Damn you side stand switch!

[Koski]

Well, my Breva 750 died on a slow ride to work today...crusing at around 100km/h on our bumpy-ish Vancouver freeways. It felt like an easy die out, no drama, no smells, just boom no power. Couldn't figure it out for the life of me. So off I went, walking to a safer spot ahead where I could contemplate life and not get hit by the trucks whizzing by.

Thankfully a fellow rider driving his car to work came up behind me honking and gladly drove me to a near by gas station. After a few calls to some coworkers, who for some funny reason we're more than willing to stop working to come give me a hand with ramps and a truck.

While I sat waiting I did a little research, turns out that a loose kick stand, caused by a loose spring and or pivot point could most likely be the culprit! Although I don't really remember the position of my stand before stopping, I do remember being bounced around a bit. And back to the day I bought the bike, we noticed the side stand was sticky so we lubed it up real good, maybe too good.

After getting picked up and then brought back to my bike, I had a close look under it.  The stand seems a bit loose, and also an old zap strap was broken underneath. With my extensive mechanical background I was able to fit another couple under to keep it up tight, helps that I have a centre stand. (do they all come with centre stands?)

Gonna keep the side stand up tight for a bit and only use the centre stand, I'll see if the problem comes back. Started and ran just fine, thankfully made it to work and now home.

Sorry for the long read:) and once again, thanks to everyone for providing lots of knowledge on the forums over the years.

[Kiwi_Roy]

It's all very well having a side-stand switch but that could have got you killed in Vancouver traffic.

[Yeahoo Whoyah]

While I sat waiting I did a little research/quote]

Using this forum eh? If not, what source? 

[canuck750]

I have bypassed the side stand switch on every bike I have owned, they all fail eventually usually at dark when you don't have tools or a flashlight.

[Koski]

While I sat waiting I did a little research/quote]

Using this forum eh? If not, what source?

Yup, the help came from this forum:)

[Koski]

I have bypassed the side stand switch on every bike I have owned, they all fail eventually usually at dark when you don't have tools or a flashlight.

I may go that route, although I've read a few horror stories of people leaving them down and crashing...

[atavar]

Pretty much guaranteed that if you disable the sidestand switch you will take off with it down exactly once.  After you clean off your seat you won't do it again.

[Koski]

Pretty much guaranteed that if you disable the sidestand switch you will take off with it down exactly once.  After you clean off your seat you won't do it again.

Haha well put.

[ratguzzi]

and it will happen under 10mph!
JB

[atavar]

I dunno, when it happened to me on my rat Honda 750 I made it out of my driveway and right turn  to the corner at the end of the street where I turned left at about 30MPH.  Kids all over the neighborhood learned new bad words..  I stayed up though..

[Koski]

I dunno, when it happened to me on my rat Honda 750 I made it out of my driveway and right turn  to the corner at the end of the street where I turned left at about 30MPH.  Kids all over the neighborhood learned new bad words..  I stayed up though..

They'll learn em sooner or later

[keener]

I had plenty of bikes that never came with the side stand switch to begin with...
The drill is flip it up and ride off... never any issues.

but then again i am an old curmudgeon   

[ITSec]

The Breva 750 has a notoriously poor spring for the side stand.

Do NOT disable the side stand switch - the safety risk is NOT worth it, even though the ignition cut-out is annoying.

Either strengthen the spring, or generously lube the rotation point of the stand, or do both, or remove the stand and use the center stand (if equipped) instead.

If you ride the Breva an extended period and there is any stickiness in the side stand pivot, it WILL gradually drop and eventually trigger the safety switch - FOR A REASON. The stand is approaching the point where you will get a nasty surprise.

[rodekyll]

Only one spring???    

double-spring it and run the springs through plastic tubing to keep them from rubbing on stuff.

[thepittsburghguzzi]

I am currently fighting this issue on my V7C, and just yesterday I had to resort to using a bungee cord on the side stand, connected to the grab bar, until I figure out something more permanent. It started a couple thousand miles ago, and now it is constant. Several times, my sides stand has slowly fallen down and cut the power, conveniently while in dense traffic on a highway with minimal shoulder. I have replaced the spring with a brand new one generously donated to me by the dealer. I have lubed the pivot point repeatedly. I've used penetrating oil once, then cleaned it just used a smear of normal grease. It works for maybe a day and then I have to deal with this all over again. And I can't trust it to stay in the up position on its own. Who has more bright ideas? Help, please :(

[Sasquatch Jim]

I only tried to ride away with the side stand down once.  Back when I was young and NO motorcycles had anything electric on the sidestand.  It was about  4 mph when it made itself known, It immediately got kicked up into position.  I have since observed other peoples sidestands drooping as they rode and informed them of the problem.  They remedied it  with bungee cord and leaned the bike against something to park until fixed.

[Koski]

I am currently fighting this issue on my V7C, and just yesterday I had to resort to using a bungee cord on the side stand, connected to the grab bar, until I figure out something more permanent. It started a couple thousand miles ago, and now it is constant. Several times, my sides stand has slowly fallen down and cut the power, conveniently while in dense traffic on a highway with minimal shoulder. I have replaced the spring with a brand new one generously donated to me by the dealer. I have lubed the pivot point repeatedly. I've used penetrating oil once, then cleaned it just used a smear of normal grease. It works for maybe a day and then I have to deal with this all over again. And I can't trust it to stay in the up position on its own. Who has more bright ideas? Help, please :(

Damn that's too bad! Although I'm glad it seems to only be this "minor" problem and nothing too serious for mine.

[rodekyll]

I am currently fighting this issue on my V7C, and just yesterday I had to resort to using a bungee cord on the side stand, connected to the grab bar, until I figure out something more permanent. It started a couple thousand miles ago, and now it is constant. Several times, my sides stand has slowly fallen down and cut the power, conveniently while in dense traffic on a highway with minimal shoulder. I have replaced the spring with a brand new one generously donated to me by the dealer. I have lubed the pivot point repeatedly. I've used penetrating oil once, then cleaned it just used a smear of normal grease. It works for maybe a day and then I have to deal with this all over again. And I can't trust it to stay in the up position on its own. Who has more bright ideas? Help, please :(

Is double springing not an option?

[Kiwi_Roy]

Another option is to have no switch but have the stand flip up by itself as soon as the weight is taken off like my Lario.
The spring is not over-center like most, It took a bit of getting used to having to hold the foot on it while leaning the bike.

[redrider]

I may go that route, although I've read a few horror stories of people leaving them down and crashing...

(Donning Curmudgeon Hat) I started riding way before those lawyer inspired safety switches came along. Have we as a species forgotten how to think before acting?

[atavar]

Is double springing not an option?

I thought all sidestands had double springs.  This is a bad thing to have a single point of failure for. 

[demills]

This is a known problem with small block Guzzis  that has been discussed before on Wild Guzzi, They do have a double spring, it is the inner one that is too weak causing the problem. Replace it with a Moose #M7712 Exhaust spring as per Guzziology.

I was out riding once and the engine suddenly died, as I was coasting to a stop I downshifted to neutral, hit the starter button and it fired right up, went a little farther  down the road and it died again but started right up again, after it died the third time I put my left foot down as I was coming to a stop and when my foot hit the side stand I realized what was happening, the first two times as I was pulling over there was just enough crown to the road to flip the stand back to where the switch was off.

[atavar]

They be Part #: 430292 on Dennis Kirk at $14.95.  I got curious and peeked.