Sidestand

[Davey S.]

I am unhappy about the lack of lean when my ‘18 rt is on the sidestand. Any suggestions?

[John Bentall]

Find another RT and check that yours has not been fitted with a GS sidestand by mistake.

[wbw6cos]

Is there a measurable difference?

[Davey S.]

4 hours ago, John Bentall said:

Find another RT and check that yours has not been fitted with a GS sidestand by mistake.

I did not think of this will check next time I am at the dealer. Thanks. 

[Davey S.]

3 hours ago, wbw6cos said:

Is there a measurable difference?

I just know that there is hardly any lean at all. But then again this is my first bmw!

[PadG]

This seem to be a fairly common complaint, and I had agreed with the feeling that the side-stand is too long . . . . until I ride an RT in the countries where you drive/ride on the left!  Darn it, that bike lean way too far over when parked on the left side of the road!! 

[dirtrider]

5 hours ago, wbw6cos said:

Is there a measurable difference?

 

 

Morning William

 

Not only is there a difference but there are at least 3 different side stands available for the 1200GS WC with one being superseded.

[Paul4450]

Hello Davey S,

I’ve encountered the same thing. Here are a couple of suggestions you might want to try. After putting the side stand down and dismounting, pull up on the bars to extend the front suspension a bit. It will resettled a bit but not as far. 

 

The next suggestion will will take more time and planning. When you park, before you shut your motor off,  hit your menu button, then scroll through to raise the rear ride height by selecting “two helmets”. You can still pull up on the bars, if you feel the need. Of course you’ll need to reset your preload when you get back on the bike and it might make mounting your bike harder, depending on how flexible your hip joints are!  I use my left peg to make it easier for me!

 

Hope this helps. 

Paul

[dirtrider]

34 minutes ago, Paul4450 said:

Hello Davey S,

I’ve encountered the same thing. Here are a couple of suggestions you might want to try. After putting the side stand down and dismounting, pull up on the bars to extend the front suspension a bit. It will resettled a bit but not as far. 

 

The next suggestion will will take more time and planning. When you park, before you shut your motor off,  hit your menu button, then scroll through to raise the rear ride height by selecting “two helmets”. You can still pull up on the bars, if you feel the need. Of course you’ll need to reset your preload when you get back on the bike and it might make mounting your bike harder, depending on how flexible your hip joints are!  I use my left peg to make it easier for me!

 

Hope this helps. 

Paul

 

Afternoon Paul

 

I guess I can't understand why on a $25,000.00+  high end BMW motorcycle that  a rider should have to jump though these hoops each time they dismount?

 

Why not just get BMW to make it right, I don't need to do this post-ride dance on my other motorcycles.

[wbw6cos]

8 hours ago, dirtrider said:

 

 

Morning William

 

Not only is there a difference but there are at least 3 different side stands available for the 1200GS WC with one being superseded.

 

Evening D.R. ___,

 

Is there a visible way to confirm which side stand there is on my bike?  

 

I have always had it in the back of my mind that the new RT seems to stand a little too upright.  Coming from a C ( and that one leans!) I get a little conscious of the angle when I park.  Perhaps it is normal, but not to me, yet.

 

I will check out MAX micro fiche to see if I can get a little more info.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Regards,

William

[dirtrider]

4 minutes ago, wbw6cos said:

 

Evening D.R. ___,

 

Is there a visible way to confirm which side stand there is on my bike?  

 

I have always had it in the back of my mind that the new RT seems to stand a little too upright.  Coming from a C ( and that one leans!) I get a little conscious of the angle when I park.  Perhaps it is normal, but not to me, yet.

 

I will check out MAX micro fiche to see if I can get a little more info.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Regards,

William

 

Evening William

 

There might be a visual difference but you would probably need to have them side by side to tell the difference.  

 

You might pick a couple of spots on yours to measure  (like pivot center & bottom of foot) then post here asking if riders with similar bikes would measure theirs at the same points  then post the info here for you to compare.

 

 

[wbw6cos]

That is what I was thinking of doing.  Thanks.

[Davey S.]

9 hours ago, Paul4450 said:

Hello Davey S,

I’ve encountered the same thing. Here are a couple of suggestions you might want to try. After putting the side stand down and dismounting, pull up on the bars to extend the front suspension a bit. It will resettled a bit but not as far. 

 

The next suggestion will will take more time and planning. When you park, before you shut your motor off,  hit your menu button, then scroll through to raise the rear ride height by selecting “two helmets”. You can still pull up on the bars, if you feel the need. Of course you’ll need to reset your preload when you get back on the bike and it might make mounting your bike harder, depending on how flexible your hip joints are!  I use my left peg to make it easier for me!

 

Hope this helps. 

Paul

I was hoping for a simpler solution. Wonder if they make a shorter sidestand or maybe take it off and have it cut and while its off why not have a larger foot welded on!

[Paul De]

Seems like the side stand being from the wrong model is a long shot. One thing that I noticed, assuming you have ESA on your bike, is if you have the suspension set to single rider and soft damping the suspension sag can be enough to make the side stand longish for all but a level surface.  Sometimes I find that on these settings when I park on the side stand if I don't let the handlebars flop to the low side and instead on dismount and turn the bars to the high side lock it helps to get the bike settled with enough lean onto the side stand.

 

Or, just use the center stand.

 

If you are coming from a Hawg the amount of lean onto the side stand will be disturbingly little, the HD side stands are way long and the hinge is designed to pivot longitudinally to lock it in place. A way different system from the rigid strut side stand on the BMW

[dirtrider]

6 hours ago, Davey S. said:

I was hoping for a simpler solution. Wonder if they make a shorter sidestand or maybe take it off and have it cut and while its off why not have a larger foot welded on!

 

Morning Davey S.

 

Why not start with having your BMW dealer look at it then make a suggestion (get them to actually write it up so you have a record of requesting repair in case you have future issues to deal with).   There might even be a BMW service bulletin on that problem in the system as there seems to be a lot of complaints in that area.

 

Having your side stand shortened is a viable option as well as adding a larger foot. (I usually weld on a larger foot to most of my personal BMW's as I simply hate those half-ass looking clamp-on foot enlargers as I park on dirt/ grass a lot so definitely need a larger foot)

 

Personally I don't like a bike that stands up too straight as the wind can blow them over easier, also, if they are standing upright with little lean then a leaking tire can lower the bike enough for it  to fall over on it's own.

 

 

[Paul4450]

Hello DR!

I totally agree BMW should have set it up with more lean. I was just trying to offer something Davey S could do right away. I always ride with my ESA set at 2 helmets for cornering clearance now and noticed it increased the lean angle on the side stand. If Davey S is tall and/or heavy like me, he might benefit as well from that setting. 

 

Pulling up on the bars was my solution before I put the preload to max and took just a second once I remembered to do it. 

[AndyS]

I can understand your concern. In the UK it is fine because the bike leans down the camber of the road because we use the left side of the road. 

You guys are trying to park your bikes 'up' the camber, so at times it must be pretty marginal. I know when I have parked my bike on roads which drive on the right, I have actually parked my bike facing the wrong way to prevent the dreaded fall over.

[Davey S.]

15 hours ago, Paul De said:

Seems like the side stand being from the wrong model is a long shot. One thing that I noticed, assuming you have ESA on your bike, is if you have the suspension set to single rider and soft damping the suspension sag can be enough to make the side stand longish for all but a level surface.  Sometimes I find that on these settings when I park on the side stand if I don't let the handlebars flop to the low side and instead on dismount and turn the bars to the high side lock it helps to get the bike settled with enough lean onto the side stand.

 

Or, just use the center stand.

 

If you are coming from a Hawg the amount of lean onto the side stand will be disturbingly little, the HD side stands are way long and the hinge is designed to pivot longitudinally to lock it in place. A way different system from the rigid strut side stand on the BMW

I am coming from a HD but it still seems to be too shallow of a lean angle. 

[Davey S.]

9 hours ago, dirtrider said:

 

Morning Davey S.

 

Why not start with having your BMW dealer look at it then make a suggestion (get them to actually write it up so you have a record of requesting repair in case you have future issues to deal with).   There might even be a BMW service bulletin on that problem in the system as there seems to be a lot of complaints in that area.

 

Having your side stand shortened is a viable option as well as adding a larger foot. (I usually weld on a larger foot to most of my personal BMW's as I simply hate those half-ass looking clamp-on foot enlargers as I park on dirt/ grass a lot so definitely need a larger foot)

 

Personally I don't like a bike that stands up too straight as the wind can blow them over easier, also, if they are standing upright with little lean then a leaking tire can lower the bike enough for it  to fall over on it's own.

 

 

I will have my dealer look at it when I get my 600 miles in. 

[Paul De]

2 hours ago, Davey S. said:

I am coming from a HD but it still seems to be too shallow of a lean angle. 

 

I always thought the Hawg stand with a locking mechanism was really nice and secure and allowed the bike to lean into the stand well. On my RT I actually use the center stand 90+ of the time on flat surfaces.   That habit may have been learned when I rode an airhead to avoid the anti mosque blue fog from the left cylinder if it sat on the side stand for more than an hour.

 

Maybe on the 2020 RT they can put an electrically adjustable side stand

[Rob Nowell]

On 4/2/2019 at 12:27 PM, dirtrider said:

 

Afternoon Paul

 

I guess I can't understand why on a $25,000.00+  high end BMW motorcycle that  a rider should have to jump though these hoops each time they dismount?

 

Why not just get BMW to make it right, I don't need to do this post-ride dance on my other motorcycles.

I feel the same way about their friggin' seats!

[Red]

Before I bought my 2018 RT I rode a 96 RT from new to 2018.  You want to talk lean (too much)?  The 96 year was awful for too much lean.  I planted that side stand in all kinds of surfaces due to excessive lean and weight.  It did make swinging your old tired leg over the saddle easier!  After two new turn signal assemblies, I eventually got a fat foot like product which solved the slow disappearing act down into lawns and fresh pavement.  The 2018 is the exact opposite.  From new I put another fat foot like product on.  I must say I'm pretty comfortable with it.  At least the more vertical position makes getting into the hard bags easier without hoisting it up on the center stand.  Perhaps the 2020 model will have two side stands, one on each side.  They can keep the bike perfectly vertical when both are deployed or you can choose either side if the terrain is sloped in either direction. 

Edited April 4, 2019 by Red
corrected date

[Paul De]

8 hours ago, Red said:

Perhaps the 2010 model will have two side stands, one on each side.  They can keep the bike perfectly vertical when both are deployed or you can choose either side if the terrain is sloped in either direction

 

Umm...isn't that called the center stand?

[AndyS]

Seriously, I am surprised that bikes destined for countries that drive on the right don't have a right had side stand. Moreover, I like Red's suggestion a lot.

[RPondaRoad]

On 4/1/2019 at 8:21 PM, Davey S. said:

I am unhappy about the lack of lean when my ‘18 rt is on the sidestand. Any suggestions?

If your concern is stopping and dismounting roadside, here is what I've learned to do:  

1. Pull into a flat parking lot to stop and get off of your bike instead of doing it on the side of the road.  

2. On undivided rural roads if I can't get the sidestand down, I've been known to pull to the opposite side of the road. 

 

My last bike leaned over so far on the sidestand that passerby's would comment on it and yet it often had the same problem on sloped roads. 

 

[Motorhead1977]

Funny, my 2018 RT leans over just fine. No feeling it is too upright. Had a GL1800 and a VFR 800 before the RT and still have a VFR 700F, a VFR 400R and a Scrambler Ducati so I've lots to compare it to.

[Davey S.]

3 hours ago, Motorhead1977 said:

Funny, my 2018 RT leans over just fine. No feeling it is too upright. Had a GL1800 and a VFR 800 before the RT and still have a VFR 700F, a VFR 400R and a Scrambler Ducati so I've lots to compare it to.

Thanks for the comparison just coming from a lifetime of HD's and this is my first BMW I would be more comfortable if it just leaned over a little more. Could be just me.

[Paul De]

8 hours ago, Davey S. said:

Thanks for the comparison just coming from a lifetime of HD's and this is my first BMW I would be more comfortable if it just leaned over a little more. Could be just me.

 

Totally get your point,   HD with its lower ground clearance on F model bikes have their long side stand swing out wide and flat and then lock in place when the bike is leaned onto it. Secure as hell and will maintain the bike on the stand even with some sinking into the surface it is on.   

 

Two things occur that may have some weird logic as to why BMW decided to keep the RT so vertical on the side stand. With more ground clearance and a shorter side stand that swings out on a steeper angle, by keeping the bike more vertical the stand foot has less pressure on it mitigating the tendency to sink into a softer surface. Also, there might have been a concern that a fully loaded RT that leans too far over the stand contact point could increase the chance of the bike toppling over the deployed stand.  That would really suck!

 

Anyway the side stand as is has its place, but I like to nerd out and use the center stand on paved surfaces most of the time. It sure does get raised eyebrows when I pop it up onto the stand like butter for those riders who know nothing of BMW bikes.   I get a giggle when I park in a mass of cruiser bikes, with all those Hawgs leaned way over on their side stands and there is my autobahn blitzer sitting bolt up right. 

 

[dirtrider]

9 hours ago, Davey S. said:

Thanks for the comparison just coming from a lifetime of HD's and this is my first BMW I would be more comfortable if it just leaned over a little more. Could be just me.

 

Afternoon Davey

 

You will really won't like that stand-up-straight profile  if a wind gust blows it over. (it happens more than you think).

 

It takes a lot of wind speed to blow over a properly leaning BMW on the side stand. Takes less wind speed to blow over a modern BMW on the center stand as the center stand footprint is much closer together than the wider 3 point stance of a 'proper' leaning BMW on side stand  plus the bike is already starting off from straight up.

 

A large top case, or worse yet, a motorcycle cover makes blow-over even more likely.

 

Get your dealer to address it if possible, also  have them check your rear strut position calibration.

 

For some reason BMW has issues in trying to design a proper side stand on the 1200RT. The 1200 'hexhead'  had big problems with bending side stands so the bike leaned over way too far once the stand was bent (I bent 2 side stands  on my personal 1200RT). Not only that but the 1200RT rolled forward off the side stand VERY easily & quickly if parked nose down on a hill without trans in gear.

 

BMW dealer told me no more BMW warranty if I bent another side  stand  as I shouldn't be mounting bike with it on the side stand (huh!)

 

I ended up welding a reinforcement into the side stand when I welded on a larger foot (no more bending & no more sinking into soft ground)

 

 

[Davey S.]

14 hours ago, Paul De said:

 

Totally get your point,   HD with its lower ground clearance on F model bikes have their long side stand swing out wide and flat and then lock in place when the bike is leaned onto it. Secure as hell and will maintain the bike on the stand even with some sinking into the surface it is on.   

 

Two things occur that may have some weird logic as to why BMW decided to keep the RT so vertical on the side stand. With more ground clearance and a shorter side stand that swings out on a steeper angle, by keeping the bike more vertical the stand foot has less pressure on it mitigating the tendency to sink into a softer surface. Also, there might have been a concern that a fully loaded RT that leans too far over the stand contact point could increase the chance of the bike toppling over the deployed stand.  That would really suck!

 

Anyway the side stand as is has its place, but I like to nerd out and use the center stand on paved surfaces most of the time. It sure does get raised eyebrows when I pop it up onto the stand like butter for those riders who know nothing of BMW bikes.   I get a giggle when I park in a mass of cruiser bikes, with all those Hawgs leaned way over on their side stands and there is my autobahn blitzer sitting bolt up right. 

 

Hello Paul,

Still getting used to the center stand it is new to me. Bad back still working on a way to comfortably use the center stand more often.

Davey

[Red]

2 hours ago, Davey S. said:

Bad back still working on a way to comfortably use the center stand more often.

Davey

Ditto on the bad back and use of the center stand.  I miss the oh so wonderful handle my 96 RT had.  I thought how clever that was.  Now they're gone.

[Green RT]

7 hours ago, Red said:

Ditto on the bad back and use of the center stand.  I miss the oh so wonderful handle my 96 RT had.  I thought how clever that was.  Now they're gone.

+1

My 99 RT was much easier to get on the center stand. I find that I have to really push hard on the lever arm on the center stand on my 2015 R. And I don't weigh enough that gravity helps much.

Edited April 6, 2019 by Green RT
Add additional comment.

[Paul De]

On 4/5/2019 at 11:47 PM, Davey S. said:

Hello Paul,

Still getting used to the center stand it is new to me. Bad back still working on a way to comfortably use the center stand more often.

Davey

 

Hi Davey,  I have gotten used to the Waterhead center stand, but did find you need to keep a couple of things in mind. Foot presure and time your light arm pull after your foot has done the heavy lifting.  I now find it as easy my Oilhead where if you didn't really focus on the hard step on the foot lever the little folding grab bar let you muscle it up.   This isn't practical on the Waterhead or Shiftcam RT's.  Actually, the center stand on any BMW vintage depends more on using foot pressure on the stand going back to my /5.

 

If you are lifting with your arms at all then you are not putting near enough pressure on the center stand foot lever.  It is sort of a timing thing similar to the clean and jerk technique you see weight lifters do, but the emphasis is very much on the foot pressure and only a light arm pull to guide the lift to be sure you don't stall out the lift motion to full deployment.  

 

Not sure this gets you past the back issue, but it may help.  So, Jump on that thing!

 

 

[Green RT]

My problem with the wethead center stand is that I have to put all of my weight on the lever to start the bike moving up. I mean all, my other foot just about comes off the ground. It feels like it was designed for someone who weighs more than I do (60 kg or 135 lb). And there is no grip close enough to the center of the bike that I can add some leg muscle strength into the down force. 

[Lemans]

Try getting a K1300GT up on the centerstand. My RT LC practically jumps up onto the centerstand by itself. Of course, I do have about 100 lbs on you, Green RT.

[Bill_Walker]

Don't forget that you want to be pulling backward as much as up when you put the bike on the center stand.  I have back issues and have no problem putting my RT on the center stand.  I do miss the 1150's fold-out lift handle, but using the grab rail works pretty well.

[Paul De]

19 hours ago, Green RT said:

And there is no grip close enough to the center of the bike that I can add some leg muscle strength into the down force.  

 

H Green RT.  You might find this solution in the Farkle market just what you are missing on this model RT..  Part is only listed at the Wunderlich USA site, but I did not find it on the German site.  Pricey little bugger, but as expected from Wunderlich it is a well made farkle.

 

http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/motorcycle/31650101.html

 

There is also a UK accessory website called Nippy Normans that lists it.