My girlfriend and I have the same bike - a 2001 Suzuki Savage! Her's is blue and mine is black. This is very useful, since we can help each other out with maintenance tasks and can compare the two bikes when something is broken to see what it should look like.

This should be a simple question. The sidestand on her bike is bent, so we went out and got a new one thinking it would be a simple repair, and it should be, except, there is one step we can't figure out.

In order to remove the sidestand, we need to first remove a cap over the bolt that holds the sidestand on. We cannot figure out how to remove that cap. Can someone help us out and tell us the secret?

Any help welcome.

Thanks,

Wally

First thing we tried. The cap seems to fit so tightly inside the hole that we couldn't get anything in the space that was rigid enough to pry with. I guess that's why I wanted to make sure that it worked that way before I tried to force anything.

Maybe I can find a piece of spring steel that will fit in the gap.

thanks,

Wally

Wally,
        Those bolt head caps are all over the savage/S40's they are nothin but cheap pieces of plastic that are chrome looking usually more times than not covering the head of an allen bolt. The ones that I have had to remove sometimes stay but usually wind up falling off later as you ride because they are like a one time fit kind of deal unless you use some type of glue to re-fit them back on after you tighten the bolt back down underneath them.
Like you are saying it is by the sidestand and if you wind up killing it (or drill/pry it off) don't worry. nobody but you is going to know it's not there anymore. Try to loosen the nut behind the bolt itself first and then if you have to pry it off (it's about the size of a dime) and change out the stand. The last thing you want is the bike to hit the ground because the cap (shiny thing) was giving you trouble and now you got a scratched up bike (your woman's) and possibly a dent in the gas tank!!!!
X-NAY the cap (if it comes to it!) A.S.A.P and change the stand man!!!
P.S be carefull with the spring and the saftey switch thingamabobber that is around there too!! If you dont put back together right the bike will think the stand is still down and not start up!!!!