anyone had their mainstand bend/twist

[Steptoe]

Blimey, after 10 years of working on the 1200 models I'd better stop putting the bikes on their centre stands when i service them.


And best not mention i turn bikes around in a tight space by spinning them while on the centre stand..

 

[TLSgazza]

Yay. I've started a thread that's turned into an argument. Lol.
anyway I've had my gsa for 5 years and done 41.000 miles on it,
Have used the main stand all the time even when fully loaded around Europe and not had a problem before, it doesn't seem to be stiff to put down so I think it rules out lack of lube, ooer missus.
Have had it on the main with no wheels in many times as well,
Oh well. Either done by BMW or i'll buy a second hand one and fit it myself.

 

[Devil]

Blimey, after 10 years of working on the 1200 models I'd better stop putting the bikes on their centre stands when i service them.


And best not mention i turn bikes around in a tight space by spinning them while on the centre stand..

Is that not in the , "Don't let the customer see this handbook"
along with,, "were did I put the hammer"

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Is that not in the , "Don't let the customer see this handbook"
along with,, "were did I put the rubber hammer"

Fixed for accuracy because teh 12's are made of cheese........apparently

I've never heard of a stand breaking or twisting on a 1200 before

 

[alleycam]

Ah Bob................why the name change

6 months and 4000 miles, which is more than some on here

Most of my riding friends and fellow tourists here, none of them has had a wobbly or broken centre stand over the last 6 years

So I don't think it is a major 12GS/GSA flaw, that Ben de Troy is suggesting and advising against use, unless absolutely necessary

Being the proud owner of JB's fleetingly D) owned machine and having it up to 30k now I can support his view; no problems and I've had this bike on the stand at serious cargo weights too

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Afterwards, only use the centre stand for when you absolutely have to.

Sorry mate but I have to agree with JB and say that is bollox. In the US, most GS owners of all variety I've met rarely use the side stand especially when loaded as it's easier to get a fully loaded GS moving.

Bike on centre stand, jump on board, start engine, engage first gear, rock back so the back wheel touches the floor, let the clutch out at the same time and off you go. Works a treat

 

[BBB61]

Being the proud owner of JB's fleetingly D) owned machine and having it up to 30k now I can support his view; no problems and I've had this bike on the stand at serious cargo weights too

Did you ever have any problems with the bike cutting out suddenly?

 

[alleycam]

Did you ever have any problems with the bike cutting out suddenly?

Not at all! Well mannered machine that only let me down once when the battery failed crossing the US. Cutting out? Only bike that gave me problems in recent years has been a brand new FJR1300 that I wouldn't let students near due it cutting out as you enter roundabouts, enter junctions etc

 

[BBB61]

Not at all! Well mannered machine that only let me down once when the battery failed crossing the US. Cutting out? Only bike that gave me problems in recent years has been a brand new FJR1300 that I wouldn't let students near due it cutting out as you enter roundabouts, enter junctions etc

.

That's good to hear. I seem to recall JB sold it because he had a couple of instances where the bike suddenly cut out whilst he was on the move and he lost confidence in it. I'm sure he will be along to correct me if my recollection is incorrect.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

.

That's good to hear. I seem to recall JB sold it because he had a couple of instances where the bike suddenly cut out whilst he was on the move and he lost confidence in it. I'm sure he will be along to correct me if my recollection is incorrect.

You're incorrect, I sold it because I preferred riding my 1150GSA - in all honesty

There was an incident when the lights failed in heavy rain, but then came on again

On the same journey, in extremely heavy rain the bike wouldn't restart after a stop at the services, then it did after 5 mins and was ok for the rest of the weekend

All sorted under warranty, with new L/H switchgear and a part of the handlebar loom that had suffered some water ingress

No drama Bob

So why the forum name change?

 

[JayC]

Sorry mate but I have to agree with JB and say that is bollox. In the US, most GS owners of all variety I've met rarely use the side stand especially when loaded as it's easier to get a fully loaded GS moving.

Bike on centre stand, jump on board, start engine, engage first gear, rock back so the back wheel touches the floor, let the clutch out at the same time and off you go. Works a treat

Spin the bike around on the stand in confined spaces....jump on board fully loaded and rock it off the stand and go... of which none of these methods of usage would have undergone tests at the design stage...no doubt. Tell this to BMW when it fails and throw the old 'not fit for purpose' chestnut at them.


Admittedly I have done the same with bikes in the past but I have to agree, the 1200GS c/stand is crap, in my opinion. I've mentioned it before, the whole bike can 'wobble' in a radial manner, something no other bike in my history of bike ownership has ever done. I feel it is an inferior design and quite possibly made from the same chocolate ingredients as the VF750 camshafts were.

 

[TLSgazza]

Well,
BMW say they won't replace as a good will gesture because of the age and mileage of my bike, they said a mainstand won't bend and it must have been something I did, wtf
I'll be buggered if I did anything any different to any other time I've put it on the mainstand.
They were even kind enough to tell me a new one would only be about £170.00 plus labour to fit, nice of them
Oh well there's one at motoworks for about £75.00 I think.
Will get that and fit it myself.

 

[TLSgazza]

Second hand stand arrived today from the lovely chaps at motoworks.
Piece of piss to fit, 25 mins all done, for all those worried about getting the springs back on, take a look at your main stand it has a nice little gadget that loosens off the springs as you undo it, then just tighten it up after fitting the pivot bolts,
The only thing I did find was that the retaing nuts are a bit loose on the new stand but tight in my old one, this leads to believe I have a later stand which requires slightly bigger retaining nuts, I'll go to wollastons this afternoon to find out.
It only moves a few mm at the mo but I won't use the stand untill I conform if it needs the bigger nuts.
Anyway here are a few pics showing how twisted the stand is, no bends visible and no cracks in any welds that I can see.

And the new and old one side by side

 

[Bendy toy]

Mine has O rings on the pivot bolts to keep muck out so if yours are loose in the new stand, almost certainly you need different bolts. I do think there is a lot to be said for a rigidly attached bash plate on the centre stand. Though, that wont solve the bending foot lever.

 

[TLSgazza]

Mine has O rings on the pivot bolts to keep muck out so if yours are loose in the new stand, almost certainly you need different bolts. I do think there is a lot to be said for a rigidly attached bash plate on the centre stand. Though, that wont solve the bending foot lever.

I've ordered new O rings today to see if it helps, wollaston's say all the retaining nuts are all the same size but my nuts were definately looser in the new stand. We'll see when they arrive.