Remove front wheel safely without jacks. | GTAMotorcycle.com

Remove front wheel safely without jacks.

Strider

New member
I have a 1984 nighthawk honda 450.
The bike has two kick stands.
Using a bathroom scale shows that putting a 90 pound weight on the rear seat lifts the front wheel when the bike is on the rear stand.
I am considering placing the bike on a 2 by 8 foot by 12 inch wide board and using the rear stand as a fulcrum, strapping the rear seat down to the board.
It's only 90 pound - less than half my weight - so the seat can handle it. The straps are at least 350 pound strength but is the stand able to take it? It looks pretty strong.

I guess the question is how strong is the rear kick stand?


It seems safer than the DIY front fork lifters seen on many websites. Comments please
 
I hang them from the ceiling and they never fall over.
 
The center-stand is strong enough. Once you remove the front wheel, the balance will be even more biased to the rear. If you get someone to sit on the rear seat, you could crib a few pieces of 2x lumber under the front of the frame/engine, instead of trying to balance a weight on the rear all the time. Loosen the axle bolts, and maybe the brake caliper bolts before raising the bike - reduces the risk of tipping if trying to do so once lifted.
 
If you have a garage with studs above or an I beam across or storage level , buy 2 eye hooks and drill them in. Drill either into studs, or pilot hole into lip of I-beam and hold together with good nuts and washers. Then buy 2 ratcheting straps, wrap around your handlebars and through eye hooks above, then lift slightly. Worked for me before I bought my Abba stand.
Works better if you have a rear stand supporting the rear of bike, sound like your bike has a center stand.
 
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Used to have a 450 Nighthawk. The center stand is plenty strong...enough for the bike and the full load capacity. As already stated, jack it up from the front of the engine. Use a piece of wood as a buffer. or hang it from rafters.
 
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Don't over think this getting the front wheel up. Put the bike on center stand and you can easily tilt the front up so you can put some wood under the front of the oil pan. You don't need a jack or someone sitting on the seat, lift the front, wood under engine and your ready to start getting the wheel off
 
I have a 1984 nighthawk honda 450.
The bike has two kick stands.
Using a bathroom scale shows that putting a 90 pound weight on the rear seat lifts the front wheel when the bike is on the rear stand.
I am considering placing the bike on a 2 by 8 foot by 12 inch wide board and using the rear stand as a fulcrum, strapping the rear seat down to the board.
It's only 90 pound - less than half my weight - so the seat can handle it. The straps are at least 350 pound strength but is the stand able to take it? It looks pretty strong.

I guess the question is how strong is the rear kick stand?


It seems safer than the DIY front fork lifters seen on many websites. Comments please

you're going to put the bike on a 2 x 12 that's 8 ft long?
centre stand down, then pull the rear of the bike down and secure to the board?
see no issue with this, assuring the board is wide enough for the centre stand feet to sit on it
 
Bike on the centrestand, 2 eye bolts through the plywood, secure your tiedowns around the handrail and you're good.
 
I think you meant 2x8 inch, 12 foot wide board. But yeah, idea should work fine.

My only warning is to remember the bike isn't stable even though it will feel stable. If you ever have to use force on something on the bike then be aware to avoid tipping it forward onto the forks.
 
On my old nighthawk (82? 450) I don't think I needed nearly that much weight to tip it back on the centre stand but you've obviously done some homework before asking so that's a great start. Having less gas in it will mean less weight is required, removing the front wheel, even less still. I never hung it to get the wheels and forks off as I didn't have garage access but that is the safest way as it can't tip over. I would just throw a backpack full of junk (water bottles IIRC) on the rear seat and that was enough for the front end to raise.
 

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