stands "strategy"

[djrussell]

somehow i've managed to live without any motorcycle stands to this point. chain lubes are really getting old though so i'd like to get one/some.
 
i have two main goals:
-lift the wheels for removal, cleaning, and chain lubes.
-remove the swingarm and triple trees for service. this seems difficult as both my bikes are sans centerstand.
obviously i want good quality tools but price is also a key factor. i've got $150-200 to spend here.
 
i know Pitbulls are the best. i don't have that kind of $$ to spend though. i was going to go with T-rex as i've heard good things and they have good prices. the online reviews are mixed though. meh, i think i'll pass. i came across GPI (go pro industries) stands and haven't heard a negative thing yet. they sell new and blemished stands for $30 less and from what i read, the blemishes are perfect.
 
my plan:
the GPI stands APPEAR to be identical front to back but have different adapters for spools/swingarm/forks. they're only sold in sets though. i'm contacting the owner to verify this and see if he'll sell me one stand plus adapters. a triple-tree adapter is also sold as an accessory which would be a option for the future.
 
the only option i've found to date for removing the swingarm or front-end is the Powerstands powerjacks. i haven't found any detailed reviews. has anyone seen any or have experience with these?
 
how does all that sound? how do you lift a bike to remove the swingarm and front end? i could maybe hoist it from the ceiling but i'd really rather get stands. this should all come in around $200. maybe $250 if GPI won't sell stands individually. i wouldn't have to get the powerjacks right away as i don't NEED them yet. that would be my future strategy though.
 
thanks,

-djr

[Long Z Deuces]

I hung the zed from the garage rafters using a ratchet strap. There's a part of the subframe between the airbox and battery that I used. It was a bit hairy but it worked. I used a part of the rafter that was close to the wall for more support. The rear came up ok and the front got really light. It was a bit redneck, but hey c'mon.

[Mike L]

David, those stands look fairly reasonable.  With a fork lift front stand, though, you really should have the bike on a rear stand, because the distance between the fork legs is much less than the distance between the stand wheels, and your bike will be much more susceptible to tip-overs if supported by just a front fork lift stand.  I have both fork lift and headlift (pin lift) front stands as well as Pit Bull rear stands, and I much prefer the pin lift (under the steering head) since the bike is much more stable and the fork tubes can be removed.  I use the fork lift stand when the pin lift stand is in use on another bike, or for some bikes that I don't have a pin adapter that will fit.

Here is an option for front and rear stands with a pin lift front stand that is comparable to what you are looking at.

To remove the triple tree itself, or the swingarm, I've used smaller automotive jack stands under the frame, and can sometimes use the rear stand or front stand to raise and lower the bike onto the jackstands (with the triple tree/forks/swingarm on the bike).   A better option is a scissor jack made for motorcycles, ATVs, etc like this one -- I found one used for about half the price, but $65 shipped is not bad, and it's very useful.  Place it under the front or rear part of the frame, and the bike is supported so you can completely remove the front or rear suspension.  Just make sure you know what shipping costs will be if you don't find one locally, because these suckers are heavy!

[djrussell]

thanks for the responses, guys. (full disclosure: i don't ride a Z.    it's a 650r.  )
 
i emailed GPI and it turns out their stands are different widths so cannot be used interchangeably. oh well. still $180 shipped for a complete set (with front triple tree lift) isn't bad. they come with a complete set of 10 pins too. i'd much prefer them to an ebay special (no offense). plus they're warrantied. the jack looks interesting though. i'll have to look into it more to see how it would fit.
 
my strategy WAS: get one GPI stand with different adapters to act as a fork lift and rear stand. i would also get the powerjacks to use in conjunction.
for removing the forks: lift forks with GPI stand. support underneath sliders with powerjacks. remove GPI stand. swap adapters. lift rear with GPI stand for stability.
for removing the swingarm: lift the rear with GPI stand. support underneath footpegs with powerjacks. remove GPI stand. swap adapters. lift front with GPI stand for stability.
i see what you're saying about stability of the front now, Mike. there would be a period in there when it's just on a fork lift stand. no good.
 
my strategy IS: get the full set of GPI stands with triple tree lift. they're about $180 shipped. realistically, i would probably use them a lot more than the powerjacks. when the time comes for removing forks/swingarm, i'll strap it to the ceiling by the frame. (i don't mind redneck) i might need to put some attachment points in the ceiling for this but that's no biggie. i asked this same question on another forum and one person uses a couple ladders and a 2x4 spanned across them. i might look into that.
 
any other ideas? i'm interested to see what other people do.
 
thanks,
-djr

[Mike L]

my strategy IS: get the full set of GPI stands with triple tree lift. they're about $180 shipped. realistically, i would probably use them a lot more than the powerjacks. when the time comes for removing forks/swingarm, i'll strap it to the ceiling by the frame. (i don't mind redneck) i might need to put some attachment points in the ceiling for this but that's no biggie. i asked this same question on another forum and one person uses a couple ladders and a 2x4 spanned across them. i might look into that.
 
any other ideas? i'm interested to see what other people do.
 
thanks,
-djr

Or just borrow my scissor jack on those rare occasions when you need to remove the swingarm or triple tree. 

But you could do either end by itself without the jack; for the swingarm, raise the bike with the rear stand, and support it on jack stands under the footpegs -- that's how I swapped the shock on my son's bike, and I could have removed the swingarm at that time if I wanted to.  Automotive jack stands are inexpensive, and very handy if you do any work on your car.  For the triple trees, support the rear on the rear stand, lift the front with the head stand and support the front of the bike on jack stands under the frame sliders or the forward part of the frame rails.  But you won't need to do that unless you are converting to USD forks or hammer out your steering head bearings doing wheelies.

[djrussell]

that's a mighty fine offer. thanks. 
 
i do have a set of jack stands. i doubt they're tall enough to reach the frame rails or sliders. MAYBE with the front wheel off. i dunno.
 
a USD fork conversion is always tempting. this would mainly be for servicing the bearings though. it's on the maintenance chart for every 2 years / 15k miles. i'll probably split the difference.

[djrussell]

an update for those possibly interested in these...
 
my opinions:
 
-i'm not familiar with the pitbull construction as i've never seen one in person. i can imagine they're nice though. if that's the 10/10 quality standard these are probably 8/10. these may not last forever but certainly a long time. the only thing that feels cheap is the stickers.

-the blemishes are teeny and few. they're just little pits or nicks in the powdercoat that are maybe 0.5mm. on a non-blemished set i would MAYBE complain but probably not worry about it. i saved at least $30 and think i got the better end of the deal.

-they're very heavy duty. the tubing is large diameter and very thick. i have no concerns about their strength.

-i've only used the swingarm lifting pads, i don't have spools yet. both bikes (250 and 650) felt very stable. they do come with the spool adapters though which is nice.

-there's a couple inches of width adjustability in the front and back. some stands have to be bent to fit which doesn't sit right with me.
-both stands have a bend so that the part you apply hand force to is off of the ground. that's nice for lowering the bike to the ground.
-they were really well packed; wrapped completely in bubble wrap and then plastic. the loose parts were all taped to a stand so that they don't rattle around in shipping.

-there were no assembly instructions. if you can't figure it out though, it's time to sell the bike.

-Lee at GPI has given really good and quick customer service pre and post sale. i get the feeling it's a small business which begs the question "will they be around for warranty service?" i'm willing to risk it for the price.


 

 

 

 

 
typical defects. again, there are very few of these.