Bike Lift Question

[mac]

I have a bike lift that worked great with my 1500 Classic. When I put it under my new 1600 Nomad, only the front wheel came off the ground.

This bike does have a trunk and hard bags, but also has a fairing with radio & 4 speakers up front - seems to be fairly heavy in the back end.

Are they all like this? Anything special y'all do if you need to jack it up?

TIA

[misunderstood]

Just a regular jack, but also use Idaho's (member here) jack adaptor so as to lift the frame and not the engine.

http://kawanow.proboards77.com/index...ad=1780&page=1

[rewindgy]

I too have 2 different jacks and neither seem to work well with a Nomad set up with Trunk & Fairing. Even with an extension that resembles Idaho's adapter it never feels safe. So, I bought a bike table lift! Problem solved!http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...hpV2E1g8PM.jpg

[misunderstood]

Originally Posted by rewindgy

I too have 2 different jacks and neither seem to work well with a Nomad set up with Trunk & Fairing. Even with an extension that resembles Idaho's adapter it never feels safe. So, I bought a bike table lift! Problem solved!http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...hpV2E1g8PM.jpg

What difference does it make with a fairing and trunk? I mean how does that effect the lift from the bottom? ::)

[VulcanE]

I have the fairing & trunk, and the Idaho jack adapter works great. You just have to position the jack a little futher towards the back of the bike to lift level. I like the option of being able to lift just the back, just the front, or the whole thing.

[Idaho]

Originally Posted by VulcanE

I have the fairing & trunk, and the Idaho jack adapter works great. You just have to position the jack a little futher towards the back of the bike to lift level. I like the option of being able to lift just the back, just the front, or the whole thing.

My machinist and I designed the Idaho Jack Adapter with long tails to allow us to position the jack at the balance point of the bike without any trouble. It should work regardless of trunk, fairing, etc. You may have to reposition the jack a couple of times to get it but it should be doable.

[mac]

Thanks for the suggestions.

[phot]

Originally Posted by Master Mac

I have a bike lift that worked great with my 1500 Classic. When I put it under my new 1600 Nomad, only the front wheel came off the ground.

I have a lift like yours, and other lifts as well. I've also had the same experiences jacking the bike. I tried all kinds of adapters and was never happy with the bike in the air, balanced on these things. When you remove front wheel, or rear wheel, the bike becomes unstable as the weight changes the balance point, even with straps and tie-downs. My Nomad is REALLY heavy and I could not get the thought out of my mind of the whole thing coming crashing down one day. So, like rewindgy, I bought a table lift. What a difference, I can now do the simplest to the most complicated jobs on the bike with total safety and peace of mind. Just changed the rear tyre, with swing arm/driveshaft maintenance, piece of cake. I have a wheel vice on the table, a drop out panel under the rear wheel and several anchor points with ratchet tie-downs. With the use of other scissor type jacks on the table and the anchor straps, nothing is a problem, all at an easy height. I know the table lifts don't come cheap, but if you are a serious biker and plan to do all of your maintenance/repairs, then its a real good investment, you will only ever buy ONE. Ask anyone with a table lift and you will get the same answer. Just a thought, if you, or others, have riding buddies who live nearby, consider chipping in to buy one for the whole group to use.

[mac]

That couuld be a possibliity. I was wondering how you changed the tire with a table lift - do they all come with a drop out panel, or is that just a certain brand? How expensive are these?

For now, I may need to come up with something like the Idaho Jack adapter.

[mcdaddy]

Hey Mac, good to see you back again. Hope you and PC are doing well.

I've had the same experience on the Classic. The front wheel lifting before the rear. You have to get it pretty high especially if your removing the rear wheel. I put a 2x4 brace across a couple of the rafters in my garage and screwed in some sizable eye hooks. When I lift the bike totally off of the floor, I use some tiedowns (tieups in this case) from the bars to the hooks. It works real well to stablize it.

The hooks also works if your removing the bars for any reason (like installing risers) to keep the bars from banging on the tank.

[rewindgy]

A new table lift is pricy - if cash is no problem then I wouls say get a new one ( around $700) but if you are not in a hurry try what I did. I put a bug in every bike shop guy I knew and asked that when they were ready to retire a lift and get a new one I'd buy their old one. It took a couple of years but finally one came up that I liked! $300 bucks later and I got a 42" wide one 96" long with a drop out for the rear wheel. I splurged and bought a Condor Ride on wheel chock. You just drive on the lift - get off ( no side stand) throw a couple of straps on - and up it goes!

[mac]

Hey McDaddy! Rode last night - I can really tell I need the risers that should be in today. Appears I may have a short in the right front blinker. I think I'll also work in my old large lowers. Evantually, I'll get another Mustang seat too.

I would like to do the bike work myself like I did on the 1500 Classic. The hooks from the rafters is a good idea, and I already had a heavy bag connection in the ceiling I could use.

Hopefully I'll get some riding time this weekend. With my girls moving off to college, death of my mom, some travel training and seminars I've done I am just now getting around to being able to relax and go for a ride.

[ridemslow]

Harbour Freight sells bike lift tables around 300.00. Don't know about the rear whell drop out panels on them tho, so it's just my 2 cents worth here. I like the idea of the straps to the rafters tho, I had thought of that before myself.