My side quest totals.

[Hawk]

I found 19, anyone else top that?

[Griever]

Well, they appear on the map AND mini-map when you're quite close(1 square range).
So I believe there's no point in counting...right?

[Hawk]

Well I noticed a few didn't pop till I finished other ones. and certain times they did pop and didn't on others.

[Victor]

19 appears to be the current max.

[Hawk]

19 appears to be the current max.

So 19 is all you could fine too Victor?

[Griever]

Um, if true you got a point. Some side-quests need to be finished prior to open new ones? Haven't heard about this.
I always see the same markers when i'm close NPC's be it on Uldah/Grid/Limsa.

[Sephriem]

I have 4 lol. ='[

[Lebannen]

are the sidequests any good? and how are they awarded? I heard that you dont get experience for them.

[Griever]

are the sidequests any good? and how are they awarded? I heard that you dont get experience for them.

Well I just got one (R40+) and haven't completed it yet.
And yup, you don't get experience/rank points from them.

[SolArisa]

are the sidequests any good? and how are they awarded? I heard that you dont get experience for them.

You can forget them. They seem to me like an alibi so that SE can say "we implemented quests", but in the end they're only adding insult to injury and are in no way comparable to, for example, the many dozens of quests which were added in FF XI since the "Aht Urghan" expansion 5 years ago.
What you can expect is simple "Kill 8 dodos" stuff like in levequests including map markers instead of farming. Main difference to levequests is that you have to run around more, there's no teleport back and you're not even getting sp/exp while doing them.
You should NOT expect to get a involving story with them, you do NOT get cutscenes, and you do NOT get a challenge. Concerning design and implementation they're on a level like FF XI back in 2002, except that even the fun is missing here.