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Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:18 pm
by rickmeister
I have a 2015 R1200RT. At times, I have great difficulty with getting the side stand up. At times I have needed to ask a bystander to flip it up for me! (v.embarrassing) The top of my shoe / boot doesn't at times doesn't get enough traction on the ball of the side stand so my foot keeps slipping off. I can't get my foot forward enough to use the heel onto the ball.
Has anyone else got / had this issue? Any ideas to overcome this problem?
Thanks, Rickmeister.
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:52 pm
by Frank123
Hi I bought and fitted a Nippy Norman side stand enlarger more of a grip than the basic side stand.
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:57 pm
by scunny12
50 years riding motorcycles and I too have found the RT (LC) to have the most awkwardly placed side stand of all the motorcycles I have owned, or had a ride on. Maybe it affects shorter legged riders than the taller ones?
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 2:12 am
by jackronner
Maybe a low-tech solution? Glue a bit of thin rubber on the ball? Personally, it took me a while to get the trick of getting the side stand down. Not slippery, just hard to learn where your foot should go, and not be confused with the center stand's foot plate.
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 2:58 am
by rickmeister
Thanks for the reply, gents!Frank...I don't know and have never heard of a "Nippy Norman" Any chance of a description or photo?
Jack...Thanks...at the moment I have a small hose clamp, up tight around the ball, with the screw head towards the rear and facing down. Will definitely try the gluing of the rubber around the ball.
Cheers, Rickmeister.
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:53 am
by 7vwh
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 7:39 am
by Our Gee
Interesting to note that this particular problem is pretty well known about. Anyone who follows Noraly Schoenmaker "Itchy Boots", on her Worldwide Solo Motorcycle Expeditions (available on U-Tube) will have seen her trying to cope with this very design fault when riding a Dutch Police W.C. RT. Have a look at the episode below at about 15.35 into the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMp-oEyKh1s
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 8:16 am
by PeteM
I've got one of these on my 1250 and it helps get the side stand down as well as stopping it sinking in soft tarmac, mud, gravel etc. however, it makes no difference to getting it back up which was the OPs question.
Personal I am also short and I tend to use my heal to flip it up, not the easiest to do but manageable.
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 11:42 am
by Old-Git
PeteM wrote:
I've got one of these on my 1250 and it helps get the side stand down as well as stopping it sinking in soft tarmac, mud, gravel etc. however, it makes no difference to getting it back up which was the OPs question.
Personal I am also short and I tend to use my heal to flip it up, not the easiest to do but manageable.
Me also, (don't use my heel tho) would be interested in a solution.....
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 12:28 pm
by David.
A side stand enlarger similar to this one with a loop would allow the following solution.
"Maybe worth a try - obtain some Mason Line (string). Measure the distance from your side stand loop to the middle of the bike seat. Cut a length of line twice as long as the measured distance - plus a little more. Prior to getting on your bike, run one end of the line through the loop on your side stand - now you should have both ends of the string in your left hand, sit on your bike and be able to pull your side stand to the retracted position. Release one end of the line, retrieve the line and place in your pocket or tank bag for the next time needed."
With the standard Wethead side stand, this may be possible by placing the string below the peg.
Illium Works do this side stand enlarger for the Wethead, could drill a small hole in the extension tab.
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 5:25 am
by Our Gee
My dealer says that BMW are to issue a Side Stand Retraction Kit free of charge to any W.C. RT owner who has an inside leg measurement less than 32". He says that the item described above sound very similar to the Genuine Factory item but that owners should be aware that any "Non Factory" solution applied to the bike may invalidate the warranty. Also customers should be prepared to have their inside leg measurement checked and verified by a BMW Technician who will have attended a Tape Rule Proficiency course. Dealers will have both Male and Female staff available and that customers can request measurement by either gender (now that sounds interesting !!).
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 5:33 am
by jackronner
That sounds like a Monty Python routine, perhaps entitled: "The Unseemly Inseam Scenario". If they're pulling your leg, watch out - maybe they'll try to stretch beyond 32" to void the upgrade!
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:28 am
by Casbar
Our Gee wrote:
My dealer says that BMW are to issue a Side Stand Retraction Kit free of charge to any W.C. RT owner who has an inside leg measurement less than 32". He says that the item described above sound very similar to the Genuine Factory item but that owners should be aware that any "Non Factory" solution applied to the bike may invalidate the warranty. Also customers should be prepared to have their inside leg measurement checked and verified by a BMW Technician who will have attended a Tape Rule Proficiency course. Dealers will have both Male and Female staff available and that customers can request measurement by either gender (now that sounds interesting !!).
Maybe less air in the tyres might help also
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:58 am
by Our Gee
It's interesting to note that the first time I heard about this problem whilst viewing the recent "Itchy Boots" video of Noraly riding the Dutch Police RT. Then I came across this thread where one of our own has the very same problem. As the W.C. RT's have been production for around seven years now (boy, doesn't time fly) I'm wondering if this has always been a problem or has there been a change to later built models ?.
Re: Difficulty getting sidestand up
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:52 am
by David.
The same side stand is fitted to both the Wethead & Shifthead since they were first produced in 2013.