SuzukiSavage.com - Lifting Your Savage

Gary On A Savage

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Lifting Your Savage
03/31/07 at 19:12:13

OK. I'm planning some work on the Savage which requires the bike lifted (fork removal, rear tire removal ect). So I went out and bought a motorcycle/atv lift this weekend. After putting it together I tried to lift my bike only to have a heck of a time doing it (alone I might add). And once I got it up, it just seemed to unsafe to even work on.

So my question is...how do you lift your bike to do any work on it (safely). I'm going to be painting it (tank fenders ect) as well as fixing a leaking fork seal. So how should I go about it?

Thanks in advance
Gary

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'95 Savage with the lowered, full fender look
'96 Honda Shadow 1100 ACE
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justin_o_guy

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Re: Lifting Your Savage
Reply #1 - 03/31/07 at 19:20:39

Those lifts that go under the engine & don't support anything but that short section of frame give me the willies. I would need to see someone use one safely before I would consider it. If I had no rafters in the garage( which I do & can hang a come along & rope to lift either end O the bike) I would consider building a frame to lift it by. Having it hoisted means I don't worry about knocking it over. I don't have to work around anything or reach over anything. I stuck casters on an old(1962 model, fiberglass & steel construction) milk crate & tossed a pillow on it for a seat to work on the bike from.

That also makes getting wheels on easy. I can set the height close enough to make it real easy. The price was nice too. I had the come along for 25 years & the rope was Cheeeaaap..

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TVR_FSO Serious Thumper Offline I'm Ya Huckleberry.... Posts: 870 Frisco, Texas Gender:	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #2 - 03/31/07 at 19:23:23 Mine is pretty solid on the jack. Easy to lift alone.
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Holodeck Full Member Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 144 Seattle	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #3 - 03/31/07 at 19:28:41 Put a piece of plywood on the rails, it will feel a lot more secure.
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Gary On A Savage Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Only 15 mins riding could save you $$$ in Dr bills Posts: 941 Fresno, California Gender:	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #4 - 03/31/07 at 19:30:46 TVR, are you using tie down straps? I can't tell from the picture... Justin, no rafters I can get to easily. The ceiling is finished. Looks prettier, but is less useful. On my old dirt bikes me and someone would just lift 'em up on and set them on a crate. But this bike is much heavier and the balance is different.
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Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #5 - 03/31/07 at 19:44:27 I use a jack like tvr's and the straps - just be careful where you put them - but once you jack it up enough to tighten the straps ( jack it up about where you want it - then put on the straps anchored to the base and jack it up a little more to fully tighten them) you can roll it around, very steady.
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TVR_FSO Serious Thumper Offline I'm Ya Huckleberry.... Posts: 870 Frisco, Texas Gender:	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #6 - 03/31/07 at 19:46:03 Strapless......
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Gary On A Savage Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Only 15 mins riding could save you $$$ in Dr bills Posts: 941 Fresno, California Gender:	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #7 - 03/31/07 at 19:54:52 TVR_FSO wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03: Strapless...... Yeah...well... some people need more support than others... Realthing, where do you run your straps across? I was thinking about running them through the handlebars for more stability.
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Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #8 - 03/31/07 at 19:57:46 i use at least one across the starter - or the gap just in front of it
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Gary On A Savage Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Only 15 mins riding could save you $$$ in Dr bills Posts: 941 Fresno, California Gender:	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #9 - 03/31/07 at 20:07:04 OK. I just realized why it seems so wobbly. There is no support on the left side of the rear rail. TVR...you scare me if you work on your bike like that! Realthing, thanks!
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verslagen1

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Re: Lifting Your Savage
Reply #10 - 03/31/07 at 20:52:25

When I need to, I use a multi position folding ladder.

Take the seat off the bike. Position the ladder over your bike. Tie a rope to one shock mounts. Loop it over the top most bar of the ladder. Loop it under the other shock mount. Repeat until you can lift it. Try to arraigne the ropes to travel it the same direction.

Any overhead pipe that you can swing on without fear of pulling it loose will do. Grin

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Paladin. Serious Thumper Offline Hamster Posts: 4929 Sunny Southern California Gender:	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #11 - 03/31/07 at 22:35:26 Swapped out the rear wheel this morning. Considered Greg's 2x4 front wheel holder and decided it was overkill and far too expensive ($3 or so!) Ended up simply staking the front end down and jacking up under the rear of the engine/transmission:
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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #12 - 04/01/07 at 06:43:42 Too expensive You've got a small fortune in nylon rope and camping stakes in that setup. But will that allow you to do this, too?
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Paladin. Serious Thumper Offline Hamster Posts: 4929 Sunny Southern California Gender:	Re: Lifting Your Savage Reply #13 - 04/01/07 at 07:21:43 Lifting the front end is even easier -- as I discovered when I had my front tire replaced. I did the same to change the brake pads: Lifting the Savage doesn't take much effort. (fwiw I will be making your little T -- it'll be faster than the stakeout for later lifts.) Does anyone have an engine hoist?
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Savage_Greg

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Re: Lifting Your Savage
Reply #14 - 04/01/07 at 07:32:52

Paladin. wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04:

Lifting the front end is even easier -- as I discovered when I had my front tire replaced. I did the same to change the brake pads:

Lifting the Savage doesn't take much effort. (fwiw I will be making your little T -- it'll be faster than the stakeout for later lifts.)

Does anyone have an engine hoist?

I will admit that you definitely have enough jack for the job

You have good examples of how to "git 'er done" for sure. Why not throw these into my "Poor Man's Bike Stand" topic for added options?

Yeah, an engine hoist would do the trick too. Just have to work around those pesky legs.

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