1700 Nomad and Motorcycle Lift Question

terryd · 04-11-2016, 01:56 PM

To all 1700 Nomad owners who have a motorcycle lift. Where front to back, have you found is the best balance point for placing a lift under the bike? I just ordered a lift and will be using it soon so I thought I might as well save myself some experimentation and any possible mishaps.

Monkeyman · 04-11-2016, 02:28 PM

Never had a 1700 but it should be easy to figure out. Put the jack in a random spot and start lifting the bike. One of 3 things will happen. The front tire will come up first, the rear tire will come up first or both will come up together. If the front comes up first, lower it and move the jack closer to the rear. If the rear comes up first, move the jack towards the front. If both are even, keep lifting. There's not that much space to jack it up. Five minutes and you'll figure it out. It ain't rocket science. :)

**JD Hog** · 04-11-2016, 02:41 PM

I locate mine as far back to the rear as I can. When I lift the bike the front tire is a little higher than the rear tire. Once I lower the lift down to the safety locking points the bike does level out. It is not that far off level to worry about though.

My pads are 17" long which works great for the wider 1700 frame. They measure 15" wide for the outside dimension which covers from front to back when lifting the bike.

terryd · 04-11-2016, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD Hog

I locate mine as far back to the rear as I can. When I lift the bike the front tire is a little higher than the rear tire. Once I lower the lift down to the safety locking points the bike does level out. It is not that far off level to worry about though.

My pads are 17" long which works great for the wider 1700 frame. They measure 15" wide for the outside dimension which covers from front to back when lifting the bike.

I may have gotten advice from you on what lift to get. The one I ordered has 17 inch long rails and there aren't many out there that do.

terryd · 04-11-2016, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkeyman

Never had a 1700 but it should be easy to figure out. Put the jack in a random spot and start lifting the bike. One of 3 things will happen. The front tire will come up first, the rear tire will come up first or both will come up together. If the front comes up first, lower it and move the jack closer to the rear. If the rear comes up first, move the jack towards the front. If both are even, keep lifting. There's not that much space to jack it up. Five minutes and you'll figure it out. It ain't rocket science. :)

I was just trying to go straight to step three.

wayfarer · 04-11-2016, 05:04 PM

As far back as possible. You will be glad you got the 17" rails.

hlknvlcn60 · 04-11-2016, 10:55 PM

My lift goes back as far as you can go with it before the bottom frame rails start to curve up in the rear. it gets the back tire up first like the way the old center stands used to do it. You don't see too many center stands on bikes anymore.

waldowales · 04-12-2016, 09:26 PM

My Triumph Trophy has a center stand. I think you would have to be pretty strong to ever use it, I've lifted it with a chain fall and then put it on the stand. The old Harleys sometimes had center stands, and it was a struggle to put one on it, and they were probably close to a hundred pounds lighter than a Vulcan 1500. I think you don't see them much anymore because most bikes are too heavy for mere mortals to use them.

smokey · 04-15-2016, 03:36 PM

It basically depends on whether you want the front or rear wheel off the ground, either way once the required wheel is up I slide a car hydraulic jack under the other wheel for added stability. I then just raise that jack as i raise the one under the bike. It is just to stop any possibility of a rocking type motion.

hlknvlcn60 · 04-15-2016, 09:13 PM

Smokey your idea works....I have done that before. Center stands on bikes are not that hard to use, you just have to know how to leverage them properly to make them work right. Last year I hoisted up a GL1800 Goldwing onto it's center stand for a friend and it was pretty easy. I liked them because you could spin the rear wheel for cleaning and even chain adjustments on other bikes like my Suzuki 1200 Bandit. That one had to come off when I switched over to a full Yosh exhaust though.

04-11-2016, 01:56 PM	#1
terryd Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Iowa Posts: 305	1700 Nomad and Motorcycle Lift Question To all 1700 Nomad owners who have a motorcycle lift. Where front to back, have you found is the best balance point for placing a lift under the bike? I just ordered a lift and will be using it soon so I thought I might as well save myself some experimentation and any possible mishaps. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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04-11-2016, 02:28 PM	#2
Monkeyman Top Contributor Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: North Wilkesboro, NC Posts: 6,289	Never had a 1700 but it should be easy to figure out. Put the jack in a random spot and start lifting the bike. One of 3 things will happen. The front tire will come up first, the rear tire will come up first or both will come up together. If the front comes up first, lower it and move the jack closer to the rear. If the rear comes up first, move the jack towards the front. If both are even, keep lifting. There's not that much space to jack it up. Five minutes and you'll figure it out. It ain't rocket science. :) __________________ Christopher "Monkeyman" Gray ---------------------------- Widows Sons "Overseers" Patriot Guard Rider USArmy 1987-1990 2021 Can Am Spyder RT 2018 Can Am Spyder RT Limited - SOLD 2014 Nomad - SOLD 2012 Victory Vision - SOLD 2007 Black Nomad - SOLD VMC #9367 VBA #1860
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04-11-2016, 02:41 PM	#3
JD Hog Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Placerville, CA Posts: 2,953	I locate mine as far back to the rear as I can. When I lift the bike the front tire is a little higher than the rear tire. Once I lower the lift down to the safety locking points the bike does level out. It is not that far off level to worry about though. My pads are 17" long which works great for the wider 1700 frame. They measure 15" wide for the outside dimension which covers from front to back when lifting the bike. __________________ Jim Diebolt 2015 Vulcan 1700 Voyager ABS The Black Kaw 2005 Vulcan Nomad Sold 2006 Honda 1800 VTX (Freebie) Sold 2008 Harley Ultra Classic Sold 2001 Harley Ultra Classic Sold Hangtown, Kalifornia VBA #2625
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04-11-2016, 10:55 PM	#7
hlknvlcn60 Advanced Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: crooked river ranch oregon Posts: 723	My lift goes back as far as you can go with it before the bottom frame rails start to curve up in the rear. it gets the back tire up first like the way the old center stands used to do it. You don't see too many center stands on bikes anymore. __________________ 2012 Vaquero S.E. Chuckster's tear drop intake, Freedom true dual racing exhaust, Ivan flash, Clearview windscreen, Corbin gunfighter seat, Clockwerk's hugger style front fender, Kawasaki KQR backrest and luggage rack, kuryakyn iso grips and rear passenger boards, front highway pegs, revolutionspeed clutch and primary covers and reservoir and switch box covers and Kuryakyn skeleton rearview mirrors.
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04-15-2016, 03:36 PM	#9
smokey Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Orleans, ON, Canada Posts: 1,162	It basically depends on whether you want the front or rear wheel off the ground, either way once the required wheel is up I slide a car hydraulic jack under the other wheel for added stability. I then just raise that jack as i raise the one under the bike. It is just to stop any possibility of a rocking type motion. __________________ Smokey Capt(retd) Canadian Forces National President CVFR (Canadian Veteran Freedom Riders) 2010 VN1700 Voyager, ABS www.cvfr.ca VBA #02220
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04-11-2016, 05:04 PM	#6
wayfarer Jr. Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 38	As far back as possible. You will be glad you got the 17" rails.
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04-12-2016, 09:26 PM	#8
waldowales Jr. Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 19	My Triumph Trophy has a center stand. I think you would have to be pretty strong to ever use it, I've lifted it with a chain fall and then put it on the stand. The old Harleys sometimes had center stands, and it was a struggle to put one on it, and they were probably close to a hundred pounds lighter than a Vulcan 1500. I think you don't see them much anymore because most bikes are too heavy for mere mortals to use them.
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04-15-2016, 09:13 PM	#10
hlknvlcn60 Advanced Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: crooked river ranch oregon Posts: 723	Smokey your idea works....I have done that before. Center stands on bikes are not that hard to use, you just have to know how to leverage them properly to make them work right. Last year I hoisted up a GL1800 Goldwing onto it's center stand for a friend and it was pretty easy. I liked them because you could spin the rear wheel for cleaning and even chain adjustments on other bikes like my Suzuki 1200 Bandit. That one had to come off when I switched over to a full Yosh exhaust though. __________________ 2012 Vaquero S.E. Chuckster's tear drop intake, Freedom true dual racing exhaust, Ivan flash, Clearview windscreen, Corbin gunfighter seat, Clockwerk's hugger style front fender, Kawasaki KQR backrest and luggage rack, kuryakyn iso grips and rear passenger boards, front highway pegs, revolutionspeed clutch and primary covers and reservoir and switch box covers and Kuryakyn skeleton rearview mirrors.
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