Does anyone have experience lifting or jacking up a GL1200? I think I need to buy a motorcycle jack. I have to take the Center Stand off so I can get at a broken bolt on the rear clutch cover I have to drill out on the lower left side. Pictures and insights would be greatly helpful. Thanks

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http://www.takebackthelake.com


ATGATT = All the Gear, All the Time
"riding without a helmet is NOT all it's cracked up to be.."
"we put eggs in a carton to protect them from breaking...why not your brain too?"

I would do something like use a floor jack to lift the rear tire in the air then lower it down on wood blocks screwed together. Probably safer than any jack.

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I use a Harbor F. motorcycle jack. As long as I use ratchet straps to lock the bike on the jack, it's not going anywhere. I've got a gl1200 on my jack since September and hasn't moved even with me yanking on bolts.

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What the government gives to one man was taken away from another.

Bill

Past rides
1967 Harley 125
1968 Honda Dream 300
1973 Honda CB750
1972 Honda 450
1984 Honda Shadow 700
1998 Suzuki Marauder VZ800

Present rides
1990 Gl1500 w/Hobo Trike Kit


"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading". - Thomas Jefferson

Yes the platform lifts are safe enough when strapped on solid. Guess I’m used to doing things on the cheap.

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PLEASE! Use your Gallery album for saving pictures instead of using attachments or picture sharing sites, especially technical reference pics. This will make sure your images will ALWAYS be in your post and the discussion thread will make sense!
Go HERE and learn how to use the Gallery.

Click to order CGW Stuff

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Nothin' wrong with cheap Dan.

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What the government gives to one man was taken away from another.

Bill

Past rides
1967 Harley 125
1968 Honda Dream 300
1973 Honda CB750
1972 Honda 450
1984 Honda Shadow 700
1998 Suzuki Marauder VZ800

Present rides
1990 Gl1500 w/Hobo Trike Kit


"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading". - Thomas Jefferson

I have a motorcycle jack and a HF lift table and have used straps and a regular car floor jack on the lift to do some stuff, but when I need to do work on the clutch area like you describe, I would be inclined to pull the engine for that job. Having done this a couple times it seems more than worth the extra effort ( time and wrench spinning) to have the motor up on a table to do the work. Pulling the engine was easier than drilling out a siezed bolt with the engine still in place. But then I'm old and don't care to work on my knees or back much anymore
I was pleasanly surprised at how easy engine removal is when the bike is on the floor on its centerstand with the mc jack under the engine...much easier than my cb750 engine contortions! Of course this is on an 1100, haven't experienced a 1200...yet.
Pics from the other computer if they'll help.

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Intrigued by the wail, seduced by the scream.

While I have a table, I've had my 800 lb Valkyrie on the motorcycle jack more than once for various things. It handled it with ease.

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"The older I get, the more I understand. Don't let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen." - Anonymous

Pics as promised. Sorry I don't have a decent picture of the jack without the engine in the way. Nor do I have a pic of lifting the engine onto the table with the HF electric hoist bolted to the rafters ($69.00, what a godsend!)

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Intrigued by the wail, seduced by the scream.

Yeah ...you can do anything on oldwings with one those atv motorcycle jacks it seems

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thank god and hooch im gone

Not sure if a jack/lift is going to work. To get to the center stand area for work the jack will need to be placed forward of the center stand. This might cause a lifting bias to the front, I guess if it's strapped down well enough it will lift. Just a lot of strain on the straps. I've not tried to lift mine that way (yet)

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Riding anything is a good day

Mike

To get the bike to balance, you must be forward of the center stand.

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What the government gives to one man was taken away from another.

Bill

Past rides
1967 Harley 125
1968 Honda Dream 300
1973 Honda CB750
1972 Honda 450
1984 Honda Shadow 700
1998 Suzuki Marauder VZ800

Present rides
1990 Gl1500 w/Hobo Trike Kit


"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading". - Thomas Jefferson

As a bit of supplemental commentary about the "tail heavy" aspect of jacking bikes. The Valkyrie is notoriously tail heavy. No manner of jack placement under the motor will allow the machine to ride level as it's lifted.

Many workarounds have been devised, most of which involve adding an "extension" of sorts to the lift itself. I came across a better solution, engineered specifically for the Valk, that bolts to the frame under the sidestand mounts. It's a brace that provides a rearward spot to put the back jack arm that allows perfect balance. No need to fumble with jack extensions or other funky (and dangerous) approaches.

I would think that a handy fellow around the shop (with some time on his hands) might be able to come up with something similar for the wing - if it hasn't already been done.

I found mine used - a buddy was parting out a 160k mile Valk. Best $20 I ever spent.




...for the record, I have found collector covers and tidied that area up now!

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"The older I get, the more I understand. Don't let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen." - Anonymous

I find that to get the 1200 to balance, I need to be in the center stand are, so I agree with Mike. When I need to get into the area around the center stand, this is what I do...

http://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12300

It takes a little extra effort to get the bike up and back down, but once it is up, it is solid and steady.

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Brian
Retired US Navy 1983-2003
If you aren't having fun doing it, find something else to do.

I don’t have panniers on the rear of Val and I opted for just a bit of 1/2” ply on top of my atv style lift.

Seems to balance really well and as long as it is strapped properly it’s is really solid.

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Sometimes I'm a little slow, take it as you wish. Was playing around with the new jack the other day and basically confirmed what I thought, one 'arm' of the jack needs to be in the centerstand area, so as to lift without the rear lagging behind. The slow part, last night was thinking about how to change the bias from rear to front. All the normal objects came to mind to remove, then it dawned on me that the fuel tank is also way behind what I thought would be CG. So if you lift without a full tank of fuel (mine is full), does this change where it needs to go (jack front to rear)?

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Riding anything is a good day

Mike