bike lifts

[creeture3]

G'day all, I have decided to buy a bike lift, as I am sick of crawling around on the floor whenever I want to fix anything (plus my knees aren't what they used to be). I am looking at a number of products, namely:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/231237480870?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

http://www.hartstransport.com.au/images/lifts/imgLiftFullC.jpg

http://www.hartstransport.com.au/lifts.html

http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/A349

During my research, most of the people that have bought the models with the wheel clamp have said that the clamp is pretty ordinary, and it needs to be replaced by something like:

http://www.kaneg.com.au/products/Combo-Trailemate-%26-Ramp-%252b-Lock-Nuts-%252d-Black-%26-Aluminium.html

although the Harts product looks pretty good,

I was wondering if ppl have had experiences with lifts, and maybe have any comments/suggestions

Cheers

[Tipsy]

  py
 I have the A349 and it needs to be another 300mm longer and the front wheel lock definitely needs some mods ie extra strapping.
once the bike is on you will need an under motor stand if you wish to remove the front wheel.
at the moment I use it as a workbench for portable generators.

Tipsy

[creeture3]

I have the A349 and it needs to be another 300mm longer and the front wheel lock definitely needs some mods ie extra strapping

Interesting, I know about the under bike lift, I plant tyo get a scissor lift thing as well

at the moment I use it as a workbench for portable generators

So it hasn't done its job well enough?

[Yorkie]

I have the A349, it is long enough if you don't want to use the centre stand, then it becomes 300mm short, I also had to build timber ramps to fit alongside as it is not wide enough to enable the side stand to be deployed. Wombat borrowed mine to do some maintenance which also included front forks, he put a strap around the rear to pull it down enabling the front gear to be removed.
I have not found any lift longer or wider unless it is home made, in short it does the job with a bit of assistance.

[Wombat]

I have the A349, it is long enough if you don't want to use the centre stand, then it becomes 300mm short, I also had to build timber ramps to fit alongside as it is not wide enough to enable the side stand to be deployed. Wombat borrowed mine to do some maintenance which also included front forks, he put a strap around the rear to pull it down enabling the front gear to be removed.
I have not found any lift longer or wider unless it is home made, in short it does the job with a bit of assistance.

I had Yorkies stand sitting on a metal pipe and then I strapped the rear down. We pulled the complete front off Pezzz.s STead. It was a great height doing the clutch and under the triple tree. Many thanks to Yorkie

 

[Pezzz]

Yep. It worked a treat. Had an issue with it not going back up after bike was off for a few days but that turned out to be human error. I can't remember what though.

Sent from my GT-I9507 using Tapatalk

[StinkyPete]

Is the A349 platform steel or aluminium?    I'm thinking that if it's steel, it may be a relatively simple task to extend the platform by 300mm to enable to centre stand to be deployed with the bike on the platform.

[Tipsy]

  py
it is checker plate steel and it is easy enough to lengthen,

Tipsy

[creeture3]

Interesting comments. I figure it is 300mm too short as you can't put the wheel in the clamp if you use the stand?

[Greencan]

Arvo All...



...this is the bench I use for the ST, which has also had Z1300's and a even a GL1500 atop of it and I believe it to be similar, if not the same as the one you have linked to Hare and Forbes.

I have had this lift for almost 15 years  and I got it from a bloke in Williamstown here in Melbourne for $400....for a $50 extra I could have got the pneumo/hydraulic lift, but figure either one of my legs could use the exercise from time to time.

I do not have any model numbers with it and the only info I can tell you it is supposedly rated for 850lbs and I believe as cited above to be the same as the H&F and the ones sold from RADUM, also here in Melbourne (Tullamarine).

I have no idea how often you plan to frequent the lift that you want, so a word of warning...this Chinese cheap lifts are made from quite soft steel...it's rubbish really, but although I frequently have a bike on it, they tend to stay there for weeks at a time, so it does not operate as a hoist too often...so it serves my needs I will say however, that the bar that is supplied that locks the hoist in it's two (2), height positions will bend, and bend alarmingly, particularly when the hoist is locked in the lower if its positions. I have a replacement.

In other words, you get what you pay for. I could not possibly build a similar lifting bench for the price I bought this one...but as I said, it serves its purpose.

I also have a lower capacity lifting bench I bought second hand for $200 some years ago and it was bent, very bent...so they can be damaged...But I was able to repair it and it often has bike to about 220kg max on it and it works fine...but as some have already mentioned, the ramp is part of the bench and when removed the rear wheel can over-hang, which in some situations, isn't such a bad thing...I'll see if I can muster up a pic.

Cheers the can :-)

[Greencan]

Found em...






...I believe this adequately shows the bed length limitations of the lower lifting capacity benches...but thety are cheap, and they do a job. I believe the load capacity for this lift is around the 550lbs mark.

Hope that helps.

Ciao, the can :-)

[creeture3]

Well, after looking at what ppl have to say, and my own research, I think I will go with this:

http://www.hartstransport.com.au/images/lifts/imgLiftFullC.jpg

along with the frame jack and oil pan from here:

http://www.hartstransport.com.au/accessories.html

The video that Hart shows made up my mind, along with the variable sizes of the "table", plus it can be stored away nicely. Also the front wheel clamp looks good and can be removed. I'm going to go for the cruiser model, as the table length is generous.

[Couch]

Purchased from Radum.

Built the timber ramps and platform to simplify placing the bike on, and removing it from, the lift. I ride the bike up on to the lift, slipping the clutch and use the timber ramps to slowly walk the bike up on to the lift, once it's on the lift I place the bike on the side stand, dismount and place it on the centrestand. I'm quite confident doing this on my own and don't need any assistance to balance the bike.  I also use the timber ramps for servicing my cars, so they're multi useful.

[Greencan]

Creeture3 et al, evenin'...

Have seen them at trade displays and they look well made and were easier to get heavy bikes on and off UN-like ours. I cannot remember if the 'bench' was wide enough to allow the ST's centre stand to be used, handy sometimes. As when its down and the odd block of wood placed under the forward part of the sump, you can very comfortably have both wheels out, stanchions out and the swingarm off if neccessary.

But I have to concede, the bench your looking at is constructed of better materials than mine...but being an unemployed and nearly an old age pensioner...I make do

Cheers, the can :-)

[Greencan]

Couch, sorry... Forgot to compliment you on ya carpentry skills ...well done that Man.

Have figured out how to get the centre stand down and have the front wheel all the way fwd yet?

[Couch]

No.....I've never bothered about it because the bike's held quite well in the front wheel clamp as it is. I remove the clamp altogether when I remove the front wheel, but when I do so I place timber packing under the sump and tie strong silver rope from my handle bars to the steel rafters above to keep the bike stable, just in case!!

Couch, sorry... Forgot to compliment you on ya carpentry skills ...well done that Man.

Have figured out how to get the centre stand down and have the front wheel all the way fwd yet?

[creeture3]

I cannot remember if the 'bench' was wide enough to allow the ST's centre stand to be used

No it isn't; that is why I will be buying the accessories to go with it

Have seen them at trade displays and they look well made and were easier to get heavy bikes on and off UN-like ours

This is what I am aiming for. I feel that the platform type will be too difficult for me to get the bike up on. Looking at their video, Hart's seems quite easy.