| Author | Message | ||
     Thefleshrocket |
A couple of days ago, I was leaving a client on my '08 1125R. One of the guys flagged me down and told me that my sidestand was still down. I looked and sure enough it was most of the way down--I must not have kicked it back hard enough. On every other sportbike I've owned, if I click the transmission into gear and the sidestand isn't fully retracted, the bike will die. I've always thought it was an annoying "feature", but in this case, it could have saved my butt. Do 1125s not have a sidestand safety switch, or is mine just not working properly? | ||
| Ohsoslow |
i think the euro bikes have them but not the american, i too have left the side stand down. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
I was also able to start mine with the sidestand down, the trans in gear, and the clutch lever pulled in. I didn't want to try it with the clutch engaged for fear that the bike would try to jump out from under me. I'm glad that the 1125 doesn't require the clutch lever to be pulled in to start, but I'm a little worried about accidentally trying to start the bike with it in gear (sidestand down and clutch engaged) and having it pitch itself onto its side. | ||
| Sportster_mann |
Yep, UK bikes have the sidestand switch fitted as standard. But they can be a pain when they fail - then you can't get the bike started ... | ||
| Ohsoslow |
just make sure the neutral light is on before you hit the button | ||
| Jcjohnson33 |
It's my understanding that the switch on the 1125 sidestand has something the do with the oil pressure upon startup. On the us spec bike. I believe that is what I read in the owners manual some where. It is not a safety kill switch as are on other bikes. | ||
| Jcjohnson33 |
I forgot to mention that yes even I have taken off with the side stand down and hear it scrape on a left turn or hit it with my foot at a light lol | ||
| Kinder |
I don't think any Buells have a side stand switch. Maybe it's due to their propensity to fall off?  | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I'm glad that the 1125 doesn't require the clutch lever to be pulled in to start, but I'm a little worried about accidentally trying to start the bike with it in gear (sidestand down and clutch engaged) and having it pitch itself onto its side. Huh? Bike will start under the following conditions: 1) Clutch pulled in, regardless of gear OR 2) Bike in neutral, regardless of clutch The bike will not start if in gear, no clutch. I think this setup is perfect as it is convenient when you are warming up the bike as you can fire right from neutral, no clutching. Also, on the rare occasion when you kill it at a light, there's no fumbling to find neutral--just clutch in, start and go (as that cager bears down on you from behind.) Kickstand is designed to retract upon contact with the ground. Kickstand switch is just something else to break a long way from home. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
It's my understanding that the switch on the 1125 sidestand has something the do with the oil pressure upon startup. On the us spec bike. I believe that is what I read in the owners manual some where. I would like to read that version of the owners manual. LOL. Maybe there are all sorts of things I never knew about my bike. | ||
| Aj2010 |
I wouldn't mind the side stand switch, provided it still allows running while in neutral and only kills the motor if it's put in gear. Or how about a red LED to indicate the stand is not fully retracted? The wiring is all there, just blocked connector and no switch for it to plug into. | ||
| Ezblast |
When those side stand switches fubar, you will turn anti-in favor of them at warp speed. So funny to read this, when a few years ago no one wanted them on their bikes. EZ | ||
| Froggy |
No domestic XB or 1125 model has has them since 2004. The sidestand is designed in a way that makes them obsolete. Drive off with it down, it will retract on its own the second you start to go left. Switches fail, often at the worst time. The bike will not start in gear with the clutch out, you can try it if you don't believe me. The switch is only on export models due to it being required in various countries. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Drive off with it down, it will retract on its own the second you start to go left. Tony (thunderstruck) will beg to differ. I have his Scg in my shed, with a taco'd front wheel, bent forks, missing left pegs, broken sidestand, trashed shifter, and assorted scrapes and bruises from a bike that had a sidestand that decidedly did NOT retract when he began to try and turn left. It's a coin-toss. "Put the stand up, dummy" versus "bad electronics" like happened on countless tubers. | ||
| Zcat |
I would like to have a side stand switch for safety sake. I knew a guy that was all state football player with college offers in high school. He forgot to kick his Sportster's side stand up and went from a monster looking 350 lb. benchpressing specimen with 2 tree trunk arms to a left arm missing most of the muscle and any football potential gone because he forgot that time to raise the sidestand. What I'd like to see would at least be a toggle switch under the seat that would bypass the switch if it malfunctioned in a remote spot. That would offer both options. If you think your memory is perfect or the stand will automatically retract in a lefty, switch that bad boy off & play the odds. Me, I'll leave it switched on till the switch breaks somewhere and strands me  , than raise the seat, flip the switch and roll. | ||
| Yugi |
Zcat, You can buy following parts and install them: SKU: 74103-98BK PIN HOUSING, BLACK, 3 WAY HARLEY-DAVIDSON PRICE: $3.60 $2.88 SKU: 74143-98 PIN LOCK, 3 WAY HARLEY-DAVIDSON PRICE: $0.30 $0.24 SKU: 74191-98 SOCKET, TERMINAL HARLEY-DAVIDSON PRICE: $0.50 $0.40 SKU: Y0800.1AMC SIDESTAND SWITCH HARLEY-DAVIDSON PRICE: $84.55 $67.64 SKU: A06020.2CVB SCREW, M6X 1.0 X 20. SHCS, BLACK OLIVE HARLEY-DAVIDSON PRICE: $1.00 $0.80 Totals in $72 plus shipping. | ||
| Zcat |
Thanks Yugi, I just might do that. Is this a mod you have installed on your bike? | ||
| Zac4mac |
I was stuck once, for around 30 minutes while I found a Budweiser can and made a jumper out of it, due to a side-stand switch dying. not a fan of them. Z | ||
| Dktechguy112 |
Should they also put a wheelie bar on the bike, in case you grab to much throttle? This could go on forever. If you can't remember to kick up the kick stand, then you shouldn't ride. The stand will kick up if it hits, I found that out when the spring broke on mine. | ||
| Spike240sx |
I like not having the sidestand switch. Yes I have forgotten it a few times but lickily I cought it in time. My friends and I have this lovely red light game. Creep close enough to to them on the left side and lower the kickstand. Kills their bike and sometimes takes them a minute to figure out what the hell happened. Tends to work better when they keep their left foot on the peg though. My buddies try it all the time to me and it gets them all riled up every time it doesnt work. | ||
| Zcat |
Not sure what a wheelie bar & sidestand have in common? I figure if you don't want to wheelie than an 1125R is probably not the bike for you dude. Sidestand switches are used on most bikes. Of the thousands of rides I've been on I never remember a sidestand switch going bad, but face it, there are plenty of switches on a bike to malfunction or drain a battery so the bike won't start anyway.They could maybe not put an electric starter on the bike and then you could kickstart it without worrying about the starter going bad or draining your battery. I've seen many times when that was the problem so maybe bring back the kickstarter and get rid of some weight at the same time? A sidestand switch is sort of like them making you wear a helmet, it's for your own good so that you keep your head intact in the event of an accident but many will argue that it's a stupid law. I'm not one of them as I've been down a few times and my full face helmet has kept me from being uglier than I already am - THank God LOL! I would rather my bike come with one, they could even put a jumper on the bike you could remove to bypass it if you want to play games at redlights or just pretend you'll never forget to put your stand up and trust that it will automatically retract when you go into a left hand curve, not trying to be a wiseguy but it's your skin, do with it what you like. I find it easier to get along with both arms & legs intact myself. | ||
| Ohsoslow |
the 1125 would be one of the last bikes i would ever want to kick start | ||
| Fresnobuell |
My friends and I have this lovely red light game. Creep close enough to to them on the left side and lower the kickstand. Kills their bike and sometimes takes them a minute to figure out what the hell happened. Tends to work better when they keep their left foot on the peg though. It may seem amusing, but you are playing with fire. Being stuck at a red light is not the thing to be doing on a motorcycle--especially as the pack rides off drawing the cager's attention away from the "loser" of the red light game. | ||
| Yugi |
I think, you can always disconnect the sensor, if doesn't work. | ||
| Dannybuell |
Zcat - kickstand story from hell. Spike240sx - have you unplugged your front brake light switch? The sidestand switch was a very common complaint on the tube frame models. On some Ducati's the stand automatically retracts when the bikes weight goes off of the stand. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
On some Ducati's the stand automatically retracts when the bikes weight goes off of the stand. Many nightmares stories about that self-retracting sidestand...do they still use those these days? I think the 916 I rode had one...I didn't like it at all. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Yugi - on my Firebolt, I had to jumper it to go. When the wire breaks or the sensor dies, it's an open just as when the stand goes down. | ||
| Dannybuell |
Fresnobuell - I almost dropped a Ducati at the dealership a few years back, scared the He&& out of me.. | ||
| Dktechguy112 |
My friend had a drz400 on/off road that had a side stand sensor, he was jumping it and the sidestand bounced down and killed the motor, he didn't get the clutch pulled in before he landed and he wrecked. The starter is helpful, the kick stand switch is just a pain. Yes i always wear a helmet, I'm commuting this summer in 100 F heat, and I always wear my leathers. I am big on safety, I just don't think its a safety feature. Picture this, you have a sidestand switch, the spring brakes on the kick stand and it falls down without you noticing (this happened to me on the freeway), the motor dies, and if you don't pull in the clutch your wheel locks up. That is an excellent safety feature. Because I didn't have a side stand switch, when I exited the freeway and went to make a left turn i felt the pop and noticed the side stand, no big deal. | ||
| Yugi |
I went ahead and ordered the parts for the kick stand switch. |
