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Motorcycle Lift Table


WURTY

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I am getting old and want a Real motorcyle lift table.

It takes too much effort to lift my bigg A$$ off the floor after bike service. :S

 

Does anyone have and experiences with them good or bad ??

Any particular brand to purcahse or avoid ?

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Handy lift is probably the top of the line ~$1200

HF is the bottom of the line ~$300

I went with a mid grade Pro-Cycle XLT ~$700. One of the key parameters is weight. The Pro Cycle and Handy lift are both very heavy. The HF is much lighter.

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John Ranalletta

Bought a used handy several years ago w/ custom extenders. Wouldn't own a bike w/o a lift now.

 

I wouldn't hold out for a handy if you find a well-made unit. It's a pretty simple machine and likely you'll not subject it to daily wear/tear of a cycle shop.

 

Try craigslist. Idaho locations show several for sale.

 

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Handy lift is probably the top of the line ~$1200

HF is the bottom of the line ~$300

I went with a mid grade Pro-Cycle XLT ~$700. One of the key parameters is weight. The Pro Cycle and Handy lift are both very heavy. The HF is much lighter.

 

I have a Harbor Freight.... It is NOT light. Must be 300# plus.

Shipping weight 363 lbs.

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Handy lift is probably the top of the line ~$1200

HF is the bottom of the line ~$300

I went with a mid grade Pro-Cycle XLT ~$700. One of the key parameters is weight. The Pro Cycle and Handy lift are both very heavy. The HF is much lighter.

 

I have a Harbor Freight.... It is NOT light. Must be 300# plus.

Shipping weight 363 lbs.

 

The pro-cycle shipping weight is 690 pounds.

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Wurty:

 

Several of us on the other side of the mountain have the Harbor Freight lift. For the limited use a NON-COMERCIAL motorcyclist gives them it is hard to beat the price.

 

Of course, you have to pump them up by foot but so what. That is easy and gets you warmed up fot the rest of the work.

 

If you are interested, I have my rt on the lift now (and will be there for a week or so) come on over to Boise and have a look.

 

Bob Morris

208-343-1688

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Wurty:

 

Several of us on the other side of the mountain have the Harbor Freight lift. For the limited use a NON-COMERCIAL motorcyclist gives them it is hard to beat the price.

 

+1

 

Surely there are much better made lifts, but I doubt there is better value than this one. There are barely any moving parts to worry about, and you can lock it in the up position to work on it without worrying about a hydraulic failure.

I find it completely serviceable for the RT and the GS. The "rear wheel drop" removable panel is a big help when doing tire removal. With sale coupons, this was $288.00.

 

Maybe some of the really heavy cruisers would be too much for it, but it does the trick for my once a month use of it.

 

rt.jpg

 

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Wurty: Maybe some of the really heavy cruisers would be too much for it, but it does the trick for my once a month use of it.

 

Me too. :thumbsup: Even park on it.

 

Use connected "side boards" for easy on/off; otherwise too steep a get-down for every day use. Three years old & no issues.

 

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Certainly much better units out there; more expensive too. This works fine. Harbor Freight regularly puts out discount coupons for this item ("accessories" related to it as well; ex. Motorcycle Lift Extension Wings), and offer a hydraulic option model also.

 

 

No matter what you get it'll make working on the bike more enjoyable. You're knees will really appreciate it!

 

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You are not a shop skip the 1200 bucks and get this and pop for the $20 lifetime warranty..

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/lifts-stands/1000-lb-capacity-motorcycle-lift-91764.html

 

this one is air over hydraulic

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/lifts-stands/1000-lb-capacity-air-hydraulic-motorcycle-lift-94121.html

 

and this one is 1200 lbs and air over hyd...coupons are always around for up to a hundred bucks off on bigger purchases

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/lifts-stands/1200-lb-capacity-air-motorcycle-lift-94813.html

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For 400bucks the HL is an awesome unit. But i have never seen one for sale out here. I must be looking in the wrong places.

The HF models are fine. I have 2 friends that use them at their shops, they were on a real budget when they started out. Neither one of them have had any trouble even using them all day 5-6 days a week.

 

For a home garage unit it would be fine. They also sell the extension sides so you can park on it easier, or you could build some like Irish mike.

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I bought the Harbor Freight all air pneumatic lift, the nicer $500 unit. It works absolutely great! Originally I went to buy the bargain lift model but I wasnt impressed with the foot pump operation. The pneumatic is so nice when you have to raise and lower the bike alot. I have had it for close to a year now I think, and it has been excercised frequently. It always works great. One thing I found nice over the Handy is the removable floor for the rear end. Not needed on a BMW with the single sided swing arm but this was a must for taking the rear wheel of the Vstrom off. The Harbor Freight unit also comes with the Dolly which makes it nice to move around, this is an extra charge with the Handy. I waited until the unit went on sale for $480 and then I applied my 20% off coupon for a total of $384. Harbor freight doesnt charge freight to get the lift despite being a special order item. I shopped around looking at other nicer lifts like the Handy but the freight charges were close to the price of my entire lift. This is one item I would recomend to anyone, and has more than lived up to my expectations. While I am sure the Handy is no doubt a better product and will always have parts available, the HF lift is a big banfg for the buck. Normally I try to avoide Chinese made products, especially tools but I didnt have the budget so I made this work.

 

I should also note that the all pneumatic lift at HF also offers the optional wings for a ATV like the Handy so if you ever needed to use for other applications, its available.

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For the record I paid $400 for my Handy lift....they do come up on Craiglist from time to time.

 

Yeah, its nice when someone send the link to you as it pops up on craigslist.......LOL :D

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For the record I paid $400 for my Handy lift....they do come up on Craiglist from time to time.

 

Yeah, its nice when someone send the link to you as it pops up on craigslist.......LOL :D

 

It didn't hurt...

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Wurty,

 

There are a lot of folks using the Harbor Fright Lift for occasional use. I looked at them and read some poor reviews on the quality. I was real concerned with the weight and structure as I would be using it for my LT. I finally settled on the PRO CYCLE LIFT from Greg Smith Equipment http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Motorcycle_Lifts_s/2.htm

 

This cost a bit more, but is very robust and safe. I built my own side extensions and made a ramp approach to ease the transition going up. I also laid a piece of non skid up the center to get better traction. Unfortunately they are all made in China but some are built to higher standards.

 

It sure does ease the strain on the knees and back and I use it for my lawn tractor as well.

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Afternoon Wurty

 

As mentioned in multiple threads above the Handy Lift is about the best and safest if you use a it a lot or want to use it for other vehicles like 4 wheelers or riding lawnmowers.

 

In fact most of the motorcycle dealers and motorcycle repair shops in my area use the “Handy Lift” for their service shops.

There is a reason for that, -they are very strong and sturdy, just about tip-proof even with a top-heavy heavy motorcycle partially disassembled propped up on top, very smooth operation, solid table locking in the up or partially up position, very robust powder coating to resist paint peeling from brake fluid and other chemicals, very easy to ride a motorcycle up on or get the motorcycle off when service is done.

 

I have owned and used the “Handy Lift” for many years now with 0 problems or issues. With the available side extensions it works just peachy with large 4 wheelers or big riding lawnmowers. With nothing on it but raised up it also makes one heck of a heavy duty work bench or work table.

 

The only down side I can see from using one for years is they are quite heavy. Too heavy to lift up by yourself and lean against a wall.

 

Mine stays set up in the shop all the time but in years past I have removed the front wheel chock and slid it under my truck for storage.

 

If you do decide to go the “Handy” route first check with some of the dealers in your area as some (mostly Harley) dealers sell them and if in stock the shipping is divided across the entire stock so it is vastly cheaper than ordering it as a single shipped unit.

 

I bought my “Handy Lift” years ago from a local motorcycle dealer that was going out of business. It might pay you to look in that direction as there seems to be a lot of repair shops going out of business lately.

 

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Bought a used handy several years ago w/ custom extenders. Wouldn't own a bike w/o a lift now.

I also have a Handy Lift that I found used in my hometown. I quality lift is definately worth the money if you service your own bikes.

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I am getting old and want a Real motorcyle lift table.

It takes too much effort to lift my bigg A$$ off the floor after bike service. :S

 

Does anyone have and experiences with them good or bad ??

Any particular brand to purcahse or avoid ?

I know you, Wurty. And you're one of the cheapest 'frackers on this planet. But if you spring for the Handy Lift, you'll have something that'll last you forever. Buying used isn't a problem. They're tough as nails.

 

Spend the bucks and get the good stuff.

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One other observation about the description of, "instability" used for the Harbor Freight unit. The cheap Harbor freight lift arches out as you raise it. This is where I believe alot of the instability comes from. However, the all air, pneumatic lift like the one I purchased is more of a Handy clone and goes straight up and down with a much more secure base. I have absolutely zero stability issues with my lift, even on the highest setting. The foot control for the pneumatics work great. I also purchased the extended warranty/ replacement garuntee. If it breaks or anythign goes wrong, I can return it and get a brand new unit regardless of how small the issue. If anything does go wrong, I return it to the store as well so there is no shipping cost. Shipping is the big killer with buying a lift. If you want a Handy, I would look at the local craigslist until something popped up and you can go pick it up locally.

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Calvin  (no socks)

Mr Wurty. I found a used Snap-On Diablo lift...like new from a fellow with a bike shop that was in distress...$1000. Be the first on your block to own one!

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Unhofliche_Gesundheit

darn this thread. here i was thinking the big expenses were behind me ('critical' farkles, 'essential' gear, 'necessary' tools). now i absolutely must get a lift :D - (and another garage bay to go with it :dopeslap: ) :grin:

 

 

so a question: in what way is a "ride-on flat table lift" superior to a motorcycle jacks (the kind that lift the bike up and leaves the wheels free) ? i think the latter is cheaper and would take less space to store.

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so a question: in what way is a "ride-on flat table lift" superior to a motorcycle jacks (the kind that lift the bike up and leaves the wheels free) ? i think the latter is cheaper and would take less space to store.

 

Evening Cameron

 

About 3’ height difference. Kind of like comparing a floor jack to a car lift hoist. Using a motorcycle jack you still need to bend way over or kneel to work on the bike. Using a table lift you strand up to work on the bike.

 

Once you use a lift table for a while the old motorcycle jack just sits in the corner.

 

Just look at what the motorcycle repair shops use, you don’t see many motorcycle jacks used.

 

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You dont NEED a lift at all, but dang they are nice to use.

 

You still use a bike jack up under the bike to support the bike while you take off the wheels, but the bike is up in front of you. You can sit on a chair and drain your oil, or adjust your valves or stand up and work on anything.

 

Definately a nice thing as we age....I am so close to throwing my wifes car or my jeep out of the garage so i can have some room to work on my bikes. I wanna get started rebuilding my 65 yami twin 2t this winter but my 2 car garage is full of "family" stuff...."Honey where did my pants GO?"

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I just picked up a HF lift last weekend. Shipping was going to be $108 and the 20% off coupon was only good in-store not on-line, so it was worth it to me to drive 300 miles round trip to Massachewshit and pick one up.

I have only practiced with it a couple of times, but I can tell I'm never going back to sitting on a concrete floor.

$296.00 plus tax 6.25% plus $60 for gas and tolls.

It can live in the middle of my bay of the garage and I can pull my Chevy Express van over it. All the way down it is only 7 1/2" tall.

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One more vote for HF with the foot pump. We paid about $270 for ours at the store here in SLC. The price seems to vary all the time. Our's is now three years old, and has seen plenty of hard use with no issues. We service the lawnmower and snow thrower on it, as well as our several bikes, and we've had a number of guest bikes in.

 

I'll agree with those who say that it is fine for typical home use.

 

We also store a bike on it sometimes, or use it for a storage table. The wheels are great. Nick's (Deadboy) is the only failure that I have heard of in several of these threads over the years.

 

The HF unit is a fine value for home use.

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Lifts: How much ceiling clearance does one need.

Old house low ceiling!

 

It has multiple height settings. You dont have to use at full height. It will lock into about 6 positions for different things you are servicing. You only need to raise as high as the ceiling. Im not sure about where you live but the lowest a ceiling can be here in Cali is 7ft. and that is limited to certain areas. Even at 7ft you can raise the bike about 2ft off the ground for service and sit on a low seat like this>

http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/creepers-seats/mechanics-roller-seat-3338.html

This is better than sitting on the floor.

 

And btw, most of us work on our bike in the garage not in our house :grin:

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Heading over to Boise today to look at a real Handy Lift Table with the side extensions.

 

He's hooked :thumbsup:

 

 

Atta boy Wurty..yer makin' the right decision !!

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Just home with my butt ugly dirty yellow Handy Lift table.

 

It works great.

 

I'm still pissin and moanin over the price I had to pay.

Fernando owes me and I was waiting for him to pony up with a table for me.

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Fernando owes me and I was waiting for him to pony up with a table for me.

I used to have one, but sold it. I would have given it to you, but didn't know if you were going to stand on it along with your DR, and it wasn't the SUPER XXL DOUBLE-HYDRAULIC TRIPLE-WELDED EXTRA-STABILITY WIDE-TRACK model. So I sold it to a guy who was only going to put an Ultra Glide up there.

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