Anyone have tips for using a motorcycle jack

[dig dug mx6]

I have been borrowing my dad's motorcycle jack and strapped the bike to the stand to the only points I could find. The problem I have is that as I go higher the strap gets tighter and tighter. and I go lower it unhooks. Tis unhooking problem bit me last night as I was lowering it to get the rear wheel lined up to put the axle the rest of the way through. Well it unhooked and the bike tipped on me literally. I caught it before it completely fell on top of me but there has to be a better way to do this.


Any help would be great.

[scotty]

doesnt the bike sit flat on the jack????? maybe you need a helper just for safety????

[dig dug mx6]

It sits pretty flat. It is actually sitting on the center stand mounting points on the back and the engine on the front. It does rock around a little on the stand that is why I stapped it down.

[Cajun Cycler]

I don't have a motorcycle jack but this is what I did while changing the rear tire on my ZRX1100. I used an automotive scissor jack under the front portion of the swing arm. I used ratchet type motorcycle tie downs connected to large Eyebolts back to the bike's frame. I have the eyebolts screwed into the sides of my single car garage, one on each wall opposite sides of the bike. I put the bike upright supported by the straps pulling against one another with enough tension to keep the bike steady while I used the jack to lift the rear of the bike. Everything stays rock steady and the rise of the jack does not affect the tension on the straps.

[Harvey Norman]

how about some timber packing, like a shaped plank, sitting under the motor to stop the rocking?

Another tip is to have a rope and pulley from above you holding the bike upright. Take up the slack rope as you raise the jack.

[luc8421]

strap the die down straps to the platform, not the base, the tie downs will travel with the bike

[dig dug mx6]

strap the die down straps to the platform, not the base, the tie downs will travel with the bike

I talked with my dad since it's his jack. We are going be putting some hooks on the platform since there is nothing there to hook the straps too.