Supporting Your Bike While Servicing: Difference between revisions
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Though covered in the service manual, many people use creative methods to support a bike while servicing it. This often results in tip-over accidents. Below we list methods that are proven to work. And also the ones that aren't. | Though covered in the service manual, many people use creative methods to support a bike while servicing it. This often results in tip-over accidents. Below we list methods that are proven to work. And also the ones that aren't. | ||
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* If you need to raise the rear end more than the centerstand does, just put a wooden board in front of the rear tire before putting the bike on the centerstand. In this case blocking the front tire well is vital since the nose of the bike is pointing down and it's very easy to rock the bike off the centerstand. | * If you need to raise the rear end more than the centerstand does, just put a wooden board in front of the rear tire before putting the bike on the centerstand. In this case blocking the front tire well is vital since the nose of the bike is pointing down and it's very easy to rock the bike off the centerstand. | ||
* Unfortunately, a bike on the centerstand is not stable enough in the sideway [any better word?] direction. If you doing something that requires brute force (such as removing the axle nut), be very careful as you can literally twist the bike into the ground. Having another person holding the bike is very useful in this situation. | * Unfortunately, a bike on the centerstand is not stable enough in the sideway [any better word?] direction. If you are doing something that requires brute force (such as removing the axle nut), be very careful as you can literally twist the bike into the ground. Having another person holding the bike is very useful in this situation. | ||
* Finally, the centerstand is best used on a flat sturdy surface. If you have trouble putting your bike on the centerstand, visit [[I am having trouble putting my bike on its centerstand... | this link]]. | * Finally, the centerstand is best used on a flat sturdy surface. If you have trouble putting your bike on the centerstand, visit [[I am having trouble putting my bike on its centerstand... | this link]]. | ||
Of course, if you are not satisfied with the centerstand, you can always buy a swingarm stand. [http://www.pit-bull.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=23_178&products_id=33&osCsid=baded96a419e29bdba3e3b57c05892fd | Pit Bull's one] is known to work: | |||
http://www.pit-bull.com/catalog/images/lg_ss_rear2.jpg | |||
== Supporting the Front End == | == Supporting the Front End == | ||
Depending on what exactly you need to do it can be done in a few ways: | |||
1) If you need to work on forks you will have to prop the engine. Of course, you will have to remove the lower fairing for that to work. Be sure to put the bike on the centerstand to reduce the weight on the exhaust headers. Examples: | |||
[[Image:FrontEndSupport1.jpg | 200px]] [[Image:FrontEndSupport2.jpg | 200px]] [[Image:Front wheel support.jpg | 200px]] | |||
2) Of course, there is a civilized way of supporting your forks: | |||
[[Image:Fork seals2-2.JPG | 200px]] | |||
3) If you just need to take the front wheel off, you can | |||
* put the bike on the centerstand; | |||
* loosen the axle nut; | |||
* ask your friend to seat on the back of the bike, thus raising the front a little bit... | |||
* and take the wheel off and prop the forks on a cinderblock with a piece of wood on top of it (a stack of phonebooks also suffices). | |||
The obvious downside is that it's <b>not very stable</b>. <b>Taking off both wheels</b> with the front end supported in such a way is <b>not recommended</b>. However you don't need to take off any fairings for this method to work. | |||
P.S. If you plan to work on the engine alone, read this: [[I want an engine stand for my 250]] | |||
== Common Mistakes == | |||