an unobtainable pipe dream for raising my RT

[BamaJohn]

Before anyone posts that my pipe dream is impossible to have...I can still dream, can't I?

Every time I need to do any maintenance on my 2020 Spyder RT I wish it had a powered piston center stand that would raise it at least 4' inches. Concrete gets harder each year, and that would help with the following:

• check/adjust the rear tire pressure
• change the rear tire
• change the engine oil
• adjust the side cases release cables
• rotate the rear tire to inspect for wear/foreign objects
• raise the trike higher to work on topside stuff without bending over
• other things

[Peter Aawen]

They might not be 'a powered centre stand', but there's a few things that'll do all that ^^ - Not cheap tho!

The Big Blue: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/48/84...8c32a0347f.jpg

Redline Stands: https://www.redlinestands.com/catalo...ike_Kit_01.jpg

Premium Bike Lifts: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JfZzDOuv2PQ/maxresdefault.jpg

And more.... Like I said, they all work in various ways/with varying degrees of ease & practicality, but they ain't cheap!

How much do you want to spend??

[Mikey]

Love the redline, and premium, they would be my choice of weapons.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

IMHO just get a few 2 x 8 or 2 x 10 planks and cut them to size .... bevel the ends and just drive up on them , .... you can gain 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches' this way ...... Mike

[DGoebel]

Shoot I use a sub $100 Pittsburgh 1500lb ATV lift to do that on my '18 RTL
20220606_205441.jpg

[NorwegianRT]

It was hard on the wallet, but well worth it in timesaving when in use.


20221005_145545.jpg Big Blue lift.jpg

[Peteoz]

The only issue with the Big Blue for those of us with bad knees/hips etc, is that you have to get down on the ground to bolt the blue to your rear shock assembly, Peter……and once down there, I do my best “turtle on its back” impression trying to get back up. My wife helps……not that she can lift me, as she is only 120lbs, but she calls the local auto club who send their truck recovery vehicle out and they winch me onto the flatbed, from where I can roll over and drop back to a standing position. Unfortunately, the Blue doesn’t work for me for that reason.

It is similar with the other lifters where you have to get down on the floor to ensure they are exactly in position before lifting to avoid potential Spyder damage.
Redline stands is certainly a great option, but I don’t know that I can run to that cost as a poor, self funded, retiree

I’m thinking of fabricating some kind of low stop lip so I know the lift is directly under the centre frame of the RT without getting right down on the floor. I could then lift the RT to a workable level (with jackstands and straps to provide stability, which is a real issue when you lift the RT).

If anyone has already done something like this (there are some clever boys and girls out there), I would love to hear from you

Pete

[pegasus1300]

I just use a set of car ramps and drive up on them. I get about 8-10 inches raise, easy. Of course as Pete said you still have to get down on the floor to do the work, but the pre-work is easy enough.

[NorwegianRT]

Maybe the 2020 looks different underneath, but on my 2012 I don't have to bolt the rear suspention to the BigBlue. The bottom of the suspention rests in a V shaped metall piece. The only thing getting secured before lifting is the right side footrest. To check if the V shaped piece is lined up I use a mirror so I don't have to get all the way down there.
I like the idea of making a kind of lip on the side of the front lifting point that will tell you that you are in the right position. Maybe I will figure something out.

[Peteoz]

Maybe the 2020 looks different underneath, but on my 2012 I don't have to bolt the rear suspention to the BigBlue. The bottom of the suspention rests in a V shaped metall piece. The only thing getting secured before lifting is the right side footrest. To check if the V shaped piece is lined up I use a mirror so I don't have to get all the way down there.
I like the idea of making a kind of lip on the side of the front lifting point that will tell you that you are in the right position. Maybe I will figure something out.

The 2014 onwards has a u-bolt that bolts to the rear shock (or some part of it), and you also have to get under the 20+ RT to remove the right floorboard, Martin. If it was the same operation as your 2012, I’d have one in a flash

Pete

[Peter Aawen]

The only issue with the Big Blue for those of us with bad knees/hips etc, is that you have to get down on the ground to bolt the blue to your rear shock assembly, Peter……. <snip> ......
Pete

I dunno if the Big Blue I use is any different to yours Pete, but I generally position everything as best I can without getting onto the ground, then lift a bit to check it's basically stable; drop it back down to correct & repeat as necessary; then carefully lift it high enough to do all the bolting/securing - haven't lost one doing it this way yet, and I rarely need to get down onto the ground.

Maybe the 2020 looks different underneath, but on my 2012 I don't have to bolt the rear suspension to the Big Blue. The bottom of the suspension rests in a V shaped metal piece. The only thing getting secured before lifting is the right-side footrest. To check if the V shaped piece is lined up, I use a mirror so I don't have to get all the way down there.
I like the idea of making a kind of lip on the side of the front lifting point that will tell you that you are in the right position. Maybe I will figure something out.

Same thing here, I don't actually do any of the 'bolting' until it's up in the air, even on those Spyders with foot-plates... And I don't think there's anything different on the Big Blues I use?! Maybe it's just a matter of getting the lift point alignment right first... sometimes that does take a few tries to get right, and I must admit that there have been a few times that I've added a ratchet strap or two just to be sure it won't fall off until I do get the bolting bits done...

But when getting right down onto the ground & looking under things generally means that I spend at least the next 15 minutes puking my guts out and fighting the vertigo before I can even contemplate standing upright again, so needs must!



What's that old saying about things like this.... Was it "Where there's a will there's a way"??

Or am I getting that one mixed up with the old Dairyman's adage about meeting their Milk Quota when their cows are starting to dry off - that goes:

"Where there's a WELL there's a way"?!?

[wtmjr]

Hi, I already had 3 of those automotive lift ramp stands. I just use those and drive my Spyder up on them. That gives me enough room to get underneath. They are about eight inches tall, but it would be nice to build something easy to set up, that packs away nice and neat. That would raise the trike to waist high. Maybe someday.

[Isopedella]

Shoot I use a sub $100 Pittsburgh 1500lb ATV lift to do that on my '18 RTL
20220606_205441.jpg

Yup. BUT YOUR NUTS IF YOU DO NOT PROP THE WHEELS. PS I use a full length bit of timber (4"x 4") along that channel.

[BamaJohn]

Thanks to all who shared their thoughts....my goal in posting was to see how others do things and gain ideas. I was spoiled by my 2-wheeled bikes with center stands, which allowed easy raising of the rear wheel for inspection, etc, and the front wheel by simply placing some weight on the rear seat. On my 2017 BMW R1200RT I could remove the rear wheel without doing more than a ratchet strap holding the center stand in place.
Thanks Peter for the big blue suggestion...I actually broke the bank and purchased one last year. As Pete says, it still requires lying on the ground to remove the right side foot plate in order to get the lift under the center frame. (not a major issue, just looking for the simplest way to get things done.)
Martin's suggestion of using a mirror to confirm correct placement of the lift will become part of my approach too.
As Paul suggested, I've also used car ramps to raise the bike. Along with a rear jack, that gets the job done for changing oil...back the front wheels onto the ramps then raise the rear to level.
Thanks again for suggestions/ideas....I"m gonna work on Pete's idea of a positioning lip on big blue.....right now I have a silver marker line on the frame of big blue to approximate the position.

[Spyderc9]

My guess is no, but here is a question. Is it safe to jack up the back of a Spyder using the trailer hitch?

[EdMat]

My guess is no, but here is a question. Is it safe to jack up the back of a Spyder using the trailer hitch?

I have thought about doing it many times but that little alarm goes off in my head and I put the jack under the shock bolt instead. Never bent the shock bolt but lots of folks say don't do that.

[NorwegianRT]

I was thinking about the shock bolt and people saying don't put your jack there !
When you are out riding and hit a bump real hard, what part on the rear suspention do you think has the most strain ??
I would guess the top and bottom part of the suspention of the shock colloum. Should not the bolt allready be in danger of beeing bendt just from hitting bumps ?
I think it will do fine resting on a jack aswell.

Just my thoughts about it, no warranty given !

[Isopedella]

My guess is no, but here is a question. Is it safe to jack up the back of a Spyder using the trailer hitch?

I would not. Its built to take the trailer tongue weight not the bike.

[Peteoz]

I was thinking about the shock bolt and people saying don't put your jack there !
When you are out riding and hit a bump real hard, what part on the rear suspention do you think has the most strain ??
I would guess the top and bottom part of the suspention of the shock colloum. Should not the bolt allready be in danger of beeing bendt just from hitting bumps ?
I think it will do fine resting on a jack aswell.

Just my thoughts about it, no warranty given !

It’s actually in the BRP workshop manual not to jack under the shock, Martin, but there are a number of riders who do it without issue. Maybe if you Jack directly under the centre of the shock, BRP are concerned you can bend the bolt in some way, but I can’t imagine it would hurt if you spread the load across the whole shock base including arms.

Oh, and Peter, it’s the removal of the bolts under the right floorboard that causes the issues for we “poor old buggers” with the Big Blue..

Pete

[Peteoz]

BamaJohn, I was actually referring to the Harbor Freight type lifts or hydraulic trolley jacks when mentioning adding a lip. Just slide under, stop when the lip hits, and lift. But I guess it would work for the Blue as well

Pete

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

My guess is no, but here is a question. Is it safe to jack up the back of a Spyder using the trailer hitch?

I've done it, but the Spyder is not stable as it wants to move sideways and cause the jack to tip over. There's no easy way to lock the front wheels in place to make the bike more steady.

[Peter Aawen]

It’s actually in the BRP workshop manual not to jack under the shock, Martin, but there are a number of riders who do it without issue. Maybe if you Jack directly under the centre of the shock, BRP are concerned you can bend the bolt in some way, but I can’t imagine it would hurt if you spread the load across the whole shock base including arms.

Oh, and Peter, it’s the removal of the bolts under the right floorboard that causes the issues for we “poor old buggers” with the Big Blue..

Pete

Maybe it's a difference between the later models and mine/the earlier models I see more of, but I don't remove those bolts, or the floorboard...

[2dogs]

I just use a set of car ramps and drive up on them. I get about 8-10 inches raise, easy. Of course as Pete said you still have to get down on the floor to do the work, but the pre-work is easy enough.

I do exactly the same. Then I use a 2x6 under the rear shock jack up the rear tire and set it on a 3rd car ramp. Very stable and very safe.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

It’s actually in the BRP workshop manual not to jack under the shock, Martin, but there are a number of riders who do it without issue. Maybe if you Jack directly under the centre of the shock, BRP are concerned you can bend the bolt in some way, but I can’t imagine it would hurt if you spread the load across the whole shock base including arms.

Which is exactly what the workshop manual says. Position the jack so the entire shock support is cupped by the jack. Don't jack directly on the shock itself.

[Peteoz]

Maybe it's a difference between the later models and mine/the earlier models I see more of, but I don't remove those bolts, or the floorboard...

Yes, the floorboard removal is required for the ‘20+ RT models, Peter

Pete