I've been debating on the type of front stand I want to buy. I used to have a headlift stand for my old bike but when I sold that bike I gave stands away (a mistake in retrospect). I went through a few other forums and tried to understand the pros and cons between the types of front stands but still I don't have a definitive answer.
Headlift stand (attaches and lifts from the triple tree) takes weight off the front forks, allows for removal and maintenance of front forks, can steer freely, and is more stable. However, putting on this type of stand takes more time, and has potential to scratch front wheel fairing. The forklift stand (lifts from underneath the fork ends at the front wheel) has essentially the opposite pros and cons.
Am I missing any other pros and cons?
I don't think I will ever do fork maintenance on my own. Personally, the deciding factor is whether or not I need to take weight off the front forks. Being in a region with winters, the bike can be in storage for months at a time. Do forks benefit from having weight taken off them? Can I do harm to the forks by always keeping them compressed or having them uncompressed for long periods of time?
Headlift stand (attaches and lifts from the triple tree) takes weight off the front forks, allows for removal and maintenance of front forks, can steer freely, and is more stable. However, putting on this type of stand takes more time, and has potential to scratch front wheel fairing. The forklift stand (lifts from underneath the fork ends at the front wheel) has essentially the opposite pros and cons.
Am I missing any other pros and cons?
I don't think I will ever do fork maintenance on my own. Personally, the deciding factor is whether or not I need to take weight off the front forks. Being in a region with winters, the bike can be in storage for months at a time. Do forks benefit from having weight taken off them? Can I do harm to the forks by always keeping them compressed or having them uncompressed for long periods of time?