Bike stands

[dougjc]

This is probably a dumb question, but how do you get the bike on one of those 4 legged stands. The stand is about 17" high. Do I need to get one much shorter? Seems like I'd have to lift the bike onto it. I just never paid much attention to this before I ordered one.

 

[wibby]

Seems like I'd have to lift the bike onto it.

Yup! My technique is to lift the rear end of the bike (see Lutz's intructions below) and lean it over on to my thigh (that way most of the weight is on my leg instead of my shoulder and back) just to get it started on the stand and then I can rock it back and forth until I get it centered. (might not work that way if you are vertically challenged) ;)

My stand came from the scrap pile!
(Oh yeah, I take pics of everything!!)

 

[Lutz]

I built my stand myself, and it's at least knee height, 20 inches at least - I'm not exactly sure...but that's beside the point. Regardless, my stand is VERY tall, and I'm not VERY strong and not VERY tall (about 5'10" and 155 lbs), but I can still get the bike on the stand by myself. I'm assuming you're not the VERY strong type, or I don't think you'd be asking the question.

Here's how I do it:

1) I stand on the left side of the bike with the stand on the right side of the bike.

2) I reach my right arm over the seat and grab the "handle" on the right side of the subframe, just below the number plate. I keep my left arm on the left side of the bike and grab near the seat.

3) I tip the bike toward me and lift it at the same time, basically resulting in bottom of the frame pointing at an angle toward the edge of the stand. At this point, the rear tire should be off the ground, but the front should not; the bike will almost be horizontal (well, it is on my VERY tall stand anyway).

4) "Walk" the bike away from you and into the edge of the stand, and then pivot the bike back vertical using the stand as the pivot point.
DON'T, I repeat, DON'T make the mistake of trying to put the bike onto the stand by standing on the same side of the stand and pulling the bike toward the stand - the footpeg will get stuck under the stand every time.

5) Presto, the bike is on the edge of the stand! All that is left now is to work the bike sideways a little bit to get it centered on the stand.

There you have it. Don't worry, I've never had problems with gas spilling out while the bike is tipped sideways. Disclaimer: If you have back problems, well, you have other problems, and shouldn't try lifting the bike yourself...and the spilt gas is your fault! :)

The job is much easier with two people, and doesn't require the method above. So do get help if you can.

You can do it. Good luck.

Regards,
Lutz

 

[Lutz]

I thought I was being too slow with that response! Yeah, like wibby said...I just gave a little more detail ;)

 

[skipro3]

Cool looking shop area you have there Wibby.

 

[wibby]

Cool looking shop area you have there Wibby.

Makes it nice when you drop stuff! (like jet needle valves)

I actually have a small shop to work on it in but with my CT90, X-90 and Z50 and everything else it's kinda tight.

 

[skipro3]

My driveway was the same before I concreted it over. When it was gravel, I bought a cheap metal detector from Radio Shack for $25. It worked great to find dropped metal parts. I still use the metal detector when out bow hunting to recover lost arrows.

 

[WAYNZWRLD]

I stand on the left side of the bike with bikestand to it's right. Grab left handlebar grip with left hand and pull in towards tank, grab right side panel "built-in handle" just below seat (actually grabbing seat) with right hand, and put right leg's thigh area (just above the knee) against the bottom of the left side subframe tube, then lift and load.

If the above sounded like a wicked game of Twister with you, your bike and the stand. Just buy one of those lift stands (where you use your foot) and use the 4-legged one for a seat. Also get a semi-truck mudflap to put under that lift stand so it's legs don't dig into Mother Earth.

 

[tedkxkdx]

I saw a tip in a mag once where you push the bike forward, get on the front brake hard which lifts the rear wheel and while in the air use your body to push the bike over the foot it needs to go. I suppose this takes some practice.

 

[91KDX]

I put my bike up completely different than you guys. I go from the front, I gab the front tire and rim with my left hand and grab the handlebars with my right hand. I stand on the clutch lever side of the bike. I lift with my legs and have no problem putting the bike on the stand on either side. Like most of you guys I couldn't grasp paying $75 for something that I could build in my garage. I built a 17 inch stand out of metal angle Iron in my shop class at school. It definatly looks homemade and weighs a ton but it works and I saved $75. If any of you want I think I still have the very messy blue prints that I drew up during English 1. Email me and I will see if I can dig them out from somewhere or I can make new ones. Bjammin440@aol.com

Ben

 

[jdbrusch]

If you still have the side-stand on your bike place a 3" block under the side-stand,the bike should be standing straight up or slightly to the right(throttle side) now while standing on the throttle side put on the front brake and push the bike over to the left this will raise the back wheel off the ground high enough for you to slide a bike stand under it.

 

[wanaride]

Wibby, how do you get your hands in there to remove the rear suspension linkage? It looks like you have almost as much space in there as I do when my bike is on a large milk crate. I almost killed myself tonight disassembling my linkage when it was on the crate...I couldn't put it back together either...I'm planning on getting a motorcycle jack...I don't want to spend the $110 it will cost, but man, after the stress I went through tonight, it will be worth it.

 

[riverz]

Originally posted by tedkxkdx
I saw a tip in a mag once where you push the bike forward, get on the front brake hard which lifts the rear wheel and while in the air use your body to push the bike over the foot it needs to go. I suppose this takes some practice.

I do this. It works like a charm. First couple of times it came down pretty hard on the stand but as they say, practice makes perfect. It's a nice bonus of the reallllly touchy front brakes the KDX has :)

 

[wibby]

Wibby, how do you get your hands in there to remove the rear suspension linkage? It looks like you have almost as much space in there as I do when my bike is on a large milk crate.

It was not a problem. I rotated the stand 90* and slid the bike back a bit but I had no problem getting at the linkage.

I even took a pic:

 

[drk98]

You can buy jack stands that have foot petals or handle pumps so there is not much lifting. We just use 2 ton floor jack in the garage.

 

[ZKDX]

Just to chime in here: I made one out of aluminum plate and 2 sizes of aluminum tubing...put a 2 ton bottle jack in between, now i slide it under my bike, a few quick pumps and my bike is up! Very cheap and easy to make!

2pcs of .125 5022 aluminum (or use steel, just happen to work at aluminum place!)

Top tubes i.d. larger than bottom tubes o.d.

weld large tubes to top plate, put small tubes in...throw on bottom plate, weld it to the small tubes...if everything is square it will work.

adios