[Flip]

Ducati have always gone about this in a somewhat odd manner, first by introducing the ‘flip up’ side stand the idea of which was to prevent the rider from moving off with the stand down- in reality this simply cost owners a fortune in damaged bodywork as their bikes toppled over at the slightest breeze.

Then around 1999/2000 they introduced a switch that prevented the bike from being started at all while on the side stand- meaning owners could no longer warm up their bikes’ engine without it being sat on with the stand up. There was (as Utopia did) a mod to get around this oddity.

Yet by the late ‘80’s, early ‘90’s pretty much every Japanese motorcycle had a Clutch/Side Stand/Starter Button interlock circuit put in place to ensure the right combination of in neutral/side stand down/in gear/clutch lever pulled in was in place before the starter motor would engage.

As Darren says, bikes of a ‘certain age’ (like riders perhaps) didn’t have these ‘luxuries’ so learnt pretty quick to ensure all was good before riding off.