R1100GS Side Stand Switch Operation?

Whilst recently buggering about in Switzerland myself and a mate rode up a tiny track from grindelwald up the base of the Eiger. We missed the 'road closed' sign and were turned back some way up by a bemused local and his goats. Stopped a few corners from there on descent to take a photo and my bike wouldnt start. It was a long way back and thankfully noticed the switch for the side stand was dislodged so manually turned it, tucked it out the way and the bike started

Thought ill fix that when i get home, and carried on our trip. Utter fool that I am, several times in the following few days I took off with the side stand still deployed, now that the bike thinks its up so allows the engine to start. Once was right at the top of the grimsel pass and had a rather dodgy skittering about before regaining control and stopping to pop the stand up. Jon was following me and had noticed immediately, I think his underpants were almost as soiled as mine were.

Ive seen posts from 1150 owners having the bike start still resting on the side stand - was the 1100 different in design?

Needless to say ill be reinstating the switch so I cant start the bike with the side stand down any more

Yes, the 1150 is different to the 850 and 1100. On the 1150 the bike can be started with the side stand down, but the engine cuts out if you engage first gear with the stand down. It's much better that way. I ended up wiring round the switch on my old 850. When I start the bike I have to ride it up my drive, park, then walk back down the drive to close the garage door. With the 850 I had to stop the engine then restart it which is a pain and not great for the battery.

cheers jon. the 1150 system definitely sounds better, though i suspect its not something that could be retrofitted.

gog said:

cheers jon. the 1150 system definitely sounds better, though i suspect its not something that could be retrofitted.

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have a look on bmwsporttouring.com I'm pretty certain they had a wiring fix that converted the 1100 to the 1150 method, I think the original method on the RT's and RS's was a reaction to yanks starting the engine and walking away, leaving the fairings to cook and burst into flame

aye i've since seen the wiring mod - looks easy enough. will have a go at it at some point cheers

disabled on both 1100 and my ktm 990 dont own a single bike with side stand cut out as was never fitted to laverda or harley.

Just a thought could you just not remember not to drive away with the side stand down, I mean we were doing it that way for nearly 100 years or so before they were fitted to almost every bike, the world seem to mange just fine without, its really not rocket science!!!!

you have a point richard, my older bikes have not had this safety feature and that was rarely a problem. however we get used to having them on newer machines and this makes it easier to 'forget' when they're not working. it's a cop-out i agree but if for the sake of a quick fix i don't end up hurtling down the steep side of an alp, my own fault or not, i'm all for it

bowser said:

disabled on both 1100 and my ktm 990 dont own a single bike with side stand cut out as was never fitted to laverda or harley.

Just a thought could you just not remember not to drive away with the side stand down, I mean we were doing it that way for nearly 100 years or so before they were fitted to almost every bike, the world seem to mange just fine without, its really not rocket science!!!!

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actually as someone who remembers too much of those 100 years what regularly happened was people would ride away with the sidestand down and on the first bend either catch it and wobble or catch it and crash! why do you think the bike manufacturers spent so much time and money trying such things as autoretracting side stands and rubber buffers before settling on cut out switches? anyone who is stupid enough to disable a valuable safety device is probably stupid enough to ride away with the stand down!

kennyc said:

actually as someone who remembers too much of those 100 years what regularly happened was people would ride away with the sidestand down and on the first bend either catch it and wobble or catch it and crash! why do you think the bike manufacturers spent so much time and money trying such things as autoretracting side stands and rubber buffers before settling on cut out switches? anyone who is stupid enough to disable a valuable safety device is probably stupid enough to ride away with the stand down!

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Its not a saftey device, its nanny state health and safety shite. If I were stupid enough to pull away with my side stand down then its because I deserve to for being stupid, its another example of artificially keeping alive people who should have been selected by Darwinian theory for removal from the gene pool. If its dangerous take care, if you take care you will be fine if you are not fine then its your own damn fault and you should probably not be doing it in the first place, because you take insufficient care. ;-)

bowser said:

Its not a saftey device, its nanny state health and safety shite. If I were stupid enough to pull away with my side stand down then its because I deserve to for being stupid, its another example of artificially keeping alive people who should have been selected by Darwinian theory for removal from the gene pool. If its dangerous take care, if you take care you will be fine if you are not fine then its your own damn fault and you should probably not be doing it in the first place, because you take insufficient care. ;-)

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Yes, Bowser, and so is ABS, lights, a horn, brakes and all that other shite.

However, if you wish to upgrade the sidestand switch on your bike to work like 1150 or 1200, here is how to do it:

In order to fit a relay to enable bike engine to Start & stay running on sidestand, but cut out if the bike is put into gear, the following modifications are needed:
This description is for and 1100RT, but everything is near enough identical to your bike.
A Siemens relay, Single pole normally open. (526)-V23134-K52-X181 BMW 6136 1389 105
( From Breakers, get a yellow “Load relief” relay, base & wiring connectors.)
This relay has a diode in series with terminal 87b, and a consequence, cannot back feed anything else.
Start with bike on main stand, remove seat & rear wheel.
The fusebox & relay plastic box is split into two halves, secured together by 4 self tapping screws installed from above. Only 2 are readily accessable, so remove these, take out the 2 off 6mm screws ( 1 each side) & press fusebox assembly down slightly. This will give angled access to the other 2 screws. Remove these, & the base of the fusebox assembly bottom cover may be wriggled downwards and off.
All neccessary wiring is now accessable.
Modifications as follows:
Relay & mounting block fit into unused relay base area in under seat relay box.
The relay base is installed from underneath, pressing it up onto the existing spare bracket.

On drawing, the following information is useful:
30 = Battery 12v, always at 12v. (Usually Red Wire)
31 = 0v. (Usually Brown Wire)
15 = 12v on with Ignition (Usually Green/White Wire)

Before installing the relay base unit, the following 4 “tails” are left hanging out of the relay base.

The tails are approx. 200mm long and may be trimmed later as required.
From terminal 30 : Green/White. (15)
From Terminal 85 : Green/black wire.
From Terminal 86b: Brown/Black wire.
From Terminal 87 : Green/Red.

Relay to be fitted as follows:
Coil Connections:
85 Link on to the Green/Black wire going to Fuse 1.
86b Link on to any of the Brown/Black wires going on to terminal 86a of the starter relay.
Contact connections.
30 Link on to the lighter of the two Green/White wires going to terminal 86 of the Motronic relay. (There are 2 Green/White wires going to this relay. Be sure to pick the smaller diameter one.)
87 (The awkward one) Link on to the Green/Red wire from the sidestand switch. (You have to push wire out through grommet to sidestand wiring connection)
Replace the original loom tywrap with a new one clipping the additional wire to the loom.
Now you have to put the base back onto the fusebox. Allow plenty of time for this operation.

Best wishes Myke

bowser said:

Its not a saftey device, its nanny state health and safety shite. If I were stupid enough to pull away with my side stand down then its because I deserve to for being stupid, its another example of artificially keeping alive people who should have been selected by Darwinian theory for removal from the gene pool. If its dangerous take care, if you take care you will be fine if you are not fine then its your own damn fault and you should probably not be doing it in the first place, because you take insufficient care. ;-)

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you really are an ass. I hope no one actually follows your advice, I guess you don't wear a helmet either ?

No Kenny i can't believe that bowser would be serious in his post about stupidity. But I wonder if he voted "Leave"....?