Bigbungster wrote:I've been looking at this, I have a skylift and a newly acquired K100, I was thinking of machining up something for the front engine mount bolts and use the front lift arm kit they do but backwards so it holds the front of the bike down keeping the back up

Failing that I was looking at getting the cruiser lift attachment.

grosbeak wrote:

That's an approach I hadn't considered... very interesting. I also had not considered the cruiser lift... though it is awfully pricey.

Do you think the engine bolts would take the strain?

grosbeak wrote:I had some success making adapters out of 8mm hex sockets I found online. I did have to trim them down and shim them with heat shrink to fit... lawd, I wish I had a lathe so I could make something with a better fit.


LH adapter


RH adapter


Centre stand on boards

It's certainly good enough to get the back raised, which will make working on it a lot easier. And once it's up on boards, I can disengage and remove the lift.

The doctor wrote:This is how the swing arm kit fits to my NS - I can use either of the hanger bolts.

grosbeak wrote:

The doctor wrote:This is how the swing arm kit fits to my NS - I can use either of the hanger bolts.

Thanks doc! I had not seen them up close before. I asked Abba about them and they said the swing arm kit is only suitable for lifting the rear end... it's reasonably priced for what it does. I haven't checked if the K75 has the right sizes bolts for the swing arm kit.

Bigbungster wrote:

grosbeak wrote:

That's an approach I hadn't considered... very interesting. I also had not considered the cruiser lift... though it is awfully pricey.

Do you think the engine bolts would take the strain?

you can buy the cradle separately, still expensive for what it is could probably make one myself.
https://abbastands.co.uk/product-detail.asp?item=cruiser-sky-lift-cradle&pid=76

I will nock something up this week if I have some bar stock in and trial it on my Superbike stand see if it falls over if it does its not that far to fall. 

I reckon the bolts will be fine although the adaptors I'm thinking of making will go over the bolt head rather then sit in the Allen key bit.

grosbeak wrote:

Bigbungster wrote:

grosbeak wrote:

That's an approach I hadn't considered... very interesting. I also had not considered the cruiser lift... though it is awfully pricey.

Do you think the engine bolts would take the strain?

you can buy the cradle separately, still expensive for what it is could probably make one myself.
https://abbastands.co.uk/product-detail.asp?item=cruiser-sky-lift-cradle&pid=76

I will nock something up this week if I have some bar stock in and trial it on my Superbike stand see if it falls over if it does its not that far to fall. 

I reckon the bolts will be fine although the adaptors I'm thinking of making will go over the bolt head rather then sit in the Allen key bit.

After trying the approach with hex sockets I think you are spot on - it's much simpler to make adapters that go over the bolt heads. I don't have a lathe but I have an uncle who does - it'll be a pleasure to work on this with him. Here's my design:

The doctor wrote:

grosbeak wrote:

Bigbungster wrote:
you can buy the cradle separately, still expensive for what it is could probably make one myself.
https://abbastands.co.uk/product-detail.asp?item=cruiser-sky-lift-cradle&pid=76

I will nock something up this week if I have some bar stock in and trial it on my Superbike stand see if it falls over if it does its not that far to fall. 

I reckon the bolts will be fine although the adaptors I'm thinking of making will go over the bolt head rather then sit in the Allen key bit.

After trying the approach with hex sockets I think you are spot on - it's much simpler to make adapters that go over the bolt heads. I don't have a lathe but I have an uncle who does - it'll be a pleasure to work on this with him. Here's my design:

You will have to be very careful if you engaging with the outside of the head of the allen bolt - what are they - 10mm deep? It wouldn't take much to slip off... std abba adaptors are 20mm plus giving a much better engagement with the stand/lift