[hogdad]

Shortly after I purchased the C5 (July 2013) I found that the starter and EFI were unresponsive at times when the key was turned on and the side stand retracted.
I looked closer at the top of the side stand where it meets the kill switch and noticed it has a radius (like a cam) which pushes the kill switch plunger in and out as the side stand is applied or retracted.  It appeared the crown had a high spot in it which caused the kill switch not to close and open properly at times.  Thus, no electrical power.
A little grinding with the Dremel Tool on the crown of the side stand took care of the problem.

[GSS]

Almost everyone here has disconnected the switch....too many random issues with this.

[Craig McClure]

Simple is always best. My life is simpler without that side stand switch, & the jumper cable in the headlight wiring that prevents you controlling YOUR PROPERTY. (NUTS to DOT)

[suitcasejefferson]

Simple is always best. My life is simpler without that side stand switch, & the jumper cable in the headlight wiring that prevents you controlling YOUR PROPERTY. (NUTS to DOT)

100% agreed. I have always removed the safety switches and all emissions crap from every bike I've ever owned. I started riding on an early '60s dirt bike at age 8. I have had several bikes where the neutral light failed, and I never bothered to fix it because I didn't need it. Both DOT and the EPA need to butt out of the motorcycle business.

[REpozer]

Hey Hogdad , looks like you do good work. My side stand switch was vary problematic and unreliable so I unplugged and removed said switch.

[sparklow]

This switch is a poor design and should be replaced as a recall by RE and a properly designed replacement installed free of charge by RE dealers. If this was a car this would probably already have happened!

[gremlin]

............. It appeared the crown had a high spot in it which caused the kill switch not to close and open properly at times.  Thus, no electrical power.
A little grinding with the Dremel Tool on the crown of the side stand took care of the problem.

very nice fix.  just enough modification to correct the problem, yet, not destroy a safety function.   (I just disconnected mine...)

[barenekd]

This switch is a poor design and should be replaced as a recall by RE and a properly designed replacement installed free of charge by RE dealers. If this was a car this would probably already have happened!

In a car, it was called an ignition switch. It's taken them 10 years or so to start recalling them!
Bare

[hogdad]

Like Gremlin said, I prefer to adjust or slightly alter a part to keep it functioning as designed if possible. The kick stand safety switch could keep me from a face plant, and my face would like that.

[suitcasejefferson]

This is my own personal opinion, but I believe devices like this (and ABS) will prevent riders from learning the things they need to know to ride safely, and if the device ever fails, and it will, it will cause an accident. I recently saw a post about the "dumbing down" of Americans, and I believe technology is mostly responsible for it. Why learn to do it yourself is a computer or a safety device can do it for you?

When I first started riding on the street, at age 15, back in 1974, none of this stuff existed. I wrote out a list of things that needed to be done, and taped it to the tank. Putting up the sidestand was on that list, as well as putting it in neutral or pulling in the clutch. I have never had an accident caused by one of those issues. They became second nature. I learned to use the brakes, and other maneuvers, like countersteering, through constant practice. I have been practicing for 40 years. I will continue to practice.

I bought an Enfield because I wanted a brand new vintage bike. Real vintage bikes did not have this stuff. I was a little annoyed that I had to remove it from mine.

[Craig McClure]

I have ridden over 50 years without needing a side stand switch, or a constantly burning headlight. Didn't hurt me either. I like things kept simple.

[Royalista]

Couldn't agree more.


Cars have become kindergarten boxes with an overload of distracting toys and stupefying gizmos, and some bikes are no longer motorcycles either.


I long for the days I could mount a horse, destroy a dragon and no one nagging about my health 'n safety. 

[gremlin]

...........I long for the days I could mount a horse, destroy a dragon and no one nagging about my health 'n safety. 

+1

[no bs]

i think the law says all these safety features have to be included on any bike introduced for sale new in the U.S.  don't think it says you can't disable 'em.

[Blairio]

I stripped, greased and reassembled the side stand switch on my Electra. The switch was bone-dry inside - no lube. The job took 5 minutes over 2 years ago, and the switch has worked faultlessly ever since. I guess it is just another one the many  preventative maintenance jobs that go with Enfield ownership, and not worth getting in a lather over.

[suitcasejefferson]

All this nanny stuff just annoys me. I bought a new aluminum step ladder at Home Depot last year, and it had about 20 warning stickers on it. Took me a couple of hours to get them off. All it really needed was one sticker "If you don't know how to properly use this ladder, DON'T" When I was a kid, I could never have imagined that things would go this far.

[crush02342002]

This switch is a poor design and should be replaced as a recall by RE and a properly designed replacement installed free of charge by RE dealers. If this was a car this would probably already have happened!

In a car, it was called an ignition switch. It's taken them 10 years or so to start recalling them!
Bare

when I took my bike in for the sidestand switch the dealership said it was a common problem and a tsb was sent out for it. all they did was take the stand off and grind the cam portion down a bit. no problem since. the thing I really hate though is I cant run the bike on the side stand to let it warm up. my ducati I can warm up on the side stand but if you put it in gear it will die. Id rather that, just my preference.

[Ducati Scotty]

My Ducati was the same.  If the RE was like that I probably wouldn't have disabled it.  I thought about getting a few diodes and rewiring it to make it work that way, but I'm way too lazy these days

Scott

[crush02342002]

I hear that...lol

[REpozer]

All this nanny stuff just annoys me. I bought a new aluminum step ladder at Home Depot last year, and it had about 20 warning stickers on it. Took me a couple of hours to get them off. All it really needed was one sticker "If you don't know how to properly use this ladder, DON'T" When I was a kid, I could never have imagined that things would go this far.

I think this is just the beginning. helmets, guards, safety switches,...consumer guaranties.
 In the near future, we wont be able to do anything ourselves  unless you have a special license, documented "safety" training( 2000 hours or more) or part of a union apprentice/ journeyman program. Our job will be to become an expert in a narrow  career field and pay taxes.

[caricabasso]

I installed a switch that excludes the sidestand switch.
I need it because I always use the side stand to mount on the motorcycle, after turning the engine with the chickstart with the motorcycle on the center stand.
The switch is useful in case of malfunction of the sidestand switch.
Exclude it is very easy.

[trimleyman]

I was on my way across the San Mateo Bridge on the way to the dealer for it's first service when the bike died.
Pulled to the shoulder thinking "did I buy the wrong bike". Put down side stand check the obvious items the kicked stand up and it fire back up straight away. Had dealer disconnect switch during service . End of problem. Too many devices to protect idiots from themselves.

[Arizoni]

The company I worked for for 40 years had several 5 axis milling machines they used to machine the twisting blades on the centrifugal titanium compressor wheels for the gas turbine engines they produced.  (The 5 axis were X, Y, Z, tilt, rotation.)

A safety engineer reviewed these machines and decided they needed to have multiple safety switches installed to protect the operators and the machines from harm.  On his advice, this was done.

Because there were so many different switches that could shut the machine off for any number of reasons, one switch or another was always shutting the machine down.  When one of these machines shuts off in the middle of a cut, it ruins the parts being machined.

The titanium forgings cost over $1000 each and four parts were being machined at a time so every time this happened it cost $4000 plus the maintenance man's time to figure out which switch was causing the problem and repair or replace the switch.

We ended up removing most of the switches, keeping only the ones that kept the operator safe.

Lesson learned?  There can be too much of a good thing.

[Royalista]

Moderation is the best thing (Kleoboulos, 6th century BC)
 

[Gypsyjon]

Moderation is the best thing (Kleoboulos, 6th century BC)
 

Unless of course you are referring to brown liquor ;-)

[mattsz]

yes, moderation in all things... including moderation? 

[Royalista]

Yep, you got it. 

[no bs]

how about immoderate use of common sense? you know, don't whiz on the electric fence.









;,

[Ducati Scotty]

Where's your sense of adventure?

[gremlin]

Do it !  Do it !  Do it !