Lifting Valk with a car jack?

[jabster]

Hi.

So I need to change my tires, and I have two jack stands and a 3-ton lift.

I've raised the front wheel to prop the front off, but is there a safe way to lift the rear up using what I have? Or should I just bite the bullet and buy a lift?



And yes, the rear wheel is chocked. It's pretty stable and is not going anywhere as it is now.

Any recommendations on a decent, inexpensive lift? (I'm assuming the answer to the above will be (Dude, just buy a gorram lift, you idiot.") Found a couple of lifts at J&P Cycle.

Thanks,
John

[tank_post142]

harbor freight has bike lifts on sale for $80.00 this week

[jabster]

It's not $80, but this? Same as I was looking at St j&p
http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-atv-motorcycle-lift-2792.html

John

[tank_post142]

thats it, got an ad yesterday in the mail list it at 79.99. check on line for coupon.

[Willow]

"I'll take easy answers for under $100, Alex."

[Gear Jammer]

"I'll take easy answers for under $100, Alex."

What would you use to lift a motorcycle Carl ? 

[YoungPUP]

I built the lift for my floorjack over the winter, but still use the floorjack and jackstand method most of the time. USe a piece of 4x4 on top of the jack pad and place it against the crossmember for the kickstand.  Let the jack do the rest.  Use caution leaving the jack overnight. Most don't hold very well.   I usually lift mine a bit high and then lower it onto a piece of 2x4 set between the jack fram and the lift arm.

[MarkT]

I wrote this up a dozen years ago.  Worked fine for me until I picked up a lift.  Now I have several.

http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/Floor_Jack/floor_jack.html

[jabster]

"I'll take easy answers for under $100, Alex."

No kidding. Considering most lifts I've seen cost significantly higher than that one, it had me concerned. But if people are recommending it...then Alex, that must  be the right question.

-john

[tank_post142]

my bike say for 2 + months on mine with no problems.

[MarkT]

I've had both the HF jack and the Craftsman.  They are typically on sale for about the same price.  The Craftsman is much better made, heavier duty, and you'll be happier with it.

[jabster]

I wrote this up a dozen years ago.  Worked fine for me until I picked up a lift.  Now I have several.

http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/Floor_Jack/floor_jack.html

Holy crap, man. You did that by yourself?!     I had the wife helping me just get the front tire off the ground. And we were both apprehensive as hell just doing that!

[olddog1946]

I have two lifts, one I bought used for 50 and a HF that I bought new, the HF is actually more staple than the other one and I've used it on my and my neighbors valks quite often. I see lifts on CL frequently for 50-75 dollar range.

[BF]

I've read on here from people that have had issues with both the HF and the Craftsman.  The HF one with letting the bike down......apparently, it drops down pretty fast according to some.  The CM lift has been reported to bleed down by alot of folks.  

Mine is starting to bleed down.  Haven't researched a cure for it yet, but I'm not all that hopefull that there is one.  

Untill it started bleeding down, it's been a rock solid lift. 

[Bone]

My CM bought in 05 would slowly bleed down the second year. I always stop it at a locking level. Reading the owners manual it says the oil should be changed yearly. Never heard of that before but changed the oil and it's better than new.
Always use the safety locks.

[Hook#3287]

Holy crap, man. You did that by yourself?!     I had the wife helping me just get the front tire off the ground. And we were both apprehensive as hell just doing that!

Here's how I do it.   Done it this way a hundred times.  Seems to work for me.

1.  Put two jackstands next to the crash bars, one on each side.
2.  With the bike on the kick stand,  put a wood block (2x6x6) on the car jack lift seat and place the lift under the engine block from the left side. (shifter side)
3.  Place the right side  (foot brake side) kickstand under the crash bar where you want it to be, out of the way of what work your doing. Lift the bike from the right side, as if your going to ride it and line up the right jackstand (set the jackstand as high as you can) under the crash bar. Place the bike back down on the kick stand.
4.  Go over to the left side, check the placement of the car jack, lift the bike again as if your going to ride, as much as you can,  it should hit the right jack stand, and start lifting the bike with the car jack.  Sometimes I've done this while sitting on the bike so I can watch the right side jackstand and hold the bike up also, sometimes I just balance the bike from the left side.
5.  Once I've got the bike at the height I want, I slide the left jackstand over and under the crash bar and drop the bike slowly onto it.  The bike is suprisingly steady just on the right jackstand and the car jack while you do this.
6.  Put the kick stand up.

[old2soon]

Bought the H F lift and haven't looked back. I M H O pretty decent jack fer the cash outlay. And iffin you get the 10% off coupon-well makes a good deal better. RIDE SAFE.

[Dozer]

This is the one I have  http://www.sears.com/craftsman-motorcycle-atv-jack/p-00950190000P
but I havent used it on the valk...just the road star. No problems with it bleeding yet. My son uses a Larin jack with the adaptor for the valk but if I am not mistaken, I think he has to remove one of the exh pipes?? Maybe not I dont recall. Its been a long time since I have seen the bike on his jack.

[Tim R]

HI
 Check out this link http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/build_adapter.htm it shows a lift adapter that works with a floor jack and can be very inexpensive to build your self if you can weld if not try and find someone that can. I have a friend that has one I built for him and he sold his Valkyrie so he might be willing to sell. If you are interested I can ask him what he wants for it. Also check out this link it shows the one I built for another friend works the same way. See my post Tim R  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,38758.msg364020.html#msg364020



Also see bottom of this link in Shoptalk  http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/New_Lift/home.html

[Ricky-D]

The adapter made for the Valkyrie is the best money you can spend to insure a good safe lifting of the bike.

A few minutes to install the adapter and the bike is ready to lift.

The two jack stands on the crash bars is just Ok, a little twisting of the bike when working on the rear and those stands (one of them) will easily slide off the bar and the bike will come crashing down. A more positive way to connect the jack stands to the crash bars to keep them from slipping off is really necessary.

***

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

 Craftsman jack and the bolt on adapter that stays on the bike  is the best set up that I've used. I always use the safety bars so if it bleeds down the bike won't fall. It did bleed down once thank God I had a 4wheeler on it. I built a stop to slow the decent to a crawl to help with handling and such things as stabbing an axle. I like the foot release as it frees up both hands to steady the bike.

[jabster]

I started to lift the rear tire up this morning, with the crash bars on the stands...got scared...said screw it.

So I got the Craftsman. For $80, it's definitely worth the peace of mind over the car jack.

I've always been leery of those things vs the $300+ ones, but since you guys are giving it at least reasonable reviews, I grabbed it.

Thanks,
-john

[John Schmidt]

I refuse to jack my approx. 800lb. bike 15" inches or more in the air to change a rear tire....especially when it isn't necessary. By removing the back half of the rear fender and both shocks, it only needs to be just high enough in back to clear the floor by 3-4". I have a centerstand so the only jack I use is a floor jack to move the swingarm up/down. However, I've changed many for others by raising the front first and setting on jack stands for stability only, then with a lift raise the bike just enough to get the rear wheel off the floor by 3-4". Then with the floor jack I take the pressure off the shocks and remove them along with the fender section. Then by raising the floor jack you can raise the swingarm to allow the axle to clear the exhaust. I've not removed the exhaust to change a wheel...ever. Nor have I raised a bike more than a few inches to remove the rear wheel. It reduces the pucker factor substantially, even with a lift adapter bolted on...which I also have but don't use it since it's not needed.

[frosty]

Heres the one mentioend. Sturdiest for the bucks.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOOK-VALKYRIE-HONDA-ORIG-RIVCO-JACK-ADAPTER-Save-Money-with-ea-use-/170796732135?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27c4474ee7&vxp=mtr

[frosty]

Or this one. Stays on the bike.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VALKYRIE-HONDA-LIFT-JACK-ADAPTER-DONT-BE-STRANDED-WITHOUT-IT-1-M-C-ITEM-/170789262492?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27c3d5549c&vxp=mtr

[Willow]

So I got the Craftsman. For $80, it's definitely worth the peace of mind over the car jack.

Good choice.    

[JC]

It's not $80, but this? Same as I was looking at St j&p
http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-atv-motorcycle-lift-2792.html

+1  Had mine now for a couple of years with no problems. Had the bike on it all winter during the rebuild. Can't beat it for the price, but I do recommend the lift adapter to go with it.

[Dougs2000IS]

It's not $80, but this? Same as I was looking at St j&p
http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-atv-motorcycle-lift-2792.html

John

This the one I use on my IS. It works great!

[jabster]

Got the stay-on-bike adapter. But good lord, who the hell tightened those kick stand nuts?!

I've got some WD40 working into them now, but DAMN those things are tight. Sheesh.

-john

[jabster]

I hate to sound really stupid....but how the hell do you loosen those kickstand bracket nuts?

I'm cranking the hell out of them and can't get them loose. I somewhat stripped the flats on one of the nuts.

Do I just need a 10 foot lever arm?

These are by far the tightest/most stuck fasteners I've ever encountered.

-john

[Ricky-D]

An impact driver and a six point socket.

***

[jabster]

An impact driver and a six point socket.

That did it. Thanks for the tip.

Good thing I got an impact driver for Christmas, eh?

-john

[BIG--T]

An impact driver and a six point socket.

That did it. Thanks for the tip.

Good thing I got an impact driver for Christmas, eh?

-john

Haha, I know what you mean. I didn't have an impact driver at the time but was determined to put that adapter on and did! Just a pullbar, 1/2 drive ratchet and a whole lotta grunting!!