Side stand play - how much is too much?

[Nick V]

'Excessive' sidestand play was a feature of my '08 F800GS, my first and second GSAs and my '06 R1200GS.

I've successfully reduced it to almost nothing. I'm not sure whether the dealers will still carry the needed part, but believe it or not, you'll need a Vauxhall dealer for this fix...

The Astra F (circa 1995) needed a factory-developed kit to fix a gear lever rattle noise. Sometimes the kit fixed it, sometimes not... but one of the parts contained in the kit was a spring-steel wave washer just under 0.5mm thick.
I've found that two of them together are perfect for curing the sidestand play - just remove the sidestand, clean everything well with paraffin and dry, apply a liberal amount of lithium-based grease to all moving parts, slot the two washers between the sidestand pivot and sidestand frame pivot, then re-insert and fasten the sidestand pivot bolt.

Sorted.

 

[Bendy toy]

Sounds much like what I suggested (but haven't actually done). You could also try cutting some washers from a coke can.

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.

 

[Time Traveller]

yeah I just cleaned it and greased it all up, I'm not that bothered if its not about to fall to pieces.

 

[shunter]

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.

I bought the sidekicker as well. Very handy especially with all luggage attached. Also a wide base on it as well

 

[Bendy toy]

I love the Sidekicker idea, but cant justify the huge asking price for what is really just a sliding tube.

I did have a hockey puck on mine until the (large) self tapping screws pulled out. The extra 20mm is a better compromise for me than the standard stand and it neatly wedges the two stands together so no vibration fretting (less anyway) at the pivot while the bike is running.

 

[(RIP) Arkwright]

The Ice Hockey puck is by far the best solution to excessive lean, I've got one on all my bikes, if you put it on with cap screws with the nuts recessed in the puck the screws wont pull out.

A bush made on the lathe solves excessive movement.

I understand the sidestand was designed to work with a factory lowered bike without making a special sidestand for them which is why normal ones lean so much!

 

[Nick V]

If you'd like to avoid having to lug a hockey puck on your sidestand foot and/or want something more 'standard'-looking and -feeling, here are two possible alternatives:

1. Remove the sidestand. Clamp it between aluminium jaws in a bench vice. Use a suitable tool (in the case of my previous GSA, a really big pipe wrench) to slightly increase the 'bend' radius of the sidestand. Protect the stand from the jaws of the pipe wrench by sandwiching the stand leg in a piece of steel pipe (a fairly thick curtain rail will work) cut lengthways and opened out. Should you manage to damage the paint finish on the sidestand, it's easy to have it epoxy powder-coated.
2. Remove the sidestand. Cut it at an appropriate point, and weld in a suitable length of the correct-thickness steel tube. (While you have the cutting and welding tools out, why not cut off the standard 'foot' and weld on a slightly thicker one of larger surface area? It would save having to buy an expensive, fussy and inevitably fragile Touratech foot plate...)

I'm 1.86m tall, not exactly a weakling, and highly experienced with bikes.
But if my GSA is parked on uneven ground, even I struggle to get it upright sometimes.

 

[(RIP) Arkwright]

If you'd like to avoid having to lug a hockey puck on your sidestand foot and/or want something more 'standard'-looking and -feeling, here are two possible alternatives:

1. Remove the sidestand. Clamp it between aluminium jaws in a bench vice. Use a suitable tool (in the case of my previous GSA, a really big pipe wrench) to slightly increase the 'bend' radius of the sidestand. Protect the stand from the jaws of the pipe wrench by sandwiching the stand leg in a piece of steel pipe (a fairly thick curtain rail will work) cut lengthways and opened out. Should you manage to damage the paint finish on the sidestand, it's easy to have it epoxy powder-coated.
2. Remove the sidestand. Cut it at an appropriate point, and weld in a suitable length of the correct-thickness steel tube. (While you have the cutting and welding tools out, why not cut off the standard 'foot' and weld on a slightly thicker one of larger surface area? It would save having to buy an expensive, fussy and inevitably fragile Touratech foot plate...)

I'm 1.86m tall, not exactly a weakling, and highly experienced with bikes.
But if my GSA is parked on uneven ground, even I struggle to get it upright sometimes.

I rest my case!

Don't forget the anti-slip properties of the lowly Ice Hockey Puck, £1 something from Crazy Kenny's in Worksop.

 

[shunter]

I rest my case!

Don't forget the anti-slip properties of the lowly Ice Hockey Puck, £1 something from Crazy Kenny's in Worksop.

If you get hit by one at our local Belfast Giants games you get to keep it for free

 

[Nick V]

I rest my case!

Don't forget the anti-slip properties of the lowly Ice Hockey Puck

I must admit, I've never had any problems with the sidestand slipping out from under the bike.

My personal policy is to leave the bike parked in 1st gear whenever it's a) out of my sight, b) parked facing downhill, c) not on it's centre stand or d) not on a paddock stand for pending work.

If under any of these these circumstances the bike still 'slips' sideways or starts to roll, chances are the co-efficient of friction 'twixt sidestand foot and floor is not your problem - and your life will shortly be very interesting indeed...