Side stand play - how much is too much?

[Time Traveller]

As a relative new owner, with 26000 mile old 2009 GS, I am not sure how much play should be in the prop/side stand...how are other's bikes?

I reckon there's about 20mm of movement at the end (but this is against the spring, so nothing flopping about in normal use).

Ta muchly.

 

[Time Traveller]

Someone must know something

 

[Captain Black]

Someone must know something

Can you look at another bike and compare ?

 

[degsey]

Same here maybe a bit more

 

[Farmer Palmer]

Same here..........Maybe a bit more+1

10k miles

 

[STUBBS]

cant say in the 40 years of bike riding ive ever felt the need to measure the side stand play, knew I was doing something wrong

 

[Poley]

I once had a GS* that had so much sidestand play you had to prop it on a raised kerb, like you did with pushbike pedals when you were a kid.

*Ok, so it was a Suzuki GS400...

 

[Bendy toy]

If the stand clevis is too tight the stand won't swing smoothly. 20mm at the foot end could be less than 1mm at the clevis end. If it's a big worry fit a shim washer or two.

 

[morty]

i would say thats normal,its easy to take apart and check.2008 has 1 bush in 2 halves(looks like phosphor bronze) and a pin & circlip.easy to tell if its well worn & replace.can't remember when pin changed,some screw out earlier models drive out after removing securing pin.

 

[Time Traveller]

Ta.

It's certainly the biggest wobble of any bike I've owned. And boy it leans at a rediculous angle on the prop stand...I guess that's what they call "character".

But I took it apart anyway and greased it up, looks fine really...

 

[Bendy toy]

The ridiculous lean angle is a design "feature" but I have no idea why the designers expect anyone to want it like that. I took the advice of other GSERs as bolted an ice hockey puck to the stand base. Its about 20mm thick solid rubber and solved the daft lean angle. As others say about the pivot, check for wear or maybe fit some shims.

 

[Wapping]

They designed it like that as (some) short arsed riders complained that the bike was too tall for them to get on / off when on its side stand.

The same riders then complained that the bike was too heavy for them to lift to vertical, the angle of lean being too extreme

 

[Time Traveller]

I would assume for the continent, road camber would compensate to some degree. Driving on the proppa side of the road as we do here, all it does is exacerbate the lean...

...mind you my KTM990 Adventure was the dead opposite, tooooooo upright on the prop stand, even a slight gradient up meant it would just fall over backwards (well sidewards).

Prefer the GS TBH from that perspective.

 

[Wapping]

I would assume for the continent, road camber would compensate to some degree. Driving on the proppa side of the road as we do here, all it does is exacerbate the lean...

Easy solution.

Turn the bike around when stopping in the UK

Nurse... Next please, nurse....

 

[Bendy toy]

They designed it like that as (some) short arsed riders complained that the bike was too tall for them to get on / off when on its side stand.

The same riders then complained that the bike was too heavy for them to lift to vertical, the angle of lean being too extreme

I'm one of the latter.

I climb aboard as if it were a horse so my seat covers dont get ripped by boot buckles. As I drop down the bike comes upright with almost no effort. With the short stand I need Hooooge muscles to haul it upright.

The longer stand can be an issue on uneven ground or opposite camber but its sooo hard to find somewhere more suitable. I should complain.

 

[morty]

The longer stand can be an issue on uneven ground or opposite camber but its sooo hard to find somewhere more suitable. I should complain. [/QUOTE]

thats why i fitted the sidekicker. yeh some folk say its expensive but its all relative.when fully loaded extend the stand,viola & its almost upright.don't have to worry where i park.

 

[GS_or_bust]

My guess is that the lean angle is designed so that it takes an equal force to push the bike over to the left or the right which is the safest arrangement.

 

[Pukmeister]

I thought mine was faulty and replaced the pin and bushings. It was the same with new parts in it. Relax.

 

[Time Traveller]

I thought mine was faulty and replaced the pin and bushings. It was the same with new parts in it. Relax.

 

[Bendy toy]

My guess is that the lean angle is designed so that it takes an equal force to push the bike over to the left or the right which is the safest arrangement.

The only way that would work is with the bike vertical. A bike leaning at best part of 20 (OK 15) degrees needs a serious heave to pull upright. Those with short legs cant get enough advantage to move the thing.

The standard stand is much too short for most folks. It might be because of road cambers in LHD countries, but more likely there isnt enough space to fit a longer stand before it hits the centre stand.

It could also be because folks like me stand on the LH footrest to swing a leg over the bike. Its easy and avoids boots scuffing the seats. If the bike is too close to vertical it can topple the other way when the springs are pressed down. Ive put a hockey puck on my side stand, so have to keep my weight to the left as I climb on. It has has the handy effect of my own weight pulling the bike over so I dont need to plant my feet and then pull it up. But fail to lean far enough to the left or park on uneven ground and the bike could easily fall the other way as I climb on.