When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Anybody that would raise anything, with any kind of hydraulic jack, and go off and leave it for any length of time solely supported by only the hydraulics, will sooner or later learn a very valuable lesson as to why you should never do this.
I always use the locks provided on the lift and let the cylinder down. No way for it to "slip" that way. Solid metal supporting everything, not hydraulics........
That sucks dude.... Don't you have a buddy that can take the tank off for you while you are gone? It will have to be stripped and re-done...check the cost and see if you can get one from HD just about the same price and sell yours unpainted, primed or as is on Ebay...You should be able to get it painted for about $300.00
You need to remove the heat shields and check that header from the exhaust ports all the way to where the mufflers clamp-in. Just check for cracks or looseness. A small dent won't really hurt anything at all. But just ensure that everything is sound and tight.
That gas cap shouldn't leak. You are lucky you didn't start a fire in your garage which would have been potentially catastrophic. Glad that didn't happen.
Seriously, if you are insured, make your claims now even if you cannot be there to handle the details for 2 months. If you delay in making your claims, your insurance company(ies) might balk at paying your claim due to lack of timely notifying them of the incident. You can e-mail them the pictures, and ask that it be adjusted on your return.
On the other hand, no one was injured, and the tank can be repaired.
i would never leave my bike up on my lift for an extended period of time. it's not going anywhere sitting on the side stand. only use it for service,not storage.
I agree 100% I've been riding street bikes for 29 years, NEVER stored one on a lift. I had a 1970 suzuki that sat 7 years, drained the tank, changed the spark plugs and rode.
Originally Posted by Nicky Pass
If you're gonna leave a bike on a lift, invest in a Pitbull or J&S Jack....it's worth the money!
I don't disagree with you, but this following quote is dead on:
Originally Posted by mkguitar
If the owner isn't competent on a $69 lift, a $400 lift isn't going to fix his mistakes for him.
As to the OP, I would definitely get insurance involved, get it to a dealer or repair shop before you leave, and give them that 2 months to get it fixed.
Was the bike jacked up from the right side? Is your garage floor level?
Reason being, if your floors level and the bike was jacked up from the right side(rear brake lever side), when the jack dropped, the bike should have gone towards the left side and if the side stand was extended, it would have saved the bike from falling....that scenario works with my PitBull jack, not sure what jack you have but I would think it would be the same...
I'm obvioulsly going to have to get the tank repainted. It's a 2-tone flame blue pearl/silver pearl. The damage from the spilled gas only has effected the blue paint. What is going to need to be done? Strip the whole thing and repaint? Blend in the damaged area leaving the undamaged silver and pinstripe alone? Will this ever match the rest of my tins?
I'm pretty sure that the OP knows all about the "pitfalls" of leaving his scooter on the jack but that isn't the question that he asked, nor the advice he was seeking. His query was in regards to paint matching and how he should go about it.
I'm obvioulsly going to have to get the tank repainted. It's a 2-tone flame blue pearl/silver pearl. The damage from the spilled gas only has effected the blue paint. What is going to need to be done? Strip the whole thing and repaint? Blend in the damaged area leaving the undamaged silver and pinstripe alone? Will this ever match the rest of my tins? I'm pretty sure that the OP knows all about the "pitfalls" of leaving his scooter on the jack but that isn't the question that he asked, nor the advice he was seeking. His query was in regards to paint matching and how he should go about it.
It's amazes me how things get off topic so easily.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.