Lifting the SVTC

[YamahaParExcellence]

Nope. According to page 9-13 of the manual, the bike has to be held upright on a level surface (the sidestand will give a false reading).

 

Thank you very much for that. Then..I did need to buy that first ever motorcycle lift after all. I just could use it to bring the bike up level, and hold it there with both tires still just touching the ground. Thanks...thought as much.

[YamahaParExcellence]

J&S Jacks emailed me and asked me to send them some photos of the underside of the Star Venture so they can see what they can come up with.

 

If they make an adaptor for the frame itself it should be able to be used with the jacks some of you have that are not J&S Jacks.

 

I will post what J&S Jacks says when they reply back. I sent them 14 photos so hopefully they will come up with a solution that is first rate.

 

Sound's good. I guess then that their solution would work on any lift that has at least 3 1/2 inches of clearance at rest. Will wait for your report!

[Flyinfool]

How hard would it be to get the oil levels correct and then with the bike on the side stand mark the leaning oil level on the stick for future use??

[YamahaParExcellence]

How hard would it be to get the oil levels correct and then with the bike on the side stand mark the leaning oil level on the stick for future use??

 

A most excellent suggestion. Someone was thinking!

[American]

A most excellent suggestion. Someone was thinking!

 

This bike is a semi dry sump system, so that may play into trying to take an accurate oil level reading. Remember you are measuring the oil in the oil tank and not a sump in the engine. While in theory you could do it that way, Yamaha wants the bike upright for a reason. I am betting that the bike on its side reads higher on the dipstick than when it is standing up.

 

The Harley was the opposite when the bike was on the side stand the dipstick would show a lower oil level but that was because the Harley dipstick is on the right side of the bike while the Yamaha dipstick is on the left side of the bike.

[Sylvester]

I'm all ears...can you post any links, or more descriptions? Thanks.

 

I have no idea if Carbon One's products would fit the new Ventures, in fact looking at the pix posted I seriously doubt it. If someone as sharp as him thought about it, something might come up.

 

[Flyinfool]

This bike is a semi dry sump system, so that may play into trying to take an accurate oil level reading. Remember you are measuring the oil in the oil tank and not a sump in the engine. While in theory you could do it that way, Yamaha wants the bike upright for a reason. I am betting that the bike on its side reads higher on the dipstick than when it is standing up.

 

The Harley was the opposite when the bike was on the side stand the dipstick would show a lower oil level but that was because the Harley dipstick is on the right side of the bike while the Yamaha dipstick is on the left side of the bike.

 

The oil does not know if it is at the bottom of the engine or in a tank above the engine, oil level is oil level.

As long as you can still pull the dipstick without overflowing it does not matter if it is on the left side and you mark the dipstick at a higher point or on the ringht side and you mark the stick at a lower point. When I first posted the idea my worry was that the stick was on the right and that it would not be long enough to mark. But since it is on the left, it makes it that much easier.

[Mad Dog]

How hard would it be to get the oil levels correct and then with the bike on the side stand mark the leaning oil level on the stick for future use??

 

Effin genius.....

[ChiefGunner]

The oil does not know if it is at the bottom of the engine or in a tank above the engine, oil level is oil level.

As long as you can still pull the dipstick without overflowing it does not matter if it is on the left side and you mark the dipstick at a higher point or on the ringht side and you mark the stick at a lower point. When I first posted the idea my worry was that the stick was on the right and that it would not be long enough to mark. But since it is on the left, it makes it that much easier.

 

Dont you think the designers were aware of that possibility? They KNEW the bike had no Center stand, they KNEW the oil dip stick was on the side the bike leaned to. If it was possible to get an accurate reading in that position, WHY does the service manual (SAME instructions the dealers use) say the reading MUST be taken in an UPRIGHT LEVEL position?

For my part, I will defer that POSSIBLY they know something I don’t and will do it the way it is prescribed. If ANYBODY is doing their OWN maintenance as I AM, I will not risk rejection of the Warrantee coverage because I did not follow strict instructions for something as important as lubricant levels.

Edited May 3, 2018 by ChiefGunner

[American]

Trying to check the oil with the bike on the side stand is a no go.

 

The dipstick is very short with most of the surface area cross hatched to check the proper oil level with a short small round shaft before you get to the screw in handle.

 

You really can't tell where the oil is on the round part of the dipstick because it is such a small diameter around. So the reality is it is not feasible to try and check the oil with the bike on the side stand.

 

I just tried on my 2018 Star Venture Transcontinental.

[vzuden]

I use a block of wood under the side stands of my bikes. Each has its own small block stored in the bike

[Brenda H]

As for Larry's [CarbonOne] stuff, I have two of his lift adaptors and have seen a third in action, all different models. The adaptors for the RSVs and RSTCs are not the same. We found that out the first time we tried using a RSV adaptor on my RSTC! If Larry is still doing his thing [he also made the aux gas tank for my RSV trike], and someone could get one of the new bikes over to him, I've no doubt he could come up with something to handle the problem. With one of his adaptors, all you need is a standard motorcycle jack. The lift platform is not needed. And on checking the oil, the block under the side stand works for me as well. I've also been known to ride the bike/s up onto one of my flatbed trailers [would you believe I have 3 at the moment] and put the bike in crossties so it stands level and check everything that way. Also great for cleaning spots that are hard to get at when the bike is on the side stand .