I don't do much on the bike myself beyond polishing it (combination of time and skills) but with winter coming I'm looking for recommendations for a stand to help keep the tires from cupping and maybe lift the bike up a bit and keep it level so I can work on it without having to crawl around on the floor and upset my knees and back!

Usually over winter I've just rigged up to a battery tender and every week rolled the bike forward a few inches on carpet to keep the tires happy but going to be travelling a bit this winter so can't be as diligent...

 

I've tried a few, but the one I've really come to like is... the HFT "High Position Motorcycle Lift". It's really sturdy, lifts the bike high, and lets it down in a very slow and controlled way.


http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...ift-99887.html

 

Not exactly what you were looking for, but since you do not do a significant amount of your own work on the bike and probably don't need an actual lift, perhaps this will serve your purpose and be more versatile to boot:

http://houseofharley.com/harley-davi...91573-09A.html

BTW, I used the HD version as an example - you can find aftermarket versions for less [surprise, surprise]. Naturally, get one that is bike specific.

 

A basic scissors jack should be all you need.

 

You'll pry my J&S lift from my cold dead fingers

The two smartest things I've ever bought for this '13 is a Power Vision and a J&S lift...

 

For what you are talking about I use a motorcycle scissor jack. They work great for the purposes you intend to use it for, they are very reliable, and they have a very small footprint.

 

A jack like this is good for temporarily lifting your bike and moving it around, but if you want something to rest your bike on for extended periods of time, I would definitely use a scissor jack. Unlike hydraulic or pneumatic jacks such as the one above, there is nothing "to lose pressure" and cause the jack to fail.


Personally I would never leave one of my bikes on a hydraulic or pneumatic jack for an extended period of time. Just my opinion.

 

The J&S jack is great, I have one. This jack has two steel bars on it that once you get it jacked up you flip the bars in one of it's (I don't know, four or five positions depending on the height) positions and they bear the weight and make it rock solid stable.
You don't leave it suspended on the hydraulic jack.

Plus, if you need to, you can move the bike while on the jack, can't do that with a scissor stand.

Tin Cup is right, you never hear anyone say anything bad about their PV or their J&S jack.

I'd even go so far to say if Thomas Jefferson rode a HD he would have had a J&S jack in his garage.

 

I've got the Black Widow. It works fine for my needs, it has a lock to relieve the piston and came with 2 straps. About $120.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1500-LB-MOTO...-/322332865939

 

Suede Blue Man nailed it

There's no pressure on the hydraulic jack itself, you drop the locking latches in to the frame of the lift and open the hydraulic valve to drop pressure on the jack; the jack piston draws down to the point I can see the top of it. My Wide Glide lives on that J&S when it's not being ridden. I can move the J&S anywhere in the garage with the bike on it and have done major modifications to the bike with no straps on the bike at all; it's rock solid.

Suede Blue Man is right, Thomas Jefferson would have had a J&S; that lift is some serious USA built quality