Center stand

AND with a center stand you can still use the stock Jardine pipes, or a Kerker!!! Done both, and at present using stock LTD pipes.

From what I have been told, all of the 73-80 900 and 1000 center stands will fit, but might have a different tab or nub or whatever the thing is called that you put your foot on to put it down. For example, the one on the Z1-R is much shorter. If you're not worried about being model/year correct, any of them should do the trick.

As was mentioned, this type of lift works great too:

Patton wrote:

15 seconds for one weakling, two jackstands, and a pipe ---

Dude!...just thought I'd post and show you I tried your method and it works!

The rear tire is about an inch off the floor.

Here's the evidence...

...and here...

Thanks,
Sonny

Neat trick!

Any tips for raising the front wheel?

I made an engine block stand out of scrap pieces of 2x8s & 2x4s.
The 2x8 is the base & a couple of pieces of 2x4s are sandwiched together & screwed to the base.

As for the jackstands & pipe method, I'd probably put some padding of some sort on the pipe to keep from scratching the frame. Maybe some milk jug plastic or thick rubber sheet material.

Kidkawie wrote:

Neat trick!

Any tips for raising the front wheel?

I just use a bottle jack under the front of the engine using a small piece of wood between the jack post and engine to protect the bottom of the engine. This works fine for small tasks like removing the front wheel. If doing extensive work on the front of the bike that might require pulling and banging on things (like removing the front forks and replacing the steering stem bearings) I park the bike in the center of a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood and jack up the front end as described above. Then I run a heavy cargo strap through the rear of the bike above the swingarm / in front of the shocks. I then hook the 2 S-hooks on the end of the strap under the trailing edge of the plywood and take up the slack. By doing this, the bike is very steady on the centerstand and jack because the jack isn't the only support for the front. Even if the jack was removed (which I don't recommend) the strap will hold the rear of the bike down so the front won't fall. Ed

Or u can soend 35 bucks on a good paddock lift and get the bike up as far as the centerstand normally takes it with very little,if any effort--and it is very stable.bj

Kidkawie wrote:

...Any tips for raising the front wheel?

Hidden among the above posts is this

Bonus tip --

With rear end lifted and being firmly held
in place by the pipe through frame resting
on tops of the jackstands,

May then use a standard floor jack or bottle jack
to lift the front end whereby entire bike is
up off the floor.

My method is to bore a shallow hole in a short
piece of 2x4 to fit snugly around the oil
filter bolt head. Then jack up against the 2x4
which is held in place by the hole fitment.
It is very stable and may be left like that
for as long as desired.

Having the bike entirely up off the floor allows
easily removing both wheels simultaneously
for tire changes, or other work.

Caution -- whenever front of bike is lifted
with front wheel removed, be sure to supplement
the floor jack or bottle jack with a stationary
back-up support to avoid having the bike's
front end collapse and fall to the floor
in event the jack should lose pressure.

Good Fortune!

I bought a center stand for my '80 G1 Classic, which is similar (I believe) to the LTD. the stand fits the tabs ok, but it seems too tall because it's hard to get it up (that's what she said :laugh: ) and when I finally get it on the stand, the rear tire is 2-3 inches off the floor. This is not a problems, but it's hard to lift.

I know, push down on the stand with one foot, while lifting with your hand. I was doing it one time and pulled a muscle in my calf.

I took mine off and plan to use it when I need to work on it and for winter storage.

Maybe you could roll the wheels onto a couple of plywood squares, raising the wheels in relation to where the stand contacts the floor. If 3/4 isn't thick enough, perhaps a couple of pieces per wheel could be sandwiched together to raise it enough to make rolling it onto the stand easier.

oh the poor paint on those frames,you guys are killing me! :laugh: