[Roger2561]

Hi all - So yesterday afternoon I was riding home minding my own business when the bike (07 VN900 Classic LT) just quit; no sputtering (I was doing plenty of that) it just shut off. Before I could even muster the words "what the he&&" I heard a clankity, clankity, clankity sound from the left side. After pulling over to the side of road hoping not to get run over by the idiots in hurry getting home, I go to put the side stand down and it's dragging on the ground. The spring which holds it in the up position had disconnected at the stand. It was still attached to the bike. Okay, I know I cannot put that thing on without some tools so I figure I'd use a piece of nylon string to hold up so I can get home. But, I need 2 hands to tie knot in it but I need the stand out of the way so I can ride. Just as I'm heading back to my work place to call my brother for help, a former co-worker happened to go by. He saw me walking so he turned around and between the 2 of us we were able to get the spring back into place but I need to replace it. It is sprung so I used that piece of nylon string to hold the spring in place so I could continue my journey home. I have ordered a new spring and waiting for it to come in so I can replace the old with the new. Oh well, it could have been worse. Roger

 

[rider 50]

Similar thing happened to me. Luck would have it that I was still in the back yard.
The endless uses of a piece of rope/string

 

[Hot Cruiser]

I don't know whether this would prevent those incidents from recurring, but on my '07 VN900 Classic LT I put a little grease at both ends of the side stand spring's mounting points each year and so far the OEM spring is still in place working as it should.


I had a Yamaha road bike and had the spring break on the road and let the side stand drag on the road surface, but that bike did not have a side stand shut-off switch. Bought a new spring and for the first time greased the mounting points on that as well and rode the bike for 20years more with no more side stand problems.

 

[rbentnail]

Yeah, a little lube goes a long way. You know the penny trick for installing strong springs like these?

 

[BillyBobby]

Yeah, a little lube goes a long way.

+1


The bike may have a belt but a can of chain lube is handy to have around. Sidestand spring ends, sidestand pivot, clutch cable barrel end in the lever... Lots of places where a little squirt does a lot of good. It was SOP on bikes in for service.

 

[rider 50]

I don't know whether this would prevent those incidents from recurring, but on my '07 VN900 Classic LT I put a little grease at both ends of the side stand spring's mounting points each year and so far the OEM spring is still in place working as it should.

Nice tip, I lube the kickstand, never thought of the spring pivot points
Its going to be a good day, I learned something new (never to old to).