Lowered chassis and side stand issues

[vtr1000sp1]

Hello all,

My lady has a lowered chassis F650GS twin and is getting a bit hacked off with the side stand. It appears that the stand is too long and in order to put it down you really have t lean it to the right. This causes a number of issues

1. It’s pretty uncomfortable and risky for a short rider (5’2) with limited upper body strength to lean the bike over to the left to put the stand down. To be fair I struggle with it to and I’m just shy of 6 foot – not with the weight but more the faff of trying to extend the stand!
2. Once down, the bike looks like it is pretty much vertical and at 90 degrees to the grout i.e. it’s not ‘leaning’ on the stand. It looks like a mere gust of wind could blow it over!

I know you can’t fit the standard centre stand to a lowered F650GS, but it appear that BMW haven’t thought about the side stand.

Does anyone else with a lowered F650 suffer with the same problem? If so how have you cured the problem? Could it be that the bike as a ‘non-lowered’ stand on it?

Cheers
Phil

 

[Tim Cullis]

I'm guessing that (1) above should read "trying to lean the bike over to the right to put the stand down."

This is a problem even with the standard bike, more discussion here. In post #61 on that thread I wrote,

I've just been comparing the F650GS and the R1200GSA with both bikes on centre stand to make measuring easy. The closest the GSA stand comes to the ground is 120mm at which stage it's in the 'locked down' position.

The F650GS stand sweeps down to 100mm from the ground, but then keeps going and at the 'locked down' position is 135mm from the ground. The 35mm is what causes the excess lean. The lean is so bad that when heavily loaded the bike can fall over

And when you are offroad the beast falls over (partly due to the lean, partly due to the not-fit-for-purpose tiny stand footprint), but if you find somewhere that's a bit higher on the lefthand side so it won't lean so much, you can't sweep the stand round without fouling the ground.

With your lowered suspension the lean to the left isn't a problem, but the 'sweeping' of the stand is much more of a problem.

Tim

 

[Silversurfer]

Lowered chassis & side stand issues

Hi There,

If you look at the top of the side stand you will see that it has a "stop" to allow it to lock in a forward position. If you gently grind a couple of millimetres off the "stop" it will allow the side stand to go further forward thus putting more of a lean on the bike which will make it more secure. Do not be too aggressive with the grinder as a millimetre off at the top of the stand will have the same effect as a number of millimetres off the bottom.
Sorry can't help you with the issue of actually getting it onto the stand - I have a similar problem with my F800GS and a pair of short legs.

 

[Dave Ett]

You can cut an inch or so off the leg and weld a bigger foot onto the bottom.

 

[rce]

The lowered version has quite a big foot compared to the standard version. If the foot is small it could be the standard length sidestand.

I test rode the lowered one (dealer mucked up with booking ride) and no problems with sidestand, my standard height has a bolt on large foot which also makes the stand fractionally longer, not too many problems getting stand down though.

 

[Beth]

I'm 4'11" and just recently on a lowered chassis F650 twin. We've wound the suspension off a little and yes the sidestand can 'catch' slightly. You do get the 'knack' though.

I'd be wary of 'shortening' anything (increasing the stationary lean) as I find the bike pretty hefty to stand up whenever I'm setting off (no foot leverage)! Obviously your wife's 3" taller so perhaps it's less of an issue, I'd consider it carefully though

 

[GEm]

I have the same problem with the lowered bike and the side stand. As with the screen the engineers at BMW have just not thought it through. I am tempted to say that the F650 adjustments were done by a teenager on work experience who had never ridden a bike given the target market for it (us littler folk).

So

1) Sidestand which is too long and at the wrong angle meaning you are in danger of dropping the bike to the right every time you try and kick it down (and of course push it up for take off!)

2) A windshield carefully angled to throw wind, rain, muck and insects directly onto your visor and buffet you at any speed

3) Exhaust pipe formation so that the panniers are both pretty useless in terms of getting anything more than a can of hairspray in - why not offer the touratech style luggage for the adventure as options for the F650?

Back to the question..... yes I have a problem - usually major problem if the road slopes away to the right. I guess you just learn to be careful where you stop if you are going to use the stand.

It doesn't fall over btw - mine has been on the eurotunnel train at that "rakish" angle and stays upright. Mind you it never looks like it will!

 

[SERVDAVE]

I have the same problem with the lowered bike and the side stand. As with the screen the engineers at BMW have just not thought it through. I am tempted to say that the F650 adjustments were done by a teenager on work experience who had never ridden a bike given the target market for it (us littler folk).

So

1) Sidestand which is too long and at the wrong angle meaning you are in danger of dropping the bike to the right every time you try and kick it down (and of course push it up for take off!)

2) A windshield carefully angled to throw wind, rain, muck and insects directly onto your visor and buffet you at any speed

3) Exhaust pipe formation so that the panniers are both pretty useless in
terms of getting anything more than a can of hairspray in - why not offer the touratech style luggage for the adventure as options for the F650?

Back to the question..... yes I have a problem - usually major problem if the road slopes away to the right. I guess you just learn to be careful where you stop if you are going to use the stand.

It doesn't fall over btw - mine has been on the eurotunnel train at that "rakish" angle and stays upright. Mind you it never looks like it will!

Just a little side note, the adventure panniers for the 800gs do fit the 650.

I also think its unfair to moan about the windsheild. Every bike I've brought had a crap screen as standard!

 

[GEm]

I know they do NOW. But when I bought the bike I was told that the BMW standard panniers were the luggage. Now I'd have to have that rack removed and a new one fitted to take different luggage.

Don't agree about the screen - the adventure comes with one that works fine. I've never ridden a bike before where it deliberately channelled the wind straight at your face. It's not just the size it's the angle that it's at. I think I have finally got one from Nippy that is upright and will do the trick. The BMW higher one was equally carp as the mini -one that was fitted on delivery.

I'll accept carp screens and stuff if I am paying peanuts - but BMW are supposed to be quality in return for the premium price. I wouldn't buy a designer dress and expect to have to replace the zip because it didn't work!

Sorry but this really is my hot button. BMW seem to have premium pricing without the quality that goes with it. Had several recalls for what I consider not inconsiderable things on the bike, had a helmet that had a recall for a visor that didn't close on a system 6 (NONE of which I received any notice of - some were done on service and others when I complained). Hardly what you expect of a premium product with a price to match.

 

[Beth]

..........

Sorry but this really is my hot button. BMW seem to have premium pricing without the quality that goes with it.........

I cannot help laughing, why on earth buy the 'brand' then? Personally I think the little 650 is a beautiful piece of engineering, I absolutely love it, just the same as I love the better half's GSA. All credit to BMW for offering a factory lowered chassis on a range of models (no other manufacturer springs to mind).
I ride a Ducati 696 and an RVF400 (Honda) as well as the GS, all the bikes have their little indiosyncrasies. None of them have as many idiosyncrasies as most of the riders I meet (myself included of course)

Thanks SERVDAVE for the luggage tip, I'm just looking

 

[GEm]

Beth

I bought the brand because my OH raved about it, I bought it before I passed my test (so hadn't had a test ride). The experience hasn't been all bad overall I do like my bike. It's just that I don't think that they necessarily think things through. I had a holiday ruined by the visor not closing as we ended up having to do straight motorways as I had to ride almost blind and with my hair soaking wet where the rain came in (this was the first time I'd worn the new helmet in the rain). Yes they fixed it immediately I complained but told me they knew about the fault - so why didn't they phone me and tell me (they know our number as we've had three bikes off them and loads of kit)?

The bike was supplied without the power socket working - and took two returns to the dealer to get that fixed.

The same with the fault on the petrol tank where it ran out of petrol telling you it was full. I am fairly fussy and fill up every 150 miles so didn't have a problem but as a new rider out on my own running out of petrol would have been a fairly bad experience. When it went in for service i had asked them how long - a couple of hours (it's a 150 mile round trip so I took my book). Turned out that because they had to do the petrol thing and various other fault fixes it was 6 hours. Dealers is in the middle of nowhere so you either arrange a lift to leave the bike there or you wait! I was hungry and fed up - then had to go back after I left as they hadn't reset the computer or reconected the autocom (the lack of music gave that away).

I am sure that other bike makes have their issues and problems but if BMW are offering a premium product at a premium price that means I expect to get attention to detail (as I do if I pay £300 for a dress rather than £30 in the High St).

I don't therefore pay up and shut up about the problems - I complain. If you don't complain then they don't change. I notice the chain threads on here how much complaining has had to be done before BMW address a safety feature.

If you are happy to pay the premium and put up with the faults then that's your choice.

 

[SERVDAVE]

I cannot help laughing, why on earth buy the 'brand' then? Personally I think the little 650 is a beautiful piece of engineering, I absolutely love it, just the same as I love the better half's GSA. All credit to BMW for offering a factory lowered chassis on a range of models (no other manufacturer springs to mind).
I ride a Ducati 696 and an RVF400 (Honda) as well as the GS, all the bikes have their little indiosyncrasies. None of them have as many idiosyncrasies as most of the riders I meet (myself included of course)

Thanks SERVDAVE for the luggage tip, I'm just looking

Glad to help! Nice to hear someone else is happy with there 650gs.

I think the panniers are around £800, depending on what dealer you go to they might say it won't fit, but I've seen loads with them, and all the fittings are the same.

Hope that helps!

 

[Beth]

........ I had a holiday ruined ......... with my hair soaking wet where the rain came in ..........

Yes, that is terrible, I'd certainly be onto BMW about any hairstyling faults

(just kidding btw, no offence intended)

 

[GUNNER1]

Back to lifting off the sidestand...if you turn the handlebars to the right,so the wheel is pointing to the right, you will find the bike is easier to lift off the stand

 

[Beth]

Back to lifting off the sidestand...........

Phew!

Yes, I do that, it's a genuinely useful tip, thank you

I daresay I'll be working on various other useful 'tips' for a fair while to come