What shop equipment do I need to lift the bike?

[reenmachine]

I've been building/working on cars for most of my life, but only now am I getting into more in-depth work on my bikes. Soon I'll be working on the forks, replacing the rear shock, installing rearsets, etc.

My question is, what basic equipment do I need to get the job done? I assume I need to get the bike off the ground to do the shock, remove the swingarm bolt for the rearsets, and so on. What do you use? A jack like what's pictured below, or just monkey it onto a MX-style bike stand or ?

Pics would be great.

I have a rear stand and will be getting a front triple tree stand.

 

[tecknojoe]

Jack stands under the foot pegs, front triple stand, and I also have a normal hydraulic car jack with a piece of wood for dropping the motor. However, if dropping the motor it'll be a little better to have a stand like your first pic.

When swapping rearsets I put my jackstands under the swingarm to keep it from dropping, and you can use any type of jack under the motor to assist you as well

 

[DCMoney]

Pit Bull stands all the way, theres cheaper options but I buy and use pitbull for lifting the front and rear off the ground. I have head lift and bottom fork lift.

I have one of these below to help with engine removal and install, but have also used basic scissor jacks in the past.

 

[rick]

HardRacing has a pretty good video on YouTube on how to change the shock. They just lifted it using a floor jack from underneath the exhaust with the kick stand and the front wheel functioning as two more support points.

Otherwise, you main tools will be your pit stands with an attachment to lift by the steering stem to pull the forks off. It's more expensive than the standard rear stand but, the pit-bull spooled forward handle rear stand is what I'd buy if I had to start again
- OR - - AND -
If you want to kick it up a notch, a lift is wonderful. They don't even have to be expensive. The Harbor Freight table lift is $300 w/ a coupon.

 

[Formula390]

The other option would be a rear stand, and a workstand like this:

Collapsible Motorcycle Workstand

That's the stand used here, and with that, some tie down straps, and a floor jack, that's everything needed to do all the above. That said, the front and rear pitbull stands are damn nice. That's also what is used here when I've got a bike NOT on one of the workstands.

 

[YesEvil]

This are the stands I have, plus a stool I cut the legs really short on and use like a MotoX stand

Black Pro Range Motorcycle Motorbike Bike Front Head Rear Paddock Stand | eBay

 

[Rexbo]

Because I like having nice things, I have the pitbull front triple lift (#14 pin) and the rear spool stand. Best on the market, no regrets. Did I mention expensive?


Now for stripping the bike for race prep? Super easy, get a dirtbike stand for dirt cheap, remove all the brackets from the bottom of the engine and boom, all the access you'd ever need.

 

[reenmachine]

Now for stripping the bike for race prep? Super easy, get a dirtbike stand for dirt cheap, remove all the brackets from the bottom of the engine and boom, all the access you'd ever need.
View attachment 2260

Awesome, I was hoping the dirt bike stand would work. Any trick to getting it on there, or does it just slide under once you're on the Pitbull stands?

 

[Rexbo]

Awesome, I was hoping the dirt bike stand would work. Any trick to getting it on there, or does it just slide under once you're on the Pitbull stands?

Mine was too tall, so i just grabbed the front wheel and lifted it up while the GF put the stand underneath. The bottom of the engine is completely flat, and it sits perfectly balanced. LIKE A GLOVE.

Just be careful when you remove wheels and things, then it becomes unbalanced until you remove weight from the other side.

 

[reenmachine]

Mine was too tall, so i just grabbed the front wheel and lifted it up while the GF put the stand underneath. The bottom of the engine is completely flat, and it sits perfectly balanced. LIKE A GLOVE.

Just be careful when you remove wheels and things, then it becomes unbalanced until you remove weight from the other side.

Well, that's the ticket then. I'm pretty sure I've seen adjustable height MX stands too...