Lifting The Front End

[Spaceteach]

I just ordered a set of Race Tech Gold Valve Emulators and fork springs. Since the installation is going to require raising the front end of the bike, I thought I'd ask what techniques others have used to jack or lift the front wheel off the ground. I have a front fork stand, but it's the type that supports the bottoms of the fork legs, so it's useless for this job. The bike does have a center stand though. My questions are:

Has anyone put the bike on the center stand and used a hydraulic bottle jack under the crankcase/oil pan to jack the front wheel off the ground? Is there a solid location to place the jack far enough forward of the center stand pivot to do this?

Has anyone used soft ties around the center of the handlebars or steering head to hoist the front end from above?

Are there any other methods that you have used to do this outside of breaking down and buying a front end lift that uses the steering head?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[DanWill]

I dont' know this for sure, but there is a good chance that when the bike is on the centerstand, once you pull the front wheel off the weight change will put the rear wheel on the ground.
Engine hoist or any secure attachment point for a strap to hold the bike up once the wheel is gone would work also.

 

[Beemerphile]

I dont' know this for sure, but there is a good chance that when the bike is on the centerstand, once you pull the front wheel off the weight change will put the rear wheel on the ground.
Engine hoist or any secure attachment point for a strap to hold the bike up once the wheel is gone would work also.

The entire engine and trans is in front of the centerstand, so it isn't going to balance on the rear with the front wheel off. I did use a bottle jack with a 1x4 pine board for a load spreader and it worked fine. See my post titled "Extreme Farkling Begins". I did it even without a centerstand by locking the rear wheel in a sport chock on my lift table.

 

[dduelin]

I just ordered a set of Race Tech Gold Valve Emulators and fork springs. Since the installation is going to require raising the front end of the bike, I thought I'd ask what techniques others have used to jack or lift the front wheel off the ground. I have a front fork stand, but it's the type that supports the bottoms of the fork legs, so it's useless for this job. The bike does have a center stand though. My questions are:

Has anyone put the bike on the center stand and used a hydraulic bottle jack under the crankcase/oil pan to jack the front wheel off the ground? Is there a solid location to place the jack far enough forward of the center stand pivot to do this?

Has anyone used soft ties around the center of the handlebars or steering head to hoist the front end from above?

Are there any other methods that you have used to do this outside of breaking down and buying a front end lift that uses the steering head?

Thanks,
Bob

I have a ceiling hoist that I use on my bikes with no cente rstand when I need to lift the bike - front, rear, or all of it. I am sure the NC would lift from the bars with a padded strap. There isn't much weight difference front to rear when on the centerstand so a bottle jack and a piece of wood against the oil pan would also work. A jack is not necessary - you can easily lift the front end with one hand placing the appropriate height block under the oil pan with the other hand. I would use a quart paint can with a few pieces of wood for the correct block height. My ST1300 is the same way, they are just barely front end biased when on the center stand. It might even rest on the rear wheel with the front wheel off.

 

[Spaceteach]

Thanks for the responses.
I think the jack under the front of the crankcase is the method I'll try. I like the idea of using the jack so I can fine tune the amount of lift. I just wasn't sure that the flat portion of the crankcase bottom would be far enough forward of the center stand pivot.

Bob

 

[L.B.S.]

Thanks for the responses.
I think the jack under the front of the crankcase is the method I'll try. I like the idea of using the jack so I can fine tune the amount of lift. I just wasn't sure that the flat portion of the crankcase bottom would be far enough forward of the center stand pivot.

Bob

Me, I would do both. I would sling some straps around the bars and up to a rafter or whatever if you can, in addition to the jack on the bottom, just for a safety redundancy.

I've flopped too many of my bikes a** over tea kettle when mucking with them, wheels off lol...