Oxford - Premium Rear Paddock Stand
Pros
- Instills confidence
- Extremely well built
- Big chunky wheels
- Handles most bikes
Cons
- Probably overkill for middle weight bikes
- Lift height slightly lower than the Oxford big black stand
The Oxford Premium rear paddock stand is the famous motorcycle accessory company’s top of the range offering which I purchased as a replacement for the Oxford Big Black Bike stand.
The Big Black Bike stand has served me well the last few years but I never really had full confidence in it when raising the Triumph Bobber up as it’s not exactly a light bike.
Here’s how I found the Oxford Premium paddock stand and also seeing as I now have both in the shed, how it compares to its predecessor, the Big Black Bike paddock stand.
What’s in the Box
The actual stand arrives in 3 parts but is quick and easy to put together. The tubing is 38mm and feels substantially thicker than my previous stand even though it’s only 6mm bigger. The Big Black Bike Stand like most others on there market is 32mm.
As you can see in the image above it comes complete with bobbin hooks, swing arm pads for those without bobbins and easy to follow instructions. A nice surprise was also finding a set of Oxford clean grips in the box.
The idea of these is that if you have your bike on a paddock stand you are almost definitely working on it so Oxford have thrown a pair in the box.
You simply attach the clean grips over your own to keep them nice and clean.
They have enough grip that you can still use your throttle while doing maintenance without removing them.
They also fasten with velcro and can be cleaned with a wipe so should last a while.
Using The Oxford Premium Paddock Stand
Using the Oxford Premium paddock stand is definitely a little easier than your average stand but that’s not where it really out performs its rivals.
Where it really differs is in the confidence you have in the Premium at the crucial part of the lift. At no point are you holding your breath or as I’ve found myself doing a few times with my previous paddock stand, saying a little prayer at the point of no return.
Whether it’s those heavy duty clamps that come with most Oxford paddock stands, the additional length or those strengthening struts that removes any chance of twisting I’m not sure.
It’s probably a bit of all of the above coupled together with the extra thick tubing. It just makes the actual lifting and lowering a pleasure.
I use an XL Tech 300110 drain oil jerry can which you can see under the Bobber in the side shot photo above. It measures 12cm (just under 5 inch) thick and it fits under the bike with plenty of room for me to get the ratchet in to take out the drain plug when on the Premium rear paddock stand.
Note that if you do an oil change on a Triumph Bobber when on a rear paddock stand you will have to drop it down to finish draining the oil unless you have the front end lifted up as well as the rear.
Oxford Premium Paddock Stand V Big Black Bike Paddock Stand
The biggest difference between the Premium and the Big Black Bike paddock stand is that it is considerably heavier and just feels much more solid.
Other subtle differences include:
- Width – the Premium rear paddock stand is 3cm (just over 1 inch) wider than the Big Black Bike stand
- It is also slightly longer making the lift that little bit easier.
- The Oxford Premium has nylon wheels which feel much tougher than the Big Bike stand
- While they both have struts to try and prevent the twisting that can occur when lifting a bike from its side stand, the Premium struts are much more substantial
- Surprisingly, the Big Black Bike stand lifts your bike slightly higher than the Oxford Premium
Summary
If you are the proud owner of a heavy motorcycle then upgrading to the Oxford Premium paddock stand is definitely worth your serious consideration, especially if your ride doesn’t have a centre stand.
If on the other hand you have a light to medium weight bike and your current paddock stand handles it without a problem then I would recommend you save your money until you need a new stand before upgrading.
For anyone looking for advice on buying their first paddock stand I would suggest you purchase the Premium regardless of the weight of your bike. While the Premium rear paddock stand is overkill for something like the Yamaha MT07, at some point you may well be trading in your mid weight for a heavy weight bike.