Lift rear wheel - No centre stand

[dwarf8]

Anyone have a neat trick for getting the back wheel off the ground and holding the bike level without a centre stand?
It would be good if the bike was stable enough to wrench on while it was up there.

I am expecting a few "go buy a centre stand, ya cheap b*st*rd!" replies and it's probably what I'll do unless someone has a nifty suggestion.

Thanks in advance!!

[beby99]

"go buy a centre stand, ya cheap b*st*rd!"

[duaneage]

Bike Jack?
Floor jack?
Two friends?

[dig dug mx6]

I made a swing arm stand out of half inch pipe and misc fittings. Works pretty good. Gets the rear tire off the ground about 1 inch.

[Kabonkie]

This is what I did for a friends bike that needed the rear tire removed to have a new one put on.

I put 2 eye-bolts in the wall on one side of the garage and 2 in the other side. Then using tie down straps, the ones you would use to tie the bike to a truck or trailer, I tied it in place standing upright in the center of the garage.
Then I used a standard floor jack to lift the back of the bike, as the straps kept it upright and wouldn't let it fall over. (They were all tied to the risers on the handlebars.)

Now for the down side.. Just do this in the rear of your garage, and hope you don't have to go back there much. I did it in the front of mine, a one car, and my tool box is about half way back. So every time I needed a wrench I had to duck under the straps.

[Kaiser Sosei]

I have used a floor jack and jack stands with no problems. It helps to have a second person to steady the bike while you are lifting it. I quit being a cheap bastard and got a centerstand off ebay recently.