How to use a motorcycle lift

[gbearth]

Thanks Wing, I would like to say I have followed your advise and completed several projects.
I would however suggest you review the pictures on this subject and you will clearly see the jack is just in front of the centre stand, and the bike is on the centre stand. Just a thought. Thanks again

[WingAdmin]

Thanks Wing, I would like to say I have followed your advise and completed several projects.
I would however suggest you review the pictures on this subject and you will clearly see the jack is just in front of the centre stand, and the bike is on the centre stand. Just a thought. Thanks again

The bike in those pictures is my GL1100, and that is the place where I lifted it in order to get it to balance correctly. However, on my GL1500, I had to move the stand backward in order to balance correctly, which meant having the center stand folded up.

[DJnRF]

I also have the HF lift, but have a problem in lifting my 81. 1100i.
The problem is twofold.
Firstly, I am not able to get the lift under the frame in any way when the
machine is sitting on a flat, concrete surface. It sits too low even if I have
the air shocks up completely. I must place it on the center stand just to get
the machine high enough to get the lift under just the right side of the frame.
I then must use a small hydraulic jack to lift the rear high enough to move
the lift completely under the frame. Even then, and with the lift up in
contact with the center stand the machine will not level when raised. The
rear wheel is always much lower. The entire weight is solidly on the lift,
and seems very immobile when jerked, pulled, and shaken.

I am still concerned with the weight on the rear to possibly tip the lift, so
I then have to add cribbage under the rear to hold it all level, but with the
weight solid upon the lift. Safety straps secure it more then.

What might be done to have the machine higher off the ground for the lift?
However, I also feel that if it is any higher I will not be able to handle it so
well as my feet will not be able to hold it well as my legs would need to be
perfectly straight out just to reach the ground. How on a Honda would I be
able to correct this as well? (without sacrificing comfortable seating)

[WingAdmin]

Do you have the original OEM shocks on your bike? I know when I installed the Progressive 416 shocks on my GL1100, it lifted the bike a good inch - maybe a bit more. The 30+ year old springs were just so tired, the bike was sagging very low. It is with the 416 shocks that I took the pictures for this article, so it's possible your bike has the same issue mine did (if it's got the original shocks, I'm sure this is the case).

[DJnRF]

Do you have the original OEM shocks on your bike? I know when I installed the Progressive 416 shocks on my GL1100, it lifted the bike a good inch - maybe a bit more. The 30+ year old springs were just so tired, the bike was sagging very low. It is with the 416 shocks that I took the pictures for this article, so it's possible your bike has the same issue mine did (if it's got the original shocks, I'm sure this is the case).

I am sure they are original. However, there is one thing that would not be good for me.
If I would install new ones, as you suggest, the machine would sit higher. If it is any
higher I will have a serious problem of control when I stop unless I am on perfectly
level and solid ground. I would love it to have about three inches lower to the ground
when astride it as it is now.

[salty1]

I'd like to hear from others that own GL1800s about part of the lift being on the exhaust system to elevate their bike.

[WingAdmin]

I'd like to hear from others that own GL1800s about part of the lift being on the exhaust system to elevate their bike.

The GL1500 is the same - if you use a lift on the bike on its own, it will lift part of the bike by the exhaust system - which really isn't designed to carry that kind of weight. So I use two pieces of wood that I put along the frame, that stick out farther than the exhaust, and that is what the lift contacts.

[gbearth]

Hi unfortunately the design of the frame on an 1800 is not the same as a 1500. The frame of the 1800 does not come low level.

As I need to also lift my 1800 would also appreciate some advise from the guys who have done it previously without cracking the crank case

[Simon Templar]

I lift my 1800 (F6B) with a J&S Jack. I use the J&S GL1800 adapter which I have modified slightly and lift at the rear on the boss from the centre stand and at the front at the pipe-shaped casting of the engine simultaneously with the keel/spine of the engine. (This part appears to be the strongest part of the engine casting)

I lift slowly....and settle just as slowly. So far....I've no reason to think I am doing any damage.



....sT

[mytown]

Bought a used jack today for $40. It holds firm, but unlike the one featured at the beginning of this thread, it appears to be specifically designed to NOT allow the weight to be taken off of the hydraulic jack and put onto the two ratchet/safety arms, much to my disappointment . There's a bar that goes from one of these arms to the other across the rear of the jack. It is also attached to the release pedal

When the pedal comes down, the arms go up so I cannot release the pressure from the hydraulic jack and let the arms slide forward into the slots. Here you can see that the arms are up before the pedal hits the release button on the jack:

I'm thinking I can remove the bar that goes across the back and that then the jack could be lowered and the safety arms would slide into the holes, but I'm wondering how safe that would be. Could it be that the bar is a optional safety feature and I can safely disengage it or is that just wishful thinking? Anyone have any experience with this design? How about an operators manual which I could not find online? The jack is a Larin MAL-2.

[WingAdmin]

It looks like on your design, those arms are there as safety devices - should the cylinder let go, instead of collapsing, the arms will lock into the slots and jam the jack, so it can't go down.

When you press the release pedal down, it automatically lifts the arms, so that they won't jam as the jack goes down.

[mytown]

It looks like on your design, those arms are there as safety devices - should the cylinder let go, instead of collapsing, the arms will lock into the slots and jam the jack, so it can't go down.

When you press the release pedal down, it automatically lifts the arms, so that they won't jam as the jack goes down.

Exactly. It's a good safety feature but I lose the option of taking the weight off the hydraulic jack and putting it on the arms. I've noticed on jacks such as the one you featured here, instead of slots there are a number of stops welded in place and also a bar that lets you manually lift the arms.
The one I have is probably 14 years old which is a pretty long life for one of these from what I have read. The last used one I bought was stored outside and was basically DOA, this one being stored inside a heated garage. From what I gathered, it's primary duty was keeping the front tire of a Harley trike from touching the ground during the winter , a relatively pampered life which may help explain its longevity. Seriously, I'm considering bringing this one inside for the winter on the theory that a controlled environment might be less deleterious to the seals inside the jack. As for working with a jack all I can say is "what took me so long!"

[goldwing8754]

Just wondering why this is in the GL1500 diy section? the bike on the lift is a GL1200. Don't think this will work on a 1500. It shows starting with the bike on the Center Stand. Don't think you can get the balance point on the 1500 like this??? I would like to know, because it would be much easier to do it from the center stand? If not its like a 3 person job getting it on the lift.

[WingAdmin]

Just wondering why this is in the GL1500 diy section? the bike on the lift is a GL1200. Don't think this will work on a 1500. It shows starting with the bike on the Center Stand. Don't think you can get the balance point on the 1500 like this??? I would like to know, because it would be much easier to do it from the center stand? If not its like a 3 person job getting it on the lift.

It's actually in all of the DIY sections, as it applies pretty much to all bikes. It's more about the safe use of the lift, than how it applies to an individual bike.

[goldwing8754]

That's not really the way the post reads. It gives you specifics on where to put the jack. and says its on the center stand. If you try this with a 1500 it is NOT SAFE!! That's my point.

[Metal Mangler]

On my 1800 I drive up on a couple of 1 by 12 ,12 inch boards. Otherwise I cannot get my jack under. My jack came from Sams club 18 years ago. Run the air shocks all the way up. Also put the kick stand on one . Then with the center stand up the aft end of jack goes there at the pivot point forward part of jack twill touch the frame. I strap when lifted while working on. Notice this is my 2012 a few years before being rearended .