel locked and stationary. 
• Use your hands to grab the rear tire and the rear fender. 
• Raise the rear wheel up. 
• Slowly pivot the bike over the stand. 

Some less conventional and much more advanced techniques (which should typically not be tried at home), include using a stoppie or wheelie to get onto the top of the stand. 

A dirt bike stand will make your life a lot easier when performing basic maintenance and repairs. You can use the stand to:

• Change tires.
• Clean the chain. 
• Wash your bike. 
• Change the oil. 
• Perform maintenance and tune ups. 

Types of Dirt Bike Stands

You’ve got a handful of different options when it comes to choosing a dirt bike stand. 

You can go low budget and simple, to more expensive and user-friendly. 

The main types of stands used for dirt bikes include:

• Milk crates or sturdy boxes.
• Hard MX stands. 
• Jack/lift stands.
• Hydraulic jack stands. 

A milk crate or something similar can be used as a dirt bike stand. As long as it’s sturdy enough to support the weight of the bike and tall enough to get the wheels off the ground, you should be good to go. 

A standard MX stand, or hard stand, is another cost-effective and useful tool for your garage. For these ones, you’ll need to learn how to lift your bike onto the stand. (See above).

Finally, you’ve got your jack and lift stands, which can be raised and lowered to make lifting and lowering the dirt bike very easy. However, these will typically be much heavier and less portable than your standard dirt bike stands.