side stand switch

[Shane J.]

Just back from a ten day ride. At several points my side stand switch wouldn't let me start until I wacked the stand up and down a few times. this would cure it for a few hundred miles. Finally it decided that it would no longer cooperate with that fix. Being well out in the middle of nowhere I had few options. I had researched this problem in one of the towns where i had cell service. My options were few. I really did not want to cut and splice to bypass the switch, that would be my last thing to do if I couldn't get any other solution. I was alongside the freeway where the bike had died at 80mph and I had managed to find a wide spot to pull off to. I took off the footpeg sideplate and examined the situation. I could see nothing obvious. I remembered one comment that loosing the wire harness might help. I cut two zip ties near the switch and wiggled everything to loosen. To test I started the bike in gear with the clutch in (which it would not do when malfunctioning). it started fine so I buttoned everything up and took off. I was on the final day and had already done 362 miles on very twisty curvy roads. I had planned one more night camping in the National Forest but I did not want to be off the grid in case my fix did not fix. So I ran all the way home, another 389 miles averaging 78mph in 101 degree heat at the high and 78 at the low. I was home shortly after 10 pm and had zero problems with the switch. So I think that I may have solved the issue just by freeing up the harness going to the switch. So, if you find yourself in a similar situation, try this simple fix first before resorting to the wire snips.

[dirtrider]

19 hours ago, Shane J. said:

Just back from a ten day ride. At several points my side stand switch wouldn't let me start until I wacked the stand up and down a few times. this would cure it for a few hundred miles. Finally it decided that it would no longer cooperate with that fix. Being well out in the middle of nowhere I had few options. I had researched this problem in one of the towns where i had cell service. My options were few. I really did not want to cut and splice to bypass the switch, that would be my last thing to do if I couldn't get any other solution. I was alongside the freeway where the bike had died at 80mph and I had managed to find a wide spot to pull off to. I took off the footpeg sideplate and examined the situation. I could see nothing obvious. I remembered one comment that loosing the wire harness might help. I cut two zip ties near the switch and wiggled everything to loosen. To test I started the bike in gear with the clutch in (which it would not do when malfunctioning). it started fine so I buttoned everything up and took off. I was on the final day and had already done 362 miles on very twisty curvy roads. I had planned one more night camping in the National Forest but I did not want to be off the grid in case my fix did not fix. So I ran all the way home, another 389 miles averaging 78mph in 101 degree heat at the high and 78 at the low. I was home shortly after 10 pm and had zero problems with the switch. So I think that I may have solved the issue just by freeing up the harness going to the switch. So, if you find yourself in a similar situation, try this simple fix first before resorting to the wire snips.

Morning Shane

 

It sort of sounds like you have a lot of play or movement in your side stand bushing, that can allow the switch to act up as the side stand moves & puts pressure on the switch.

 

Put your motorcycle on the center stand, then put the side stand down, then use your hand to move the foot of the side stand latterly (sideways).

 

If there is much movement then you try to remove the slop in the bushing area.

 

On the later 1200rt's  you can remove the bushing from the bolt then file or grind a little off the bushing length, then reinstall with a very thin washer under the bolt head (this pinches the side stand ears together & tightens the side stand lateral movement).

 

On the early 1200RT's you will probably need to find (or grind) a thin washer to shim the side stand fit to the bracket it mounts on. 

 

 

[Shane J.]

I will try that D.R. Mine is a '07.

I thought I read that the switch on the 1200's is a HES switch rather than a contact switch. Am I wrong on that?

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, Shane J. said:

I will try that D.R. Mine is a '07.

I thought I read that the switch on the 1200's is a HES switch rather than a contact switch. Am I wrong on that?

Afternoon Shane

 

It is just a switch but really a double output switch as it has a 2nd circuit that sends a checksum signal back to the ZFE module as a position  verification.

 

 

[lkraus]

I think I'd spend a little more time testing and examining the wiring to the switch. Removing the zip ties apparently did something, so I'd want to know what.  Broken conductor ends pulled back together by the contracting insulation when the pressure was removed?  Wires short circuited or grounded because the conductors were pressed through the insulation?    Maybe let the bike idle in gear on the center stand while you move/squeeze/stretch the wire near the zip tie locations and see if you can kill the engine? 

[dirtrider]

10 hours ago, lkraus said:

I think I'd spend a little more time testing and examining the wiring to the switch. Removing the zip ties apparently did something, so I'd want to know what.  Broken conductor ends pulled back together by the contracting insulation when the pressure was removed?  Wires short circuited or grounded because the conductors were pressed through the insulation?    Maybe let the bike idle in gear on the center stand while you move/squeeze/stretch the wire near the zip tie locations and see if you can kill the engine? 

Morning Larry

 

That side stand switch kind of floats on the pivot pin extension, if the wiring is pulling on the switch a little & the side stand is loose on it's bushing then it doesn't  take much pull on the switch  from the wire pigtail to move the switch just enough to lose contact. 

[Shane J.]

Well, I do have a lot of slop in the kickstand at the bushing. On my list to rectify.

[lkraus]

On 6/16/2023 at 6:59 AM, dirtrider said:

Morning Larry

 

That side stand switch kind of floats on the pivot pin extension, if the wiring is pulling on the switch a little & the side stand is loose on it's bushing then it doesn't  take much pull on the switch  from the wire pigtail to move the switch just enough to lose contact. 

I've never (yet) had a problem with my switch, so this is good to know.  I'd still probably wiggle things around a bit to confirm the source of the fault.  

[Shane J.]

I couldn't come up with a washer thin enough to slide in. I ended up adding a washer under the head of the bushing bolt to get a little more thread to pull. That took up some of the slop. I will wait and see if the problem re-occurs.

I had to chase the switch circlip three times across the floor. Tiny clip, surprisingly springy and hard to hold onto.

[dirtrider]

58 minutes ago, Shane J. said:

I couldn't come up with a washer thin enough to slide in. I ended up adding a washer under the head of the bushing bolt to get a little more thread to pull. That took up some of the slop. I will wait and see if the problem re-occurs.

I had to chase the switch circlip three times across the floor. Tiny clip, surprisingly springy and hard to hold onto.

Shane

 

Does your bushing come off of the bolt? If so then just grind or file a little off of the bushing length. A slightly shorter bushing in conjunction with the washer under the head of the bolt usually tightens them right up. 

 

 

[Shane J.]

That is what mine looks like. I didn't realize the bushing was removable. Mine was stuck in place. It looked like the ears on the stand are spread a little. I will take it a part again and see if I can do this.

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, Shane J. said:

That is what mine looks like. I didn't realize the bushing was removable. Mine was stuck in place. It looked like the ears on the stand are spread a little. I will take it a part again and see if I can do this.

Afternoon Shane

 

That little hole in the side of the bushing is so you can hook it with a bent wire or bent pick to pull it out  (I usually just use duck-bill snap ring pliers to grab the inside of the bushing  to twist/pull the bushing out).

 

Start by grinding just a little off the the bushing end, if not enough then grind a little more off, if you grind too much off the stand will hang up as your put it up & down but they usually work back to working OK after some usage. 

 

When using that washer under the bolt head the bushing length is what controls how tight the inner stand ear pinches down to the bracket. 

 

Use a fairly thin washer under the bolt head so there is enough stud sticking out to get side stand switch on & get the retaining clip back in the groove  (you might need a slightly thinner washer on the switch side stud also)

[Shane J.]

Good info D.R., I will try that.

Shane