Front end lift/stand for a rotor change

Hey guys,

So my rotors are moderately warped and I'm looking for ways to get the front end off the ground to replace them.

I was thinking of getting a front pit bull stand and using the bike's center stand but I'm a broke college kid. Being that rotors are already expensive (for me) are there any cheaper options out there?

Also what kind of rotors do you recommend?

 

I'd check eBay or CL to see if you can find some OEM rotors. I was able to find a set for $150 plus shipping. There are other alternatives but these are usually Chinese made and may or may not be up to OEM specs but are usually more affordable than say Glafer or EBC, etc.

As far as lifting the front end off the ground, if you're just using the center stand, you can always put weight on the back of the bike and it will lift the front end for you. Once the front is raised, post some cinder blocks/wood under the engine to help keep the front off the ground. Other ways are using hooks lagged into the ceiling rafters of your garage or car port and use a long tie down wrapped under the frame behind the steering head. Otherwise, similar to the rotor search, you can sometimes find good deals on stands on the fore mentioned web sites.

 

Center stand w/ a small jack has been working for me.

 

You might want to check whether you need new rotors first. The steel discs are usually OK, but the aluminium carriers can get bent really easily during wheel changes. Raise the front end using a jack under the headers, while on the centrestand, and if you can borrow one, get a dial indicator gauge mounted to the fork leg (clamped to the fender mounts works well). You can then measure the run-out of both the disc and the carrier, and you'll probably find the carrier is out of whack. Good news is that you can often use a pry bar to straighten the carrier and get the disc to run true as a result. I did this and it has worked very well. Just make sure you pry on the carrier, not the disc.