check your jack adapter bolts

[svsteve]

I took my bike out today for the first ride of the season and damn near got killed. As I was riding along about 10 miles from home doing about 55 mph my bike jumped violently in the air and almost threw me to the ground. Luckily I was able to maintain control and get myself off the road so I could try and see what had happened. Once off the road I saw my side stand just dangling so I figured my side stand spring broke and the side stand had hit the ground and kicked me in the air like that. After my heart rate slowed down some I was able to rig up a way to hold my side stand up and headed home. Once home I wanted to lift my bike up to look underneath to see how the spring was attatched and see what was needed to fix it. It was at that point I realized my jack adapter was missing. So thats what threw me in the air like that. The damn thing fell off and I ran it over. It must have bounced off the road cause I didn't see it once I pulled over. Luckily it didn't ruin my new rear tire or send me to the hospital. It did dent under the swing arm and put a gouge in my rear wheel besides taking the side stand spring off. So check those bolts if you have a bolt on adapter.

[Jess from VA]

This is not the first story like this, though the other story I remember was a jack adapter that was not supposed to stay on the bike (but was left on).

My home built wood one doesn't attach to the bike, can't be left on the bike, and can't kill you.

Works fine too. 

Check your rear tire carefully; and for broken belts/cords.

[Bighead]

Just another reason to not use a bolt on adapter IMHO.

[Alberta Patriot]

Lockwashers and Blue Loctite(blue because you may want to remove it some day)
Same goes for any safety oriented parts of your bike like pinch bolts for example.

[..]

I took my bike out today for the first ride of the season and damn near got killed. As I was riding along about 10 miles from home doing about 55 mph my bike jumped violently in the air and almost threw me to the ground. Luckily I was able to maintain control and get myself off the road so I could try and see what had happened. Once off the road I saw my side stand just dangling so I figured my side stand spring broke and the side stand had hit the ground and kicked me in the air like that. After my heart rate slowed down some I was able to rig up a way to hold my side stand up and headed home. Once home I wanted to lift my bike up to look underneath to see how the spring was attatched and see what was needed to fix it. It was at that point I realized my jack adapter was missing. So thats what threw me in the air like that. The damn thing fell off and I ran it over. It must have bounced off the road cause I didn't see it once I pulled over. Luckily it didn't ruin my new rear tire or send me to the hospital. It did dent under the swing arm and put a gouge in my rear wheel besides taking the side stand spring off. So check those bolts if you have a bolt on adapter.

There are different ones. Which was yours?

[Wizzard]

I never leave my adapter on for that reason. 2 L bolts hold it on and its easy on off so why would I leave it on.

[Chrisj CMA]

I never leave my adapter on for that reason. 2 L bolts hold it on and its easy on off so why would I leave it on.

The only good reason I can think of to leave it on is for road trips. Flat tire far from home and you can jack the bike with no worries

[Dave Ritsema]

I didn't know that people did that. Mine just went in with pins and I removed it as soon as I slid the jack out.

[MAD6Gun]

I never leave my adapter on for that reason. 2 L bolts hold it on and its easy on off so why would I leave it on.

 I have the Spoonland one. I NEVER leave it attached. As soon as the bike is back on the ground and the jack is moved away I remove it from the bike.

[Willow]

I never leave my adapter on for that reason. 2 L bolts hold it on and its easy on off so why would I leave it on.

The only good reason I can think of to leave it on is for road trips. Flat tire far from home and you can jack the bike with no worries

I need the OP to confirm that he had one that was intended to be left on.  Most aren't.  The ones that are should not result in bouncing the Valk into the air but only a normal bump in the road.

[Alberta Patriot]

Mine uses the bolts that hold the side stand onto the crossmember. It is designed to remain in place. I checked it just before posting...solid as the day I installed it. This adapter drops the side stand 3/16" which means the bike would be slightly more upright when parked.
The fellow who sold the bike to me, gave me the adapter which he had not yet installed so I don't know where he got it. It's been on the bike for 3 years now.

[svsteve]

To answer Willow's question, it was the Spoonland type with the 2 posts on the rear. I built it 20 some years ago and never left it on the bike. I guess as I got older I got lazier and I seen that some folks were leaving them installed so I fell into that train of thought and left mine on. Also, I almost forgot to take it off a few times, so leaving it didn't sound like a bad idea. It was very secure when installed and I never thought about it coming off. It was fine for the last couple seasons but I should have made it an item to check as their only held on by the 2 L bolts into the sides of the engine. To be honest, I never knew there were different types of adapters. I figured everyone was using this type. I'll be building one out of wood when needed. It just p's me off that I lost it after 20 some years, but glad I didn't get hurt and I'm able to tell you folks about it. Check those bolts if you got em.

[Willow]

Steve, there are a couple of vendors marketing adapters, smaller and better attached, meant to be left on the bike.  MarkT sells one.

Spoonland's is not a good idea to leave on the bike.

[3fan4life]

I have one of the ones that isn't meant to be left on the bike.

Once, after replacing a U-joint and being in a hurry to take it for a test ride, I forgot to remove it.

I was running between 80-90 mph when the rear end of the bike suddenly lept into the air like you described.

For a moment, I imagined that the bike had sustained some sort of catastrophic failure but quickly realized what had actually happened.

I turned around and recovered my now bent stand and managed to find one of the L shaped bolts but not the other one.

The stand works fine without it and there is now very little chance that I will ever forget to remove it.


Somethings we just have to smack ourselves in the head about, be glad that we didn't die or worse and write it off as a valuable lesson learned.    

[MarkT]

Since Steve posted this in both places and it concerns me, I'll post again here:

I say in my install instructions for my permanent lift adapter, "Use blue Loctite if you worry about vibration loosening."  I haven't done that with mine - this horror story makes me think that might be something I want to do for peace of mind.  Though there have been no such reports with my adapter, and it doesn't use or touch the sidestand mount so it appears Svsteve's issue was not with my adapter.  It wouldn't take but a couple minutes to loctite mine as you could leave the adapter mounted and remove & loctite the nuts one at a time.  I think I'll go ahead and do that with Jade now while it's on the table lift before I run out this afternoon on it.  If it ever warms up as the weatherman promised.

[Davemn]

I don’t know why anyone wants to carry that thing around anyway. More problems than it’s worth.

[Alberta Patriot]

I don’t know why anyone wants to carry that thing around anyway. More problems than it’s worth.

Not sure what the problem is supposed to be??
If I want to jack up the bike...I roll the jack under, and up it goes.
When I'm done, down it goes...after making sure the side stand is down.

[Willow]

...
Not sure what the problem is supposed to be??
...

Pipes and balance.

The issue is not the bolts.   The issue is leaving an adapter on the bike that should be removed after it comes off the lift.  I don't bother bolting mine on.

The permanent adapters such as MarkT's have no issue with coming off.

[Davemn]

...
Not sure what the problem is supposed to be??
...

Pipes and balance.

The issue is not the bolts.   The issue is leaving an adapter on the bike that should be removed after it comes off the lift.  I don't bother bolting mine on.



The permanent adapters such as MarkT's have no issue with coming off.

The issue IS the bolts. Almost killed the OP.
Why is everyone lifting these bikes? It’s easy enough to take the wheel off without dragging along this adapter.

[..]

...
Not sure what the problem is supposed to be??
...

Pipes and balance.

The issue is not the bolts.   The issue is leaving an adapter on the bike that should be removed after it comes off the lift.  I don't bother bolting mine on.



The permanent adapters such as MarkT's have no issue with coming off.

The issue IS the bolts. Almost killed the OP.
Why is everyone lifting these bikes? It’s easy enough to take the wheel off without dragging along this adapter.

Never had a wheel problem on a trip? Lucky man.

That's why I have the permanent type fitted.

[..]

To answer Willow's question, it was the Spoonland type with the 2 posts on the rear. I built it 20 some years ago and never left it on the bike. I guess as I got older I got lazier and I seen that some folks were leaving them installed so I fell into that train of thought and left mine on. Also, I almost forgot to take it off a few times, so leaving it didn't sound like a bad idea. It was very secure when installed and I never thought about it coming off. It was fine for the last couple seasons but I should have made it an item to check as their only held on by the 2 L bolts into the sides of the engine. To be honest, I never knew there were different types of adapters. I figured everyone was using this type. I'll be building one out of wood when needed. It just p's me off that I lost it after 20 some years, but glad I didn't get hurt and I'm able to tell you folks about it. Check those bolts if you got em.

Take the bloody thing off if that's the type you use.

[Davemn]

...
Not sure what the problem is supposed to be??
...

Pipes and balance.

The issue is not the bolts.   The issue is leaving an adapter on the bike that should be removed after it comes off the lift.  I don't bother bolting mine on.



The permanent adapters such as MarkT's have no issue with coming off.

The issue IS the bolts. Almost killed the OP.
Why is everyone lifting these bikes? It’s easy enough to take the wheel off without dragging along this adapter.

Never had a wheel problem on a trip? Lucky man.

That's why I have the permanent type fitted.

I don’t carry a jack, large/small socket set, hammer or tire change tools. What would lifting the wheel off the ground do?

[..]

...
Not sure what the problem is supposed to be??
...

Pipes and balance.

The issue is not the bolts.   The issue is leaving an adapter on the bike that should be removed after it comes off the lift.  I don't bother bolting mine on.



The permanent adapters such as MarkT's have no issue with coming off.

The issue IS the bolts. Almost killed the OP.
Why is everyone lifting these bikes? It’s easy enough to take the wheel off without dragging along this adapter.

Never had a wheel problem on a trip? Lucky man.

That's why I have the permanent type fitted.

I don’t carry a jack, large/small socket set, hammer or tire change tools. What would lifting the wheel off the ground do?

You do what you do and I'll do what I do. 

[sheets]

If you want to replace the one you lost I'll give you mine for the cost of freight. I don't recall who the manufacturer is/was, but its the one with the two "L" shaped bolts - secured with wing nuts - that slide into the holes cast in the bottom of the engine. My Valk went to the junk yard nearly seven years ago. The odd piece of metal - red in color - is just one more thing laying under my work bench.  lemme know.  (I'm in Calif. Will ship from 95573). 

[svsteve]

sheets...e-mail sent

[sheets]

Sent you a return email with a photo of device.

[Avanti]

I never leave my adapter on for that reason. 2 L bolts hold it on and its easy on off so why would I leave it on.

The only good reason I can think of to leave it on is for road trips. Flat tire far from home and you can jack the bike with no worries

I think I am missing something. Where does the motorcycle jack come from when traveling !!

[Alberta Patriot]

[/quote]

The issue IS the bolts. Almost killed the OP.
Why is everyone lifting these bikes? It’s easy enough to take the wheel off without dragging along this adapter.

[/quote]
I lift mine all the time. In the winter months I roll it against a wall and leave it jacked. In the summer, I often jack it up just to move out of the way.
It is so easy to just to roll the lift under without having to think about what else I have to do. MarkT's lift adapter looks pretty darn good...different from mine but effective and relatively inexpensive.

[old2soon]

    In the Navy when I flew as aircrew we called it a preflight. Looking over the A/C Before we launched or took off for flight. Checking the suitability of the A/C to fly-SAFELY. While I drove big truck Before departing or hooking to a different trailer it is called a pre trip inspection. Checking the suitability of the tractor trailer(s) unit to be operated SAFELY on the roads I would travel. Even if I used the cage or Phatt Ghurl the day before I look either one over. Lights operational tires general condition and operation of horn and brakes and other operational equipment. Playing devils advocate here did you ever recheck the lift adapter after the initial install? Or did it become an out of sight out of mind thingy? You sir are Lucky in the Extreme or it weren't yer time yet.  And NEVER fergit ass/u/me. Glad yer here to relate the incident. RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

Good advice Dennis.   

I try to always do a preflight on my bikes before leaving the driveway.  Not super detailed, but take 30 seconds to walk aorund and look everything over.

If I haven't checked tire pressure in 10 days or so, I do it again.

If I had one of those bolt on adapters, I think I would attach a remove before flightbungee, or something as a visual reminder.

When I used to put a padlock on a front rotor when I walked away from it someplace it might get messed with, I had to do the same thing.  Otherwise, you can only go about 2-3 inches before you remember in a bad way.  Thunk.....Oh crap, that's not good. 

[Avanti]

What is the difference in the way the permanent adapters bolt on and the ones that are only temporarily mounted? They look to be the same to me.
Also what jack do you carry to allow the adapter to be useful while traveling.

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

Also what jack do you carry to allow the adapter to be useful while traveling.

I don't carry a jack with me, but I think it increases my chances of finding someone who can assist me if I get a flat when away from home.

[sheets]

The pix shown is the device that is temporarily mounted so the bike is balanced and rests squarely on a lift. I put the long orange ribbon on there so I'd see it when I did my pre-flight inspection while kicking tires in the event that I simply forgot to remove the piece of iron after putting the bike down on the ground.  

[Jess from VA]

I've only ever used a wood adapter.  They don't bolt on.

I don't understand why the non-full-time metal ones need to be bolted on (and thus forgotten to be removed).

850lbs of bike and gravity keeps my bike solidly on my wood adapter with no bolts.

And the only time either of my bikes was ever strapped to the jack, was when Big BF was here and insisted on it.  I do see that that is probably a good idea, though I put one jack stand under an engine guard, and let the jack down so the stand is fully captured by bike weight, and that's rock solid. 

[Willow]

What is the difference in the way the permanent adapters bolt on and the ones that are only temporarily mounted? They look to be the same to me.
Also what jack do you carry to allow the adapter to be useful while traveling.

They don't look at all the same.  

The ones meant to be permanently mounted are a smaller unit that bolts to existing bolt holes under the engine and just extends the flat potion of the bottom of the engine unit.

The temporary versions extend the full length under the engine.  If they have connecting bolts at all they go into holes that otherwise didn't have bolts.  The temp versions don't actually need to be attached at all.  

[indybobm]

The 'SAFE' one goes between the crossmember and the side stand bracket. Check the picture posted by 7th_son earlier in this post.