Centre Stand Assistant

Is is some kind of adjustable scissor/lever that extends the front suspension that can be removed once the bike is on the main stand? Sorry, I can’t stop myself from thinking how this may work. :D
 
Is is some kind of adjustable scissor/lever that extends the front suspension that can be removed once the bike is on the main stand? Sorry, I can’t stop myself from thinking how this may work. :D

Mark, no scissors required. My Philosophy is KISS.......Keep It Simple Stupid :D
 
I simply cannot lift my GS onto its centre stand with full luggage, so I would be interested too
 
I'd be interested though I suspect if it proves popular Chinese knock offs will soon appear on evil bay but if it's comparatively priced (unlike some GS accessories) you should be successful. Good luck :beerjug:
 
Vincent’s had a nice assist on the centre stand.

I’m sure you’re making it a universal option for all centre stands; that’ll be a winner..Good :aidan
 
Will you be requiring victims.......er I mean testers? :D

I guess so Andi, will decide once I have the prototype finished. My CAD guy is looking at some slight changes to the design so watch this space, as I will let people who have expressed an interest know how things are progressing :thumby:
 
Fagin, have you carried out a comprehensive search of the patent databases. You should do so before you spend any more money on applications etc. I'll bet this device has some 'previous art' which will mean that the core aspects of it will have been employed in another invention. You can carry out the search yourself. I think you could probably register a design but that this wouldn't stop someone else from coming up with a similar but not identical design. Then there is the issue of which territories you apply for patent, UK, EU, USA, China etc, it's a bloody expensive journey if you are to get all these. And what will you do if it appears on some Chinese selling site, do you have the deep pockets required to take a legal action in China
 
Some professional advice...

The first problem with Intellectual Property Rights legislation is that nobody enforces it. If someone copies your product you have the expense of taking them to court for damages. If they are in another country you can imagine how expensive this would be. The authorities in either country would not be interested in helping you with your case. In terms of whether you would win your case, there's plenty of precedents that the party with the most expensive lawyers wins. BMW took a Chinese car company to court in China for blatantly copying an X5. They lost.

The second problem is there are many schemes and companies who will want to sell you some protection. The problem with your copyright time-stamped certificate is that, if it is part of the IP legislative framework, and I'm not sure it is, it might stop someone copying it. However they just have to change a few details and they won't be copying it. Where did you get the certificate from?

Three-dimensional products are covered by Patents if they are inventions, or Registered Design if they are simply certain designs of something generic, like a table lamp. There's a UK organisation called ACID, Anti-Copying in Design, that will organise the collation of your design materials and add them to their database. They'll also advise on IPR legalities. Displaying the ACID logo on your product might put people off from copying it, but if it doesn't you're still left with the legal process of taking them to court at your own expense. There's also something called a Design Right but it only covers the shape and configuration of something, so is easy to get around.

Thirdly, as you have invented something it's really the Patent system that is the only one that would offer you protection. Contrary to a previous post, your invention is protected from the moment you apply for a patent. Applying for a patent is free in the first instance, if you do it yourself. The yearly costs ramp up the longer you keep it in force, as the authorities assume that you start making money from it. The application requires a certain amount of writing and drawing skill to encapsulate the invention. There are many, many companies who will offer to handle the application for you for £2-3,000 probably. However, if you sell a £200 product and make £100 off each one and sell 30 in the first year that's all your profit gone. That's about the same time the copies will hit the market too!

Everything you need to know about IPR is here...
https://www.gov.uk/intellectual-property-an-overview

There's a chapter on IPR for designers in this book...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Design-Students-Handbook-Essential-Context/dp/1408220288

Finally, I wouldn't bother with IPR protection. Save all that time and money. Get it to market quick. Blitz all the owners club forums and sell a pile of them before the cheap copies start coming out and before UKGSers with a welder start making their own.

Steve.
 
Fagin, have you carried out a comprehensive search of the patent databases. You should do so before you spend any more money on applications etc. I'll bet this device has some 'previous art' which will mean that the core aspects of it will have been employed in another invention. You can carry out the search yourself. I think you could probably register a design but that this wouldn't stop someone else from coming up with a similar but not identical design. Then there is the issue of which territories you apply for patent, UK, EU, USA, China etc, it's a bloody expensive journey if you are to get all these. And what will you do if it appears on some Chinese selling site, do you have the deep pockets required to take a legal action in China

Very good points above.

This is where you do a search...
https://worldwide.espacenet.com/sea...N=&AP=&PR=&PD=&PA=&IN=&CPC=&IC=&Submit=Search

The terms motorcycle and stand returned 720 hits.

Steve.
 
Very good points above.

This is where you do a search...
https://worldwide.espacenet.com/sea...N=&AP=&PR=&PD=&PA=&IN=&CPC=&IC=&Submit=Search

The terms motorcycle and stand returned 720 hits.

Steve.

Steve and B Murr,

Thanks very much for all of your advice and Steve I will start looking into whether this design exists.

I think you are both right with regards to cheap copies of things which have flooded the market over the years, and even if you spend thousands of pounds trying to protect your design there are still individuals that will flout the law and steal your ideas :mad:

There is certainly weight behind your comment about flooding the forums with my gadget once I have a working prototype to market, I am not going to become a millionaire with this that's for sure, unless I can get on Dragons Den :idea
 
Do. Not. Go. On. Dragons'Den. I know people who have, I suspect, been purposely put on the show to be mauled by the Dragons. It makes for great TV though!
 
Well after looking through the first 60 patent information on the site in Steve R's comment above I haven't found anything similar as yet.

One thing I have found is the number of Asian documents listed, including this text for something to do with Bananas :nenau

The utility model discloses a special stand of motorcycle transportation banana fruit ear. This special stand comprises two microscler banana fruit ear standing groove and rectangle connecting plates that the structure is the same, and the cross section of microscler banana fruit ear standing groove is the U -shaped, and the length of rectangle connecting plate equals with the length of microscler banana fruit ear standing groove that two long limits of rectangle connecting plate connect into an overall structure with two both sides face tops that microscler banana fruit ear standing groove is adjacent respectively. The utility model discloses convenient to use, the practicality is strong, can effectively reduce the damage of peel, improves the exterior quality of banana, easy manufacturing, low in manufacturing cost.
 


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