Putting this in Trip Reports as my Empulse got tripped up...

[Gavin]

Ok...I know this happened to somebody else, so hoping to hear an answer if the same problem occurred.

Backstory: So some idiot back his pickup truck into my Empulse and knocked it over. Sadly that idiot was me. Long story short...When I got home from work I parked behind my pickup as I almost never drive it and I planned to run to the gym around 8 and, of course, would be riding Walter White (my Empulse). I ride my Empulse 99% of the time and the truck is really only for spring clean-up runs to the landfill and taking my electric bikes on long trips. Anyways....
It was Tuesday night, family dinner night, and my kids and grandkids where over and we were all having a good time. At 5 of 7 I remembered I needed to pick up some water for our aquarium at work and the store closed at 7...So I rushed out, jumped in the truck and....I am an idiot.

Luckily the bike seemed ok. The clutch lever was broken, but all else was good (those CRG lane splitter mirrors did their job and folded without breaking---yeah). Walter started right up and I moved her into the garage. There was a slight rubbing sound, but I figured I would assess that later.

So later I found that the kick stand is now going both too far up and in and rubbing the chain. So Walter is in my garage and I am sad as I am forced to drive my truck in this beautiful riding weather. I've looked closely at the kickstand and nothing is bent that I can see. Nothing is loose or even shifted. I guess I will take the kickstand apart and put it back together and see is I can tighten and adjust it some...but as of now I am at a bit of a loss. Suggestions?

My wife tells me, "this is why you don't buy a bike without a dealer in town"...she then points over to my Piaggio MP3 500 that needs new steering bearings (nobody in town knows how to work on this bike and so has been sitting for way too long) and slowly shakes her head. And she is right, but the Empulse has been bullet proof...but sadly isn't idiot proof.

It's funny that such a little thing, the kickstand, something I don't even really think about, can render my ride "grounded"....gah, I shouldn't have said that...the sight of my baby laying on her side was heartbreaking.

Anyways...I will play with the kickstand some this weekend...I hope to fix it, or at least juryrig it so it won't rub the chain...while still being in the right position to trigger the "kickstand up" sensor.

sadly I am as mechanically inclinded as Zsa Zsa Gabor....and old enogh to know who Zsa Zsa Gabor is. that is a bad combo...i expect bloody fingers and many loud curses coming from the garage this weekend.

Gavin...

[Gavin]

ps...between this and soon to be doing my 6000 mile service, I might become an expect on Brammo Service...perhaps I'll open a garage in town.......

nah, I would be fingerless in a week....

Gavin

[Shinysideup]

As a fellow idiot, I've dropped my Empulse in my garage twice, but always on the right side. My only qualification for replying is that I still have most of my fingers...

Just went to the garage to see what you may be facing. Does the arm of your kickstand when in it's down position seem to be more to the rear than usual? Mine appears to be about 20 degrees to the front of the bike.

The only thing I can see that would allow contact with the chain is for the whole mounting assembly for the kickstand to be bent to the rear. Part of that assembly is a flat, vertical piece of steel just behind the shift linkage. Does that appear displaced from vertical toward the rear?

If so, the judicious application of a large adjustable wrench onto the flat surfaces might coax the whole well-braced mounting assembly back into its proper place.  Although the assembly appears well-braced, I could push upward on the closed kickstand and flex it. But with several hundred pounds of motorcycle on it, I  could see how it might tend to give up.

An alternative method might be to gently lay Walter White on his right side (two people!), open the kick stand, slip a pipe over it and use that lever to bend the mounting assembly back into alignment. Aim for bending in small increments: You don't want to go too far and then have to bend back the other way, for down that path lies, not only madness, but weakened steel.

The great thing about steel is that you can bend it in small amounts and not weaken it, whereas aluminum fails catastrophically.

Or (weasel words), you could ignore all the above, and call Adam at Brammo for advice.

[Gavin]

Thanks Shiny...I may bug you for a photo or two...a close up might help.

Gavin

[Virtually Yours]

Ok...I know this happened to somebody else, so hoping to hear an answer if the same problem occurred.

Ok that would be me...  But when that guy backed into my bike he backed into the back of the bike hitting the tail and pushing it forward so the kickstand just folded normally and the bike fell over. It sounds like you backed into the side of the bike and bent the kickstand assembly. (Captain Obvious) You're gonna need to replace it or bend it back if possible. Also check where the assembly is attached and make sure that isn't bent as well. Last but not least, if you haven't already you should invest in a small torque wrench, and tighten everything down to factory torque specs. I'm sure you already know that...

I'm lucky that I'm mechanically inclined and fixed my bike myself. I did the repairs myself because Euro Cycles of Tampa gave me the WORST possible service of all time! They held up my bike for over a month before I got an estimate on the damage. After 32 days, without doing any work, I decided that they were taking to long so I told them to give me my bike back. I also needed new tires so I went ahead and had Euro Cycles change my tires (PR3's) before they returned the bike.  So they took it upon themselves to "power brake" and "smoke" the old tire. Luckily I told Euro Cycles to give me back my original tires. The evidence on the rear tire showed the abuse and the person that did this probably wasn't aware of the USB under the seat. I sent this picture of the tire and the drive files to Brammo. Brammo confirmed that the throttle was held wide open for 20 seconds.
When the rider power brakes the bike at the end of this video it was less then 10 seconds. Start video at 6:16...

Now what's really messed up is that half the oil leaked out when the bike fell over. In the picture of the bike below you can see the oil leaked out under the seat. I told Euro Cycles that when I dropped off the bike for repairs. When I got the bike back I checked and filled it with oil. Also, I was smart enough to check the torque specs of the front and rear axles, brakes, etc. The torque specs were way off and I had to tighten everything! If I would have rode the bike it would have definitely been extremely hazardous to say the least!
I will NEVER do business with Euro Cycles of Tampa, FL again!
So just having a dealership close by doesn't make it better or at least in my experience. I would like to add that I don't feel this was/is a reflection of Brammo but rather typical Florida bullshit. It's really really hard to find anyone to do good work in this state for some unknown reason.   

[00049 (AKA SopFu)]

Virtually Yours, that is a pretty nasty dealer story. Here's mine:

I worked at a large chain dealership right out of college, starting in sales. I sold a younger guy his first bike, a late '90s bandit 600 (this was in 2005). The service department helped load it into his truck while I was finishing paperwork, and he wanted to hear it run. With it strapped into the truck they start it up and rev the engine. I walk out to say thanks and goodbye and as I'm walking around the bike right after they turn it off I notice no oil in the site glass. Service just did an oil change. We wait a second. Still not oil. Service guy, "Uh, I guess I forgot to put the oil back in." Unloaded off the truck and back into service and sure enough, it took a full capacity of oil. My dealer didn't handle the situation very well, either, and just sent the guy on his way after oil was added. My guess is no damage to the bike, but I never saw the customer again, so can't know for sure.

Good service is hard to fine. Motorcycles are toys, and owners are very cost sensitive. And with so many people wanting into the business (like me), there are a lot of unqualified people doing the work. I seek out race shops that focus on track bikes and racers, and haven't had an issue with their work (although the shop I used to prefer is under investigation from FBI for financial crimes....).

[Virtually Yours]

Ouch! Good work is hard to fine! That's why if you are capable of doing it yourself you should. I think Brammo should put out a Chilton repair type manual for guys like me who are capable of doing the work but need instructions. The owner's manual touches on a couple of things but it's not enough.
http://www.chiltondiy.com/?gclid=CJz3tMqZg70CFe1QOgod9hsArA
In my opinion that would make this lower maintaince motorcycle more cost effective and especially helpful for the owners who don't have a dealership in the area.

[Shinysideup]

Yeah, I've always bought the factory service manual for all the bikes I've owned. Very useful, and it's a good feeling that you know that what is supporting your life on the road was put back together with the right torque settings, that seal seats were wiped really clean etc.

I've been graced with good service work here in San Francisco, but it's well-known in the BMW boxer community that if you want the valves adjusted to where the engine purrs, you have to do it yourself. The wrenches that are working against a clock in the service bay, do it  just "good enough." Taking the extra time to get all feeler gauge settings EXACTLY the same, takes longer, more care, more love, and is very satisfying, to those who  appreciate well-tuned ICE's.

I'm grateful I no longer have to worry about that little chore, however.