Hiya all...winter's here!I guess I'm officially done for the year Hope you that can still blast are enjoyin yer rocketships and stayin safe out there!

Anyway...can someone recommend a good SAFE front stand to me?I want to be able to remove the forks and wheel and such SAFELY....without DRAMA.Something that I won't have to do mechanical acrobatics with to get things on and off okay.I'm going on the assumption that I will need to use my rear stand as well to level my bike...any safety ideas when using BOTH wheeled stands?Thanks all...be safe...have FUN!!!!

* Last updated by: blue07 on 11/16/2010 @ 5:17 PM *

Pit bull makes the one I use, If you are removing the forks you will need the one with the pin that goes under the steering head. You can get cheaper ones but if you want a solid stand its the ticket. Wow blue its getting real cold here too, shoot its getting down to 60 at night! I can finaly put away the mesh and get out some leather.

* Last updated by: buck20 on 11/16/2010 @ 11:24 PM *

Nice Buck...rub it in.I was considering that Pit Bull "New Front Stand"(that's what they call it! )One question here...does the top bar hit the nose?It looked darn close on the website pic with that 600(or was that an R1?)Plenty of room over the fender there?

At least I don't need TWO fans!!!!

Okay....I'm goin with the PitBull...ya,the one with the pin.Do you use a rear stand with yours when ya raise the front?

* Last updated by: blue07 on 11/17/2010 @ 1:01 AM *

if youve lowered your bike then these stands will not work. Blue my front stand does touch the underneath of the nose piece but doesnt put too much pressure on it. they work very nice for tearing down the front end. Dont feel bad blue the riding season is over here too. lol just means its time to tear down and accessorize for next yr lol

http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=DEFABC13-1372-66AE-3B8E6FE7D370ACDB&page=2&searchTerm=front%20stands#46

* Last updated by: scottjkyl on 11/17/2010 @ 6:42 AM *

Thanks Scott...no...I reset my baby back to stock height.

The Pitbull stands are one of the many things on my wish list for the holidays. Would love to get in on a group buy? Any takers

I used my pin front stand last winter, when I had the fork stem bolt unloaded to put a new seal on it. It doesn't harm the upper cowl and only contacts the rubber skirt if at all. Just maneuvering it in maybe a little.

I was going to sell mine, but decided not to, as someday I might want to replace the forks or something. Don't need it to replace the front tire/wheel, all I need to do it put it on the center stand and weight the back of the bike a little and the front comes off the ground.

Ya...okay Privateer...what center stand is that?I've been considering one as well as the front stand....still don't know which to get.

Would love to get in on a group buy? Any takers

I could use another set of stands. Start a new thread and see if there are any others. I'd post it in the general section where it will get more views.

blue, Check this site out: http://www.redlinestands.com/catalog/center-stands/redline-sport-bike-motorcycle-center-stand-p-406

I got got one of these and really like it. Easy to do by yourself and once up on the stand, the front wheel is an easy one hand lift.

Thanks all for the info and such.I've got a Pitbull on he way now.That redline stand was "next" on my thoughts....just a bit too spendy right now though.(you are talking about the 249.00 center stand,yes?)

* Last updated by: blue07 on 11/21/2010 @ 9:35 AM *

That's the one. It's a little pricey yes, but it is a quality stand and it works well for me.

"New Front Stand"(that's what they call it! )One question here...does the top bar hit the nose?

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/2/2010 @ 10:00 PM *

Ya, the Forklift Converter just barely makes it in there when the rear stand is raised a little higher like mine is. No damage caused but there is usually some cussing getting the pin under there to the steering pivot.

Below is a pic of the extra bolt (black) that i put in the slot to ensure that the brackets do not slide down on the rear stand.

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/4/2010 @ 5:35 PM *

I don't care what pitbull says...this stand nails the front nose underneath....with the correct (zx14) pin.Tried it angled forward,and backwards...she still hits.I e-mailed em couple of days ago...no response yet.I'm thinkin a pin about an inch longer would solve the prob(also tried putting that cross screw in there,then sitting the pin on top of that[gave er another 1/2 inch rise...didn't work...but it improved the contact a bit].It's pushing enough to bend the nose,and flex the seams out at the sides.NO NO NO!!!!I aint havin that.Anyway...I'm takin it to a welder tomorrow.Have him cut the lift/pin bar....reangle about 4 degrees or so...enough to give the pin a higher profile,and see what she does.It aint hittin too much...but enough to concern me.You know....one small crack under there and next thing ya know....CRACK!!!Yer cowl is foooked.I already talked a few weeks ago when I first tried it to the tech at pitbull...natch,he said"It should fit"....ummmm,okay.I KNOW it should...that's why I bought it.LOL!"Yes sir...I did get the pin angle in the right direction"

And Rook...I put my rear lift arms all the way down,no worries about er fallin...and the tire(new) clears the cross piece there okay.Course,I always have to customize my stuff...can't leave well enough alone.Cut that handle down about 2 and a half inches...just enough to get a cheater bar in there for lifting leverage.SWEET.Way easier.It will change the standing angle a bit,but that's cool.190 fits okay....slight rubbing on the crossbar.

I know...kinda hokey...but wth....it works.Lot better than tryin to muscle that bad girl up.Just line up the lift forks...slightly lift to seat spools.Hold clip on,lift...easy

* Last updated by: blue07 on 12/30/2010 @ 7:24 PM *

It's pushing enough to bend the nose,and flex the seams out at the sides.

I think you have the wrong pin.....or are you articulating the stand wrong (you should only have to push down; never lift up on the bar to raise the bike).

If you want, I will take some pics of how my Forklift Converter looks with the 14 on it. The Newfront is at the barn with my busa on it.

I can't believe it. Could it be that the Newfront doesn't fit the 14? I know it works with the busa. If Pit Bull is telling you it works, I'm sure they know for a fact that it works. Don't go cutting and welding just yet. That sounds like a big can o worms cracking open.

the tire(new) clears the cross piece there okay.

I found that a BT-016 190/60 will press harder than I care to leave it setting over winter. If you have a shorter handle that might reduce the pressure a tiny bit. Raising the lifting forks on the stand ~ 3/8" works great for me.

Well...the pin 's stamped with "14" on the end...that's the one they sent me.Fits in the steering stem fine.No prob. there.It's the angle of the lift bar(the pin bar).I've got the pin in there correctly(in the pin hole).The crosspiece where the lift(pin)connects to...that whole part sticks up I'd say around a half to an inch too high(at the weld).The bar needs to have a more horizontal angle to it.You see how it kinda points downward,right?Okay.When lifting,that "downward" angle allows the weld area and crossbar to hit underneath.I tried turning the pin around,so the angled part was facing forward....no go...she still hit...even worse.The easiest thing would be to have a longer pin...one that would effectively increase the distance between the pin contact and the front nose area.I figure re-welding the bar at an angle upwards(more horizontal)will make the pin sit a few inches higher and not affect the way the angle of the pin itself goes into and lifts the steering stem.Goin over this morning to have my friend reweld.I'll post some pics if ya want.If it's only lifting at the steering stem,and clearing the nose underneath,there won't be any bodywork flex...everything will be resting on the pin.The whole body will lift,instead of having TWO points of upward force.

Okay...have an update here...friggin thing STILL hits the nose even after I had the bar angle redone.FUDGE!NOT as bad mind you.But my "upgrade" just wasn't enough.Heck with it...I'm leavin her as she is now.A taller pin would work.Oh well....It gets the front off the ground okay.And isn't pushing near as much as before.It's all good.Never know until ya try.

WOHOOOO!!!VICTORY IS MINE!!!!Got er just right now!That pesky pin....had to shave out the pin hole to the original angle.Problemo Solvendo!She lifts now with PLENTY of clearance...me happy!!!! (I never can leave things alone!)

* Last updated by: blue07 on 12/31/2010 @ 5:56 PM *

Pit Bull makes special Forklift Converter stands for BMW and Ducati. But you couldn't have been shipped one of those because you got the Newfront. Far as I can tell, the Newfront is one stand for all bikes--just need dif steering pivot pins. Hm-- the Newfront fits the busa. Oh well, glad you got it worked out. The Newfront is a bit more of a sturdy stand with a wider base of support. I don't know if I ever used the Newfront on the 14. I can say the Forklift Converter fits a 14.

If I was anyone else,I wouldn't say this...but last night,while lowering the front(back was on the rear stand),somehow,some way she got tilted off vertical.Yep,you guessed it.Fell over on her right side.I couldn't jump up quick enough to catch her.Crack...there she was....laying there.FUC%! "well,the damage is done now...no sense in feelin too bad over it" I reasoned.So she fell straight over,nailing the right hand bar end,right lower belly fairing,My lovely TiForce pipe.I was afraid to raise er back up for a minute.You know how that plastic hittin cement sounds,yes?

Now here's the shi^.....just amazing really.Pipe....light cement dust on the very edge of the muffler where it transitions from the midpipe.NO DAMAGE.Bar end...light paint scuff,nothing damaged.Lower belly fairing...crack ) at the protrusion,over the ignition timer case.Belly fairing history baby.(Get this...a week ago for some weird reason I switched out my carbon fiber belly fairings and reinstalled the stock black one's(cheaper by far moneywise).Hmmmm....who knew?ALSO...now this could ONLY happen to ME...there was a friggin teensy rock that had gotten thrown up from the road somewhere when I was riding,and just happed to stick RIGHT AT THE SPOT where the fairing got crunched.In other words...it actually cracked the ignition case at the lower portion....cracked!!!!Pushed in and cracked it!Of all friggin possible places for a rock no bigger than a half a pea to get lodged!Okay....so that ended up being an "easy fix".Pulled it off and ground down to bare metal both sides(inside/outside)and JB welded that puppy.It's ONLY a MINOR crack...maybe a 1/16 inch long,but she definitely was gonna leak...that's how I noticed it.It's gonna be fine.

Unbelieveable...just crazy I tell ya.BUT....the front stand works GREAT!!!

I put a rug(kinda thick one)behind the rear stand wheels to stop the bike from moving backwards while lifting the front.Now I'm thinking MAYBE when I started to lower it,the left side rear wheel rode up over that rug and threw the balance off.You know,with a full tank of gas,she's quite topheavy...doesn't take much to get er past "no return".

Reinstalled my Carbon fiber belly fairings...maybe the foreman's were getting pissed cause they were sharing my baby's glory with "plain ole black"

And I'm doin away with usin a friggin rug...gonna get some doorstops or somethin to set behind those wheels.Could only happen to me I tell ya!

I told ya Rook..."no worries about er fallin"....WTH....got to eat humble pie on THAT one eh?

* Last updated by: blue07 on 1/1/2011 @ 10:50 PM *

uug-

Sorrry to hear about that , Blue. Sounds like the damage could have been much worse. Thanks for sharing the situation. How careful can you be? .. The solo lifts get so easy but something can always go wrong. You know how it goes--give it a few weeks and you'll feel much better. Until then, plenty of wrenching and forum gabbing--don't let it get you down.

I'll tell ya...I feel pretty darn good about it right about now...shi%...it COULD have been MUCH worse.Thanks for the thoughts there Bro...everthing's fine....lesson learned!

BTW...I again just glanced at yer avatar...takes on a whole new meaning when somethin like this happens!!!LOL!!!!!

If I'm gonna get a new belly fairing ...I'd much rather have to buy the stock black than that Carbon fiber.Just amazing how things work out sometimes!

* Last updated by: blue07 on 1/1/2011 @ 10:56 PM *

BTW...I again just glanced at yer avatar...takes on a whole new meaning when somethin like this happens!!!LOL!!!!!

All I can say is:

"NEVERMORE."

'braaaaaawk.'

LOL I never had a moments trouble with my front pin lift. It never touches the fairing or anything but the bottom of the steering stem when the pin goes in.

I'll have to look at the make and edit this.