Scud Posted February 14, 2015 Posted February 14, 2015 I just picked up a swing arm stand at Harbor Freight, with the 20% off coupon it was $25. I did have to "manipulate" the stand a bit to fit the swing arm but it works just fine. I got a Trackside brand swingarm stand from Cycle Gear (on sale too.) I also had to "manipulate" mine. I did so by using a pipe clamp to spread out the U-shape at the bottom, because it was a bit too narrow for the V11 swingarm. It works fine for leveling the bike for service and removing the rear wheel. I also have a car floor jack that (with some boards to spread out the weight under the oil pan) can raise the front wheel off the ground when the bike is on the rear stand. I rigged up other things (like support from above per earlier photo to remove the lower shock bolt) and used a bottle jack (and more wood) at the exhaust hanger (drilled hole in wood as relief for exhaust hanger bolt) to lift the bike off the rear stand so I could measure suspension sag (1 stand and 2 jacks used for this procedure). After all that, the shop stand looks like the smart way to go - especially if you plan on keeping the bike for a while.
JBBenson Posted February 14, 2015 Posted February 14, 2015 I got this shipped from Europe when they weren't available here: http://www.becker-technik.de/Central-Lifter/body_central-lifter.html I think MG Cycle carries them. Disadvantage: A little clunky to get it on and lift up the bike. The thing sort of clamps onto the nuts on the lower pork chops. A little practice and it takes maybe 30 seconds to get it clamped on. Advantage: Once lifted, the bike is rock solid. You can wrench away without any fear of it slipping off or tipping. The bike and stand are effectively one piece.
LowRyter Posted February 14, 2015 Posted February 14, 2015 I just picked up a swing arm stand at Harbor Freight, with the 20% off coupon it was $25. I did have to "manipulate" the stand a bit to fit the swing arm but it works just fine. I got a Trackside brand swingarm stand from Cycle Gear (on sale too.) I also had to "manipulate" mine. I did so by using a pipe clamp to spread out the U-shape at the bottom, because it was a bit too narrow for the V11 swingarm. It works fine for leveling the bike for service and removing the rear wheel. I also have a car floor jack that (with some boards to spread out the weight under the oil pan) can raise the front wheel off the ground when the bike is on the rear stand. I rigged up other things (like support from above per earlier photo to remove the lower shock bolt) and used a bottle jack (and more wood) at the exhaust hanger (drilled hole in wood as relief for exhaust hanger bolt) to lift the bike off the rear stand so I could measure suspension sag (1 stand and 2 jacks used for this procedure). After all that, the shop stand looks like the smart way to go - especially if you plan on keeping the bike for a while. Actually I went to Cycle Gear and took it out to the bike and couldn't make it fit. So I'd like to see what you did to it. I didn't know the factory stand went under the pork chops instead of the swingarm.
Gottagetone Posted February 14, 2015 Posted February 14, 2015 Ill get a pic up of mine in the next day or so. To make mine fit I laid it on its side and pulled up on it to spread the legs apart just a bit as the stand was too narrow for the V11 swing arm.
stewgnu Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 I got this shipped from Europe when they weren't available here: http://www.becker-technik.de/Central-Lifter/body_central-lifter.html I think MG Cycle carries them. Disadvantage: A little clunky to get it on and lift up the bike. The thing sort of clamps onto the nuts on the lower pork chops. A little practice and it takes maybe 30 seconds to get it clamped on. Advantage: Once lifted, the bike is rock solid. You can wrench away without any fear of it slipping off or tipping. The bike and stand are effectively one piece. I too have one of these and have found it really good. Once used half a dozen times you get the hang of it. I've had the rear wheel off many times now and all thanks to the stand. Can't imagine coping without it. Gutsibits sell em for ninety-odd well-spent quid.
Scud Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Actually I went to Cycle Gear and took it out to the bike and couldn't make it fit. So I'd like to see what you did to it. Sorry, no pics possible right now. I'm away from home - giving the Husky a mud-bath. So here's a mental picture instead - the stand has a big U shape. When the bike is up on the stand, the U lays flat on the ground. Two uprights at the top of the U have brackets that are the lifting surfaces for the swingarm. As you noted, the lifting surface do not fit - even with the brackets adjusted to maximum width. Therefore, I reversed a pipe clamp to make it a spreader instead of a compressor. Then I put it in the U and spread it open a bit. Looks like Gottagetone bent it by hand - impressive. BTW - I also put some foam pad on the brackets to reduce the risk of scratching anything. BTW #2 - some people have written about the tendency of the bike to slide forward on this type of stand. As a safety precaution, I used some small rubber-tipped clamps to squeeze the swingarm to the lifting bracket. So that's what I've done. But it's not my recommendation. From what I can tell, the factory stand or the Becker stand are the best investment. But even with those stands, if you want to remove the pork chops, it appears that you need something else.
Craig Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Thanks, I'll assume you have stock suspension. Yes, bone stock Ballabio.
Gottagetone Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Here is a link to the Harbor Freight stand - http://www.harborfreight.com/motorcycle-swingarm-rear-stand-65620.html It was relatively simple to spread it to fit the V11, its not that heavy duty but hold the bike just fine. I can see where I will be needing to wrap the pieces that touch the underside of the swing arm as the stock rubber type wrap is not great. They do offer one that works with the pegs that you have to purchase separately and mount to your bike. For the money, this one works just fine. Its my understanding that they used to have a stand for the front as well but apparently they don't offer it any more. Cycle Gear offers a front and rear stand.
LowRyter Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Ive seen the HF stand too. I was wondering how it hooked up on the Sport? Pork chops or Swingarm?
Rhino1 Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Ive seen the HF stand too. I was wondering how it hooked up on the Sport? Pork chops or Swingarm? Under the swingarm --hence the need for decent Padding. I use a similar stand, and zip tie inner tube sections as pads...
Gottagetone Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 I had to wrap the stand blocks that touch the swing arm with duct tape after 1 day but thats what I had hear would happen. Here is a pic of my v11 on the HF swing arm stand. It really helped in changing the gear box and rear drive oil today.
Craig Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Pulling the rear wheel with a swingarm stand requires more disassembly than using the factory stand.
Scud Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Pulling the rear wheel with a swingarm stand requires more disassembly than using the factory stand. That's right, you have to take off the inner rear fender so you don't break the plastic with the weight of the bike. Some aftermarket inner fenders mount differently though - and don't have to be removed. On the Cycle Gear stand vs. the Harbor Freight one: CG has a handle/lever (HF doesn't - but the U appears to be bigger for leverage) CG has square rubber blocks that lift the swingarm and rotate when you lift the bike - I only added padding to an outside lip. On the HF version, the part that lifts the swingarm is shaped sort of like this: ] CG seems a bit sturdier (and costs a bit more) - but both do the job Anyway - the CG one is working well for me (especially because I replaced the stock inner fender). I'll stick with it for a while, possibly till I need to remove the swingarm, which, obviously, is a task the swingarm stand cannot do.
Gottagetone Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Im not seeing how thats so? The weight of the bike is sitting on the plastic covering either way. Maybe when I go to remove the rear wheel I will find out but it seems like it would not be a problem. I will say the CG lift looks nicer and more professional than the HF one. CG also offers a front stand and HF does not.
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