Poll
Question:
Why do you hate your kickstand?
Option 1: Keeps me scared that bike will fall over
votes: 2
Option 2: the "foot" is way to small and sinks into ground
votes: 2
Option 3: hard to deploy; usually have to look at it to get it out
votes: 1
Option 4: flops around, makes noise, and engine might shut off on rough roads / trails
votes: 3
Option 5: it is on the wrong side of the bike !
votes: 0
Option 6: it makes my bike lean more than I do
votes: 0
In the late 70's / early 80's there were lawsuits about kickstands. One case I am familiar with, guy bought his first motorcycle with the attitude that "I know everything, you do not need to coach me." He left the dealer lot with the kickstand down.... made it less than a mile and in a left-hand curve the stand hit the asphalt, bike tossed him off. So he found a lawyer that made life hell for the dealer and the manufacturer - Yamaha.
So some manufacturers added a rubber extension that would catch the road and toss the kickstand up before the bike leaned over much. Some added sensors / switches that would not let you put the running bike in gear with the kickstand down.
Others changed the bike/stand design so that the bike only leans a few degrees. That's what Honda did on my 1982 CBX 6 cylinder. It had the bike stand so tall a breeze in the right direction would blow it over - and it did when I went to lunch with the Honda dealer service manager, and the district manager. I parked right in front of them. During lunch, waitress came over and asked "do one of you own that big beautiful bike with the pearl paint? It fell over." Shockingly, Honda paid to replace left luggage (saddlebag) and front fairing.
So that bike, and all since, I take a file to the kickstand stop so the kickstand moves farther and lets the bike lean over more.
What are your kickstand horror stories ?