Lifting bike to check/adjust steering bearings!

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Dec 24, 2012
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Location
San Diego, California
I plan on checking/adjusting my steering head bearings on my 1199. To anybody who has performed this procedure, how did you lift the motorcycle safely without damaging anything? I have a Pitbull front and rear stand however I want to take any weight off the front steering to properly adjusted it, which means not using the Pitbull front stand!

I have heard of people lifting the bike with a jack underneath the exhaust.... But I am not sure how good that is for the exhaust or the bike. Note: I have a Termi full system.

Thanks!!!
 
For what you are trying to do, maybe two ladders with something strong spanning between them, and then hang the bike by the triples or the handlebars. I would then support it from beneath with a hydraulic lift (use a piece of wood so as to not mar the exhaust) - this will stabilize it as it will want to sway otherwise while hanging. Between these two, it should be relatively secure. I would definitely have it on the rear stand while doing this.
 
You can hang it by the rafters if they're exposed in your garage. Obviously you will not be able to go to triples or handlebars like previous poster suggested, since you're checking steering head bearings and the front end needs to be free. Try and wrap some soft-ties or rope around a structural member near the front end, and hang it by that. I've heard of people jacking bikes up by the exhaust too, but it always seemed like a very bad idea to me. If you really like to do your own maintenance, get one of these, I have one and it's worth every single penny.

K&L LIFT GATE
 
Good point TJ99. It would indeed infringe upon free checking of the steering head. I guess jacking the front end up, with it on the rear stand is your best bet short of finding another area to suspend it by. A friend steadying it may be the final component in keeping it safely vertical. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the replies guys!

I think you're right about suspending it from the top being the best method. Jacking up the bike from the exhaust does not sound like a good idea! I will remove the gas tank and look for somewhere on the upper subframe to attach a soft-tie, and subsequently suspend it from my ceiling!

If anybody has already done this and knows of a good spot to attach the soft tie please let me know!

Again thanks for all the info!
 
This is the way I do it.

Support rear of the bike on the rear axle stand.
Use a clean soft flannel sheet folded a couple of times to protect everything in the steering head area.
Wrap a strap around/under the steering head.
Lift vertically from a bar laid across/between a couple of floor joists or a single floor joist.
 
Well, I did it!

Ease of maintenance was definitely not a design priority for Ducati during the design of this motorcycle!

But I love it none the less! :D
 

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Well, I did it!

Ease of maintenance was definitely not a design priority for Ducati during the design of this motorcycle!

But I love it none the less! :D

You really need to find a very solid structure in the roof to mount a large eye bolt or two to suspend the bike from.

Working around that frame you've got there would really do my head in:eek:
Alternatively you could look into getting another of those frames and spacing them a few meters apart. Then run a piece of 50 x 50 square section tube between them to hang the bike off.

Maybe next time;)
 

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