General topics » Installing New BMW Sidestand

After years of worrying about my R1200RS falling over using the stock sidestand, I decided to obtain the BMW shorter sidestand produced for the China market.

Does anyone have detailed instructions how to remove the sidestand and install a new one? There's a spring involved and I may not have specialty tools to deal with it.

Many thanks.
Stay healthy & be well,
Richard Clompus
Now living close the the Blue Ridge Parkway again :-)

You will need a brake spring service tool and a means of pulling the spring past the side stand spring post when reinstalling the spring.

Remove left side engine spoiler
Disconnect and remove side stand spring
Remove side stand switch screw and side stand switch
Remove side stand pivot bolt and remove old side stand
Lubricate pivot bushings
Install new stand and pivot bolt. Use blue loctite (243) and torque to 40 NM
Install side stand switch and screw. Use blue loctite (243) and torque to 6 NM
Reattach springs -- Install both hooks on the upper mount and pull one spring at a time on the lower mount

Thank you for the detailed instructions. I think I'll wait until some of the snow melts to visit my local BMW dealer to do the install. I don't have all the tools necessary and don't want to screw this one up. Ride safe.

Is the short sidestand available again from US dealers?

Zitat von Lee im Beitrag #4

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Is the short sidestand available again from US dealers?

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Zitat von azqkr im Beitrag #6

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[quote=Lee|p45641]Not sure I'd trust a china made stand.

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I was able to order it from Bob's BMW in Maryland. BMW OEM Part # 46538540829. Price was $212. I had considered having the original stand shortened by a local welding service. The cost was close to getting a new BMW sidestand that was made for BMW bikes sold in Asia. The part was shipped from BMW in Germany to the US. Its a real BMW made sidestand that should have been supplied with this bike.

Sorry for the confusion. I received the stock model stand and not he shorter one. More to come...

Zitat von rclompus im Beitrag #8

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I was able to order it from Bob's BMW in Maryland. BMW OEM Part # 46538540829. Price was $212. I had considered having the original stand shortened by a local welding service. The cost was close to getting a new BMW sidestand that was made for BMW bikes sold in Asia. The part was shipped from BMW in Germany to the US. Its a real BMW made sidestand that should have been supplied with this bike.

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Zitat von wessie im Beitrag #10

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Zitat von azqkr im Beitrag #6

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Zitat von Lee im Beitrag #4

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Is the short sidestand available again from US dealers?

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Not sure I'd trust a china made stand. Usually inferior metals and heat treating.

Sure would be nice to have the shorter stand though. I've thought about relieving the stop/s on my stand, not sure I want to play with that though.

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the OP said, "produced for the China market" not "made in China"

however, where do you think most of the parts for your RS are sourced? The factory in Germany is an assembly plant, not a manufacturing centre. Most of the components are made in the Far East, India and Brazil. Some of the bikes are wholly assembled in India.

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Off topic but I hope you guy's don't mind.

With respect to the quality of components made in various parts of the world, especially East vs West, back in 1990ish I was buying a new Gen 1 Kawasaki ZZR100. The dealer sourced 2 and they arrived in the evening. He called me and I went in at about 8pm to a tiny back street showroom. He asked me to have a close inspection of both bikes before deciding which one to go for. One came in a special paint job and had been at a National bike show, the other was a plain coloured one as per normal.

The plain one had extremely poor build quality even though I preferred the more sedate colour scheme at the time. Poor finish and awful welding. The colourful one was totally different in a very good way (made in Japan).

The 2nd rate one was built in the good ol US of A!

PS I've owned Rickenbackers too

10418884_10152941637682812_8684472941639212364_n.jpeg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

I think some people need to rethink their image of Chinese quality, there are more engineering companies in China than anywhere else in the world and some of them are manufacturing to the highest of global standards, equally some have no clue, but that can be said of any “nation”. It’s not countries but companies that manufacture and I’d encourage anyone to make that distinction.