[Lindian]

how about a picture of said adapter at least that way we can visualize the setup.
is it simply some strap steel connecting the two lift legs?

As requested...

 

[Lindian]

 

[Tom Indian Bobber Guy]

These work arounds while cost and space effective in my opinion are not good. Bike could fall over and hurt you.
thats time away from biking and other things. Use what pro's use.
If you can - bit the bullet and get a Handy lift. You will not look back.

Tom

 

[151804]

These work arounds while cost and space effective in my opinion are not good. Bike could fall over and hurt you.
thats time away from biking and other things. Use what pro's use.
If you can - bit the bullet and get a Handy lift. You will not look back.

Tom

Personally all I need/want is something to lift the bike off the wheels during winter storage.
A "Handy Lift" in my case would still have the bike on the wheels - just higher off the ground.

 

[Caprock]

These work arounds while cost and space effective in my opinion are not good. Bike could fall over and hurt you.
thats time away from biking and other things. Use what pro's use.
If you can - bit the bullet and get a Handy lift. You will not look back.

Tom

I often wish I had space for a motorcycle lift, because the older I get, it's harder to get up and down off the floor while working on my bikes. But, not having one, I do have a question regarding their use. I know that some of them have a removable plate under the rear tire that permits easier removal of the rear tire. However, the rear end of the bike would still need to be supported on the lift, presumably with a scissor lift, correct? Also, when removing the front tire, the front end of the motorcycle would also have to be lifted, presumably with a scissor lift, and when doing so, the front wheel clamp will have to be removed, correct? So, if you are using a scissor lift to lift the front end, or the back end, wouldn't the same tip over concerns apply? In addition, the potential for damage would be worse since the bike is even further elevated. To reduce the potential of tip I would also presume most use straps attached to the bike and to the lifting plate while performing these maintenance activities.

 

[OracleDba]

I often wish I had space for a motorcycle lift, because the older I get, it's harder to get up and down off the floor while working on my bikes. But, not having one, I do have a question regarding their use. I know that some of them have a removable plate under the rear tire that permits easier removal of the rear tire. However, the rear end of the bike would still need to be supported on the lift, presumably with a scissor lift, correct? Also, when removing the front tire, the front end of the motorcycle would also have to be lifted, presumably with a scissor lift, and when doing so, the front wheel clamp will have to be removed, correct? So, if you are using a scissor lift to lift the front end, or the back end, wouldn't the same tip over concerns apply? In addition, the potential for damage would be worse since the bike is even further elevated. To reduce the potential of tip I would also presume most use straps attached to the bike and to the lifting plate while performing these maintenance activities.

I take my bike to a community motorcycle garage every other winter.
there are 20 bays with 20 tool walls, most bays have a lift.
I can share what occurs there...

Every lift has a tire clamp on one end, almost always you drive onto lift and clamp the front.
You then immediately ratchet strap the bike secure. Goal being strapage so good you can shake bike silly and it wont flop over.
from what I can tell, I am the only idiot who uses 2 straps front, 2 straps rear, everyone else uses just 2 straps on front.

Yes if need to take a tire off you use a scissors jack as to lift the non-clamped end.
(For me that means temporarily removing my straps from the non-clamped end) and re-strapping once scissors jack has bike at desired height.
unless you are lifting a crazy amount the straps on the clamped end usually do not need to be adjusted/moved just because you elevated the other end a bit.

The tire clamp is just a tire clamp, not a front tire clamp.
One is free to back bike onto lift (buddy supplies the muscle engine power) and you clamp rear tire.
This lets you lift the front when desired.

 

[Lee-Bro]

I take my bike to a community motorcycle garage every other winter.

Is that Skidmark Garage by any chance? If so, I'd appreciate chatting w/ you about your experience there and what you think of it.

 

[OracleDba]

@Lee-Bro
Yes it is skidmark. You may PM me to discuss further either in PM or by phone. Before you do, check out this post, it concludes with apx 5 videos I took at skidmark last winter. These videos may answer some of your questions about skidmark as well as generate new questions now that you witnessed a baseline of info.

 

[Old Bear]

Being new to Indian, I am hesitant to jump in - but what the hey, may as well. I've used a Craftsman 1,500 pound bike lift on my Vaquero for many years. It seems to be a discontinued model, but this is what it looks like. The pads line up with the wings(?) on the bottom of my Pursuit, making it easier to lift than the Vaquero was. The bike is very stable on it, to the point I can push it around the garage - with some difficulty. Those little wheels don't like to roll, but they will. The Harbor Freight Pittsburgh Automotive 1500 lb. Aluminum ATV / Motorcycle Lift looks to be an exact clone of it. Or my jack is an exact clone of the Pittsburgh model. Whatever. I've been very pleased with it. I'm not sure what you would call them, as they are not a scissor jack. Pivot jack maybe?

 

[OracleDba]

People around here call lifts such as @Old Bear 's. picture "atv/motorcycle lifts" whereas same string without the "atv/" prefix means those lifts that look like an surgeons operating table that can lower to inches from floor to waist high. I have a cheap one of the atv/motorcycle style and I thought I would like it for my chieftain maintenance when I needed to take tires off bike. I never felt comfortable with that atv/motorcycle lift doing that task which is why I asked santa for a scissors jack - santa came thru And I started this thread seeking an education of what's wrong with my preconceptions on how to use scissor jack or confirmation of what's right about those preconceptions.

 

[Davetac1]

I cheat.I have a regular car lift [6000 lb. capacity] which I drive the bike up on to using a piece of 4X 8 plywood [cut to fit the bike on the lift], then raise the machine 38 inches off the floor [the lift's maximum height ] and secure it so it doesn't fall over.Then I use what's called a Black Jack,[I have two,one for the front and one for the back] which is a heavy screw jack [500 lb. capacity] which I place under the frame where the bottom of the shock connects,placing a small piece of 2X4 between it and the bikes frame at that point so as not to damage anything,then raise the rear of the bike up [ the jack will raise 14 inches which gives me more then enough height to remove the back wheel assembly. I use the second jack,if need be, placed under the front where the crash bar mounts to the frame using a longer piece of 2X4 ,and can now raise the front end of the bike for front tire R and R,or the whole machine using both jacks.So I believe I have those bases covered pretty well. If I had a camera and knew how to post pictures on here,I would.But since I don't have a camera or know how to post pictures ,[I'm pretty stupid] I can't show you guys the procedure or what I'm talking about. Dummy Dave!!! DUH!!!

 

[Caprock]

People around here call lifts such as @Old Bear 's. picture "atv/motorcycle lifts" whereas same string without the "atv/" prefix means those lifts that look like an surgeons operating table that can lower to inches from floor to waist high. I have a cheap one of the atv/motorcycle style and I thought I would like it for my chieftain maintenance when I needed to take tires off bike. I never felt comfortable with that atv/motorcycle lift doing that task which is why I asked santa for a scissors jack - santa came thru And I started this thread seeking an education of what's wrong with my preconceptions on how to use scissor jack or confirmation of what's right about those preconceptions.

I have the same lift as Old Bear (HF versions), and have had for quite a few years and have lifted many bikes with it. I also have a decent scissor lift. The aluminum motorcycle lift is considerably more substantial and capable then the scissor lift. I recently purchased an OTC Motorcycle Lift and it is even more stable and secure than the aluminum jack.

If only lifting one end or the other of the bike with the opposit end supported, the scissor jack is hard to beat. But, if lifting the entire bike, the scissor jack is by far on the bottom of the list.


As I previously mentioned, the lifting arms come together on a scissor jack as it is elevated. By doing so, it reduces the supported surface area on the top and bottom plates and reduces stability.

 

[X19]

https://www.indianmotorcycles.net/threads/jack-lift-adapters-indianonlymotorcycles-com-ebay.360036/#post-3862212

 

[X19]

View attachment 782862

Thank you. I am thinking a couple of pieces of unistrut

 

[cyclealleyriders]

I have both a floor jack and one of the platform/motorcycle ATV lifts. When I'm lazy, the platform jack (as many have posted here) works fine plus the larger wheels on it, make moving the bike around the garage a breeze. For the floor jack, I have a 4' length of 2x6 with eye bolts at the ends. I wheel the bike so the wheel is sitting on the board and then use tie downs from the fork tubes/handlebars, rear shocks - what ever is handy, to the eyebolts. Then jack up which ever side of the bike I need to work on by moving the jack to the front of the motorcycle or rear of the motorcycle's engine. I lift the bike when it's on the side stand. For the lift, I jack the bike and pull it towards vertical, until it's supported by the lift. Using the floor jack, I've already adjusted the bike to be vertical and free standing with the tie down straps.

 

[Lindian]

@X19 Suggested to post the measurements of the J and S adapters. I will post measurements and some photo's as suggested.

Total length=14 3/4
Square top piece 1x1x 10 inches long.
End channel area = 2 1/4 wide 4 inches long. Approx 1/8 thick.
notch= 7/8 wide 1 inch deep to fit over bolt heads.
rubber pads= 2 inch long 3/8 thick. from front measuring back=2 inches-8 1/4 inches.
Center piece that lays on the jack arm is 1 1/2 wide.
Looks to be one piece with bends on each end but could modify to be separate pieces. YMMV !

 

[Lindian]

 

[Rusty Arse]

I’ve had this K&L Lift for 14 years or so. Scissor jack is also K&L A couple 2x4x12” blocks under the bike has worked for a couple Harleys, a Vic Vision, Gold Wing and Road Master.

 

[X19]

@X19 Suggested to post the measurements of the J and S adapters. I will post measurements and some photo's as suggested.

Total length=14 3/4
Square top piece 1x1x 10 inches long.
End channel area = 2 1/4 wide 4 inches long. Approx 1/8 thick.
notch= 7/8 wide 1 inch deep to fit over bolt heads.
rubber pads= 2 inch long 3/8 thick. from front measuring back=2 inches-8 1/4 inches.
Center piece that lays on the jack arm is 1 1/2 wide.
Looks to be one piece with bends on each end but could modify to be separate pieces. YMMV !


View attachment 783886 View attachment 783887 View attachment 783888 View attachment 783889 View attachment 783890 View attachment 783891 View attachment 783892

Your the man! Thank you @Lindian

 

[Papanorm]

This is my Big Blue Lift from the UK. They have different mounts for different bikes. The mounts are moveable to suit the bike. A very solid stand. It raises using an electric drill. I paid $825 delivered.