Side Stand Safety Switch

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bikebone

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Aug 26, 2012
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Waxahachie, TX
I finished the installation of my side stand safety switch today and thought someone else might want to do the same. I used a backup light switch off of a 1989 VW Jetta; it fits a lot of other cars, too. It is a normally open (NO) switch which has a spring loaded rod (plunger) and when that rod is pushed it closes a circuit (allows current to pass through it). The switch is mounted in a bracket that holds it in a position to be actuated when the side stand is up. In other words, it completes the circuit when the side stand is up. On my bike I set it up to interrupt the wire between the starter button and the starter solenoid switch. Now, my bike won't start when the side stand is down. When I stop and put the side stand down I always turn off the key, so to start the bike when I get back on it, I have to put the side stand up. Here is a picture of the switch, mounting bracket and nut.



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So to let the bike sit and warm up, you have the raise the kick stand , start it and put the kick stand back down? Then your back to square one, bike running with kickstand down. Wouldn't it be better to have a switch activate a warning light on the dash? I like the idea because I have ridden off with stand down as probably everyone has at some time. Makes a hell of a racket :blush: :smilie_happy:
 
Needless to say, the bracket was the hardest part of this project. I made two before I got the one that really worked.

I always put my bike on the center stand to warm it up
 
bikebone":22w3xx8d said:
I always put my bike on the center stand to warm it up
Click to expand...
Agreed....running on the side stand for warm up runs the oil to one side. I did a video while looking for a knock in my old '81 engine and one of the items I wanted to rule out was low oil pressure causing the knock so I installed a manual gauge and warmed the bike up and watched. Turned out low oil pressure wasn't the problem causing the knock (directly...the engine was beat!). BUT I did the test a second time to mirror road conditions when leaning into turns by starting the bike and leaning it onto the side stand and observing the oil pressure. I discovered that while on the side stand, the oil pressure drops significantly even at high RPM! :shock:

When I pull the bike back up to center the oil pressure comes back up to normal for a warmed engine. Howevere, in the video I do discover my knocking noise at certain RPMs but unrelated to oil pressure drop.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPysWst04xk[/video]

Since I swapped engines, I always start and warm up on the center stand.

(BTW, nice mod!)
 
I like the idea, but for me, I think I would put in an LED indicator instead of a cut-out switch...but that's just me. I have ridden down the road many times with the side stand down. A couple of times, I've had folks honking and chasing me to point at it.... :blush:
Once, I left it down, and dang near run slap off of a bridge. Dang thing stickin down wouldn't let me turn!! It should have flipped up on contact with the road, but that time, it dint. Scared the CRAP outta me! :shock:
 
Nice video mcgovern61! I was told by someone, can't remember who, to always warm the bike up on the center stand, so I have ever since. I've owned bikes with no center stand and I would sit on the bike and warm it up. I've got a BMW and the manual says to not let the bike sit and warm up. They want you to get on it and ride it and let it warm up. Makes sense, when you think about it, to warm up everything: engine, wheel bearings, brakes, tires, etc.
 
I like the idea, but having had back surgery I can't get the GL1200 up on the center stand by myself, so I would go with a indicator light instead of wiring it to the starter wire.
 
the 91 1500 has both the light and the kill. When you drop into gear even in nureal with the clutch in and stand down it dies. Must have clutch in and stand up when you drop it into gear. ON the 1100 I have ridden off with it down and if I am lucky it will popup. But if you are making a left turn you will get a shock because it won't turn and you might fall down (don't ask!)
 

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