How do you guys lift/work on your bikes?

I'm looking to start doing some work on my bike and before I go buy a moto jack or make a center stand or something, I'm wondering how you guys lift and work on your bikes. I want something specifically that is really stable and gets both wheels off the ground at once. As someone who works with an auto lift every day and jacks cars up all the time ALWAYS using jack stands, I'm appalled at the lack of safety features on even a nice motorcycle jack. Any thoughts?
Thanks

 

If we are talking about "stands" and not lifts, I use Pit Bull stands. Very well built and sturdy. If we are talking about lifts, I'm looking into a Kendon lift that you can fold up and put away against the wall.

Here s the rear stand (VFR800 98-2009)



Here is the front stand. It will work with the forks or through the steering stem.




and here is the Kendon lift I'm looking at.

 

Oh, if you're looking at something that lifts both front and rear wheels in one stand, look into Abbastands (No affiliation to the band ABBA!) Abba Stands

 

+1 for the Abba products, I use the Superbike lift on my 8th gen, my 83 is too old, no adapters. If really need to get both wheels off the ground then look at their Skylift. Complete videos on their web site.

 

I think you might have a hard time with an ABBA. Your bike could be a bit old for them to have the proper fittings. It fits in the swingarm pivot and somewhere else, and they have model-specific sizes. I had good luck with a Craftsman ATV/Motorcycle jack when I did my front end conversion. Not the best with a V4 exhaust system, but manageable.

 

I roll around on the floor. You know what they say, if it's all ready on the ground, it can't fall any further. I do use a couple pit bulls.

 

A high priority is to get both wheels off the ground at once so I cna do fork service and rear suspension stuff. I'm thinking of building a wood cube with a bar that is initially used to jack the bike up with an auto jack, then brought down on the cube to function as the rear of the box. hard to describe, but I think it could be really easy and clever.

 

This is what I use, though mine is a rebranded version. It's awesome.

 

I forgot you have a VF500, unfortunately Abba doesn't have the adapters for the older bikes. For my 83 VF750, I use a patio stone under the bike, then put it up on the center stand, that gives additional clearance. Make sure center stand is centered and not near an edge. Then I use 2 bottle jacks under the frame, one on each side, (take the chin fairing off), jack up gradually, a little at a time on both sides, very stable.

 

I had bought a lift from Harbor freight, it was cheap however in order to use it you have to remove the fairings, but in most of my cases if your working on the bike i remove the fairings anyways. The other thing i use i a wench hung from the rafters and use a strap on the frame but to me this is primitive but does work.

 

I have a lift that goes under where the pipes are and I use a strap to hold the bike to it securely but I have to remove the bodywork first. Bit of a pain to use. Anyone built some kind of adaptor that hooks up to the centerstand or something else? I must admit to not even looking at it enough to try to figure something out yet.

 

I've never had the need to work on the bike with both wheels off at the same time. I remove one wheel, do what I need to do then put the wheel back on. Then do the other wheel if necessary. I use a PitBull convertible stand to work on the front forks. I also have the HF table to work on other stuff at eye level or so. Love it.

When I did the steering head bearings I put the bike on the center stand and used a jack under the motor to support the bike with the front tire removed.

 

Abba Stands has kits for the VFR, Bursig is the one that seems to not want to provide one for theirs!

 

the harbor freight lift is no better than the floor, it just raises the working area the the chock is garbage and won't support anything. a good front and rear stand (pitbull rear, steering lift front or fork lift front depending on if you are taking suspension apart) work great. If you need to remove the rear suspension components for some reason, you can always support the bike on the center stand. Nothing fancy needed on this bike.. the table lift stand is almost an inconvenience unless you're sitting idle in the winter with nothing to do but put q-tips to your bike to make it sparkle everywhere.

 

Ya and the one i have even the pipes hit i ether have to remove the pipes or use 2 by 4's. Its a pain


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I forgot a step in lifting the 750. I use a floor jack with a custom wood cradle to clear exhaust pipes, blocks on either end go under square frame. Once bike is level, then I use the two Harbor Freight bottle jacks under the front of the frame. Jack stands are too tall and have wide bases, hard to fit with floor jack, bottle jacks work great and have a small foot print.

 

Care to share make or link of said lift? The Kendon sport bike model is out of stock again.

 

I bought it second hand for a steal .... guy was splitting with his wife and wanted to sell it before she did and pocket the cash.

I'll have to look at the brand when I go out to the garage but it's identical in construction.

 

So went and took a look. No label on it anywhere.

The VF1000F is on it right now.



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Boo. Thanks anyway Jeff. The last time I checked the Kendon site a few months ago, the sport bike lift was out of stock then too. I have this on my list for one of my next purchases. If I can find it for less or available at least, the better.