OK, so the time has come to remove the engine from the frame (frame away to powder coaters as soon as I have the cash)
I have removed engines from bikes before but always out of a cradle type frame before (Jap bikes only)
Read the Haynes bible and came up with this as a one man method
Bike on the bench, engine chocked up, frame suspended on rafters -
NOTE - THIS METHOD IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR GOLD WINGS OR HARDLEY MOVINGSONS!!
Next move, undo shock, swinging arm pivot point fixings making sure not to lose any of the circlips, shims, thrust washers etc
(There's bloody loads of them!!)
Now raise bench slightly to fully support engine weight as below
Remove engine bolts, one each side at the front and one through bolt at the back,
catch all the bloody washers/spacers again hoping you've got them all and thinking you know where they go on re-assembly!!
then lower the bench until the frame (still suspended from the rafters) clears the engine - job done!
Was a doddle to do alone, unlike a "normal" frame where 1 of you has to crouch (bending your back into the worst shape possible for lifting) reach into the frame to jiggle/remove the motor while someone else knock out the bolts.
I'm thinking it should be quite simple to do this in reverse and lower the frame back down onto the engine -
or am I being optimistic??