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Motorcycle Drive On Lift

5K views 27 replies 11 participants last post by  Rickf1985 
#1 ·
OK, I am 60 years old, just retired and would like to purchase a quality but not a bank breaking, drive on motorcycle lift.
Recommendations from the experienced please ?
 
#2 ·
It is not heavy duty, but the one at Harbor Freight is hard to beat. I have had both my 88 and 12 wing on it without any problems. I did upgrade the wheel chock and made some wooden outriggers for foot placement when riding the bike on and off. I just saw a coupon for one. It was $275.00. Not as fancy as the air rise ones, but this one works for me. I have had it for over 5 years now.
 
#3 ·
Careful with the Harbor Freight ones, they all look pretty much the same but they have different SKU numbers and a couple of those numbers are junk! I had to return three of them after trucking them home and humping them out and assembling them only to find they would lean to one side. Finally I talked to their support team and they suggested a different part number which just happened to be coming in to my store in a couple weeks. MUCH better! The pedal effort is a bit higher and the pedal placement could be better but that can be solved with a little fab work. I have to run out in just a minute, I will get back to this with the SKU on mine.
 
#4 ·
I don't own a lift yet so I can't speak from experience. However, regardless of the brand you end up buying, you may want to consider a scissor jack for times you want to raise either of the wheels. Using the center stand is not a good option because the bike wants to pull out of the wheel chock when trying to set the bike on the stand. These jacks usually run around $70 or so. And of course you can never have too many straps.
 

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#5 ·
The scissors jack would be even better with some tie-down points on the top plate and holes in the bottom fir bolting to the floor or a lift. Of course, they can be drilled, but then all warranties are shot. I use a sport bike spool stand for my '78 GL1000. Having removed the center stand I still need a way to pick the rear wheel off the ground. A couple spools whipped out on the lathe and extra-long shock bolts, now it works out great.

Waiting for that HF SKU. I'm interested. The back is getting tired too early these days @66.
 
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#6 ·
When using scissors style lifts, I noticed that you must go under the bike from the right side.
The left side exhaust tube protrudes past the engine and you would risk damaging it.
Appears to be no frame section under the bike at all...... Probably not a good idea to lift these 1500's all the way up in the air from underneath from what I am observing ? Any professionally trained Honda guys on this site ?
 
#15 ·
Oh heavens to Betsy! No way would you use these bad boys to lift anything way up in the air. They are only about 17 inches by 10 inches. Not stable enough to use as a lift. When you pull your bike onto a table lift, you lock your front wheel into the chock. Many people buy a better chock and mount it a little more forward so the rear wheel is all the way on the lift. If you plan to remove the rear wheel, you would not use this jack to put under the center stand which is in the up position and lift the rear wheel just enough to pull the plate away. This will allow for the wheel to drop. If you plan on working on the front wheel, you would not use the chock. You would pull the bike as far forward as possible and set it on the center stand. Then you would set the scissor jack under the forward part of the engine and lift from there. If you are uncomfortable lifting from the pipes, you can use a piece of wood to fit between them. You are going to lift just enough to get the front wheel off the deck. As for making the table lift a drive-on, could a guy build some platforms about a foot or so wide? You would just have to make a frame out of 2X4 or 2X6 studs about 8 or 10 feet long and use plywood for the deck. Place them along side the lift and that would give you a place to step onto when you got off the bike or to put you right foot when putting down the side stand. Sorry for not being clear that I was not talking about the scissor lifts you use on the floor.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I lifted both my 94 and 98 with a standard m/c lift from the right side, it just uses the mufflers to lift it up on, no problems at all.


my jack is a Sears Roebuck Aluminum hydraulic lift, great jack....
a good idea to use tie straps to be sure it don't rock off the jack.




but not a table lift, which is much easier to work with. I like things up at hip height now...
 
#8 ·
Robbie,

Not sure of what break the bank is in your world but I would suggest you look at the Handy Lift or similar devices made by other companies... I have had the same Handy Lift for over 25 years and it has been trouble free throughout that time...

When I built my new garage a few years ago, I recessed it into the concrete floor... Best thing I ever did... It is now a drive on lift that is super convenient...

That lift today will cost you about $1000 - yes, not cheap, but you will probably never need another or have to do anything to it...

Just one man's opinion on MC lifts...

Les

Room Floor Wall Building Flooring
Vehicle Auto part Engine Machine Automobile repair shop
 
#17 ·
Robbie,

Not sure of what break the bank is in your world but I would suggest you look at the Handy Lift or similar devices made by other companies... I have had the same Handy Lift for over 25 years and it has been trouble free throughout that time...

When I built my new garage a few years ago, I recessed it into the concrete floor... Best thing I ever did... It is now a drive on lift that is super convenient...

That lift today will cost you about $1000 - yes, not cheap, but you will probably never need another or have to do anything to it...

Just one man's opinion on MC lifts...

Les

View attachment 301827 View attachment 301829
I had a Handy, years ago, and sold it because it was always in the way when I wasn't using it. I bought a Kendon one that stands up when not in use. Wasn't happy with it so I sold. Then I bought a house with a three car garage. My budget was limited so I bought a Harbor Freight. It was OK, but didn't really feel comfortable with a big bike on it. Last month, I found a used Handy for $600. No comparison. If you can't afford a new one, keep watching the ads. Last week, there was one on local Craigslist for $350.
 
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#10 ·
Robbie,

The scissor jack that is pictured in post #4 is not for lifting the whole bike. Just one end. I also have one that I use to lift the front of the bike when I am taking off the front wheel. I just put this jack on the lift table and under the engine. The back of the bike is on the center stand and the bike is tied down to the table. I am not using the front wheel chock at this point for front wheel removal. I have had both front and rear wheels off the bike when on the table. With the tie downs, the bike is very solid on the table. I also use the scissor jack for lifting the rear of my Duel Sport up for lubing the chain. Very handy jack to go with the lift table.
 
#16 ·
I built wood platforms the length of the lift and 12 inches wide on each side. Well braced so you could even run the bike onto them by accident and they would hold. This way you have somewhere to put your feet as you go up, And the kickstand since it is just a bit too wide for the lift. I use those plastic car ramps at the ends of the platforms and they are almost the same angle as the ramp. The one thing I would recommend is the removable platform in the center of the lift at the rear needs to be reinforced. Having the rear tire of a 900 lb. bike land on it bends it pretty good. I am just going to bolt another 1/8 inch plate a little wider and longer over top of it. Definitely get a better front wheel holder! the one that comes with the lift is garbage. I set up some pulleys at the side of the garage and I can move the lift over there and stand it on end to get it out of the way for car work.
 
#22 ·
I have the HF lift and it works well for me. I also built wood platforms for each side and welded up an extended front wheel holder. If you use the junky one that comes with the lift your center stand will be on top of the removable plate - inconvenient and dicey. I also made my own tie-down brackets. I tossed all the small bolts that came with the lift. They broke when tightened. I replaced with US built. One thing nobody else has mentioned - after a while the lift wouldn't lift my '99 goldwing. I have to get it started upward with another jack. After it's up a few inches the lift hydraulics take over. It lifts lighter bikes no problem. Now that I have all the customizing done I'm glad I have it. I'm 73 years old and bending down is no longer an option.
 
#23 ·
One thing nobody else has mentioned - after a while the lift wouldn't lift my '99 goldwing. I have to get it started upward with another jack. After it's up a few inches the lift hydraulics take over. It lifts lighter bikes no problem. Now that I have all the customizing done I'm glad I have it. I'm 73 years old and bending down is no longer an option.



I have the HF lawn tractor lift.
and I have noticed the same exact thing.


IF, the lift is allowed to go completely to the bottom, it will not go back up with the tractor on it.


so, I had to back the tractor off, pump the lift up about 2 inches, then jump the tractor up onto the lift. now, it will accept the hydraulic pressure and lift the tractor.
 
#26 ·
Something else to consider...I used to work at a motorcycle shop. We had two Handys and three off-brands. Not Harbor Freights, but they looked just like them. Keeping in mind that these were used all day, every day, we refilled the hydraulic fluid on the cheap ones a couple times a year. The fluid wouldn't leak out, but would leak past the seals. Sometimes it would act as was described above, and other times it wouldn't drop all the way down, especially if it didn't have weight on it. For example, when you raised it to clean the floor below. We'd drain the oil and refill them and they'd work fine.
We'd do the same thing to the Handys, but only as a preventative. If a Handy gets low, it will "jump" as it fills.


Speaking of lifts; Does anyone have experience with tying two air operated ones together? Running both cylinders off of a single valve? My son thinks I should get a second one so I can lift the sidecar bike without taking off the car.
 
#27 ·
Speaking of lifts; Does anyone have experience with tying two air operated ones together? Running both cylinders off of a single valve? My son thinks I should get a second one so I can lift the sidecar bike without taking off the car.

I don't think you will like the results:
one is going to lift faster than the other one.


I would run the supply line into a Tee Valve so you can rock it back and forth to keep them level.


When they reach Max Height, no problems, as you will have them locked in place.
 
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