My $4 front jack stand.

[Mack]

Pair of these (link): 12" Ratchet Bar Clamp/Spreader


Take the end piece off the left end and put it onto the right end. Now you have a "Spreader."

Okay, I will assume you already have a rear jack stand. If not, someone else to balance the thing upright.

Put each "spreader" under the bottom front fork horizontal piece, alternate squeezing the handles, and lift the front tire into the air. Don't go too far, maybe 1/4 inch, as when you press the release button, it comes down fast.

Just tried this on my other bike (a much heavier GT) on its center stand and it does work.


Mack (a newly retired cheap bastard)

[AMRRA12]

yyyyyeaaahhh I don't know if I would trust that!

[Mack]

Originally Posted by AMRRA#12

yyyyyeaaahhh I don't know if I would trust that!

Anymore than this guy using just one stand?



Photo is of 2009 Iron Butt Rally guy Ken Meese's bike who came in 9th last time on his GT. He's got about 120,000 miles in two years on that thing and does what he has to do at times.

The front caliper lower arms are much more horizontal on the S than the angle on the GT, plus the S is a whole lot lighter too.


Mack

[AMRRA12]

yes!

that has a center stand,

if that bike was on the center stand you would only have to add maybe 40lbs of weight to the rear to get the front tire to lift in the the air, so the mere act of taking the front tire off would shift the weight to the rear tire taking less to keep it up


I’m not saying you idea is bad, I'm just saying on a rear stand the weight is divided fairly equally front and rear! and I don't know if a plastic spreader make to hold glued wooden crafts together is going to hold 220 LBS

[Mack]

I see your point. However, the GT sits very heavy on its front even when on its center stand. Ken's must have a lot of force on that clamp considering it is so close to the center stand fulcrum point to lift his GT too. Takes far more than 40 pounds to lift the front off the rear too. Just ask my fat-@ass sister who sits on mine when I change the front tire. I don't know why the GT doesn't balance as well as their R line on the center stand. I have fully loaded bags and a trunk on the GT and it still sits on the front tire on the center stand.

Now, you're really going to make me go and and try this, eh?

Okay. I put the S on the rear lift stand (my cheapy H.F. modified one too) and lifted the rear end. Now onto the front...

Two H.F. clamps jacking the front end up. First thing I noticed was one clamp slipped and would not raise the bike. Had a bit too much grease on it compared to the other and it kept slipping down where the opposite side clamp held. Bike stayed upright since the rear stand was doing its job. No problem since I got a bunch of them clamp things around here.

Second one raised the bike along with the other one which held and didn't slip. Jacking it up using them, I could keep the center part of the fender line centered with the air intake below the windshield as I jacked it up (tire will wiggle left-to-right as you jack it up). Now I have it raised about 1/4" and the wheel spins freely. Think I'll wait a bit an see what slips - if anything...

Still there.... (time: 30 minutes). I doubt it will slip down now. Verified. I just sat on the bike as well. Didn't slip down. Wheel still spins. Bike cannot topple since the rear is being held by the rear BMW bobbins and H.F. rear stand.

As an aside, there is enough room under that horizontal support on the S to place another set of those clamps as backup too. Lots of area to work with. I might toss a couple of wooden 4x4" posts (~11 1/4" long with maybe a slight slant on top) under that area too as 'jack stands' and use them as backups once raised. Still, far cheaper than a $180 Pit Bull stand if they will do the job - and they take up virtually no room at all too.

I don't know if there are ratchet-type bar clamps over the friction things, but it still is out there hovering on the two now, even when I jumped on it (200 pounds).


Mack

[AMRRA12]

hmmm impressive! So would you trust taking the tire off?