Side stand cutout delete

[MacJ]

<<And for those who think this 'safety device' is needed, please consider this: I'm 61 years old, and have been riding bikes since I was about 12 years old. Bikes didn't have 'safety' things like sidestand and clutch lever cutouts.>>
Really? And you still don't understand the relationship between the sidestand cut out, Clutch lever micro switch, gear box and starter button? I think you've been very lucky to survive this long.

 

[botus]

what age bike ?

there was an i-level update in mid 2008 that re thought the side stand safety logic

that said my 57 plate that was updated with that iteration 10 years late - so "that fix" plus all the other bugs on trip computer errors, TPMS that forgets stuff, and all the engine bugs didn't cure much with the side stand in my mind

at times it does seem to just lose the plot - and stalling mid ride often results in a recalcitrant restart procedure, but when you wobble to a stop and re try it does what it was meant to, leaving you wondering why you could get it to behave... (maybe its just caused nudging the stand as you wobble about and put a foot down in a hurry?)

all of which is not helped with ethanol trash fuel - that has less power and runs less well

 

[jacksdad63]

Don’t put the side stand down, and it’ll start in gear with the clutch pulled in …, you said you’re 61 with many years of riding and don’t need such things .. ., so why are you putting your side stand down after stalling at the traffic lights ?

I stalled the bike and was struggling to find neutral, so I put the stand down rather than trying to balance, whilst sliding backwards everytime I pulled in the clutch lever. I want to be able to get on the bike, lift the stand, pull in the clutch if its in gear, start up and ride off....I cannot do this as stated, the engine won't start unless its in neutral
Sounds like the clutch switch isn't working from the replies, can I just bypass it, like on a japanese bike?

 

[jacksdad63]

<<And for those who think this 'safety device' is needed, please consider this: I'm 61 years old, and have been riding bikes since I was about 12 years old. Bikes didn't have 'safety' things like sidestand and clutch lever cutouts.>>
Really? And you still don't understand the relationship between the sidestand cut out, Clutch lever micro switch, gear box and starter button? I think you've been very lucky to survive this long.

For the first 30 years/half a million miles, bikes didn't have any such junk getting in the way and failing. Just common sense is what I needed to lift the stand before I set off, from years of experience

 

[jacksdad63]

Fixed.
I had a look at the clutch cutout, I could hear it clicking, but i noticed the connector/microswitch was really loose in the lever housing. I cut the wires and joined them together...nothing. Tested the now removed switch with a meter....working. Very odd!
I kept trying, in gear, stand up, stand down, neutral, nothing except start in neutral only. Then as I kept pressing the starter, it just fired up! HOW?
Now its atrting in gear, stand up, sidestand cutout still fitted and working. I can only assume the clutch microswitch was loose, and not connecting: but why was it 'clicking' when the lever was released? Very odd, but now its possible to start in gear, I will try to continue to remember not to start it without pulling in the lever, until I replace the switch

 

[jacksdad63]

Just had a search for a new switch, then found a post on Adventure Rider, titled, Clutch switch adjustment (no start in gear)....expalins exactly what my issue was!

 

[jacksdad63]

I've now found out that the cutout switch needs to be adjusted 'just right' so that it switches before the clutch fluid pressurises. The grub screw that holds/adjusts the switch was still in place, just hadn't touched the contact plate on the switch, instead had pushed past the entire switch, obviously someone has tried to fix the fault before me... Lots of handy posts on youTube

 

[er-minio]

I want to be able to get on the bike, lift the stand, pull in the clutch if its in gear, start up and ride off....I cannot do this as stated, the engine won't start unless its in neutral

You can, by design.
Just fix your switch. No need to modify anything.

 

[jacksdad63]

I'm going to re-fit the switch and set it up properly, pretty sure I've found the answer: Needs adjusting once fitted, it appears that someone has been tinkering with the switch.
The switch sits on a pivot, you then rotate the switch on this pivot, then lock in place with the 2mm hex head grubscrew, making sure the small steel disc stays located in the switch body

 

[jacksdad63]

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/pictorial-r1200gs-clutch-switch-adjustment-no-start-in-gear.376181/#:~:text=Once%20the%20setscrew%20is%20loosened%2C%20just%20twist%20the,the%20clutch%20lever%20housing%2C%20seen%20from%20the%20inside.

 

[Headtester]

Thanks for sharing the solution.

 

[jacksdad63]

Had to dig deep to find out about this bloody switch and setting it properly! I've cleaned and oiled the microswitch, and refitted it: Of course, it didn't work. I just loosened the 2mm locking grub screw, moved it about 3mm on the pivot pin, and tightened back up, now works as it should.
The post suggests listening to the front brake microswitch, to get an idea of the sound it should make...my GS hasn't got a brake switch. Must have a pressure switch in the ABS system instead, as the brake light comes on! All sorted now, hopefully its a bright sunny day tomorrow so I can go out and ride for a bit

 

[theoneandonly]

lets sharpen some minds . ( i'll shorten the story )

15 years ago , i told someone how to bypass their switch , they did and all was well.....and he ordered a new one .
bumped into a friend of his who asked , if i had spoken with the Police ?
when i got back to work ,Police called and questioned me over the phone !
thankfully i had worked on the bike 6 months before , ie not last week.
it seems he had been riding it for 5 months with it u/s despite having the new switch.
so.... he parks in a layby , b4 a rh bend ... leaves layby , heads to next lh bend ... sidestand hits deck, does not fold up , bike straightens up ...into an oncoming Land Rover . kills him dead.

some months later , a handwritten letter comes to me at work....from his widow ( and 3 kids) begging me never to give that advice again.

i still have it and read it now and again .

the force of the crash was enough , to rip the headstock and forks clean off the bike .

so yeah , go delete your s/stand switch.

what flowers would you like us to buy you ?

 

[botus]

a horrible story - but blame should go to the manu - just because some silly legislation brought a fallible solution to the masses, common sense and good vehicle design has no right to be forgotten / thrown in a skip

plenty of bikes had a design that would fold with little provocation (when forgotten), and without the super irritating unreliable method mentioned, that Honda had stupidly dreamt up

as for the letter - you should have discarded it long ago and not felt bad about the situation - its a bit like durov and whether toyota CEO should be had up for sponsoring terrorism, as their vehicles are used across the world for many unpleasant activities

as for the clutch switch, the idea is to ensure the clutch is "lifted" before the starter engages and thus can't move the vehicle (so to say) uncommanded