Home made front stand

[steves]

Pulled the wheels off the Bandit this afternoon... need to go pick them up.

Here's the Bandit lifted on a homemade frontstand.

Directions here: http://www.mad-ducati.com/images/Chr...s/HMFS_R1.html





Seems to work okay. Used ratchet straps to lift the bike. Started with two, one on either side of the triple tree. Then just did two clicks on each side until the wheel was off the ground.

Then added two more straps just in case...

[IForgotMyUserName2]

thats sweet. to bad i dont have the money to do that right now i could really use it. im gettin new tires soon and wanted to take my tires off so they are cheaper to have installed but dont know how to keep the bike off the ground? i wonder if i could save on getting tiresd installed on what it would cost to build this....

[steves]

$40-50 in materials cost. Some plans I've seen used 3/4" pipe instead of 1". I used the 1" since in theory it should be stronger.

The shop I use charges $60/hr labor.... 2 hours to change the tires if you bring the bike in. They charged me 1 hour of labor to mount & balance the tires.

So, overall savings for one job was like $20, but I can use it again.

Also know that sometimes if you buy tires from the shop, they will cut you a deal on mounting/balancing them.

[IForgotMyUserName2]

$40-50 in materials cost. Some plans I've seen used 3/4" pipe instead of 1". I used the 1" since in theory it should be stronger.

The shop I use charges $60/hr labor.... 2 hours to change the tires if you bring the bike in. They charged me 1 hour of labor to mount & balance the tires.

So, overall savings for one job was like $20, but I can use it again.

Also know that sometimes if you buy tires from the shop, they will cut you a deal on mounting/balancing them.

i actually bought my tires from ronayers.com and they came in today. if i were to go ahead and buy all this stuff and took off the wheels and took them in would there be anything i woudl need to do after getting them installed? like balancing or alignment?

this may sound stupid but i just got my bike and i dont know to much about what it takes to get stuff like this done so please dont get mad for stupid questions.

[steves]

The shop should do the mounting and balancing as part of installing them. Call around and find out what the prices are.

[The CyberPoet]

I've seen the actual plans for that stand floating around the VFR forums, complete with cut-lengths, shopping list, etc.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[steves]

I've seen the actual plans for that stand floating around the VFR forums, complete with cut-lengths, shopping list, etc.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

Links at the top of the original post. No cutting, all off the shelf parts.

[JaredL]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=2792

$63 US + shipping
I got one like it, it is the best tool i have ever bought!!!

Steve you did a realy nice job it looks pretty stable.

[Black_Kat23]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=2792

$63 US + shipping
I got one like it, it is the best tool i have ever bought!!!

Steve you did a realy nice job it looks pretty stable.

I'm going to have to get one.

[DoubleD]

k - funny this comes up as I've been debating over the past 24 hours over buying this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...6168863&rd=1,1

....which is the same price (ballpark). I've used JUST the jack stands as they appear in the picture before; and so long as you're not muscling the bike around you're OK. But to do any real work you definitely need more support to make your work more stable.

I'm going by limited experience here guys, but wouldn't the standard-type front stand be easier and (I gotta say it) look cooler than the clothesline method? 8) And during those times when you MUST have the bike battened-down like the hatches before a hurricane what about a couple of eye-hooks screwed into the ceiling studs and strap the bars to them?

(Hope I'm making sense... long week at work and I'm having a couple of CCnC's tonight)

[The CyberPoet]

A racing front stand may look cooler, but when you need to rebuild your forks, the race stand is useless.

The best stands are the ones that slip into the pivot point in the frame (close to where your feet rest in the rider's position) and lift the whole bike at the same time, but I rarely see them available for the home market, and they are expensive as all get-out.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[JaredL]

HEY BLACK KAT if you buy one make shure you strap it down to it, it is solid when lifted but a good bump could send it to the floor ooh and to use it you will have to take off the exhaust or make some kind of bracket...just a heads up

[md86]

Steve you did a realy nice job it looks pretty stable.

Oh yeah , they're PLENTY stable . I used one last summer during an engine swap , just like Stevie there did . When putting the new engine in , we didn' have a jack , so looped rope around the top of the stand , tied it to a length of tube above the bike Like a trapeeze , and the engine below , and I climbed on top of the rig and STOOD on the bar and leg-pressed the engine into place . No problems .

[ZukiFred]

Great job Steve. I made one last spring when I needed to change out my front tire. Best $50 I ever spent, and considering the last time I brought my bike in to the shop to get the tires changed they charged me $100 just for labor. So I figure it has paid for itself already..

[steves]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=2792

$63 US + shipping
I got one like it, it is the best tool i have ever bought!!!

Steve you did a realy nice job it looks pretty stable.

Do you have a pre? The oil pan/exhaust configuration on the pres makes it almost impossible to lift using a jack like the one you posted.