Yesterday I replaced the RR because the OEM burned up. I haven't ridden since last Spring, so I warmed the bike up and planned to take it around the block to blow out the cobwebs, so to speak. Well I got about half a mile from the house and the bike died. It would fire up, but as soon as I put it in gear, it died. I tried several time to restart the bike, but as soon as I put it in gear, the motor quit.

So I pushed to bike back to the garage and tested the clutch and side-stand switches for continuity, the clutch was good but the side-stand dead. While I was testing the switches and reviewing so of the related threads here I realized that for the longest time I could not start my bike in gear, always in neutral.

I unscrewed the side-stand switch and cleaned all parts well with brake and electronics cleaner, put it back together and got continuity again in both positions and no more issues with the bike dying, plus I am able to start the bike in gear.

The moral to my story, take the 10-15 minutes to clean the side-stand switch and save yourself the headache of your bike quitting far from home.

 

Hum, so my "washing my bike once a year weather it needs it or not" might actually come back to haunt me? That's good to know!

Thanks for the info, I certainly don't want to push my bike and more than necessary. Peventative maintenance like this can go a long way, it would seem.

 

I just removed it entirely, and all has been well ever since.

In over 30 years of riding, not once have I had to make use of the sidestand switch so goodbye to a potentially troublesome part.....

 

My ECU doesn't see the side stand so no worries here, well except to make damn sure you put it up before riding.....

 

Neither does mine...

 

Had the same issue. Mine actually died while riding it at 65mph. Coasting accross three lanes with no power and dodging traffic SUCKED. After figuring out the problem, I just took the side stand switch apart, cleaned it and haven't had issues since. Such a small part can really screw up your day.