Lifting for wheel removal

Should I use a floor jack aka. motorcycle lift or a chainfall to pick up my Interstate for tire changing, maintenance,etc?
                                                            Luv
                                                               Mondo

...the lift (jack) simply for the elimination of the possibility of scratching the bike with a hoist. How would you hoist it? Is the structure sturdy enough to hold 1000 lbs? There are times when removing and reinstalling wheels that you need to raise the wheel to align axles etc. Can you lift under a wheel without upsetting a hoisted bike? I can block under a wheel and lower the bike carefully with a jack to raise a wheel. Just some things to think about. Advantage to a hoist would be that you can probably raise it higher than with a jack.

Sears Craftsman lift is a good one and a good buy..  Makes wheel removal, working on the Valk much easier..      John

Actually, I do both.
Depending on the sturdiness (sp) of your lift and the real weight of the bike (standard versus Tourer vs Interstate) it might be rear heavy.  I have a cheap Norther Supply ATV lift, not unlike the Larin, lifting a tourer.  I find it to be back heavy.  So I use a chain hoist with some fabric straps that I obtained from a company that supplies professional auto haulers.  The straps sling under the frame, just over the battery area.  I lift the bike with the cheap lift and then supplement it with the chain hoist.

The real trick is to raise the weight off the the rear wheel, loosen  and remove the rear lower shock bolts, and then raise the bike enough to drop the axle below the exhausts.  At this point you have enough clearence to remove the rear axle bolt.  This allows you to remove the wheel without having to remove the exhausts.  You will also have to remove the rear exhaust bolts and spread the exhausts a little for some working room.