All of my Triumphs were the same.

 

Compared to my previous bike (F800ST) I find the R's kickstand nerve-wracking. IMO the less one has to think about operational quirks, the better. Having to constantly answer "not sure" to the question "is the bike leaning enough on the side stand" is really annoying. For example here in the NL it is pretty common to have streets with a curved pavement profile to assist in pushing water to sewage drains located where the sidewalk begins. I still didn't manage to get used to automatically park the motorcycle on the left side of the road, because on the right side it just won't work.

I still haven't found a reasonable explanation why does the R/RS lean so upright on the kickstand. The GS has a nice lean when on the kickstand.

 

The GS has a nice lean when on the kickstand.

As does the F900XR...I took a 2020 F900XR out as a loaner a few weeks back, and could not believe the difference. I parked, put the kickstand down while seated on it, and tilted the bike to the left to set it, and it kept tilting over...and over...and over...for what seemed like forever. I had to stop and look down to make sure I'd put down the kickstand, and even then I felt wary about how far I had to lean it, thinking maybe a spring had snapped. I knew the R was a bit more upright than other bikes I've had, but, wow, hadn't realized just how used I'd become to it and forgotten what a "normal" kickstand angle felt like. Perhaps the 900XR kickstand is significantly more angled than other bikes which made the comparison unfair, but I doubt that's the case.

 

so I got to research this in the meanwhile and apparently there's a 15mm shorter kickstand from BMW for the Chinese market, part 46 53 8 564 609. Also mentioned in our forum.

I also read what seems the most plausible explanation for having such an upright kickstand: "this is general in boxer engines, having this so long side stand for the bike to remain very vertical when parking, not letting the oil enter into the left cylinder".

Another similar explanation: "the logic for keeping the bike fairly vertical - to help avoid oil draining into the nearside cylinder"

Hmm. Not sure if this is true and this doesn't explain why do GS bikes lean so much in comparison.

 

I know there's a shorter side stand option in Japan as well. I looked into ordering one, but with currency exchange & freight for my needs, it was cheaper and faster to shorten locally.


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I’ve been riding for over 50 years, and I’ve owned GSes and RTs, along with lots of other makes and models, and currently have a 2016 R1200R and a 2017 R9T Scrambler in the garage. None of the boxers have ever had a “left side cylinder oil issue”. Collectively, I’ve put hundreds of thousands of kilometers on the boxers. None of them have been even close to standing so upright on the side stand as the R1200R. And none of them have ever fallen over while parked, except for the R1200R. The wind blew it off its side stand while parked on perfectly level pavement. I was standing beside it at the time. The wind was brisk, but my other bikes have certainly withstood higher winds than that, including on top of Mt Washington (one of the windiest spots on earth). The pre-load was set to 2-up with luggage, and I’d learned early on to unload the suspension before shutting it off.

The side stand on this model is simply too long, no matter what BMW might say about it being within spec. When I park it outdoors, I look for a spot where the foot of the side stand will be lower than level with the tires.

 

That's it, I'm getting the shorter side stand and get back to normal! 😄

 

For further info review @serrge post #30 in this thread.


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I never had a problem parking downhill in first. I do always let the bike roll down a bit until the tranmission stops it and only then I deploy the kickstand. Never downhill in neutral. In fact, I even got into the habit of almost always stopping the engine with the kickstand in first.

That said, I never leave the bike unattended when parked downhill and if it’s easy/convenient to park uphill, then I’ll prefer that and benefit from not giving a chance for the kickstand to fold with the direction of gravity and also benefit from easily putting the rear wheel against an obstacle for added safety, if available.

 

Just unload the suspension before turning powering off the bike.

 

When I first got my 2015 R1200R I felt that the stand was too high also. Yes Yes I know that you have to be careful where you park and monitor the lean angle etc, but its always an extra check to go through when parking. Last year on a trip my riding companion was parked a little too upright when stopped at a scenic look out and a gust of wind took his new RS down. Ouch. $$$. I found a welder who would take a bit off (ideally from the base) but I never had the time to follow through.

 

I have ordered one of the BMW shorter sidestands and will report back once I have it fitted to the bike.

 

I happened upon this thread and have always thought the bike stood precariously upright (since I bought it, little over a year ago). I just ordered the shorter stand from my local dealer and am now waiting on shipping from Germany.
I will try post some pics once it comes in. Thanks for the info here!

 

This post is 5 1/2 years old and there still has not been one entry of a R12R tipping over. Just ride!

 

Driven by FOFO - fear of falling over.

 

This post is 5 1/2 years old and there still has not been one entry of a R12R tipping over. Just ride!

Parked it on a slight downhill slope once, just started to walk away when out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw my bike rolling forwards – jumped back and just managed to catch it. Had a very sore knee for my trouble.

I try to be careful where I park, but I still get caught out and have to re-park now and again.

The side-stand is too long.

I did try to order the short side stand from the UK Motorrad site, but that didn’t go too well, not to mention they want payment by paypal and I don’t do paypal.

Tried the Euro Motorrad site but they do longer ship to the UK (*** BREXIT!! – aaaaaagh!)

So, I guess I’ll just get the dealer to get one in for me.

 

Parked it on a slight downhill slope once, just started to walk away when out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw my bike rolling forwards – jumped back and just managed to catch it. Had a very sore knee for my trouble.

I try to be careful where I park, but I still get caught out and have to re-park now and again.

The side-stand is too long.

I did try to order the short side stand from the UK Motorrad site, but that didn’t go too well, not to mention they want payment by paypal and I don’t do paypal.

Tried the Euro Motorrad site but they do longer ship to the UK (*** BREXIT!! – aaaaaagh!)

So, I guess I’ll just get the dealer to get one in for me.

Yes, your dealer should be able to get you one. They will never have heard of it though - we enthusiasts know more than the dealers about our bikes...

 

In my area some roads have enough crown that a "flat" road wouldn't let me park my R unless I swung in and backed it up to the curb so it was pointed "up" the crown, straight into traffic basically.

Which has been a habit of mine even on other bikes.

 

In Cali, the regs actually specify that one tire is supposed to be touching the curb for motos...

 

I shorted my side stand by 15mm, and the bike lean now seem to be about right to my eye. I had the welds X-ray inspected and passed.

If fitting a new shorter stand or alterning the exiting stand - checkout the Panzer’s response on this tread.


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So... I went riding around a couple days ago, running errands on the bike (one of which was to pick up my shortie side stand that had just arrived on special order from Germany), and I had at least three separate occasions where I needed to park and couldn't use the side stand because the bike would have been right on the verge of tipping over. Two of these involved parking on the side of the road (USA, CA), and the very slight crown of the road prevented the bike from leaning over more than a couple degrees on the stock stand - not nearly enough to feel safe. In one case I was able to use the center stand instead, but then it was leaned over slightly the other way, which also felt dangerous but luckily this was a very quick stop.

My last stop was at BMW MC of San Diego to grab the replacement stand! It has now been installed and is a MAJOR improvement. This stand should have been on the bike to begin with, at very least for any markets where you drive on the right side of the road. Here are a couple of quick (admittedly poor) pics I took in the garage during and after install. The bike pics are both with the new side stand installed. Please ignore my messy garage/office space.

 

This stand should have been on the bike to begin with, at very least for any markets where you drive on the right side of the road.

I think this must be why I've not found side-stand length to be a particular issue – we drive/ride on the correct side of the road.

 

My last stop was at BMW MC of San Diego to grab the replacement stand! It has now been installed and is a MAJOR improvement. This stand should have been on the bike to begin with, at very least for any markets where you drive on the right side of the road. Here are a couple of quick (admittedly poor) pics I took in the garage during and after install. The bike pics are both with the new side stand installed. Please ignore my messy garage/office space.

Good to hear your dealer had no problem obtaining the part.

In Scotland we drive on the right side of the road – ie the left. The side stand is a real pain in the arse. Next time I’m in touch with my dealer I’ll be getting them to order one for me.

150 quid option for a centre stand, then you have to fork out similar to fix the hopeless side stand – grrrr.

Garage looks pretty tidy to me.

 

Just ride!

But don't park!

 

BMW never claimed to make the ultimate parking machine I guess

 

I've always acknowledged that the side stand could be shorter, but maintained it wasn't a significant issue – at least for those of us that ride on the correct side of the road.

The other day, though, I was taught a lesson. After days of rain, the Panzer deserved some attention so I gave it a wash in the late afternoon/early evening, just outside the garage, using the driveway and garage lights for illumination. I turned the bike around to illuminate the LHS so I could give that side a rub-a-dub, turning the bars to the right so as to get behind the fork tube. As I went back for the bucket, I mentally mocked all the complainers about the too-long side stand. Hah, what could possible go wrong.

In the half light, as I gave the swing-arm a good scrub, I sensed the bike tilting further away from me. In vain, I grabbed the handlebar grip to save it, with my knee grinding along the driveway pavement. Unfortunately my ATGATT mantra didn't extend to washing the bike, and my old denim jeans were no match for the abrasion; neither was the skin on my knee. Fortunately, though, I'd slowed the bike's descent sufficiently that only some almost imperceptible indentations adorn the RH MAMoto head cover guard.

Note to self, 'Always keep the bars turned left when parking - even when washing'.

Oh, and it rained the next day and the Panzer promptly reverted to 'dirty' status ...

EDIT: First sentence edited. I meant shorter rather than longer.

 

I've always acknowledged that the side stand could be longer, ...

Surely you meant shorter. Any longer and you wouldn't be able to deploy it, even on level terrain.

 

Yes, @sturgeon - I must have been delirious with pain. SHORTER.

 

It was the percocets talking.

 

I've done exactly the same move, with my Scrambler. For some reason, die genialen ingenieure decided to put the oil sight glass on the left side of the engine. I was kneeling beside it and pushing it up to vertical to check the oil level. The bike fell on the grass, but my knee did the belt-sander thing on the driveway. I now check the oil with a mirror while sitting on the bike 🤪

 

I now check the oil with a mirror while sitting on the bike 🤪

That's clever

I dont think the jiffy is too long. Yes, in case of flat tyres perhaps. In my garage I always put an about a 4cm high piece of wood under the jiffy, to park it upright as possible. But then again it is parked agains a wall, so it can't tip over

My previous bike (FJR) had shorter dogbones installed so it was a bit higher than normal. I was always scared it would tip over the jiffy-side. I am glad my R1200R has a normal parking position (and a center stand!)

 

I had a similar bike wash calamity in my driveway. I should have known better because the driveway has an awkward camber. Anyway, long story short, LC went over. Apart from superficial, but expensive, parts replacement $$$, the big hurt was it happened in clear view of the bbq area where my sons were hosting a beers & bbq for a few of their mates...

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Yes ever since I boutght the bike. I got my first flat a few weeks ago. I plugged the tire after I got home. The next morning my bike was on the floor; The plug didn't hold and because the stand was too upright and the flat tire combined to topple the bike. I had removed the stand and cut 1/2" out and had it rewelded. a little black paint and now the bike leans the way it should. I highly recommend everyone to shorten your stand by 1/2" if you feel it is too long.