[35377]

BMW Sidestands

I understand that after the Berlin Wall came down they found a huge warehouse in East Germany full of BMW sidestands that actually worked! Rumor has it that the Motoren Werke got to it first, melted them down to destroy the evidence, and used them to fabricate the turn signal switchgear for the new oilheads.

 

[35377]

Go to any gathering of BMW riders and count how many bikes are on the sidestand. They don't even bother. Even if you can extend the sidestand from the saddle, and even if you can see if it's deployed, the bikes just don't lean into it like they're supposed to.



On the other hand, BMW center stands are a thing of joy. Easy to use and perfectly balanced. Take off the front wheel, it rocks to the rear - take of the rear wheel, it rocks to the front. Take out the oil plug, it rocks back and forth gently to expel all of the old oil. (Ok, the last one I made up, but the rest is true.)