I didn't make the club ride and October Fest this past weekend. (Aside: the club does a ride/meeting every month on the last weekend for which both Saturday and Sunday fall within the month excepting December when there is a Christmas Party) The reason being my osteoarthritis was flaring up in my left leg. Friday before I had taken a short ride out to CalMoto in the Livermore Valley to check the bike out. Found that with the Osteoarthritis it was extremely painful to dismount from the bike my usual way on the left. So much so that I didn't even bother to get off the bike once I got to the shop. Today, I mentioned this in passing to friend Greg (yeah, the guy that gets me into trouble). And he asked why didn't I try getting off like the CHP motorcycle riders and other motorcycle police do, on the right side. Of course I went DUH! "Coppers get off on the right side??" Yes Greg replied, it keeps them safer by not dismounting into traffic. Is anyone else aware of this. I don't think I've ever bothered to look how CHP dismount from their bikes. And if they get off on the right which side do they mount from? Inquiring minds and all that.

Of course I had to try it and I did ride out for lunch and practiced dismounting on the right side. It's possible but I felt clumsy as can be. Biggest concern was that the side stand isn't that sturdy and it felt like it would crumple as I had to lean against the bike's right side while awkwardly getting off.
Comments? Advisaries?

As an authorities motorbike rider for several years, and having serviced cop bikes for many more, and having seen them get off this way when they roll in for maintenance, etc., I was always intrigued why coppers get off on the wrong side. It's the high side, afterall, and therefore more difficult unless you're 6 feet, 17.5 inches tall, with at least a 39-1/8" inseam. They do it on Harleys, on Hondas, and even the tall-seated R1200/1250RT-P (but short) cops do it that way. It is said they get off on the kerb (curb) side thataway. Works ok if you're a drive to the right hand side of the road country.

What side of a horse do we mount & dismount from, unless we're unceremoniously shot from the saddle like some dime novel Western villian?

jjefferies wrote:And if they get off on the right which side do they mount from? Inquiring minds and all that.
Biggest concern was that the side stand isn't that sturdy and it felt like it would crumple as I had to lean against the bike's right side while awkwardly getting off.

The lean angle of a Brick accommodates right-side mounting. With the Brick in gear, step on the right-side foot peg with your hand on the brake lever and your upper body angled over the tank then swing your ailing leg over the tail and plop the rest of your well-fed mass onto the seat. Dismounting is the reverse, just keep your upper body slightly left of center so you don't pull the bike over. Step on the right-side peg and pivot. It isn't surprising to be ungraceful until you've practiced it a hundred times or so in the privacy of your garage. Layout mattresses around the Brick to catch you.

If you don't have confidence in the side stand, it should be restored until you do; otherwise, you'll need to ride in the belief that pain is weakness leaving the body. That's probably a good strategy anyway at this stage.

It isn't a fekkin horse no matter how much you might think of yourself as a gracefully aging Josie Wales. Even some equestrians train up their horses to accept mounting from either side because it can keep the rider's body condition in balance.  Besides, few people are wearing swords these days anyway.

There were a few conversion kits for mounting a right hand side stand. I also believe you might have been able to keep the existing left hand side stand. From what I remember it was a thick flat plate that mounted under the existing centre stand and a mounting lug for the arm was welded onto the plate. I believe one of the BMW Cafe Racer suppliers had them. https://www.caferacerwebshop.com/en/bmw-k-series-side-stand-on-the-right.html
Regards Martin.

MartinW wrote:There were a few conversion kits for mounting a right hand side stand. I also believe you might have been able to keep the existing left hand side stand. From what I remember it was a thick flat plate that mounted under the existing centre stand and a mounting lug for the arm was welded onto the plate. I believe one of the BMW Cafe Racer suppliers had them. https://www.caferacerwebshop.com/en/bmw-k-series-side-stand-on-the-right.html
Regards Martin.

Wow! and only USD $150/Euro 140.    Thanks for the heads up though. It is a very interesting and appears that you bolt in on top of the Center stand mount. Or is that between the frame and the Center stand mount? Rather interesting website with all sorts of BMW K bike goodies too boot.

The center stand is removed to accommodate this revolutionary development!

There was a similar set up that went under the OEM stand allowing the retention of the original setup. I looked into copying it and eventually I forgot about it. I'll try and find it and post it, it was however quite a few years ago.
Regards Martin.

The first time I saw a right hand mounted sidestand was in the early '90s, at the Finger Lakes rally in upstate New York. It was on a K100, the bloke was from OZ, but touring the states, standing there smiling quietly while passers-by struggled to immediately comprehend why the bike had an opposite lean in the row of otherwise unremarkable Beemers.

His retained the centre stand, as well as the stock sidestand.