Sidestand fix?

Last night my bike fell over after I put it on the sidestand, and luckily I caught it just before it hit the ground and muscled it back upright.

This is the second time the sidestand has tried to collapse on me, and though I am aware of the problem and try to make sure it is always positively locked forward, it still seems to happen sometimes.

So I started looking closely at the design of it, and I believe I found the problem. If you look at the forward anchor point of the sidestand spring, you will see it is slightly aft of the sidestand when it is in the down position. This prevents the spring from pulling and locking the sidestand in the full down and locked position. You can actually pull the sidestand slightly back from full locked and release it, and it will stay there. On other bikes, the forward attach anchor of the spring is forward of the sidestand in the down position, so if you attempt to position the sidestand slightly aft of locked, the spring will automatically pull the sidestand forward to the locked position.

So it appears that Yamaha just did not do a good job of engineering the sidestand so it snaps forward into the locked position. I know some folks have ground off the stop, but that really does not address the root cause of the problem, which is the spring actuation.

I am thinking that if you could simply move the anchor point that the front of the spring hooks to forward on the bike about an inch, that it would resolve the problem. I am still trying to figure out an easy way to do that and I might be able to fabricate a new attach anchor that could be retrofitted to the existing anchor to facilitate repositioning of the spring. If sucessful, what this would do, is make the sidestand snap and lock forward (positively) automatically when you deployed it, like it does on other bikes.

Thoughts?

Good catch. How's your back?

Sounds like a good idea. Looking forward to the results of your experiment.

Luckily I still had one hand on the handlebar when it went down and the other on the hand rail. It got about 1/2 way down before I caught it, and was falling toward and against me, so I was able to wrench it back up, but it got within a few millimeters of hitting the floor. This is the second time I have "caught it" after the sidestand collapsed.

I will post some photos when I get home of the problem with the sidestand spring and how I purpose to fix it. It just doesn't make a good positive down and locked position like it should, and moving the spring forward should fix it. On my Honda, if the sidestand gets anywhere past the half way point, the spring pulls it forward to the full locked position. On the FJR, I can leave the sidestand in almost any position and it will stay there, despite how much lube is on it. The spring just isn't mounted in the right place.

I am thinking I might be able to put a single chain link on the front hook of the spring and then fix that link to a point an inch or two forward of the existing anchor point, so effectivly the sidestand spring would now be anchored in front of the sidestand like it should be.

Thoughts?

Yea, I have a few but pretty sure you don't want to hear them.

Starting to believe your signature is an understatement. :clapping:

Is there a lot of variation in the construction of the FJR sidestand through the years? In hundreds, if not thousands, of stand lowerings I've done on Frank, never once has there been the slightest indication of a tendency for it to not report ready for duty, be it level ground, back, or even forward incline. Guess I don't get it.

radman said:

Guess I don't get it.

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There are some things you really don't want to get. Like herpes and bad sidestands.

FWIW, I do remember some members discussing this issue and the cure being a grinder. I, like Rad, haven't had a problem. The only time mine ever fell had nothing to do with the sidestand and everything to do with me.

I haven't searched the subject but my searches tend not to be that efficient anyway. Maybe the ones with the grinders will chime in.

Scab said:

radman said:

Guess I don't get it.

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There are some things you really don't want to get. Like herpes and bad sidestands.

FWIW, I do remember some members discussing this issue and the cure being a grinder. I, like Rad, haven't had a problem. The only time mine ever fell had nothing to do with the sidestand and everything to do with me.

I haven't searched the subject but my searches tend not to be that efficient anyway. Maybe the ones with the grinders will chime in.

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+1.....I don't get it either.... :huh:

Talk to some of the many owners who have had the bike fall over after not getting the sidestand all the way down. I am not alone.

If you want to understand the problem, do this simple test. Put the bike on the center stand. Now lower the side stand stand 9/10th's of the way and release it and see what happens. Nothing, it stays right where you left it at 9/10th's deployed

Do this same test on any other bike and see what the result it. The spring breaks over center and pulls the sidestand to the full down an locked position.

The times I have gotten into trouble is after rocking the bike off the centerstand with the sidestand all the way down. It seems that when the bike rocks off the centerstand it drops enough to make the deployed sidestand to move just off the stop a bit. Then when you lean the bike over, the side stand retracts. The obvious solution is to put the sidestand down AFTER taking it off the centerstand instead of before, but I would like to investigate fixing the sidestand so that it locks forward on it's own like it should. If you don't have this problem, then more power to you, but I would like to fix my bike so that I don't drop it, and I suspect others out there might also be interested.

P.U.E. ???

Fred H. said:

Talk to some of the many owners who have had the bike fall over after not getting the sidestand all the way down. I am not alone.
If you want to understand the problem, do this simple test. Put the bike on the center stand. Now lower the side stand stand 9/10th's of the way and release it and see what happens. Nothing, it stays right where you left it at 9/10th's deployed

Do this same test on any other bike and see what the result it. The spring breaks over center and pulls the sidestand to the full down an locked position.

The times I have gotten into trouble is after rocking the bike off the centerstand with the sidestand all the way down. It seems that when the bike rocks off the centerstand it drops enough to make the deployed sidestand to move just off the stop a bit. Then when you lean the bike over, the side stand retracts. The obvious solution is to put the sidestand down AFTER taking it off the centerstand instead of before, but I would like to investigate fixing the sidestand so that it locks forward on it's own like it should. If you don't have this problem, then more power to you, but I would like to fix my bike so that I don't drop it, and I suspect others out there might also be interested.

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Why would you leave the sidestand down while coming off the centerstand?

Why would you just assume it is still in the proper position.

I always got on the bike to bring it off the centerstand and then when down put the side stand down all the way and was done.

The amount of people who have done it is so minor it is not even worth mentioning. It was their mistake.

If you push the sidestand all the way to its stop and then let the bike down it works 100% of the time.

If you are relying on a spring to take it down that is your fault. In my view the spring is the keep the sidestand up not pull it down.

Fix it if you wish. Have fun.

I haven't had the problem yet, but I've heard of others who did. Add me to those who want to hear about the results and see pics.

By the way, I was talking to Rick M. and Horkster -- those guys who rode Barney out to you while you were recovering from your Connie shunt -- over the weekend, told them I see you popping up around here, and they said to say hello. I'm also an ex-Cogger, and I'm glad you're still farkling away.

If you move the top mount for the spring fwd 1", you may over stretch the spring. This will make the distance an inch longer. Maybe just a half inch more?

I was riding a borrowed Harley around for a while. Loved the bike, but talk about frightening side stands!! They NEVER feel like they're out far enough. Nothing like the fear of dropping someone else's 800lb baby to make you pay attention to what you're doing. Yikes!

After that, I trained myself to *always* ensure the kickstand is out as far as it'll go and to pick my parking spots accordingly.

I'll crawl under the FJR and take a look tho'... anything to improve a potential "oops" thing is A-OK by me.

After I got my '04 home, I compared its sidestand to my VFR's, and in its deployed state, it did not reach as far forward as the VFR's. Rather than wait to see if that might spell trouble, and being as it was the dead of winter and I couldn't ride anyway, I just ground down the base against which the stand rests. Took ten minutes, no big deal, ymmv, yada, yada, yada.

I have heard reports that some on the fjr have dropped the bike while pulling into their driveways while being distracted by something.

Perhaps they need retractable wheels on the sides so that in slow speed manuevers they are more like a car!!!

This will also eliminate the need for a side stand.

Not disputing that you have the problem, just saying I don't. If I remember, (not looking at it) that whole mount area is cast. If so, it may very well be exactly what Rad said, variance. Again, just because I don't have it doesn't mean it isn't on some. Point was just to say that I have heard of it so maybe the information on the "fix" is archived here somewhere. I would try to search, but I stink at it.

The amount of people who have done it is so minor it is not even worth mentioning. It was their mistake.If you push the sidestand all the way to its stop and then let the bike down it works 100% of the time.

If you are relying on a spring to take it down that is your fault. In my view the spring is the keep the sidestand up not pull it down.

Fix it if you wish. Have fun.

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First off, the amount of folks who have had the sidestand collapse is enough that the subject continually arises on this forum time and again. Second, when it does happen, for whatever reason, it can and will cause major damage to your bike, not to mention your pride.

Third, any decent sidestand is made so that when you deploy it, the spring breaks over center and aids in locking the sidestand fully forward. Go look at the sidestand on any bike and see for yourself how they work. Any decent engineer intentionally designs a sidestand so that you can flick it with your foot, and once it gets about 60% past center, the spring snaps and holds it fully forward. Again, if you want to see how it should work, go look at most any other bike on the road and see what happens when you deploy the sidestand 60% and then release it.

The FJR stand can be deployed to 95% and still remains at 95% when you release it. If you do not absolutly make certain it is 100% fully deployed, the bike can and will fall over when you rest it on the sidestand. The reason manufactures make the spring break over center is to eliminate the chances of having the sidestand collapse from not being fully deployed, and is part of the design consideration. It may seem like a small detail, but it is an important function of a properly designed sidestand.

You may not think it a big deal right up until the time you drop your bike and do $500 of damage to it. If you aren't interested in fixing this problem, then I would suggest you stop reading this post, as you probably know so much about your bike already, there isn't anything more for you to learn about it.

Fred H. said:

The amount of people who have done it is so minor it is not even worth mentioning. It was their mistake.If you push the sidestand all the way to its stop and then let the bike down it works 100% of the time.

If you are relying on a spring to take it down that is your fault. In my view the spring is the keep the sidestand up not pull it down.

Fix it if you wish. Have fun.

Click to expand...

First off, the amount of folks who have had the sidestand collapse is enough that the subject continually arises on this forum time and again. Second, when it does happen, for whatever reason, it can and will cause major damage to your bike, not to mention your pride.

Third, any decent sidestand is made so that when you deploy it, the spring breaks over center and aids in locking the sidestand fully forward. Go look at the sidestand on any bike and see for yourself how they work. Any decent engineer intentionally designs a sidestand so that you can flick it with your foot, and once it gets about 60% past center, the spring snaps and holds it fully forward. Again, if you want to see how it should work, go look at most any other bike on the road and see what happens when you deploy the sidestand 60% and then release it.

The FJR stand can be deployed to 95% and still remains at 95% when you release it. If you do not absolutly make certain it is 100% fully deployed, the bike can and will fall over when you rest it on the sidestand. The reason manufactures make the spring break over center is to eliminate the chances of having the sidestand collapse from not being fully deployed, and is part of the design consideration. It may seem like a small detail, but it is an important function of a properly designed sidestand.

You may not think it a big deal right up until the time you drop your bike and do $500 of damage to it. If you aren't interested in fixing this problem, then I would suggest you stop reading this post, as you probably know so much about your bike already, there isn't anything more for you to learn about it.

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I am not arguing that it doesn't work like others.

I am arguing that now that you know you should remember.

I fully extend all of mine and don't rely on anything to make sure it holds my bike.

It is something that everytime on any bike I make sure it is done right.

Once you do your fix and you get complacent and then don't do it far enough for even your fix to work it can happen.

I know you are way smarter than me and very confident you can remember to do it fully each time.

I have ridden bikes for almost 18 years and have never had a problem with dropping any bike because of a sidestand. I just take my time. It is my pride and joy and I am not going to let it drop because of being in a hurry...

Also with the bike on the centerstand and you leaving the sidestand down. Are you on the bike?

You have to be hitting the sidestand and possibly could cause damage. I know my 210lbs coming down like that would hit the sidestand. That is why I would leave it up, then put it down. Just doesn't seem like a good way of doing it...

I will just add that on the fjr it seems the angle is more of a problem that the spring issue.

It should go more forward imho and so the idea of grinding would actually make more sense if I were to want to mess with the sidestand...

Apparently the FJR needs to come with another one of those orange and white warning stickers affixed to the fuel tank:

"Warning: Engage brain before deploying sidestand. Failure to do so may result in injury and damage to the motorcycle."



Sorry, I couldn't resist.