Suzuki Centerstand WHY?  That's a good question--why in the world should I be doing a write-up on a centerstand as an option when it should have been standard equipment?  It's incredible to me that Suzuki would produce a street bike with chain drive and no centerstand, but they did so I'll just get over it and complete this review.  Although there are aftermarket choices available I elected to go with the OEM unit; I went online to check prices.  The folks at Cycle-Parts.com had very competitive prices and I've had good luck with them in the past, so I logged on to the site and went shopping.  I located the correct part number and ordered via their secure server.  Cost was about $143 plus shipping.  I gritted my teeth, had bad thoughts about Suzuki, and placed the order. SERVICE. Average.  These folks are usually a bit slow in shipping, but they are great with their communications and they send an email and tracking number when they ship; I appreciate that touch.  I received the stand 9 days after ordering.  It's not easy to damage such a large hunk of metal, but it arrived well-packed with all parts and installation instructions included.  INSTALLATION. Not too difficult, and could be accomplished by the average home mechanic.  The instructions were complete and relatively easy to understand.  Everything fell into place perfectly, but hooking up the retaining springs was a real bear.  Bolting up the stand and brackets only took me about 10  minutes, but getting the heavy springs into place took me longer.  At one time I owned a set of spring pliers that would have made the job simple, but they had disappeared so I had to tackle the job with pliers and a screwdriver.  15 minutes and a smashed finger later I was done.  RESULTS. Great.  the new centerstand fits well, operates smoothly and gets the rear wheel well into the air.  Moving the bike from the sidestand onto the centerstand can be done in one smooth, easy motion and sets the bike up so that maintenance such as lubing the chain is done easily.  Moving the bike off the stand is not hard; a quick forward rocking motion is all that is needed, but riders with shorter legs (under 32" inseam) might have a long stretch. Worth the money? I'm still unhappy that this item wasn't standard equipment on the V-Strom, but it is a worthwhile addition--I wouldn't do without it.