What's the best way to lift this bike for tire changes?

[Eydugstr]

Hello everyone - Just bought a '90 xii with 56k, so far looks like it'll really fit the bill for a touring bike. Looks like I'll need to get a front tire soon, though (the rear was recently replaced with an Elite 3, but it still has an Elite 2 on the front).

What's the best way to lift this bike? I have a m/c lift table (harbor freight) and a floor m/c lift. If you use a lift table, are you building a walkway alongside with bricks to walk the bike onto it? If you use a floor m/c lift, do you build an adapter to avoid damaging the underside of the bike?

[HMB Don]

I used the centerstand and a small bottle jack under the front of the engine. Lifting the front wheel only enough to take the tire loose from the motorcycle. Once the tire and wheel are loose from the motorcycle, I continue lifting the front of the motorcycle until the rear tire makes contact with the floor. You should have enough room to slide the front tire out with out damaging the front fender.

[trikebldr]

If you use a lift table, are you building a walkway alongside with bricks to walk the bike onto it?

I will answer this part since I recently went through this dilemna. I have a 1300 Voyager (or two!) and am pretty shakey at holding them up on level ground, let alone riding it up onto a lift table. I looked around before buying my Titan lift table with OUTRIGGERS. They add another 12" to each side of the bike, giving you a walkway to get the bike on the table, plus more room for tools. Of course, that means you are farther from the bike for working, too. Once the bike is up there you can remove the outriggers. The Harbor Freight table doesn't even offer the outriggers, but you can easily fabricate your own.
The outriggers allow use of the table for wider equipment, too, like zero turn mowers and sidecar rigs. I actually use mine more often for mower maintenance than for the bikes, but with the outriggers and some careful positioning for balance I can also set my whole sidecar rig on my table.
Certainly not nearly as cheap in initial cost as the Harbor Freight table, but very versatile and strong. Just a couple of pipes and some 2 X 12's and you can make your own outriggers to enhance the HF table, too.

[Mr Jensee]

Concerning Don's post, I recommend using 3/4" thick 4 to 5 inch board under the engine across the frame before jacking with the bottle jack. Less chance of damage to the engine casing.

[ekap1200]

Hello from NJ, not trusting to leave the bike up on a bottle jack , you can just cut up some 2x's and 4x's, I use a small floor jack under the 2x to raise it and just place the 4x's under to keep it stable. the three pieces of 2x are wood glued and screwed, the 4x are loose and just placed there.
Gene K.

[Eydugstr]

TY for the responses, everyone. The bottle jack route looks like the easiest way to go, will go ahead and build a lift "adapter" out of wood, just keep it until it's tire change time again.

[forestfarm]

a heavy enough passenger will tip the wheel up so you can block it up with scrap lumber.or just use the a bottle jack.Thats what i did.no surprises

[Mr Jensee]

I use an old scissor jack from a Datsun 240 and it works great.

[Jimvoyager01]

The bike center stand, and a small bottle jack, plus a safety block, is the way to change the front tire..

[Eydugstr]

TY to everyone for their responses. The bottle jack I had was too tall, but went ahead and built a wood adapter and used a car floor jack. Once it was raised added bricks underneath it as backup to the floor jack.

This bike is so much better with an Elite 3 on the front instead of the worn out Elite 2. Before it was wandering a lot. Tracks much straighter now.