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Stability of kickstand in storms

4K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  Tom07K1200GT 
#1 ·
This is my first post...

I have grotten myself a 08 K1200GT three months ago.

Since then we had had two storms with gust of 25m/sec, around 55 mph. (Perhaps more)

Both times the bike have tipped over. First time was a rookie mistake of having it in neutral, something I soon read about was a common weakness of the model.

My previous bikes never had any issues in this regard.

But this time it was on the sidestand, in gear, windscreen in lowest position, on level concrete and yet it was tipped over in the opposite side.

This was not a super hurricane, but still it was able to lift up the bike from the sidestand and tip it to the other side.
:wtf: :confused:

After I lifted it up, I parked it somewhere more in lee.

I thought that the bike was far to heavy for that, do anyone have similar experiences?
 
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#2 ·
Never had that experience. Most have the opposite where it falls on the stand side because in BMW's infinite wisdom they made the stand's footprint way too small and much too much a lean angle. Maybe that lean angle had to do with your experience.

These are slab sided bikes with no where for side air blasts to go but 'push' on the bike itself.
As you stated you just need to be aware of the surrounding weather at the time.
 
#3 ·
Sorry to hear about the tip overs. Hopefully there was no damage and you were able to have assistance getting the bike up righted.

I've had my K1300gt for 2 years now and hadn't even thought of this as a possibility. Luckily, I have a garage that protects is from the weather most of the time. In the future, when I'm out and about and get caught in a sudden storm with wind, I'll try to remember your trick of parking in an area that provides protection from the wind.

Unfortunately, I don't have any better suggestions of how to deal with it.
 
#4 ·
Yeah, the only problem I have ever experienced or heard about was either a too soft surface (thats why I parked it on concrete) or not putting it in gear.

Even though it is a slabsided machine, where the fairing can act like a sail, my initial gutfeeling would be at it was way to heavy to tip over like that.

I did have help with righting it up again, and it was surprising easy, when you know the technique.

Now both fairing sides are scratched, only the highpoints of the ridges though.
Both my panniers have deep scratches... The panniers are coated with the 3M foil, but only on top and front. The sides are not. And I dont think that a foil would do any difference in a tip over.

Being the fatalist I am, I just KNEW it would tip over again sooner or later, and therefore I bought a set of R&G sliders, that I intended to install this weekend.

Sooner was sooner than I had anticipated though... Sigh...

As for the panniers, I was thinking of covering the sides thick(er) rubber, to protect them, as they protect the rest of the bike in a tip over. Perhaps something like the BMW Sport Saddlebags.

Or just wear my scars, and accumulate them, and only get the bike repainted the day I decide to sell it.
 
#5 ·
The slab sided GT has so much wind catching surface area that is a prime candidate for tip overs when parked and instability when riding in cross winds. Beware. It is also very heavy to pick up and expensive to paint.
 
#6 ·
Riding in crosswinds is made easier by setting the ESA to Sport and Two-up, and by keeping your arms loose, but your grip solid.

The ESA settings stiffen things up some, and the loose arms lets the bike float a little to self correct.

But yeah, never park downwind in strong gusts . . . :cool:
 
#7 ·
Meese, thanks for the esa tip, I will remember that.

Never downwind or ever so slightly downhill...


lhendrick, actually the bike was surprisingly easy to pick up, and I'm not big.
Just use the right technique, and of course it helps to have a nice firm surface.
If the surface was gravel, I think it would be impossible for one person.

But not as surprisingly, as how surprisingly expensive to paint.
I got a quote of approx 645 us $ for one fairing and pannier.

For now, I keep my scars...
 
#9 ·
Barnonline said:
I thought that the bike was far to heavy for that, do anyone have similar experiences?
It's a tall ship with lots of sail! If I were halfway intelligent I could talk about "moment of inertia" and stuff like that, but just remember, the wind doesn't actually have to pick up 575 pounds to tip your bike over.

For me, the sidestand length is a good compromise, but I did buy one of those fatfoot things as soon as I could, which is a really good way to prevent that dainty little sidestand foot from spearing its way through the hot asphalt.
 
#10 ·
chuckwilmot said:
It's a tall ship with lots of sail! If I were halfway intelligent I could talk about "moment of inertia" and stuff like that, but just remember, the wind doesn't actually have to pick up 575 pounds to tip your bike over.

For me, the sidestand length is a good compromise, but I did buy one of those fatfoot things as soon as I could, which is a really good way to prevent that dainty little sidestand foot from spearing its way through the hot asphalt.
I'm amazed that a 1200K on its sidestand could be tipped over by the wind. Mine is a 2007 and the angle of lean is really quite steep. I did increase the footprint of the sidestand by bolting a 60mm metal disc (actually a support washer from a six inch grind wheel) to it using 4mm stainless boths and Nyloc nuts. I take the point of leaving the bike in gear, though.
 
#11 ·
Quickie said:
I'm amazed that a 1200K on its sidestand could be tipped over by the wind. Mine is a 2007 and the angle of lean is really quite steep. I did increase the footprint of the sidestand by bolting a 60mm metal disc (actually a support washer from a six inch grind wheel) to it using 4mm stainless boths and Nyloc nuts. I take the point of leaving the bike in gear, though.
I'm surprised nobody else said this before you. I find it quite hard to believe that a K12GT could be blown over by wind while on the side stand......unless it was a tornado or hurricane or something with winds that are very uncommonly fast.

I think the originator of this thread may be dealing with someone pranking him.....unless he physically saw the bike tip over the other direction in the windy conditions.
 
#12 ·
I think 55 mph gusts just might do that . . .

Note he said the first time it rolled off the side stand in neutral - many of us have seen that.

The second time it blew over onto the other side, which I agree would take a pretty good gust, but it is possible.
 
#13 ·
Absolutely this thing can blow over. Any bike for that matter. More times than I can remember riding the interior west through insanity kinda of winds just trying to find shelter.

I have several times over the years taken out the tie down straps that I carry and secured the bike for fear of it blowing over. Sustained 30-35 mph wind and I start to worry about where it's parked. My GSA has noticeably less sail mode but even that I find shelter for. So 55 mph. Yup...it'll go.

One stop in Death Valley years ago....gusts to 75 mph...I strapped my bike to a tree. Came out that night to find a dozen or so of the tourist rental Harley crowd bikes all toppled. They cabled them all together ...like some one was going to steal them in 70+ mph winds...and it was domino effect big time! :boom:
 
#14 ·
Robert_W said:
Absolutely this thing can blow over. Any bike for that matter. More times than I can remember riding the interior west through insanity kinda of winds just trying to find shelter.

I have several times over the years taken out the tie down straps that I carry and secured the bike for fear of it blowing over. Sustained 30-35 mph wind and I start to worry about where it's parked. My GSA has noticeably less sail mode but even that I find shelter for. So 55 mph. Yup...it'll go.

One stop in Death Valley years ago....gusts to 75 mph...I strapped my bike to a tree. Came out that night to find a dozen or so of the tourist rental Harley crowd bikes all toppled. They cabled them all together ...like some one was going to steal them in 70+ mph winds...and it was domino effect big time! :boom:
Huh. I stand corrected. I was just waiting for someone to bring a real life experience to us like that. Thanks Robert!

By the way......LOL about the Harley guys. That part was funny.
 
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