Motorcycle Jack Stands

[Badbob]

Saved from the Yahoo GZ250 Group. I'm repostiong it here so I can link to it and keep the photos with the text. I sure hope Dusty doesn't mind.

From: "ezdusty36" <ezdusty@hotmail.com>
Subject: [GZ250] for Garage and Travel
Date: Tue, June 27, 2006 23:20
To: GZ250@yahoogroups.com

Hi Robert,here's info you wanted on the stands. Pictures of the stands with text showing/telling how to make and use are in the Photos section under the title of "Cycle Stands". I didn't have a jack,so when I had to clean, lube and adjust the chain, I walked the cycle forward, worked on the chain, walked the cycle forward, etc. Didn't want to do that very often, so I made two stands out of lumber from the the "odds and ends" bin at Home epot... cost me $1.08 for the lumber. I used a 4 foot piece of 2x8 pine, but that was an overkill on size of lumber. A piece of 1x6 hardwood would probably work if you added a "hook and eye latch" on each side of the vertical piece to the horizontal piece to stabilize it.. a piece of 2x6 pine would work and be lighter than what I used. If you're careful with the cuts shown in the pictures, the vertical and horizontal pieces will fit together tightly and can be slipped together for use in the garage and then pulled apart to store flat in the saddle bags for trips. If the pieces don't fit tightly, you can just slip the pieces together and screw the bottom plate to them for garage use or use the "hook and eye latch" approach so they can be disassembled for travel. The bottom plate is useful for soft ground. Test them before relying on them... better to be safe than sorry. The only important measurements are: the distance from the ground to the bottom of the notch in the top of the vertical piece should be 11 1/2 inches (don't forget to account for the thickness of the bottom plate if you use one); the notch in the top of the vertical piece should be 1/2 inch in and 1/4 inch deep and 1 1/4 inch wide. The cut-outs in the vertical and horizontal pieces are half of the width of whatever size lumber you use. Cutting the shoulders on the pieces keeps the stand from hitting the muffler on the right side and also gives you a little more hand room when working on the chain. The stands give a 1/2 inch clearance for the tire. Using a hand held 7 1/4 inch circular saw and a sabre saw, you can make these in an hour. The stands I built are rock solid steady and could even be used when removing the engine if need be. You don't need anyone to help you position the cycle on the stands. Put the cycle on it's side stand. Go to the right side of the cycle and position a wooden stand so that the notch in the top of the vertical piece is under the swing arm just forward of the chain adjustment slider. Go to the left side of the cycle and tilt the cycle off its side stand so that it is vertical and it's right side swing arm rests on the wooden stand, and use your foot to position the second wooden stand so that it's notch is under the left side swing arm just forward of the chain adjustment slider. You're done. Easy.
Dusty

[jonathan180iq]

As long as the base of your stand and the vertical leg are flush, then you should be fine.

You do have to tilt the bike just a smidge to get them under. But it's no more precarious than trying to lift any other bike onto a center stand. Once you get a feel for it you'll be fine.

[bschift]

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

As long as the base of your stand and the vertical leg are flush, then you should be fine.

You do have to tilt the bike just a smidge to get them under. But it's no more precarious than trying to lift any other bike onto a center stand. Once you get a feel for it you'll be fine.

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. I can get part of the jack under the swing arm on the right but then the bottom part of the wood hits the tire. I can't get it in far enough to get the cutout to "grab" the swing arm. The top of the wood is only about halfway across the swing arm when the bottom if hits the tire.

If I tilt the bike to the right (of the stand) the jack won't go under the swing arm. Guess I could shorten the jack but then I don't know if I"d have enough clearance to spin the wheel.

[Fawlty]

Any chance of posting some photos, so we can see your predicament?

[bschift]

Well, my bad. If you just tilt the stand a little so the notch on the top goes around the swing arm, when you tilt the bike up, the stand straightens out perfectly.

Oh boy, now I get to clean and oil my chain!

Sorry for the trouble and thanks for the help.

[jonathan180iq]

Now you get it!

Glad you got it sorted.