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Side stand foot on a lowered GSA

blkb1rd

New member
In January of this year I bought a 2017 GSA that has the lower suspension... I bought the side stand foot piece... And it seems to me that the bike sits rather up right... Does anyone else have this trouble heard. And as always thank you in advance


Tom Casey
2017 R1200gsa
1975 R75/6
 
My '16 RT has a sidestand foot and also sits pretty upright, to the point that if the ground slopes away even a little bit to the right, I can't park it. It is possible to get a bit more height by setting the suspension for "two up", but that is not a good answer. I will watch this thread with interest
 
My '16 RT has a sidestand foot and also sits pretty upright, to the point that if the ground slopes away even a little bit to the right, I can't park it. It is possible to get a bit more height by setting the suspension for "two up", but that is not a good answer. I will watch this thread with interest

The R1200RS sidestand is also too long. Did not realize the RT had the same problem.
We set both of our RSs to Two Up so the bikes have a little lean when using the side stand.
 
I also have a 2017 GSA that is lowered and has an AltRider side stand foot enlarger. I use the middle pre-load setting (rider with luggage). I don’t have difficulty parking the bike on the side stand except on the occasion that I’m on a slope to the right. I often wonder what would happen if I’m pulled over to the side of crowned highway and the LEO tells me to dismount. Fortunately, no LEO has demanded that of me yet.
 
Funny on my 2018 GS standard with standard height suspension I sometimes feel the side stand is too short and leans the bike over a bit more than I prefer. But i guess that is better than too upright. I use the dynamic or automatic suspension preload setting.
 
I normally ride in the dynamic mode... I will try changing it the passenger mode to see if that helps... Thanks for the... If that doesn't work I've given some thought to having the sidestand cut and take a little bit out of..

Tom Casey
2017 R12GSA
1975 R75/6
 
I normally ride in the dynamic mode... I will try changing it the passenger mode to see if that helps... Thanks for the... If that doesn't work I've given some thought to having the sidestand cut and take a little bit out of..

Tom Casey
2017 R12GSA
1975 R75/6

Pretty sure the "pre-load" setting options on my 2018 GS are minimum, auto and maximum. Minimum is too low for me, maximum is too high but auto is just right :laugh
 
Shortening the side stand is pretty easy. I did both stands when I lowered the F800GS.

OM
 
I had a 2016 GSA low and the Altrider foot. I was fine with it but always paid attention to where I parked. Too much slope to the right - naptime. Too much slope to the left - can't get the pig off the stand and balanced. Standing it up then getting on - nope, not going to happen. I have to stand on a peg to swing my leg over, or hop to get one leg over the seat.

One helmet except when traveling, when it was one helmet plus luggage. Yes, talking to the people with the pretty flashing lights on a crowned shoulder could be dicey. Even more so if there's a dropoff from the pavement to the shoulder :(

I normally ride in the dynamic mode... I will try changing it the passenger mode to see if that helps... Thanks for the... If that doesn't work I've given some thought to having the sidestand cut and take a little bit out of..

Tom Casey
2017 R12GSA
1975 R75/6

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Dynamic mode is a throttle response setting (other choices are Normal and Rain). This is the MODE button on the right grip. Suspension damping modes are Hard, Normal, and Soft, and they change the damping, not the preload. Preload is what changes high the bike sits, on a 2017 your preload choices are one helmet, one plus luggage, or two helmets. These are changed with the "spring strut" button on the left handgrip.
 
I had a 2016 GSA low and the Altrider foot. I was fine with it but always paid attention to where I parked. Too much slope to the right - naptime. Too much slope to the left - can't get the pig off the stand and balanced. Standing it up then getting on - nope, not going to happen. I have to stand on a peg to swing my leg over, or hop to get one leg over the seat.

One helmet except when traveling, when it was one helmet plus luggage. Yes, talking to the people with the pretty flashing lights on a crowned shoulder could be dicey. Even more so if there's a dropoff from the pavement to the shoulder :(



I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Dynamic mode is a throttle response setting (other choices are Normal and Rain). This is the MODE button on the right grip. Suspension damping modes are Hard, Normal, and Soft, and they change the damping, not the preload. Preload is what changes high the bike sits, on a 2017 your preload choices are one helmet, one plus luggage, or two helmets. These are changed with the "spring strut" button on the left handgrip.

??? Is that how the GSA options work? Those are the pre-load options on my 2016 RT but on my 2018 GS they are Min, Auto and Max.
 
??? Is that how the GSA options work? Those are the pre-load options on my 2016 RT but on my 2018 GS they are Min, Auto and Max.
2017 GS is a wet head and has those settings. 2018 GS is a shiftcam with the settings you describe. The OP has a 2017.
 
Side Stand Too Long

Cut about a 1/4 inch out of the side stand, either at the bottom or in the center. If you do the bottom take care that you get the foot plate back at the same angle of the foot plate will not sit level. If you cut in the center make sure you plug it before you weld it up. I have done several in the vintage of lowered GS/GSA and it make all the difference.
 
What I did to shorten the side and center stands-
Remove stand from bike.
Scribe a line down the center of the tube(s) to assist with later re-alignment.
Pick a convenient spot to take a section out using a pipe cutter.
Once the section is removed you will find the pipe cutter has “collapsed” the interior diameter a bit.
Find a piece of rod or solid section of bolt and use it to rejoin the sections. There will be adjustability due to the pipe cutters action.
Reference the scribed line for alignment.
Weld the area where the two pieces of the stand(s) touch being careful to have the rod or bolt centered on the “new” joint.
The first weld pass will easily pass through where the pipe cutter did its work fusing all three pieces together.
Finish to suit- paint etc.
OM
 
Thank you for the excellent suggestions on how to lower the side stand... I'm going to look into that when I get back in about a week. Thank you all

Tom Casey
2017 R12 GS A
1975 R75/6
 
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