'Pogo stick' center stand

[Brandis]

Is yours smooth shaft or toothed shaft?   My pogo stand was still in use right up to the end, because I found it up on it's stand which was totally rusted in place.  So they got 12K miles use out of it.
Also, I thought that the early A7s all had standard speedo in gas tank. Mine is#280 and the speedo is on a dubious looking bracket up on the forks. 
Of course it also has brake lights which the US DOT required for import. I think that was before it was required in the UK.  The DOT might have had something to do with speedo placement.  I'm just wild guessing here. 
I'm waiting for a rewound magneto and 3 head bolts, and I should be ready to give her a kick.

[Sakura]

One of the A7's was missing its centre stand but I believe both were of the toothed variety. Contemporary road tests don't seem to mention any other sort and I don't see how a spring alone could work, how could you retract it? Stop lights were a requirement in the UK before WW2 but seemed to have been ignored by many manufacturers. Vincent being a notable exception. Early A7's had the Speedo in the tank, along with other models in the range but by 1949, or earlier, the Speedo was mounted on the top yoke. I'm not an expert though so someone else has probably got more exact information.

[Brandis]

So on mine there is a smooth shaft with a smooth cam with a small spring.  The considerable spring on the shaft, in theory, locks the cam in place.  Given the strength of the spring, it must have been a chore to retract.  Someone on the forum sent me an old magazine article saying that this design was the reason for the 'Pogo Stick' nickname, having caused numerous wrecks, and was improved after 200 units.  Not hard to imagine why.

I have cut my side stand between the clamp and the pivot and am rewelding as an offset to get around the pipe.  We'll see.

[Sakura]

I have read a first report which gives a brief description of how the first stands worked. You dropped the stand down, with your foot, against the spring, with the ratchet stopping it returning. Lifting the back end  brought the rear wheel off the ground. Releasing the ratchet allowed the stand to return. What could go wrong !!

[Brandis]

That is certainly not the way #280 worked.  And it's easy to see why they paused production at #300 and changed to what you describe.  Mine has a VERY strong spring load forcing the stand down. (I'll send you a photo of the spring if you want.)  You lock the primitive cam against the smooth shaft.  (see photo in first post).  Then, to raise, you release the cam and try to lift the stand against the spring with your foot and re-lock it while keeping the bike upright.  Then you ride down the road, and the first bump you hit releases the cam on the smooth shaft and you have the famous 'Pogo stick' effect while in motion.  I know none of you believe me when I describe it like this but I have done it and it's unbelievably difficult and stupid.  Swear to God !!
So the ratchet and toothed shaft must have happened after #300. 

Hard to imagine some guy in New England rode this bike for 12k miles with this system and no side stand.  I found it intact.