Couple Motorcycle Lift Questions

[samkjr]

Hey guys. I decided to play around with the bike lift I bough last month and it brought about a few questions. I'm sure some of you will be able to help me.

#1. Whose the fella that sells the lil adapters for bike lifts? I need to get a hold of him.

#2 How do you get the bike balanced properly?

#3 What are the methods of using tie downs to keep it secure. I'm especially thinking about while unsupervvised taking a wheel to the shop. ( as a secondary question. How freakin tight are the front wheel nuts, and what exact size is it?)

#4 and where do you place the stand so that you are lifting bothe the front and rear tire off the ground. I had it what seemed pretty far back and only got the front wheel off ground?

Thanks for any insight you all offer.

Sam

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by samkjr

Hey guys. I decided to play around with the bike lift I bough last month and it brought about a few questions. I'm sure some of you will be able to help me.

#1. Whose the fella that sells the lil adapters for bike lifts? I need to get a hold of him.

#2 How do you get the bike balanced properly?

#3 What are the methods of using tie downs to keep it secure. I'm especially thinking about while unsupervvised taking a wheel to the shop. ( as a secondary question. How freakin tight are the front wheel nuts, and what exact size is it?)

#4 and where do you place the stand so that you are lifting bothe the front and rear tire off the ground. I had it what seemed pretty far back and only got the front wheel off ground?

Thanks for any insight you all offer.

Sam

1. Idaho is his name.

2. Trial and error

3. I put a tie down strap across the crankcase and behind the rear cylinder and cinch it tight to the lift. Most lifts have hooks or loops on the base for such a purpose.

4. There is a lot to watch out for when lifting a Nomad. My old C50T was a piece of cake. You need to have the lift pads pretty far back under the frame to get both wheels off the ground.

[coacha]

I second #2 and #4. I put mine pretty darn far back, I guess somewhere around the middle of the opening between the rear cylinder and the seat area for the left pad. Took some time to figure it out, a few ups and downs.

Don't forget that you have to get the front and rear of the bike up on some wood to get the jack under the bike. I use about a 2" rise for the front and 1" for the back, which seems to work. I think I'm going to make some little mini ramps to use instead of my scraps I use now.

If you want it to balance it helps a little to take the bags off first, but once you get the Idaho Jack Adapter, finding the correct lift point will be much easier.

OK, here's a photo of a 1500 (somewhat stripped down) on the lift without any adaptor, and tied down by the crash bars with ratchet straps. The rear rail on the jack goes right under the two lifting lugs welded under the frame near the back of the engine. The front rail just goes under the crankcase. Set up like this the bike will rise a little nose high.

[coacha]

Cadd, I know the bike was being fixed, but looking at that picture of it all torn up makes me sad.

[samkjr]

Jack and cadd thanks a lot. I especially thank ya for the pics witht hgreat reference for the tie downs. I have already sent Idaho a message to try and get the adapters soon hopefully. Once that happens, Iw ill be in business. Are those highways bars right in front of the bags safe enough to tie down for trailering too, or is that pushing it?

[b2]

Thanks for the pic Cadd.. been wondering how I was going to lift this big hunk off the ground.. not I see how its done !

[VulcanE]

Hey Samkjr, the answer to your 3rd question is a 22mm, and it is supposed to be tightened to 85 ft lbs. and the Idaho jack adapter is the "cat's meow" when it comes to using the lift. I do use 2 pcs of 2X6 about 12"-14" long. I place one in front of each tire, then pull the bike up onto them, and use a piece of 2X4 under the kickstand. This gives you plenty of room to maneuver the jack around. Oh yes, the adapter is attached to the bike via 2 pins (in the 2 tangs on the back of the frame bottom) and a string or wire to the crash bars.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by samkjr

Jack and cadd thanks a lot. I especially thank ya for the pics witht hgreat reference for the tie downs. I have already sent Idaho a message to try and get the adapters soon hopefully. Once that happens, Iw ill be in business. Are those highways bars right in front of the bags safe enough to tie down for trailering too, or is that pushing it?

I think Idaho may still be on vacation, in case it takes him awhile to get back to you.

[ronnie]

so, is it ok to let the front arm of the jack lift on the crankcase... that won't harm anything..............or not.

Originally Posted by CoachA

Cadd, I know the bike was being fixed, but looking at that picture of it all torn up makes me sad.

The worst part is that we spent about a week (and lots of $$) fixing it up, and a month or so later sombody smashed the latches off Mac's trailer and stole it. :'( :'( :'(

Originally Posted by ronnie

so, is it ok to let the front arm of the jack lift on the crankcase... that won't harm anything..............or not.

I've done it that way many times.

[samkjr]

Thanks for all the tips here. I did send Idaho a PM and guess he will just get back to me later.

I only have one counter question. What are yall talking about using blocks or boards to get under the bike? I just puushed my jack right under and had a clearance. or is it you need them because once you use Idahos adapter, you dont have enought Clearance.

Depending on what jack you have and what tires you have you might not need that board without the adaptor. I do not, but I have the oversize rear tire. You'll definately need more clearance with the adaptor.