6Th Gen Front Stand

I am looking to get a front stand for my centerstand equipped 06 VFR basically for storage and occasional wheel and brake work. I have looked at various ones and have two questions.

1. Is there a headlift stand that fits the 6th Gen model. I have read about clearance issues with some stands and mods were needed.

2. Of the typical fork lift stands, are any of the less expensive models (Trackside, Black Widow, ect) reliable and recommendable?

Pitbull! They have one that is a hybrid, it either lifts from the bottom of the forks or via the steering head. You have to order the correct pin, most sites will bring up a list based on make/model bike.

I have the Pitbull steering head version. Other than a tight fit between the front fender and the underside of the fairing, it's an excellent stand.

This is the stand I use every time I need to take off the front wheel.  No pin required; it goes under the headers.   :wink:

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I was going to get the pitbull combo front, but man is it ever pricey. Got ...forget the tripe tree stand, and a PSR econo front. Both work great and are really stable. And now I have two stands for less than the pitbull combo front.

So one

I have the Pitbull combination lift mentioned above and a 5th Gen, non-ABS. It works fine either way on mine, but there is some pressure on the stand by the bottom of the fairing, enough that it will put a slight dent in the foam around the Pitbull tubing. Not an issue, but it is a tight fit on mine.

As mentioned above about the rear tire touching. It does, but if you keep on going the tire moves back out of the way as the stand goes past center, and isn't an issue. At least not on mine.

So once it's on the front stand is the rear supported by the rear wheel, or the center stand . . . and what's the technique for reversing it - just lower the front wheel back down and it sits back on the center stand?  The steering stem mount is probably more stable than lifting the bottom of the forks.     I have this vision of it crashing over while I'm pushing down on the front stand's handle and can't reach the bike to steady it . . . :wacko:

Once you lever the PitBull past center, the rear of the bike moves back up and the bike is resting on the center stand and the PitBull stand. I was a bit nervous the first couple times, but it's never shown any inclination to fall over while I was lifting it.

So far it seems like the Pitbull is a safe bet. Any more comments?

I have the Pitbull steering head version. Other than a tight fit between the front fender and the underside of the fairing, it's an excellent stand.

When you say tight fit, do you mean that the fairing needs to be removed or that it takes careful positioning? Also, is this for the hyrid model that can also lift from the fork bottoms?

http://www.pit-bull....de=front_stands

I have a Pitbull and originally bought the type that lifts through the steering stem.  I was stoked about it until I got it home and realized that on my 6th gen ABS, that the brake hoses make it nearly impossible to get it fit in there without really stressing them, so I exchanged it for the traditional style that lifts the bottom of the forks.  Maybe I didn't get it situated right, but the extra hoses for the ABS made it appear that there's just no getting the pin in to the steering stem.    I don't know how that would be on a non-ABS model.  The traditional stand has to either have 1.  The real wheel removed or  2. a rear stand,  as attempting to use it with the center stand results in the rear tire touching the ground before the front raises up, which is really hairy if you're trying to do it yourself.  One of these days I'll get the rear stand and do it right.   I rigged my own rear stand using some pipe and two jackstands I have laying around, which works ok.  Pitbull is very high quality - you can't go wrong with it. 

I have the Pitbull combination lift mentioned above and a 5th Gen, non-ABS. It works fine either way on mine, but there is some pressure on the stand by the bottom of the fairing, enough that it will put a slight dent in the foam around the Pitbull tubing. Not an issue, but it is a tight fit on mine.

As mentioned above about the rear tire touching. It does, but if you keep on going the tire moves back out of the way as the stand goes past center, and isn't an issue. At least not on mine.

So one

I have the Pitbull combination lift mentioned above and a 5th Gen, non-ABS. It works fine either way on mine, but there is some pressure on the stand by the bottom of the fairing, enough that it will put a slight dent in the foam around the Pitbull tubing. Not an issue, but it is a tight fit on mine.

As mentioned above about the rear tire touching. It does, but if you keep on going the tire moves back out of the way as the stand goes past center, and isn't an issue. At least not on mine.

So once it's on the front stand is the rear supported by the rear wheel, or the center stand . . . and what's the technique for reversing it - just lower the front wheel back down and it sits back on the center stand?  The steering stem mount is probably more stable than lifting the bottom of the forks.     I have this vision of it crashing over while I'm pushing down on the front stand's handle and can't reach the bike to steady it . . . :wacko:

I have the Pitbull steering head version. Other than a tight fit between the front fender and the underside of the fairing, it's an excellent stand.

When you say tight fit, do you mean that the fairing needs to be removed or that it takes careful positioning? Also, is this for the hyrid model that can also lift from the fork bottoms?

http://www.pit-bull....de=front_stands

I mean that I have to carefully weasel it in, while trying to not rub it on either surface. No dis assembly is required.

So one

I have the Pitbull combination lift mentioned above and a 5th Gen, non-ABS. It works fine either way on mine, but there is some pressure on the stand by the bottom of the fairing, enough that it will put a slight dent in the foam around the Pitbull tubing. Not an issue, but it is a tight fit on mine.

As mentioned above about the rear tire touching. It does, but if you keep on going the tire moves back out of the way as the stand goes past center, and isn't an issue. At least not on mine.

So once it's on the front stand is the rear supported by the rear wheel, or the center stand . . . and what's the technique for reversing it - just lower the front wheel back down and it sits back on the center stand?  The steering stem mount is probably more stable than lifting the bottom of the forks.     I have this vision of it crashing over while I'm pushing down on the front stand's handle and can't reach the bike to steady it . . . :wacko:

What the book says is to lift the rear with its own stand first, and this is what I do. Rear up, front up, front down, rear down. Very stable.

So far it seems like the Pitbull is a safe bet. Any more comments?

My VFR has been mothballed the last couple of years but I'm ready to do a bunch of refresh maintenance and start riding it again, first job is new fork oil so I need to get the front end up for that.

I already had a Pitbull headstand so the VFR adapter was all that was needed to get started.  I tried using just the centerstand and the headstand, but most of the rear weight went on the tire and not the centerstand, it all felt too shaky and made me nervous.

I also had a harbor freight rear spool stand, not meant for SSS, but I found a piece of 3/4" pipe laying around and ran it through the rear hub, now rear stand is good to go.  Bike now feels nice and solid, ready to get busy.

Brake hoses interfered with headstand, unbolted the brake line bracket and plenty of room (non-ABS)

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My garage floor slopes a little so I shimmed one side of each stand.

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Looks pretty solid, I don't think it's going anywhere. :beer: