Author Topic: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?  (Read 7542 times)

Offline Strawboss

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I've got an older Honda street bike. It needs tires, chain and sprockets. Other than rigging up some sort of race type stand that cradles either the front or rear fork or swingarm, how is one supposed to remove a wheel on a bike with a side stand only? I guess I can do something with some plywood and a floor jack, not the most stable though. I'm not buying a lift, I'm not using a milk crate or cinder blocks. Any ideas?
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Offline Leo

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2011, 08:16:55 PM »
Hang it.  Put it up on some boards, tie it to the rafters, kick the boards out.  Cheap & easy, like me.
Yep, still riding the old one

In Indiana, missing Texas

Offline Strawboss

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2011, 09:01:11 PM »
HMMM, never thought of that. Will look into it tomorrow, thanks.
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Offline ZG

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2011, 09:42:52 PM »
I've got an older Honda street bike. It needs tires, chain and sprockets. Other than rigging up some sort of race type stand that cradles either the front or rear fork or swingarm, how is one supposed to remove a wheel on a bike with a side stand only? I guess I can do something with some plywood and a floor jack, not the most stable though. I'm not buying a lift, I'm not using a milk crate or cinder blocks. Any ideas?

The Pitbull stands are great and they also work nice for winter storage to keep your tires from drying out on concrete and getting flat spots. I have and use them for my other bikes and love em, they pop up from time to time on CL for $100 for a set used...

Offline Strawboss

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2011, 09:49:21 PM »
I've looked at those and really they are nothing more than bent tubing with an adjustable cradle like device on each side to support the swingarm. I was just looking at a BBQ grill I scrapped out, the 90 degree bends of the legs would have been perfect.
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Offline joelberg

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2011, 10:23:31 AM »
A 5 gallon bucket works for me with all of my dirtbikes and my girlfriend's Aprilia  ;D 

I get them for $1 from the local sandwich shop.  I guess they come filled with pickles and they use so many pickles that they have a ridiculous amount of 5 gallon buckets laying around.
Connie may not be the lightest, prettiest, or quickest around, but she sure gives me one heck of a ride!

Offline JetJock

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2011, 06:55:28 AM »
Bottle jack and a 2X4 or three. Under the crankcase. Or get one of the "roll-around" gizmos that doesn't support the bike, but allows front or rear wheel to be rotated (lube chain, etc).

Offline Boomer

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2011, 09:57:11 AM »
If ya hang the bike from the rafters, just make sure that the rafter and straps/ropes are man enough.
If it isn't it's going to make a bad mess of your bike/garage.

I prefer to use Paddock Stands. A good set costs about $100 and can be sold on with the bike.
These will hold the front up via the fork legs and the rear holds the swing-arm so ya can whip the wheels out.
With both in place both wheels are off the ground and the bike is pretty stable.
It makes it easier to do other jobs as well as wheels.

Better still, buy a bike with a centrestand. <LOL>
George "Boomer" Garratt
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Son of Pappy

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2011, 01:34:33 PM »
Another option that is cheap-use something as a side stand, on the other side.  Works on the KLR just fine, can be a 2x2 cut to the right length or a piece of pipe.  I like the milk crate method and a 2x4 to get the right height, I tilt the bike on the side stand and toe the crate underneeth, then position the 2x4 to the proper balance point.  Connie owners are frugal, KLR owners are cheap, that makes me cheap and frugal all at once :o

Offline Strawboss

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2011, 11:07:04 AM »
Thanks all, I'm going to try the hanging method as the bike only weighs around 250lbs and my joists in the garage are doubled 2X6's that will hold a Sherman tank if needed! Heres a pic of the bike.

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Offline Cholla

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2011, 12:59:47 PM »
You're supposed to take it to the dealer! ;D
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Offline Strawboss

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2011, 02:41:08 PM »
 ;D Well, its light enough to just throw in the trunk!
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Offline booger

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #12 on: June 27, 2011, 06:46:03 PM »
It's a pain in the ass ;)

Offline Connito

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2011, 09:35:06 PM »
Heres a pic of the bike.



Looks great!

I've got a CB175. Such a joy these little Hondas are!
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Offline zsiska

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #14 on: July 09, 2011, 03:41:07 PM »
I know Stawboss said he is going to hang his, but I wanted to just throw this out for anybody else.  I have a Vstar also with no centerstand.  I have a wheel chock in the floor and depending on which wheel I need off, I lock the opposite wheel in and strap the bike down to the eyebolts in the concrete.  Since it sits so low to the ground, the only thing I can get under the bike is a rolling floor jack.  So I then jack it up and tighten down the straps.  Can't do both front and back at the same time, but it is easy to switch and I have no fear of the bike falling at all.

Offline kathybrj

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #15 on: July 10, 2011, 06:01:42 AM »
Blaise uses a Condor stand when my Boulevard needs work.
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Offline bbroj

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #16 on: July 11, 2011, 08:36:07 AM »
Yup, it works nicely for most maintenance, though I have not removed a wheel on her bike using it yet. We recently purchased another stand like the Condor, but this one came from Harbour Freight. It is similar in design, sturdy, but less so than the Condor and comes with a long bolt on bar with eye bolts in it to anchor the bike to. We have it mounted in the new to us bike trailer, but it is removable for use in the garage.

http://www.harborfreight.com/motorcycle-stand-wheel-chock-97841.html
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Offline Strawboss

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #17 on: July 12, 2011, 11:20:46 AM »
I've got a HF store near me, I was thinking of one of those chocks, but, you can't remove a wheel with one. I'm going to use the hanging method, maybe with pulley's or just hooks.
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Offline bbroj

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #18 on: July 12, 2011, 11:36:42 AM »
For a bike as light as what you're dealing with, hanging is probably a good option.  My garage is 2x4 rafter construction, I wouldn't chance a 450lb bike hanging from that. To change a tire/remove a wheel from the wife's bike, I will likely have to use the stand and a floor jack to hold one end in place and lift the other. The next option would be an actual bike jack.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-atv-motorcycle-lift-2792.html
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Offline stevewfl

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Re: How is maintainance performed on a bike with no centerstand?
« Reply #19 on: July 21, 2011, 10:42:49 PM »
Pit bulls are second to none.  They serve all my bikes, and can be used on swingarms if you don't have spools.



I also use VORTEX stands, but again Pit Bulls are second to none.

my VORTEX:

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