Engine Crash Bars

[DIGGER]

The engine crash bars are pretty strong.   Do you guys think the Valkyrie front half of the bike could be picked up with a tractor with slings on the crash bars about two feet off the ground sort of in a wheelie position?    I gotta change the special  kickstand spring bolt and I just cant get to it with the bike on the sidestand.    Looks to me like it is threaded into the kickstand bracket so my plan is to take the kickstand with the bracket off the bike.   It is held on with 2 bolts that have a 17 mm head and a 19 mm nut.   You think the engine crash bars are strong enough to do that?

[Challenger]

I've had the front end held up with jack stands under the crash bars several times. Bike is rock solid that way. Can't say about lifting from the top of them though. 

[98valk]

No!  threaded bolts hold the crash bar to the frame. Threaded bolts are never ever to be used as lifting points.

[DIGGER]

No!  threaded bolts hold the crash bar to the frame. Threaded bolts are never ever to be used as lifting points.

Wont try it then....thanks

[Jess from VA]

The simple way to do this work is to find something to lean the bike to the right on.  Fence, wall, tree (probably not your car).  Maybe some padding and leave it in gear so it doesn't try to roll fore or aft on you when you work.  Not leaned over far, just enough that gravity holds it to the right.

I keep two interstates in a 10 X 12 shed.  The first one in is as close to the wall a I can get it, and that allows the 2d one in next to it.  And I lean the 2d one right on the 1st bike (bag rails to bag rails hold it up and steady).   So I can get to my tools and small work bench on the left (which are blocked if the bike is leaned left on the kickstand).

I deploy the kickstand with a block under it anyway because if I get a flat tire, the bike could fall over to the right with no kickstand down.  

[98valk]

No!  threaded bolts hold the crash bar to the frame. Threaded bolts are never ever to be used as lifting points.

Wont try it then....thanks

I should clarify, if u wanted to use that procedure to just hold it straight up from falling over, that would be ok. Lifting it up off the ground I wouldn't recommend it unless the builder of the equipment specifies it could be lifted by those threaded points/bolts. It would be the weight that is the concern.
  Case in point, on the Naval equipment I use to work on we had this 75lb piston we had to pull up out of the cylinder with an eye bolt installed in a heli-coil in the piston with a chain fall. It was safe since everything was designed by the engineers to be pulled like that esp due to its lite weight.  Sometimes the piston was stuck and there were some guys who didn't take the time to extract it per procedures for a stuck piston and actually pulled the helicoil out. of course us senior guys busted their chops for months.
hope that helps.

[DIGGER]

Probly wouldnt hurt to lay the bike over onto the crash bar if I took my tourer bags off and put down some padding below the crash bar.  That may give enough exposure to the big bolts of the kickstand bracket.   Would oil from the crankcase spill out anywhere?    Would gasoline spill out anywhere?    In 121,000 miles plus it has been over on the crashbars for a short period a couple times with no problems.  May try that.

[Willow]

...   Would oil from the crankcase spill out anywhere?    Would gasoline spill out anywhere?    ...

The short answer is probably not and probably yes depending upon the amount contained.

[h13man]

I use jack stands under the bars. I use a MC jack nowadays but used to lift it by the triple tree with straps and my engine hoist which I've used since 07'.

[Jess from VA]

Digger, I just today needed to bend the little foot assist to the kickstand back up where is is supposed to go in the little dimple in the exhaust.  It got bent down somehow, and I was hitting it with my boot heel with the kickstand up walking the bike around.

I have a little 10 inch tall footstool made by Cosco which is metal with a rubber top and rubber no slip boots on the feet.  I set it beside my bike on the right, and rolled the bike up to it, and the bike easily lay over with the right engine guard on the stool with good stability.

It says is is rated for 225 lbs, but it was plenty sturdy to hold the big Intestate in a mild lean (right).  

I took a pipe and put it over the kickstand foot assist and bent it back where it was supposed to be, and then got down underneath and cleaned the dirty stand and mount and spring.

Easy peasy.  No need to lift the bike on a jack (with adapter) or on the guards.

https://www.coscoproducts.com/collections/step-stools/products/1-step-non-folding-steel-step-stool

Right click the picture and hit view image to make it smaller.
   

[Chrisj CMA]

Digger, I just today needed to bend the little foot assist to the kickstand back up where is is supposed to go in the little dimple in the exhaust.  It got bent down somehow, and I was hitting it with my boot heel with the kickstand up walking the bike around.

I have a little 10 inch tall footstool made by Cosco which is metal with a rubber top and rubber no slip boots on the feet.  I set it beside my bike on the right, and rolled the bike up to it, and the bike easily lay over with the right engine guard on the stool with good stability.

It says is is rated for 225 lbs, but it was plenty sturdy to hold the big Intestate in a mild lean (right).  

I took a pipe and put it over the kickstand foot assist and bent it back where it was supposed to be, and then got down underneath and cleaned the dirty stand and mount and spring.

Easy peasy.  No need to lift the bike on a jack (with adapter) or on the guards.

https://www.coscoproducts.com/collections/step-stools/products/1-step-non-folding-steel-step-stool

Right click the picture and hit view image to make it smaller.
   

Careful Jess. Cleaning the unseen bits of the old girl gets to be addictive. Don’t ask me how I know 

[Cracker Jack]

I do the same as Jess except I use an eight inch concrete block as the support. I put a softener made from cardboard or a magazine on the block to protect the chrome from damage. Have done it this way to drain the oil for years. Just the right height! 

[DIGGER]

Finally found the kickstand spring bolt that broke off.  I tried replacing the bolt while the bike was on kickstand but just couldnt work with the few inches oh space.   My son has a drive on car lift at his shop.   I bolted a heavy duty motorcycle wheel chock on one of the car wheel runners.   This morning my son and I pushed the bike up on the runner and into the wheel choke and the bike was very stable.  We taised the lift up high enough to stand up under the bike.   Worked great.  Took off the two big bolts that hold the kickstand assembly on and then the broken bolt was very easy to work with.  No problems.  My Valkyrie is back on the road.

[Jess from VA]

Don't believe I've ever seen a Valk lifted overhead. 

[ridingron]

My old riding buddy lifted his 1500 'Wing. A really clean looking set up from the garage side of the ceiling. I was almost scared to look in the attic. He had come up with some pretty sketchy things before. 

[DannyP]

I Believe the shear weight of a 3/8 bolt Grade 8 with a safety factor of 3 is 1800 Lbs.
Jack the bike up and put a couple of jack stands under them as close to the frame as possible and you will  never shear them off.
Now I know they aren't 3/8 but they are close enough to be comfortable with that figure

[Avanti]

Remove seat, place soft straps on frame and lift.

[Bagger John - #3785]

As a few others mentioned, my first method of supporting one upright is a couple of padded floor jacks underneath the engine guards. Most times I don't even lift the front wheel off the ground - just make it 4-point sturdy.

Wife bought a pair of heavy duty motorcycle chocks for me a while back. I'm going to drill my shop floor and permanently mount one of them then come up with a way to use the other as a "floater" which can secure the bike's rear wheel.

[LadyDraco]

How   are you lifting the  bike  to change the  ft wheel/tire?
    That should  be  plenty to work on the side  stand bolt.
I  know  that what Don did , a  few  times or  on the  lift.

I would  never  want to use  the engine  guards for  lifting.. Tring down or just a  supporting.
But yeah not a  lifting place. 

Sorry I  don't  call the  LOL crash bars..