advice needed

78 kz650c2. i want to remove my front wheel, paint it, and replace the tire, BUT i'm not sure how to go about it. What can i do to keep the front end up? i dont have a motorcycle jack or anything, just a automobile jack. How can ihold the front end up without causing any damage to the exhaust or frame?

What I have done in the past, and it's not ideal but it works. If you have a normal automotive hydraulic floor jack, take and place the "pad" underneath the lower middle engine mount on the right side of the frame. Slowly raise the jack. The front end will start to rise as the bike starts to lean onto the kickstand. I've used this method to do a frontend swap but it's definitely not ideal.

Or for a $25 you can get this stand from Harbor Freight. With the stand the bike remains balanced and perfectly upright and most importantly..stable. Then you can place a block of wood under the oil pan/exhaust and lift up the front using your jack.

Later, Doug

I loop a ratchet strap around the headstock and run it up to the rafters in my garage.

If you have a couple of jack stands you can use them and a block of wood below the frame/engine to hold the front end up.

I have made myself an open ended wooden box of sorts out of 2 X 6s that I use. I do have to pull the exhaust (4 into 1) but then the frame rails sit on the box - does not touch the engine cases or sump at all, and it gets both front and back wheels up. I do have to pick up the front of the bike to set it on the box - having a 20 something son helps my old back with this.

Center stands are available --

motors.shop.ebay.com/eBay-Motors-/6000/i...85.m570.l1313&_rdc=1

Good Fortune!

You can use a small bottle jack (they're cheap) with a piece of plywood between the jack and the oil pan like so....

I do as Ed if I have a centre stand. If not, I put the bike on the sidestand as upright a possible - in other words, put something under the stand - and then jack near the front of the frame on the opposite side. Not ideal, but I've done it more than once.