solo motor removal

[Guest]

Don't recommend it, but I did manage to pull my motor out by myself -- just took two bottle jacks and a floor jack. And a lot of sweat.



My Haynes says this is a job for three people. I guess I need more friends.

[Road Rash]

All I did was lay the bike frame on one side, remove the motor mounts, and slip the frame off the motor. Not difficult. Installing surprisingly easier.

[spyug]

I guess I need more friends.

One word..........................beer!

Always works for me!

Cheers,
Spyug

[PPPPPP42]

Depends on the motor, I just did it by hand on mine but its a 450 and the twins are much lighter. With enough mechanical advantage and twice the fiddling around I suppose I could pull off an 850.
Assuming you have all the crap disconnected already and the gas tank and carbs off, I jacked up the engine just a tiny bit to take the weight off the engine mount bolts and juggled the engine around until I had all the bolts out and let it down so it was laying in the frame. Then I raised my motorcycle jack up to frame height right next to the bike and I lay over the top of the bike so the weight was on my chest and not stressing my back. I don't consider myself particularly strong and I was able to grab the engine by the bottom rear crankcase on one side and the top front in the fin area on the other side and just lift the motor assembly up out of the frame (takes a bit of tipping and fiddling) and scoot it over onto the motorcycle jack.

I really miss that feature of the Honda CX500 I had, instead of a way over complicated frame like the GS's it was just a strong spine and the engine formed most of the lower frame so you just pulled the big pin bolts with a motorcycle jack holding it and then lowered it down basically 100% complete and wheeled it away.

[FiremanBob]

I did mine with one of those small motorcycle jacks under the engine and a tie-down to keep the engine from rolling off the platform.

[rayfin]

All I did was lay the bike frame on one side, remove the motor mounts, and slip the frame off the motor. Not difficult. Installing surprisingly easier.

Do it on the lawn. Absolute best way is motor on side and frame over engine like he said.

[bbjumper]

Just did mine with one friend, floor jack and a 12" wooden engine box frame. No more than 5 min to take it out and put it back in there. Piece of cake, get someone to just be there to stabilize it when you go back in the frame and it will be easy.

Havin fun now arent we...