I use a similar lift just to raise the bike and then I slide a homemade wooden stand under my XCT and remove the lift. The bike is rock solid on that lift with either the front or rear wheel removed.
Fork Service and Steering Head Bearings
Long overdue and the deterioration is gradual so not so noticeable.
Got the Kingpin up on the bike lift and strapped her down like a lunatic at an asylum.
Nice n tight.
Removed everything including triple clamps with a view to fitting the '011 Kingpin front end to my '06 Kingpin, and replace the notchy steering head bearings while I was in there.
Oh and might as well fit the blingy Vision front wheel while I'm at at.
Everything off I retire to bed around 4am to awake around 11am and go pick up the bearings and drop the front wheel in for the Shinko777 to be fitted.
I walk up to the Kingpin balanced nicely on my bike lift and in prep for the freshly bearing'd bottom triple clamp , and what a job that was getting the bottom bearing on!
Had to throw the parts in the car and drive up the street to Aussie Diffs for help, surely they would have some steel pipe to drive the bearing home squarely without wrecking it.
I was correct but it was no mean feat!
Ok I'm back and move the bullet headlamp that's hanging by the wires.
Sheeeeit! The bike rocks back on the lift!!!
Threatening to flip backwards onto the front of my mint Buick Skylark GS Stage 1 !!!!.
I steady the bike, move the headlight back where it was to no avail.
The bike still teeters like Humpty Dumpty on acid!
What to do??? Can't reach my phone, If I shout no one will hear me, wtf do I do???
Look around for some means of weighting the front but nothing in reach and the whole bike and lift are close to toppling!!!!
If this was a movie we could cut to a break but it's real life and two valued possessions are threatened...
Breathe, think think think,
something I try to avoid.......
Ok let's try lowering the bike lift slowly, now to remember it's so long since I've used the contraption....
I stand on the up pedal and the bike rides more and rocks!
How the fark do I lower it????
Ok I spot the release pedal, I disengage the lock lever while it's higher too, then one hand on the bikes neck I try to gingerly fondle the lowering pedal with my right boot...
Chunk!! So much for gingerly!
The bike drops a few inches rapidly but stays stable-ish...
Another half inch and the rear wheel is kissing the concrete floor and the bike is as stable as..well as stable as it can be under the circumstances.....
I give it a bit of an annoying push and it stays...
Aha!! Success!!! The heat is off!!!
Thank You God's of Motorcycling!
It's actually so stable that I'm gonna be able to reconstruct the freshened front end without disaster...
File that move away in the brains memory Dept.
I slip the lower triple clamp into place then drop in the freshly marine greased top bearing and spin down the big locknuts to the headstem.
All looking good I grab the hammer n cold chisel and nip up the nuts a bit, I'll adjust properly once the rest is on.
Time to slide the freshened up fork tubes into place.
They're the ones I took off the Vegas before I sold it.
Chrome Kingpin items as well as the chrome triple trees, weren't letting those go with the Vegas.
Memory time again, which wires and cables and hoses go which side of the fork legs?
Thankfully I snapped a coupla pics on my phone when disassembling! Smart!
Both fork tubes are home and I nip up the triple clamp bolts enough to hold everything while I attach the headlight Speedo tacho etc.
I've already done a quick fabrication of the horn mount which was broken and just hanging in place for god knows how long...
Front wheel time.
Now these later forks are KYB and the old ones Marzocchis so I need to use the correct front axle to match.
The wheels on , everything's on , the Burleigh Bars were a mission to fit in themselves had em almost on then realised the throttle wouldn't reach so unbolted the bars juggled the controls on then bolted em back up.
3am thought of test riding but tired an raining so no.
It's now next day, I've got bike down on the deck, bounced the suspension then fully tightened the triple clamps double checked everything and right now I'm sitting at Gold Coast Motorcycle Tyres while the new rear Shinko 777 gets fitted.
Still not raining so an afternoon ride to scrub in the fresh treads Ison the cards..
Oh pix you say...ok
![Tire Wheel Fuel tank Plant Vehicle]()
![Tire Wheel Fuel tank Vehicle Automotive fuel system]()
![Tire Wheel Automotive tire Motor vehicle Automotive design]()
![Tire Wheel Automotive fuel system Fuel tank Vehicle]()
![Tire Wheel Vehicle Automotive tire Automotive lighting]()
Got the Kingpin up on the bike lift and strapped her down like a lunatic at an asylum.
Nice n tight.
Removed everything including triple clamps with a view to fitting the '011 Kingpin front end to my '06 Kingpin, and replace the notchy steering head bearings while I was in there.
Oh and might as well fit the blingy Vision front wheel while I'm at at.
Everything off I retire to bed around 4am to awake around 11am and go pick up the bearings and drop the front wheel in for the Shinko777 to be fitted.
I walk up to the Kingpin balanced nicely on my bike lift and in prep for the freshly bearing'd bottom triple clamp , and what a job that was getting the bottom bearing on!
Had to throw the parts in the car and drive up the street to Aussie Diffs for help, surely they would have some steel pipe to drive the bearing home squarely without wrecking it.
I was correct but it was no mean feat!
Ok I'm back and move the bullet headlamp that's hanging by the wires.
Sheeeeit! The bike rocks back on the lift!!!
Threatening to flip backwards onto the front of my mint Buick Skylark GS Stage 1 !!!!.
I steady the bike, move the headlight back where it was to no avail.
The bike still teeters like Humpty Dumpty on acid!
What to do??? Can't reach my phone, If I shout no one will hear me, wtf do I do???
Look around for some means of weighting the front but nothing in reach and the whole bike and lift are close to toppling!!!!
If this was a movie we could cut to a break but it's real life and two valued possessions are threatened...
Breathe, think think think,
something I try to avoid.......
Ok let's try lowering the bike lift slowly, now to remember it's so long since I've used the contraption....
I stand on the up pedal and the bike rides more and rocks!
How the fark do I lower it????
Ok I spot the release pedal, I disengage the lock lever while it's higher too, then one hand on the bikes neck I try to gingerly fondle the lowering pedal with my right boot...
Chunk!! So much for gingerly!
The bike drops a few inches rapidly but stays stable-ish...
Another half inch and the rear wheel is kissing the concrete floor and the bike is as stable as..well as stable as it can be under the circumstances.....
I give it a bit of an annoying push and it stays...
Aha!! Success!!! The heat is off!!!
Thank You God's of Motorcycling!
It's actually so stable that I'm gonna be able to reconstruct the freshened front end without disaster...
File that move away in the brains memory Dept.
I slip the lower triple clamp into place then drop in the freshly marine greased top bearing and spin down the big locknuts to the headstem.
All looking good I grab the hammer n cold chisel and nip up the nuts a bit, I'll adjust properly once the rest is on.
Time to slide the freshened up fork tubes into place.
They're the ones I took off the Vegas before I sold it.
Chrome Kingpin items as well as the chrome triple trees, weren't letting those go with the Vegas.
Memory time again, which wires and cables and hoses go which side of the fork legs?
Thankfully I snapped a coupla pics on my phone when disassembling! Smart!
Both fork tubes are home and I nip up the triple clamp bolts enough to hold everything while I attach the headlight Speedo tacho etc.
I've already done a quick fabrication of the horn mount which was broken and just hanging in place for god knows how long...
Front wheel time.
Now these later forks are KYB and the old ones Marzocchis so I need to use the correct front axle to match.
The wheels on , everything's on , the Burleigh Bars were a mission to fit in themselves had em almost on then realised the throttle wouldn't reach so unbolted the bars juggled the controls on then bolted em back up.
3am thought of test riding but tired an raining so no.
It's now next day, I've got bike down on the deck, bounced the suspension then fully tightened the triple clamps double checked everything and right now I'm sitting at Gold Coast Motorcycle Tyres while the new rear Shinko 777 gets fitted.
Still not raining so an afternoon ride to scrub in the fresh treads Ison the cards..
Oh pix you say...ok
