First time - rode off with the sidestand down

[ThreeTimer]

I swear this is the first time I ever did this. The weather here in Western Mass has been unseasonably warm. Yesterday afternoon was fifty-something, so I drag the old girl out of the garage, give her full choke, and warm her up. A friend stops by to chat at that moment, so I blah blah blah for awhile. Time's up, so I don gear, restart, and ride up the driveway. At the end, I turn left and crrrrrch - WTF? Forgot to put up the sidestand! I'm cool, flick it up and ride off like nothing happened.

Sheesh. That moment stuck with me for awhile.

3xer

 

[NATEO]

done that on several occasions! it hasnt bit me yet, but I gotta stay sharp, cause one time, Im bound to really try to lean it over and miss the turn...

 

[80gs1000e]

Make sure it stays with you....

I went down for the first time ever this year because I left the sidestand down like a dumbass. Broken arm, ribs, passenger w/broken arm.

You got away with one.

 

[Jethro]

Yes, that can cause a nasty fall! The FZ won't run in gear with the sidestand down. Thanksfully, becasue I have done the exact same thing on more than one occasion.

 

[Road_Clam]

I swear this is the first time I ever did this. The weather here in Western Mass has been unseasonably warm. Yesterday afternoon was fifty-something, so I drag the old girl out of the garage, give her full choke, and warm her up. A friend stops by to chat at that moment, so I blah blah blah for awhile. Time's up, so I don gear, restart, and ride up the driveway. At the end, I turn left and crrrrrch - WTF? Forgot to put up the sidestand! I'm cool, flick it up and ride off like nothing happened.

Sheesh. That moment stuck with me for awhile.

3xer

Most bikes have some type of a "warning" system with respect to a down sidestand. My 1100E has a red sidestand indicator lamp that is lit when the sidestand is down. Newer bikes have a safety system that stalls the engine as soon as you let out the clutch. I have almost done the same thing a few times, everyone does it.

 

[max]

That seems to happen a lot more in the early mornings to me than at other times. I usually go through a checklist before I take off, but yeah sometimes I forget.

Never had to pay for it though. Knock on wood.

 

[KGB]

Both my bikes shut down when the sidestand is down and a gear is engaged.

 

[Baatfam]

Shoot...I've done that on the dragbike more than once...
Don't know until I go to turn off the track....:-D

Bob T.

 

[speedzter2000]

I did the same thing once...on my little 125...sitting at a light, and my big honkin' feet somehow pushed the side stand down just a wee bit...let out the clutch, bike stalls....pushed the bike off the road, and couldnt figure it..then..the side-stand..! Duh! Last time I did it...(knockin head on wood)
I now have a routine that I go through...get on bike, turn on key, kick up side stand, start bike...

 

[froldt]

Most bikes have some type of a "warning" system with respect to a down sidestand. My 1100E has a red sidestand indicator lamp that is lit when the sidestand is down. Newer bikes have a safety system that stalls the engine as soon as you let out the clutch. I have almost done the same thing a few times, everyone does it.

My '82 750T has a warning light for when the sidestand is down. Still, though, I believe I've pulled out with the stand still down, till I glanced down and saw the light. I KNOW I've duck-walked it around the driveway and left it down. Argh!

 

[Road_Clam]

Both my bikes shut down when the sidestand is down and a gear is engaged.

Your bike shutting down has nothing to do with the sidestand being down. You need to just give it a little more gas when you let the clutch out. (You throttle a bike like a scared chick)

 

[JMHJ]

I've done that twice: once on my current, and once on my previous bike. Both have the red light on when the stand's down. Thankfully, no harm was done.

My 1st Suzuki was newer than these last two, and it would die if you put it in gear with the stand down. It also wouldn't start in gear with it down. The guy I sold it to had a real time trying to get it started once, and took apart I don't know how much stuff looking for the "problem." Turned out he was trying to start it in gear with the stand down. It pays sometimes to read the directions.

 

[fatkid89704]

my old yamaha will kill the engine if you put it in gear with the kickstand down.

 

[rkubik]

and now..

and now..

you have to watch out for the similar problem of stepping OFF a stopped bike with the sidestand still UP. That's embarassing, although not usually as damaging.

 

[steve-lloyd]

The sidestand on my 85 GS450 springs back up as soon as you pick the bike upright. The trouble is my CX500 Honda doesn't and I have forgotten twice, luckily with no injury or damage.
My solution was to remove the sidestand! Don't really trust them anyway, at least the bike can't fall over on the centre stand!

 

[jknappsax]

I think everyone has done this at least once!

I think everyone has done this at least once!

My '78 GS 750 has no indicator light, no clutch interlock, nothing. I've done it once, and check it when I start moving to help insure I don't kill myself. A friend of mine in HS borrowed a bike from another friend, who didn't inform him that sometimes the side stand fell down on its own. Well, it did, he dug in a turn, got thrown over the bars about 40 feet, and got REALLY busted up. I just got a '79 GS 1000, and didn't know about the clutch interlock, which puzzled me for a minute. THe weird thing is, if the kill switch is activated, you hear a relay click, which sounded so much like something arcing across it nade me wonder if the bike had an electrical problem. I've heard on some bikes where the bike dies if the kickstand isn't up, (or the switch goes intermittent and dies while accelerating from switch bounce) it can be a real bear to figure out. It's one to keep in mind.

 

[jimcor]

The Kawasaki Concours has a kickstand with a safety switch. Unfortunately it is also one of the bikes that has problems because of this switch so many guys wire around it. If you ever look at a used Connie check to see if this feature is still functional. And for heaven sakes don't forget to put down the stand. Those saddlebags retail for close to $800 each! Fairing panels are priced equally high.

 

[Big Si]

'79 GS 850 has nothing on the side or centre stand, takes a while to get used to. The classics... driving off after filling with petrol, and once after a visit to the shops. Fortunatelly the side stand scrapes along the ground rather than digging in, and that is enough to remnd me to kick it back up.

On the plus side with the bike on the centre stand I can run up and down the gears listening for problems, with the back wheel spinning in space.

Big Si

 

[80sGSfan]

Ha!

Ha!

you have to watch out for the similar problem of stepping OFF a stopped bike with the sidestand still UP. That's embarassing, although not usually as damaging.

I must admit...I've done that at the gas station once on my 1100. My Dad always told me: "there's two types of bike owners...the one's that have dropped their bikes and the ones that haven't yet":?
Until a few weeks ago I was part of the 2nd group and confident that I would never drop 'em. Then I get off the bike thinking the stand is down, look over and there she is on her side! :shock:
That sucked!

My 850 doesn't have a stand indicator, but the 1100 does. I've taken off once on the 850 with the side stand down, but fortunately noticed it before getting too far!

 

[oldschoolorange]

I am ocasionaly called kickstand by several friends because I did this once, Came out of a gas station and my 2 friends just cranked on the gas. I decided to give them a head start, I opened my bike up and passed them in excess of 170 kph, I look back and they are flashing their lights. I was confused and slowed down and the told me wy side stand was down. I got really lucky on that one