Sometimes it's the simplest things that make life on two wheels a whole lot easier. The RickRak Kickstand Keeper doesn't look like much, but it solves a problem I've watched leave riders stranded and frustrated for years: a worn-out or broken kickstand spring on a Harley-Davidson. I wish I'd had one of these on my full-time police motorcycle, and it's going on my 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide right now.

I love bringing products like this into the Law Abiding Biker Store because it's simple, it's affordable, and it solves a problem every rider can face. In this article I'll show you why I think every Harley-Davidson rider should have one. Scroll to the bottom of this article to watch the full install video.

Why I've Carried a Spare Kickstand Spring for Years

Up until now, I carried an extra OEM kickstand spring with me at all times, on my personal Harley-Davidson, not just my police motorcycle. That habit comes from years of experience and from seeing these springs fail over and over.

It's a spring, and every time you put your kickstand up and down, it works that spring. Over time it gets weak and needs to be replaced. The problem is that a lot of riders don't replace it in time, and when it finally gives out, your kickstand is left dangling down instead of being held up. You obviously can't ride like that. It's dangerous.

What Happens When Your Kickstand Spring Fails on the Road

If your kickstand spring fails on a long trip, you don't have a lot of choices. I could swap a spring on the side of the road because I carried one, but most riders don't. And not every dealership is going to have that spring in stock when you roll in.

So what you're left with is tying your kickstand up to the frame. In our CruzTOOLS RTH3 RoadTech roadside emergency tool kit, which I highly recommend for any Harley-Davidson, you get zip ties and mechanics wire along with a whole lot of other useful tools. That's exactly what you'd use to tie the kickstand up.

Now imagine doing that for days on a cross-country trip because no dealership has the part. Every hotel, every gas stop, every water break, you've got to untie it, put the kickstand down, and then tie it all back up again before you can ride. And you'd need someone to help you hold the bike up while you did it.  That would get old fast. I can tell you that from experience.

Why Every Motor Officer Is Going to Want One

This next part doesn't apply to everyone, but as a longtime police motorcycle officer and instructor, I ride hard and I train hard. You can see it on my Street Glide. My floorboards are shaved down from dragging, and other parts of the frame show it too.

One of the parts that drags is the kickstand spring itself. When it drags, it pulls the coils apart a little bit. Over time that leads to the same problem: a kickstand that won't stay up.

I guarantee every motor officer out there knows about the kickstand spring issue. I'm going to be getting these in front of our local police motor unit and motor units around the world, because I think they're going to scoop them up quick. It's good enough for police bikes, and it's just as smart for your regular civilian Harley-Davidson.

Meet the RickRak Kickstand Keeper

The RickRak Kickstand Keeper replaces the stock OEM rubber stopper on your Harley-Davidson kickstand with a very strong magnet. And when I say strong, I mean strong.

I found that out by complete accident. I went to set the magnet down on my lift and it grabbed on so hard I could not get it off with my fingers. I couldn't even get under it. Maybe I'm a weenie, who knows, but I had to grab some pliers to pry it up. The second time, I set it down very delicately.

Here's what makes it a smart design:

• A strong magnet that holds your kickstand up against the frame, even if your spring fails
• A rubber coating so it doesn't bang and clank too loud against the frame when you put your kickstand up
• A bolt-on design with a nut and flat washer, instead of the stock rubber stopper that just presses in and that I've seen get lost a lot

Installing the RickRak Kickstand Keeper

This is one of the easiest installs you'll ever do on your Harley-Davidson. It takes about a minute, and you don't need a lift. You can do it right with the bike sitting on its kickstand. Scroll to the bottom of this article to watch the video, where I walk you through the entire install step by step.

How It Works Once It's Installed

Once the Kickstand Keeper is in, you put your kickstand up and the magnet grabs right onto the frame. I still recommend running your kickstand spring. It keeps the kickstand operating smoothly and not flopping around, and it helps hold it up too.

But if that spring ever fails, you don't have a dangling kickstand anymore. The magnet holds it up regardless, so you can keep riding and replace the spring whenever you can get to a dealership. In the meantime, you're good to go.

And even though it's a strong magnet, the leverage of the kickstand means it comes off really nice. With your foot, you'll hardly even notice it. In my opinion, it's a game changer. I don't ever have to worry about a broken kickstand spring again, and I can finally stop carrying a spare one.

More RickRak Gear and Roadside Prep

If you've been following Law Abiding Biker for a while, you know I'm a big fan of RickRak. They're a team that builds smart, simple solutions for Harley-Davidson and Indian riders. As I like to say, “Once you've had RickRak, you'll never go back.” Check out Law Abiding Biker Podcast Episode 167, where we talk about the RickRak quick detach luggage system, saddlebag safety bolts, and the Gas Kap Keeper magnet.

And if you don't carry a roadside tool kit yet, start with the CruzTOOLS RTH3 I mentioned above. You can watch my CruzTOOLS RTH3 RoadTech video here, and find out why we only carry CruzTOOLS kits and not Stockton kits in our store.

Get Your RickRak Kickstand Keeper in the Law Abiding Biker Store

The RickRak Kickstand Keeper is in stock and ready to ship in the Law Abiding Biker Store. It's an affordable, no-brainer upgrade for any Harley-Davidson rider, especially if you travel. Remember, there's free shipping on orders over $100 and no sales tax if you live outside Washington State.

If you appreciate this article and all the free videos we put out to help as many bikers as we can worldwide, please support us by shopping in the Law Abiding Biker Store. We're just a bootstrap company of bikers helping bikers, we appreciate every customer, and we'll definitely take care of you. We're not like the big corporate stores. We actually use, test, and install many of the products we carry in our store and then make helpful videos for the biker community.

Watch the Full RickRak Kickstand Keeper Install Video

Here's the full video. You'll see the accidental “this magnet is stronger than me” moment, my dragged-down floorboards and kickstand spring up close, the one-minute install, and the Kickstand Keeper in action on my Harley-Davidson Street Glide.