My front stands are cheap so I do not trust the welds of the supports 100%
Most of the time like today I remove the wheels, next day run to Des Moines to have tires mounted and return home to remount the wheels.
In cases like that the bike is sitting on the stand for a day.
Just in case the welds fail, I place a scissor jack under the engine.
I sleep better that way
   

Getting ready for a trip to Co. in two weeks.
   

   

(06-23-2020, 06:18 PM)Lee Wrote: In the Midwest you just go to a farm store.
They have all sizes for yard tractors, pickups, tractors and heavy equipment.
Maybe Home Depot or Lowes will have the small sizes like I use.

Here in Texas there is Tractor Supply which is good for that I guess. See here.

I think that the thickest size is 5/8" and on my front stand the hole may be a bit bigger than that. Will have to measure.

(06-23-2020, 06:26 PM)Lee Wrote: My front stands are cheap so I do not trust the welds of the supports 100%
Most of the time like today I remove the wheels, next day run to Des Moines to have tires mounted and return home to remount the wheels.
In cases like that the bike is sitting on the stand for a day.
Just in case the welds fail, I place a scissor jack under the engine.
I sleep better that way

Good to have the extra insurance, but based on the "J" shape of the side members, I think that the load is pretty much axial down the "vertical" section and little load is in the diagonal brace. They (and their welds) see most load during the lift. Good setup though.

I remove the front fender (4 screws) so that I have to lift the wheel only enough with a scissor jack to spin the wheel to remove. Also makes installing the axle easier when remounting.

Frank

(06-23-2020, 08:50 PM)Grumpy Goat Wrote: Good to have the extra insurance, but based on the "J" shape of the side members, I think that the load is pretty much axial down the "vertical" section and little load is in the diagonal brace. They (and their welds) see most load during the lift. Good setup though.

I was referring to the two fingers of the gold pieces the forks rest on.

   

(06-24-2020, 06:19 AM)Duckbubbles Wrote: I remove the front fender (4 screws) so that I have to lift the wheel only enough with a scissor jack to spin the wheel to remove. Also makes installing the axle easier when remounting.

Frank

I'm too lazy to mess with the Clearwater lights to remove the fender

(06-24-2020, 06:35 AM)Lee Wrote: I was referring to the two fingers of the gold pieces the forks rest on.

Ahh ... gotcha ... Yes they have small welds both at the base of the fingers and also at the plate to the shaft that goes through the arm of the stand. All potential points of failure, but if they pass a close visual inspection then it should be fine supporting maybe 250#.

(06-24-2020, 06:19 AM)Duckbubbles Wrote: I remove the front fender (4 screws) so that I have to lift the wheel only enough with a scissor jack to spin the wheel to remove. Also makes installing the axle easier when remounting.

Frank

On the K1200RS I would put a jack under the engine to remove the front tire.
I only had bottle jacks then and they would bleed down so I would also place wood blocks under the engine.
I like overkill

Overkill is just enough!