[LuftWolf]

As I plan on doing the work on my Scout, I shopped around for a lift jack stand. Lord only knows there are a host of them out there, but.... how many would work with the Scout, which uses the engine as a stressed member? All of the jacks I saw, rested under the frame rails, which the Scout does not have. After much searching I could find nothing Scout specifc, so I contacted J&S jacks. They came right back to me and said that their lift would be compatible with the new Indians with the use of an adapter so new, it is not yet available through the website, so I would need to phone in the order. It is pricey? You bet! With the adapter the cost is $439. However, trying do some of the maintence (like the forks) is almost iimpossible without a lift, and it sure makes maintenance, storage and cleaning a heck of a lot easier. Amorized over several years, the price is well worth it to me. Especially since it's made in the good old USA.

 

[builder]

If you have room, the Handy lift is an industry standard lift. Another I have because of the small amount of space it takes and easy to move is the Easy-Rizer. Lift high enough to stand next to and work on the bike, with both wheels off the ground, and uses a 1/2 inch drill to rise and lower.

 

[taboothe]

That's good to know a jack stand would be nice to have. Thanks for info LuftWolf. But that is a lot of bucks to buy so I will do like my Grandpaw did when he needed to pull the motor out of his GMC pickup. He would park it under the big old oak tree in the front yard, hang that come-along over a limb, drop down some chains and pull that sucker out of there. It worked fine and almost nobody got hurt. Well that was down on the farm and I've moved to town, so I will have to change my ways. Got neighbors you know, so I will move it to the back yard, don't want them to think I am a *******. " A country boy will survive " HW jr.

 

[2506]

If you have room, the Handy lift is an industry standard lift.

+1 on the Handy. We use a B.O.B. 1500 with a cycle vice and side extensions hooked up to a large portable compressor.

 

[JayFL459]

I already have a J&S Jack so will probably get the adapter from them if needed but am pretty handy with tools and may be able to improvise one myself .. Never had a problem lifting any motorcycle with my J&S but did have to look close where to set it before lifting .. Some say the Victory Cross Country needs adapters but I never had a problem lifting it as is ..

 

[NorthernProducer]

I have a Pit Bull jack and when I called them about an adapter for the Indian, they hadn't seen an Indian yet to design one. I'll have to take a look at the fit once my Scout arrives to see what is needed.

 

[builder]

Wehn I was in Sturgis 12 years ago or so, I saw a vendor selling the Easy-Riser lift. Right away I thought that would be a nice space saving lift for me at home. I didn't think it was stable enough though and told the vendor just that. He proceeded to lift the Softail he had on the lift to full height, climbed up onto the bike, rocked back and forth, and got off on the other side. He was not gentle about it and the bike was clamped to the lift (clamps came with the lift). He then asked me what I thought. I got his business card and bought one. Since then they have improved the lift I believe. I believe it is British made product if memory serves me. I would rather have a Handy lift with side extensions, and I would forget the wheel clamp myself, but to each his own. Space is always an issue, so maybe when I expand my shop space.

 

[LuftWolf]

I have been in correspondence with George White Jr. manufacture of the Easy Rizer. Initially he thought that his beam based lift would work, however he contacted Indian and wrote back that "Indian is not real confident in the beam idea due to the narrowness of the bottom of the motor along with the ridges, might make it less stable than ideal." However he is waiting until one is available to him so he can see if a more appropriate solution can be found. The majority of the " push under the bike" style lift's I have looked at share a similar problem. At this stage, (other than J&S, who states they have an adapter) it looks like the Scout will have to be evaluated first. It's good to see that the lift manufactures I contacted are A) concerned about the safety & performance of their product & B) interested in development of one to work with the Scout. As far as the lower end of the spectrum, I would be very very cautious at this point. Most of these lifts state they will work with " most " cruisers, but the Indian is a bit special, what with the engine being part of the frame and not cradled in one.

 

[2506]

We use three products for all our lifting needs on all our bikes and I expect it should work for the Scout. The Handy BOB 1500 I already mentioned. For all applications not requiring wheel removal/spinning, this is all I need. Clamp it and strap it (don't get excited), lift it to the ideal height and go to work. For anything requiring a wheel off the ground, I either use a Pit Bull with custom attachments for each of the bikes, or a Kage Racing scissor jack. The Pit Bull is for fast work and rarely on the Handy. The Kage is for removing a wheel.

On the latter, the bike is always tied down to the Handy for stability. I normally slip a 2x4 for cushioning on the scissor jack, and for the Triumph I actually fabricated a couple of brackets so only the frame is touched. I rarely lift the bike on the Kage more than a couple of inches. The Handy has a removable insert that gives you all the space you need to work as long as the wheel is an inch off the platform.

So when the Scout comes in, we'll fabricate an attachment for the Pit Bull and possibly put spools on the rear wheel for fast lifting. We'll see what's on the bottom before we try to lift it with the Kage.

I also have a hoist above the lift, but never had to use it.

 

[WillRide]

The Scout Rider's Manual says:

Elevating the Motorcycle
WARNING! Serious injury or death can occur if the motorcycle tips or falls. Make sure the motorcycle will not tip or fall while elevated or while on the sidestand. Some procedures require raising the motorcycle to remove weight from the component being inspected. Elevate the motorcycle by placing a stable, flat platform jack or lift mechanism on a firm, flat surface and lifting under the engine crankcase. The platform should be a minimum of 12 inches (30 cm) square. DO NOT attempt to lift the motorcycle without proper equipment. Always secure the motorcycle properly before lifting so it cannot tip or fall when elevated.​

So, I would say that any standard motorcycle jack/lift should work fine, using the engine as a lift point. Looks to be fairly flat under there too. I have multiple motorcycle lifts/jacks, but typically end up using a mini scissor center lift most of the time, and it appears it will be the same for the Scout.

 

[gcoyne9825]

The Scout Rider's Manual says:

Elevating the Motorcycle
WARNING! Serious injury or death can occur if the motorcycle tips or falls. Make sure the motorcycle will not tip or fall while elevated or while on the sidestand. Some procedures require raising the motorcycle to remove weight from the component being inspected. Elevate the motorcycle by placing a stable, flat platform jack or lift mechanism on a firm, flat surface and lifting under the engine crankcase. The platform should be a minimum of 12 inches (30 cm) square. DO NOT attempt to lift the motorcycle without proper equipment. Always secure the motorcycle properly before lifting so it cannot tip or fall when elevated.​

So, I would say that any standard motorcycle jack/lift should work fine, using the engine as a lift point. Looks to be fairly flat under there too. I have multiple motorcycle lifts/jacks, but typically end up using a mini scissor center lift most of the time, and it appears it will be the same for the Scout.

View attachment 3636

Thanks for sharing how to lift the Scout. I have a 2016 riders manual which has similar verbiage but not the graphic. I'm curious what the 2015 riders manual has to say about rear wheel alignment. The 2016 riders manual says to consult the service manual or dealer.

 

[WARUR]

Thanks for sharing how to lift the Scout. I have a 2016 riders manual which has similar verbiage but not the graphic. I'm curious what the 2015 riders manual has to say about rear wheel alignment. The 2016 riders manual says to consult the service manual or dealer.

You lift the Scout the same as a Harley.... LOL

 

[schonc]

Another option depending on what you're working on.
Go Jets

 

[cdnscooby]

Another option depending on what you're working on.
Go Jets View attachment 26086

Yes the Jets have a good chance this year....unlike a team about 1.5 hours away that have not been to the Cup since 1967.

I am looking for some stands for my Scout for the winter but Royal Distributing and other stores just do not have anything that will work for the Scout .

I guess I could try 2 Wheel Motorsports north of Guelph .

The good thing is that I plan on buying some half decent tires anyway in the spring

 

[1smoothscout]

I'm struggling with a stand/jack/lift purchase myself. I have a little 12" x 15" scissor lift that I use for the Hardly Daviiison, and also for belt tension/alignment check on the Scout.

I do find that even changing the oil on the Scout is a major PITA. Like...I was doing YOGA on the floor for 45 minutes. Regarding oil changes, any type of lift from the bottom is undoubtedly going to interfere with the drain plugs.

A lift table is in the future, but planning to move to the southern climate come spring so don't really want to buy one now. Thanks for letting me complain! Ride Safe- JJ

 

[YUGADNOH]

Regarding oil changes, any type of lift from the bottom is undoubtedly going to interfere with the drain plugs. A lift table is in the future, but planning to move to the southern climate come spring so don't really want to buy one now. Thanks for letting me complain! Ride Safe- JJ

You need to buy a small lift like shown in the link, and then make a "soft" adapter for it. With attention to providing cutouts for the drain plugs and clearance for the sidestand, it is entirely possible to change the oil (without taking Yoga lessons).

Scout Maintenance | Page 12 | Indian Motorcycle Forum

 

[1smoothscout]

Unfortunately my abilities fall far short of being able to craft such an adapter. I do marvel at people that have that ability. I'm a knuckle dragger...I can handle brakes, tires, clutch, and top end 2 stroke stuff. So...if anyone has one for sale..... I'm interested!

 

[BBob]

An adapter can be something as simple as wooden wedges cut with just about any kind of hand or power saw. Holes can be drilled if needed. No sense over thinking this. A simple scissor lift will handle just about any project unless both wheels are coming off. Then some wood blocks will take care of one end while the scissor lift takes care of the other.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...wo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_66ou62mzql_e_p2

You could even get two scissor lifts if wanted and still not be out of pocket a lot of money. They stand on end nicely when not in use so they don't take up a lot of room for those who are space limited.

 

[RBinTEX]

I don't see the need to have a "lift" to change oil.
I roll mine into a wheel chock stand I bought from Harbor Freight for less than $60.00 after I drain the oil.
I have one of these for parking in the shed.... it cost about $40.00!

And I have one of these that is not mounted down that I use for oil changing and maintenance.
It is the $60.00 one.

That way I don't have to have someone hold it upright for checking the oil when putting new oil in.

Changing oil and filter on the Scout is only a two step effort....
Drain the oil while sitting on the sidestand and then into a wheel chock for filling and checking.

No lift is 'necessary' for an oil change.
I will admit that being up at a higher height does make it easier, but it is not a deal breaker for changing the oil.
As far as raising the rear tire off the ground for cleaning or checking air I use a very small jack I bought from Harbor Freight. that I put a rag on the lift area and raise the rear off the ground while tied down in the $60.00 Chock.
It cost $29.00!

 

[1smoothscout]

Hey Ronnie...it's not balancing the bike that's an issue....it's frigging around with the horn, etc and climbing around on the ground while doing so. Maybe I'm a little handicapped but to me...it is a PITA. Am I missing something??

Way easier on my Ultra Classic.....thanks for letting me vent! PS- I have to change the oil on the Scout shortly since the snow is staring to fly around here...

Grrrrrrr.