First time - rode off with the sidestand down

[jknappsax]

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!

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

[80gs1000e]

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!

I'm either gonna take mine off or rig it so it pops up automatically if the bike is rightened. Good ideas mate.

[jimcor]

I'm either gonna take mine off or rig it so it pops up automatically if the bike is rightened. Good ideas mate.

Wasn't the Ducati 916 rigged this way, or maybe it was the 900SS? Anyway, apparently the kickstand left the bike at an almost vertical stance and the least bit of jostling the bike around caused the stand, which was heavily sprung, to pop up, dumping that beautiful bike on the asphalt.

So would a better solution be to add a micro switch wired to the kill switch circuit? Probably no less thought or ability required than to add a retracting spring system.