Side Stand Issues

[pghpdsgt]

Is anyone one else having issues with the side stand on 04 R1200 CLC?

It seems mine is bending causing the bike to lean over at an excessive angle.

It was straightened out once, however it appears to be happening again.

Thanks.

[dano]

Seems as if you'd want to bring it to the attention of your BMW dealer. Who straightened it back up the 1st time?

The side stand on my '03 RT seems to be okay, but the center-stand sure is a light-weight (cheezy) looking / feeling thing.

I've had lots of bikes with center-stands, but none wallowed around like my RT does when it's up on it.

[BobFV1]

Is anyone one else having issues with the side stand on 04 R1200 CLC?

It seems mine is bending causing the bike to lean over at an excessive angle.

It was straightened out once, however it appears to be happening again.

Thanks.

Hey Sarge - REPLACE IT! I had an old Gold WIng that started doing the same thing, and to make a long story short, I ended up in a parking lot one day with two good samaritans pulling the bike off me - I extended the stand after it had been bent and straightened a few times and when I leaned the bike over the stand broke off and the bike went ALL THE WAY over......thank God I was wearing my sturdy boots because my ankle took the brunt of the fall.

[Montana]

I know of two R1200C owners whose bikes were parked when the stand broke. The main length is hollow and welded to the top piece. Have it checked for cracks. On the other hand, the R1200C and CL models just lean over alot, more like the other cruisers on the market than like other BMWs. I can't get my R1200C upright if I've been riding with my RT friends, they always park too close when we stop. I just wait for them to leave first.

[username]

if it bent (yielded) and then it was bent back (more yielding) then you are cold working the material and decreasing its strength. to convince yourself, take a metal paperclip and straighten it out, then bend it back up again. where it's bending it gets brittle, and that's where it'll fail. how many bends does it take to break the paper clip?

i concur with the recommendations to get it replaced, and if you can get a beefier one, do so.

[lorazepam]

what about taking it to a welding shop and have a piece of threaded rod inserted inside to beef it up? It would probably be cheaper than buying a new center stand.

[CJM]

And my inferior 28 year old kick stand on the Sportster is still working like new and it's a kick-start only. Amazing. :stick

MTBATP

[lorazepam]

And my inferior 28 year old kick stand on the Sportster is still working like new and it's a kick-start only. Amazing. :stick

MTBATP
Since the majority of harleys spend most of their time on the kickstand, they had to make them beefy. :stick

[GSfornow]

Actually the HD kick stand (I believe the Harley name for it is jiffy stand) is a great design. My bike stand never sank into the pavement tipping the bike over and it was strong. Also as you lean the bike over onto the stand it is captured between two fingers so if the bike rolls forward the stand will not fold up. Maybe it was designed by a German expatriate. Harley Davidson also trusted me to run the bike while it was on the side stand :D No center stand though :cry

[Tominator]

Why should the "K" bikes be the only ones with the bending side stand! :clap

When I heat them to straighten, cooling them off quickly is the key. This hardens the metal tubing.

But since you have such a new bike have the dealer replace the stand man!

Tomas

[nplenzick]

No problems with my 03 clc, but boy does my 1200GS lean on its side stand. Thinking about extending it somehow

[DarrylRi]

It is my theory that BMW has never liked sidestands, and still doesn't believe in them today.

Until 1955, BMWs simply did not have sidestands. The /2 series had an optional sidestand; it was short, awkward to deploy, and they had to redesign the pin it rotated on because they tended to bend. Finally, in 1970, the /5 series came standard with a sidestand. I'm not familiar with /5s enough to comment, but the /6s came with the detestable spring loaded sidestand. My R80 of 1985 fell over twice because of that wonderful feature. I put a Brown sidestand on it to fix that, and my /2 has a Flanders stand on it.

It continues today: my R1150RS has a very short stand that allows the bike to lean precariously, especially when it's loaded up for touring. Combined with the tiny pad on the bottom, it's sure to sink into any surface less robust than concrete.

Now, I've been to Germany a couple times. It's not all beautifully paved autobahn. They have dirt and uneven parking spots, places where it would be difficult to use a centerstand. Why can't they figure out a reasonable sidestand?

[CJM]

God..$700.00 front brake jobs...side stands that don't last...you're starting to destroy my belief that these are the best engineered bikes on the road!

I need a Warsteiner. Dark. :drink

MTBATP

[Montana]

Hey, Sarge: do you visit the www.chromeheads.org forum? There's a hot topic going now about the 2004 CL rear subframes being a bad batch, and this is allowing the sidestand mounting point to bend. The dealers are replacing them under warranty, but it's getting hard to get the replacement on hand.

[username]

Now, I've been to Germany a couple times. It's not all beautifully paved autobahn. They have dirt and uneven parking spots, places where it would be difficult to use a centerstand. Why can't they figure out a reasonable sidestand?

my theory is that all the best engineers are still trying to figure out how the heck to make a seat that doesnt break your butt. when they get that sorted, they'll turn their attention to the sidestand. :D

[pghpdsgt]

Thanks for the info.

My dealer said if the bending the frame tab back into place doesn't work, he is going to have the frame replaced.

Now here is a point to say hmmmm, how to correct a warrentee problem on a discontinued bike... ?

[lorazepam]

God..$700.00 front brake jobs...side stands that don't last...you're starting to destroy my belief that these are the best engineered bikes on the road!


MTBATP
Can I do your brake work for you?

[colofan]

Is this concern also valid for R1200C Montauk's?

[CJM]

Can I do your brake work for you?

That $700.00 was from anothers post about a warped front rotor. I think I could replace those for a good bit less. It was rather shocking, though. :clap

MTBATP