I use paddock stands to work on the bike but what do you guys do when it comes to dropping the front wheel?

You can remove the front wheel with it on a stand. I remove the calipers, remove the bolts holding the fender on and then remove the wheel.

I have the redline engineering center stand, heindle engineering makes a similar unit. Lifts from the swingarm pivot, so you can support the oil pan with a small jack, etc and remove the front wheel. I think it takes a little more getting used to than a traditional rear paddock stand, but can work on both front and back with it. Otherwise you'll need a front steering stem stand to go with your rear paddock stand to work on the front wheel - or just hang it from the rafters...

unless you do like wert said and hang it from the rafters you will have to pull the fender off cuz the tire won't clear the fender. getting the fender off is the worst part of the job lol them damn brake cable looms are a pain in the ass to get out

I get my front wheel to roll out with out removing the fender completely....i just take the bolts out and let the fender float on the brake lines. Yeah those brake line retainer rings are a beach. Actually, now that I have after market brake lines, I don't even use the brake line retainers. The fender comes out pretty easily now.

Here is a pic I'm holding the fender in place pretending it is floating on the brake lines but actually I have dual front lines now. Use a couple phone books to support the wheel. Should be pretty close to the the right height for reinstalling with new tire so just leave it.

Taffs, I was going to write a wheel removal how too. Just took pics a couple weeks ago. Got plenty more if you need some visual aid.

I have the redline engineering center stand, heindle engineering makes a similar unit. Lifts from the swingarm pivot, so you can support the oil pan with a small jack, etc and remove the front wheel. I think it takes a little more getting used to than a traditional rear paddock stand, but can work on both front and back with it. Otherwise you'll need a front steering stem stand to go with your rear paddock stand to work on the front wheel - or just hang it from the rafters...

The swingarm pivot stands are wonderful IMO. I feel they are much safer for solo lifts and require less strength/weight/balance to use. I have always been leery about lifting under the oil pan with a jack & block of wood though. Granted, the swingarm pivot is smack at the center of of the bike's weight and that takes as makes the front almost light enough to lift by hand. Still, I always use a steering stem stand to remove the front wheel. If you hang the front from rafters, better make sure they are very strong....and you will need to lift the bike on a front stand first anyway (unless you use a some sort of winch to lift by the strap) so why not just leave it on the lift?

I hang the front to check steering play.

http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=44F2EE8E-D56B-84E2-1BA7F40F0997C0E5

Rook,conneaut,wert,scott thanke very much for the helpful replies. A few years back in my previous house i tied the bars to the rafters and took the jack away and wo wo wo the rafter snapped and the bike collapsed in a heap. The house was up for sale and i forgot to to tell the buyer about the rafter which i had just 'pushed' back together and covered in all the junk i store in the garage. Happy days.

DAMN, Taffs!

When I hung the 14 using a spool stand, I heard the rafters creak. Kind of scary. Using a swingarm pivot stand, the leverage and the weight against the rafters are reduced significantly. I hung the 14 over 1 rafter and it seemed fine. Still, I always recommend hanging the bike as close to a wall as possible. In any case, for what you are doing, if you hang the bike, you will need to lift it somehow. Just lift it and leave it. I recommend a steering stem stand. A fork lift stand would prolly work too. Never tried that for wheel removal. I think the pinch clamps would still free the axle even if the fork bottom was supporting the bike.

Now I have to go update my steering play how to with an extra caution.