I have no garage, ramp with a Bilco door to the basement is what I have for my "garage". It took 20 years, but I have completely taken over except for the laundry machines. She knows, we do not talk about it!?!?!??!?!?!
$100.00 Harbor Freight lift that I bought in 1998. Every bike I own has been up and down on it, plus a dozen other bikes that have wandered thru my basement for work. The only one that does not sit well on the lift is the Flathead with the loop type frame with lower castings. But even then, I can balance her on there till we are in the air, then strap her down. The lift has a lock out when all the way up, I have had bikes live on that lift all winter long during major operations. Carry on.
Now that pic is worth a thousand words.... .I am able to position my lift there and lock the lift (where the front platform is under or near the rear cylinder) to get the bike off the ground since the frame rails are unobstructed, but is that position the center of weight? I do strap the bike down with that lift every time. My concern is not getting the bike off the ground, it's making sure the bike is stable on the lift since I feel it is not centering the weight on the lift....I am thinking the center of weight is more under the motor...prehaps I am over thinking this but would hate for the bike to fall to the ground or worst on me when I am wrenching.
Must have been a PITA to remove the rear wheel with those muffs and saddlebag guards. in the way.
Before I got the drive on lift from Harbor Freight, ( a cheaper version of John's) my jack wouldn't go under my rigid frame Pan. By rolling the bike up onto some scrap 3/4" plywood, it provided enough clearance to slide the jack underneath.
A good alternative and a great suggestion...I should have remembered that method since it was frequently used on Sporties that were lowered....and my Twinkie was lowered.. I used a low-profile jack which served me well, but had the same issues with the lift with obstructed frame rails under the motor.
Take a look at the pic, you see 2 black straps going UP! I have over sized eye hooks going thru my floor joists, I strap the handle bars up to the eye hooks. Makes it very stable and the straps are up and out of my way. Been doing it that way for 20 years. When I took the entire front end off she seemed a little off balance, a third strap where the seat goes hooked down to the jack itself solved that. But 95% of the time, 2 straps up is all I use.
Twinkie on the same lift, other side of the basement. You can just see the black straps with red stripes going up to the joists. That winter we got her painted, new handle bars and new suspension front and rear. About 65% of the way thru the project, I had to have my bicep surgically re-attached. She was up on that lift for probably 4 months total, maybe longer. I like to do winter tear down around Christmas so I can be back riding for April. That year it took a little longer, but I couldn't ride anyway.
Now that you mentioned it, I do now see those straps in both your pics. Good idea to keep the straps out of the way and stabilize the bike.....I might just do that.
When I lifted the bike to replace my jiffy stand mount, I placed the lift where you have it and when raising the bike, the rear tire raised off the ground a lot sooner than the front so that made me think the lift was not centered and weight was heavier in the front.
It is what it is....just need to strap to stabilize. Was just thinking how to best raise and lower the front to remove the wheel to change the tire.
But... Like Johnjzjz Says... sometimes I "March to a Different Drummer"....
Wouldn't give up my Harbor Freight Table Lift for 2 of those fancy Bastards.. tho... I still use a Manual [simple] lift to raise the tires off the Ground!!!
Now that you mentioned it, I do now see those straps in both your pics. Good idea to keep the straps out of the way and stabilize the bike.....I might just do that.
When I lifted the bike to replace my jiffy stand mount, I placed the lift where you have it and when raising the bike, the rear tire raised off the ground a lot sooner than the front so that made me think the lift was not centered and weight was heavier in the front.
It is what it is....just need to strap to stabilize. Was just thinking how to best raise and lower the front to remove the wheel to change the tire.
Now that you mention it, I also noticed the rear wheel coming off the ground first on the Shovel. Probably just the front forks having more travel then the rear suspension. Would not worry about that at all, once both wheels are in the air, it seems very balanced.
As far as getting the wheel off with mufflers still on, that is why I was telling you the bike needs to be WAY up in the air. As pictured, the top of the tire is still inside the swingarm, I have to tilt the wheel from the bottom and pull it out the side. Still not enough room to go out the back. If you are real tight, you could always unbolt the bottom shock mounts and rotate the swing arm up. But the mufflers and saddle bag guards are not the issue, just the swing arm. Good luck.
Now that you mention it, I also noticed the rear wheel coming off the ground first on the Shovel. Probably just the front forks having more travel then the rear suspension. Would not worry about that at all, once both wheels are in the air, it seems very balanced.
As far as getting the wheel off with mufflers still on, that is why I was telling you the bike needs to be WAY up in the air. As pictured, the top of the tire is still inside the swingarm, I have to tilt the wheel from the bottom and pull it out the side. Still not enough room to go out the back. If you are real tight, you could always unbolt the bottom shock mounts and rotate the swing arm up. But the mufflers and saddle bag guards are not the issue, just the swing arm. Good luck.
Thankfully, I can just unscrew the rear strut screws and lift the fender to get the wheel out.
05-16-2019, 10:24 AM
