Stands..
The Touring Motorcycle lift shown in the Harley P&A catalog retails for around $300. If memory serves it is also screw-actuated, rather than hydraulic-actuated, which means it is much harder to raise and lower. The Craftsman-branded motorcycle/ATV lift sells for $119; and frankly is superior for most maintenance tasks than the Harley one.
There are two main reasons you might want to put your bike on a lift as opposed to leaving it on the jiffy stand: tire flattening and added knockover security. If you are leaving you bike sit for less than 4-5 months, I would not be overly concerned about your tires developing flat spots. As long as you check the tire pressure every couple of weeks and maintain it near specification, it is unlikely you will have any problems whatsoever. One item you should be concerned about is ozone. Electrical components, and specifically refrigerators, have a nasty habit of creating ozone gas. Long-term expose to ozone CAN create dry rot in tires and other rubber items. Don't store your bike near a refrigerator or freezer.
As far as knockover protection, you actually are better off leaving the bike on the jiffystand. With the bars cranked over to the left and locked in place the bike is in three-point contact with the ground, the most stable configuration you can get. The only way the bike can really be knocked over is if someone pushes it forward, retracting the jiffystand. This can be guarded against by placing chocks against the wheels.
The Touring Motorcycle lift shown in the Harley P&A catalog retails for around $300. If memory serves it is also screw-actuated, rather than hydraulic-actuated, which means it is much harder to raise and lower. The Craftsman-branded motorcycle/ATV lift sells for $119; and frankly is superior for most maintenance tasks than the Harley one.
There are two main reasons you might want to put your bike on a lift as opposed to leaving it on the jiffy stand: tire flattening and added knockover security. If you are leaving you bike sit for less than 4-5 months, I would not be overly concerned about your tires developing flat spots. As long as you check the tire pressure every couple of weeks and maintain it near specification, it is unlikely you will have any problems whatsoever. One item you should be concerned about is ozone. Electrical components, and specifically refrigerators, have a nasty habit of creating ozone gas. Long-term expose to ozone CAN create dry rot in tires and other rubber items. Don't store your bike near a refrigerator or freezer.
As far as knockover protection, you actually are better off leaving the bike on the jiffystand. With the bars cranked over to the left and locked in place the bike is in three-point contact with the ground, the most stable configuration you can get. The only way the bike can really be knocked over is if someone pushes it forward, retracting the jiffystand. This can be guarded against by placing chocks against the wheels.
