Tag Archives: recycle

Review of the Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table

Posted on by Motopsycho

I’ve been wanting one of these for a long time. For years I used a wooden table or a chain hoist to lift motorcycles up for repairs when I just could not bear to get down on the floor to work on them. As I’ve gotten older the combination of a weaker back and a fatter wallet has made this purchase a lot easier to justify. So when the September issue of my favorite motorcycle magazine arrived on my Kindle with a coupon to purchase this lift for $299 I bought a print copy ASAP & clipped the coupon.

Ironically enough it took me 2 weeks to purchase this from either of the 2 nearby Harbor Freight stores. Unfortunately this led to my first real negative experience with a company that I have enjoyed doing business with for years. Last Saturday I went to my closest store in Florence S.C. and they were out of stock, so I called the store in Dillon an hour drive from here and they were also out, but told me they were expecting a shipment on Thursday. Yesterday, I was in Florence and they were still out, so I called the Dillon store and gave them the item number and was informed they had some in stock. So I gassed up my van and rolled up the interstate to that store, imagine my shock when I handed the clerk my coupon and was told that they were out of stock. When I mentioned that I had just called and had been informed that they were in stock. Then she went back to the computer and “found” one for me. Probably just a human error but if you are using a coupon to buy one I would verify stock in your nearest store before driving very far to pick one up. Don’t mention the coupon until you get there.

The shipping guys helped me load it in my van with the forklift. This worked out for me okay but if I had to do it again I would have taken a trailer for easier loading and unloading. If you have a long bed pickup truck that’s the best thing to use.

lift in crate in my Astro van

lift in crate in my Astro van

Since the completed crate was far too large and heavy for my beautiful assistant and I to remove from the van I simply opened where it was and slid the contents out into the door of my barn.

motorcycle lift crate open

motorcycle lift crate open

I am not going to do a step by step walk through of the assembly because in all honesty the instructions that come with it are perfectly adequate to help you get it together. I will touch on a couple of things that I think you should know about. First I got all of the parts laid out and read the instructions from beginning to end.

Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table w/ parts & instructions

Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table w/ parts & instructions

Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table oil fill plug

Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table oil fill plug

One of the things that you are instructed to do is to check the level of oil in the lift cylinder. The fill plug is in the location shown in the picture below.

Be sure to use a decent grade of jack oil. If you do not have some at home go ahead and pick some up at Harbor Freight while you are there. The best way to fill a jack cylinder like this is with a squirt can. Mine turned out to need a pint of oil to fill it.

oil I used for my Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table

oil I used for my Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table

The instructions seem to want you to install all of the parts and accessories before you check the oil and raise the lift. I personally installed the wheels, then filled up the jack and raised the table all the way up to install the wheel vise, tie downs, & the ramp. You should do whatever seems safest to you.

Installing accessories on my Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table

Installing accessories on my Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table

Here it is altogether.

my fully assembled Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table

my fully assembled Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table

  After double checking the assembly of the table I lowered it back down and drove the Minimum Ninja up on it so that it could receive some long overdue TLC.

Look Y'all it's the Minimum Ninja!

Look Y’all it’s the Minimum Ninja!

Yesterday after strapping the bike down I raised the table to its maximum height and left the motorcycle sitting on it with the safety bar properly installed. When I went back this afternoon it was still all the way up. A lot of people criticize the design of the wheel vise but I think that it is okay. Unlike the larger vises I am certain that one can perform most fork and front wheel service without removing it. When I was a dealership mechanic most of the time the wheel vises from our heavy duty air lifts spent most of their time lying under the workbenches because they got in the way. Plus my bike still has a centerstand 🙂

Kawasaki Ninja 250 on my Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table

Kawasaki Ninja 250 on my Harbor Freight Motorcycle Lift Table

Don’t forget to recycle the crate! It actually has a couple of large pieces of usable plywood, I know that you can always find a use for a good piece of wood around the house or shop.

Recycle this crate you know you want to.

Recycle this crate you know you want to.

This will be a long term review. Over time I will publish new updates or simply update this post as I get some miles and years put on this thing.

As for the Minimum Ninja, it will receive its own pages here covering the updates and repairs as I make them.

Peace Y’all

2006 V-Star 650 Basic oil and plug change.

Posted on by Motopsycho

Hello Everyone!

Yes I have been having lots of fun lately, but every now and then you gotta do some work. Let’s turn our attention back to the motorcycling world a bit and I’ll give you a nice meaty maintenance how to for the 2006 Yamaha V-Star 650 pictured above. This is a low mileage bike that is in for a basic oil & spark plug change. I am going to do this down on the ground without using a lift, just like the majority of you who do this yourself will.

First lie down on the left side of the bike and identify the oil drain plug on the side of the block.

This 17mm plug will be a lot easier to remove if you have an obstruction wrench like this, but might be able to be done with a normal box end. (I didn’t try sorry)

These 2 shots show the wrench on the plug for removal to give you a better idea of where it is.

Next to get to the oil filter you have to remove this fake “derby” cover.

Now you can access all 5 of the bolts holding the oil filter cover on.

This long handled ball end Allen wrench is optional but I am glad to have it for jobs like this.

Here’s the back side of the cover showing the location of the long bolt in the center.

Be sure you pay close attention to how the oil filter sits in the crankcase so that you put the new one back in the same way.

Here’s the other end of the filter.

Be sure to clean this hole out well with a CLEAN lint free shop rag.

When you are cleaning the oil filter cover inspect the o-ring thoroughly and if you have any doubt about its condition replace it. Absolutely, under no circumstances should you use any type of sealer here.

The new oil filter is sitting in place.

This shot shows the location of the long bolt on the front of the oil filter cover.

While you are putting the drain plug back in make note of the oil sight glass. For reasons I will explain later I despise these archaic things, especially on bikes without a centerstand. But this engine is actually a detuned and over decorated direct descendant of the best air cooled 1980’s Japanese cruiser to ever exist the Virago, so I understand why this engine has one.

On top of the left crankcase you will find the oil filler cap, take it off, insert a good clean funnel and pour in 2 ½ quarts of any good brand of oil the meets the minimum API standards for the engine. Put the cap back on and get your lovely assistant straddle the bike and hold it straight up and check the oil level in the sight glass. It should be over the top of the glass at this point.

Start the engine and let it run at idle for just a minute and then shut it off.  Once again have your stunning, ravishing, gorgeous, assistant hold the bike in a vertical position and verify the level of oil in the sight glass and if needed add more until it is at least halfway up the sight glass as shown here.

Let me add a slight disclaimer, when checking the oil level resist the urge to nibble on you beautiful assistants ankle, she might be ticklish and drop the motorcycle on your head.

At this point I am ready to replace the spark plugs, first gather your tools and parts. Because the plugs are recessed so deeply into the heads I recommend the use of either a locking extension as shown here or a factory plug wrench.

If you tend to be ham fisted, I am going to urge you to get a service manual and use a torque wrench to tighten the plugs to their specified torque values, because aluminum heads are easy to strip out. I warned you so be careful not to over-tighten your spark plugs.

Here’s a shot of an original plug next to an new plug.

Once you get the first head done, it is time repeat the process on the other cylinder.

Put the wires back on, hit the starter button and go for a ride!

Don’t forget to properly dispose of the old filter and recycle your oil!

Peace Y’all