Turntables and Tigers

[krasha king]

Well I've just had a fantastic test ride on a Tiger - I knew I would because I'd already put a deposit down on an 05 model.



Back home I'm trying to get an old Honda Dominator going that had sat in the garage for a year as we did up the new house we'd moved into. I'm hoping to get it MOT'd and off to the dealers as a part-ex. Having got the old girl fired up I had a quick drive round the block and it was only as  I rolled down the short steep driveway into the garage I realised I may have a problem maneavouring the Tiger! The Dommie is just about light (!) enough that I can drag the back end around to face it back out the garage.



I'm not confident in bumping the Tiger up a shallow kerb and rolling it backwards down the drive so after a quick Google I found these turntable thingies. Has anyone got one? Are they any good? I've found plans for a DIY one as well - what do you think?



The garage is only 7'9" wide anyway so I'd have to clear a decent area to swing a Tiger round anyway. Obviously 'her' car is banished to the driveway for evermore!



Cheers for any help.

[apache]

Honda Dominator? had to look that one up. Cool bike. Us Americans dont see things like that here unfortunatly. However the NX was avaliable many years ago. Regarding the turntable, sorry cant help.

[wonko the sane]

I remember reading an article about two years ago in a magazine (maybe "BIKE") about balancing a bike on the sidestand (no turntable) and spinning it around on a concrete floor.  I don't think they illustrated the article with anything the size of a Tiger, though.  Before I'd try it, a sturdy set of tip-over bars would be a necessity.  Come to think of it, tip-over bars would be a good idea even with a turntable.

Let us know how you get on.

[NIbiker]

Hi, I had a test ride on a Tiger last Monday, I was very impressed and plan to make one  my next bike, I originaly went to look at the bonnevilles but I dont think I could get used to the drop on horsepower, my present bike is a 1200 bandit. any regarding the bike turner I made one myself out of some what I would call channel iron , this is a u shaped beam,  a length of this is cut to enable the centre stand to sit in it, to this four tabs are welded and to these heavy duty casters are fitted, It is made so as to have the clearence to the ground as small as possible and you also need to grind a cutout to allow the leg of the centre stand you stand on to put bike on stand a slot to fall into. I can put the bike on the stand and spin it round inside my garage that is same width as your own, also it allows you to park the bike very tight to the wall as you can pusy it siteways, I hope it will fit my Tiger or just require a bit grinding. did you check out www.biketurner.co.uk by any chance? hope that all makes sense, I will try get some photos.

[krasha king]

Thanks for the feedback. I've seen a few 'biketurner' pages but like NIbiker I think I'll try to cobble together something of my own once I get the Tiger. I'd be interested to see some pictures although I've since found another DIY contraption at http://www.gadgetjq.com/motorcycle_turntable.htm that I might adapt.



I've also got the Dommie fired up and running quite nicely so I can get it road-legal but I've really noticed the difference between the single-cylinder thumper (I've only ever had single trail-type bikes) and the smoothness of the Tiger triple.



The other noticeable thing is the extra weight - the Dommie has been the heaviest thing I've owned at about 350lbs. I'm sure I must have been a bit nervous about the weight and height of that when I bought it 4yrs ago and I'm having the same nervous thoughts about the Tiger! I'm hoping other owners can reassure me on this but crash bars do seem like something I may have to consider (ahem, dearie? can I spend just another couple hundred pounds?!).

[NIbiker]

Have a look[/img]

at my effort.

[T100LESS]

Just picked up my 2006 Tiger this morning and like you, I was concerned about how I would get it into my garage,or worse get it out after driving it in.I like you have a sloping drive and then a three to four inch ramp to get up into the garage. At six foot in boots,I reversed it carefully back on the front brake ,seated on the bike and then by placing a piece of wood under the back wheel to make a longer  ramp,I managed to walk it up backwards still seated, into the garage.I felt in control doing it this way.I think its just a confidence thing as I have never had a bike as heavy as the Tiger.Have Fun.!!.

                                                                                       Dave..

[krasha king]

Thanks for the photos - it looks very professional! I work next door to a metalworkers and if I bottle out from reversing I might take some inspiration from the pics.



After a small bout of post-test drive worryings I've had a crap Monday at work and am just itching to get back on a Tiger!



My ol' Dommie is booked for its MOT test this week and the savings account is being sucked dry as I write so hopefully I can make arrangements to get my name of that big orange Tiger!  :D

[NIbiker]

Cheers mate, its getting a bit rusty and could do with a repaint. I dont have any actual plans as it was shall we say custom made (trial and error)  I started  by parking the bike on main stand on a piece of paper, then drew round both feet of the stand and marked the angle and direction of the lever, I cut a length of the channel a bit longer , cut out the rear section for the lever and then tried the bike on it. At this point I discovered I would need a large cutout at the front to allow the stand to come down into the channel, this may not be so nessicary as the tiger is a taller bike, so now I could stand the bike in the channel, I removed as little metal as possible to retain strength, then it was just a matter of welding on the tabs for the heavy duty castors at the required height, the rear castors are angled out because of the lever and I would have went for better castors next time. also note the rear castors have brakes to prevent the thing skiting all over the place when taking the bike off, I also welded in various webs to strengthen the thing as I thought. you will need. motorised saw ,grinder, gas cutter is handy as well and welder .