Things to look for on a motorcycle lift table

[AllByteNoBark]

Need some advice on what to look for on a lift table. I am getting to old to work on the floor, I can still do it, just don't like it. Am looking for a lift to use for the bikes, especially the GS project I just picked up, and can think of several other uses to. I have plenty of space so am planning on something with the side extensions. My main concern, I think, is height. I'm 6'3" and will probably want to use this occasionally as a work bench too. A 36 inch height is just a bit low and 39 seems about right. The lower cost lifts all seem to only be 30 - 33 inches max height. A Handy SAM 1200 is 39 inches max height and uses an air bag to lift. Not sure how I feel about the air bag. A Redline 1500 HD goes to 43" but has a base you cannot put a dolly under if you want to move it. I'm probably overthinking all of this. Tell me what I am missing and what you feel is important.

Other points of consideration:

Lift type - Air Bag, air cylinder only, air over hydraulic, hydraulic
Front wheel vise or chock
How often do you use the drop out panel, looks like it could be useful
Lastly, which color is fastest

P.S. - If anyone has a used lift they want to sell let me know. Maybe we can work out a deal.

 

[Valker]

I have a Black Widow 1500XL model with the two side portions to make it 4'wide. The drop panel is used a LOT when changing rear tires. I'm 70 this month, so lifting isn't as much fun as previously. I get the rear tire ready to come out then remove the drop panel. I lower the table to the floor and just roll the wheel out. I change the tire then roll it back in. I raise the table to replace the drop panel and button everything back up. I use MANY different heights on mine to make it easy on me.

 

[DFW_Warrior]

I have a Weaver W-1000 and like it quite a bit. If I were to do it all over again and not get as good of a deal on the one I bought, I would probably get the Weaver TX-1000 or similar. The air over hydraulic is pretty darn slow, and I never use the foot pedal. Plus, It really only has two heights where I can use the safety bar. That being said, air over hydraulic means that for the most part I can have it at any height I want and I use it at lots of different heights all the time. I will raise and lower a bike a little bit, 10+ times while working on it. For that, the air over hydraulic is pretty nice.

At it's highest position, I have used it as a workbench type thing before, but only on things that still have some height to them, like a lawn mower. It works, but you are right, a little taller wouldn't hurt.

As for the rear drop out, I've never even pulled mine out. I've changed lots of rear tires, but ever since refusing to change cruiser tires for the rest of my life, I just roll the wheel/tire out the back and call it good.

 

[grumpy48]

I have the HF special. Works fine for my needs. Foot pump isn’t bad for the frequency of use but if this was something I was using multiple times a week then I’d probably cough up the $ for a pneumatic lift. I’ve used my drop panel exactly zero times, but then again it’s about 1/4 was in and not at the end like the pic above. Got a second set of condor mounts and use the same wheel chock I use in the trailer. The stabilizing pads are metal, and they slid on my urethane floor when loading the bike so I put a rubber walking cane tip on them to prevent sliding

 

[humanrace]

I've used Handy and K&L air lifts quite a bit and could recommend either. If you are doing cruiser tires, Harley tires or bagger tires, I highly recommend the rear drop. I recently worked my friend's one man shop while he took his family for a two-week vacation to Disneyland. For a one man shop, he sells lots of tires. I changed about 5 tires a day. I used the rear drop at least once a day for 12 days. His lifts also had a front drop. I used it quite a bit also. You can use the chock to help you mount the bike on the lift and then drop it out of the way to remove the front wheel. Without this feature, I would have had to load the bikes backwards on the lift to change front tires. Heavy bike+pushing backwards+old man=disaster. Get a wheel chock that will hold up the bike while you position your tie downs. He also had self-retracting tie down straps mounted front and rear on his lifts, nice feature. You could position the straps, flip a lever and rock the bike from side to side. The straps would automatically tighten.

 

[DFW_Warrior]

I've used Handy and K&L air lifts quite a bit and could recommend either. If you are doing cruiser tires, Harley tires or bagger tires, I highly recommend the rear drop. I recently worked my friend's one man shop while he took his family for a two-week vacation to Disneyland. For a one man shop, he sells lots of tires. I changed about 5 tires a day. I used the rear drop at least once a day for 12 days. His lifts also had a front drop. I used it quite a bit also. You can use the chock to help you mount the bike on the lift and then drop it out of the way to remove the front wheel. Without this feature, I would have had to load the bikes backwards on the lift to change front tires. Heavy bike+pushing backwards+old man=disaster. Get a wheel chock that will hold up the bike while you position your tie downs. He also had self-retracting tie down straps mounted front and rear on his lifts, nice feature. You could position the straps, flip a lever and rock the bike from side to side. The straps would automatically tighten.

Got a link to those auto tie down straps? They sound pretty awesome.

 

[OldTLSDoug]

I am a Handy Lift fan, I have 2 currently. Both of mine are using an air cylinder. In the 20+ yrs, I have had to replace the gaskets at least once in each lift. The first one I got was old and worn when I bought it used from the local Kawasaki dealer. I have put seals in it twice. Now, I follow the instructions and use oil with STP in the air supply monthly and she stays lubed and seals nice. The 1000 lb lift goes to about 36 in or so.

This is the old 1000# Handy Lift

B.O.B. Handy Lift, 1500#. Should do most of them and has a drop out. I have the trike kit as well. Goes up to about 42" or so, also an air piston.

 

[Rydah]

Good review on that Handy:

Wish I had the space.

 

[KsTeveM]

Dang it.....daddy like. What is the minimum age that you are allowed to get one

 

[tejasbusa]

Got a link to those auto tie down straps? They sound pretty awesome.

Automatic Boat Transom tie downs

 

[FE_Rex]

I have Black Widow lift. Here are my comments that I haven't seen above

- If using "clamp style" wheel chock, be sure it opens waide enough to accept all your bikes from tires. I have trouble with my Rocket and FLH's
- A small scissor lift is VERY useful on cruiser with low frames or even on other bikes to help align heavier object
- If your bike is on center stand be VERY sure to secure center stand so when you go to torquing on bolts an pull on things the bike doesn’t rock off stand
- make sure your ramp is easily removed and secured

 

[AllByteNoBark]

I have a Black Widow 1500XL model with the two side portions to make it 4'wide. The drop panel is used a LOT when changing rear tires. I'm 70 this month, so lifting isn't as much fun as previously. I get the rear tire ready to come out then remove the drop panel. I lower the table to the floor and just roll the wheel out. I change the tire then roll it back in. I raise the table to replace the drop panel and button everything back up. I use MANY different heights on mine to make it easy on me.

I have looked at the Black Widow and it looks like a good value but the max height is my main concern. I'm 68 and agree the lifting is not as much fun as it used to be. Appreciate the feedback on the drop panel and how you use it.

I have a Weaver W-1000 and like it quite a bit. If I were to do it all over again and not get as good of a deal on the one I bought, I would probably get the Weaver TX-1000 or similar. The air over hydraulic is pretty darn slow, and I never use the foot pedal. Plus, It really only has two heights where I can use the safety bar. That being said, air over hydraulic means that for the most part I can have it at any height I want and I use it at lots of different heights all the time. I will raise and lower a bike a little bit, 10+ times while working on it. For that, the air over hydraulic is pretty nice.

At it's highest position, I have used it as a workbench type thing before, but only on things that still have some height to them, like a lawn mower. It works, but you are right, a little taller wouldn't hurt.

As for the rear drop out, I've never even pulled mine out. I've changed lots of rear tires, but ever since refusing to change cruiser tires for the rest of my life, I just roll the wheel/tire out the back and call it good.

That Weaver TX-1000 is another one I have looked at. I like the reviews I have read on it and sounds like the company is pretty good to deal with. Again the big issue for me is the 30 inch max height. They do offer a W-1500 hi-rise lift model that goes to 43.5 inches which would be great. I do think I would probably use the lift quite a bit as a work surface. I have a wood work bench but a lot of times it would be nice to have the metal surface, especially when working on oily stuff. On a positive note it looks like if I drive to Ft. Worth I could save $350 on the W-1500, but would have the TX sales tax since picking up in TX. This one is on the short list. Not sure about the diamond plate, I think I would prefer a flat surface.

I have the HF special. Works fine for my needs. Foot pump isn’t bad for the frequency of use but if this was something I was using multiple times a week then I’d probably cough up the $ for a pneumatic lift. I’ve used my drop panel exactly zero times, but then again it’s about 1/4 was in and not at the end like the pic above. Got a second set of condor mounts and use the same wheel chock I use in the trailer. The stabilizing pads are metal, and they slid on my urethane floor when loading the bike so I put a rubber walking cane tip on them to prevent sliding

Good idea on the rubber tips! I do think I am leaning toward the pneumatic at this point.

I've used Handy and K&L air lifts quite a bit and could recommend either. If you are doing cruiser tires, Harley tires or bagger tires, I highly recommend the rear drop. I recently worked my friend's one man shop while he took his family for a two-week vacation to Disneyland. For a one man shop, he sells lots of tires. I changed about 5 tires a day. I used the rear drop at least once a day for 12 days. His lifts also had a front drop. I used it quite a bit also. You can use the chock to help you mount the bike on the lift and then drop it out of the way to remove the front wheel. Without this feature, I would have had to load the bikes backwards on the lift to change front tires. Heavy bike+pushing backwards+old man=disaster. Get a wheel chock that will hold up the bike while you position your tie downs. He also had self-retracting tie down straps mounted front and rear on his lifts, nice feature. You could position the straps, flip a lever and rock the bike from side to side. The straps would automatically tighten.

Wow! That is a lot of tires for a small shop. The Handy and K&L both come highly recommended it seems. May need to keep the "buy once, cry once" in mind.

I am a Handy Lift fan, I have 2 currently. Both of mine are using an air cylinder. In the 20+ yrs, I have had to replace the gaskets at least once in each lift. The first one I got was old and worn when I bought it used from the local Kawasaki dealer. I have put seals in it twice. Now, I follow the instructions and use oil with STP in the air supply monthly and she stays lubed and seals nice. The 1000 lb lift goes to about 36 in or so.

This is the old 1000# Handy Lift

B.O.B. Handy Lift, 1500#. Should do most of them and has a drop out. I have the trike kit as well. Goes up to about 42" or so, also an air piston.

Thanks for the input Doug. I have been watching for a used one for a while now and finally decided I may just have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. That Handy B.O.B. would be nice, but probably a bit more than I need, or maybe just more than I want to spend by the time I add the side extensions. I wouldn't have to have the extensions but my mower is gettign a few years on it and requiring more maintenance so it would be nice to have them.

Good review on that Handy:

Wish I had the space.

Thanks Rob! I had watched that video yesterday, it is a good review.

Dang it.....daddy like. What is the minimum age that you are allowed to get one

You are old enough. Just need to be less stubborn than some of us and admit it.

Thanks for all the comments so far. Started out thinking I would just grab a used one when one showed up, then started looking into what I thought I might need and down the rabbit hole I went.

Analysis paralysis is a real thing. Just need to pull the trigger on one here shortly. Guessing what I saw elsewhere is accurate, "any lift is better than no lift."

 

[AllByteNoBark]

I have Black Widow lift. Here are my comments that I haven't seen above

- If using "clamp style" wheel chock, be sure it opens waide enough to accept all your bikes from tires. I have trouble with my Rocket and FLH's
- A small scissor lift is VERY useful on cruiser with low frames or even on other bikes to help align heavier object
- If your bike is on center stand be VERY sure to secure center stand so when you go to torquing on bolts an pull on things the bike doesn’t rock off stand
- make sure your ramp is easily removed and secured

Those are all great points. Thanks! I do plan on a small scissor jack to go along with the lift

 

[KsTeveM]

I been getting by with this junker. Been lusting for something better. My problem, at any given time I probably have 10 things I could spend $1500 on and this never climbs up the list . Maybe I can donate blood?

 

[FE_Rex]

Me personally, if bike is on either lift or my Pit Bull jack, I usually working off roll around stool with my eyes at cylinder level. I stand if I need anything off gauges, bars, and can reach most anything else doing what my wife says I do best – resting on my namesake of a diminutive equine (apologies if that is spelling around the filters)

 

[txbanditrydr]

- If using "clamp style" wheel chock, be sure it opens waide enough to accept all your bikes from tires. I have trouble with my Rocket and FLH's

Ran into this on my Handy knock-off lift.... simply drilled some new holes for the fixed portion of the chock and moved it wider.

To the OP - Yup, any lift is better than none. I would get at least 30" wide if possible. Wing extensions are nice but do put you further away from your work unless your work requires that width. My motorcycles are gone but my lift stays for all sorts of work unrelated to M/C's. You'll wish you did it much sooner.

 

[Randyjaco]

Since we are on the topic of bike lifts, I thought that I would chime in about my experiences with the Harbor freight lift. I bought mine a few years back when the only choices were the $250 HF model or the top of the line $1000 alternative. There was no air over hydraulic option. I typically do my bike maintenance in February when I don’t ride, and I didn’t want it under foot the rest of the year. The work area that I had available is only 7’x 15’, so whatever I got had to be mobile, so I could store it elsewhere. Therefore, I purchased the Harbor Freight lift. The HF unit is quite adequate for the hobbyist, but has some limitations.
I do almost all my work by myself. I can’t manhandle my 1200RT up onto any lift by myself. I need to be able to ride the bike onto the lift. I also have a 29” inseam, so balance and good footing is imperative. My first trip onto the lift found me wedged between the steel work table and the tilting bike. That was a very scary experience! Luckily, there was minimal damage.
I made some modifications to the lift. First, I added some 2 by walk boards to insure that my feet were grounded whenever I was going on or off the ramp. I also added two rear adjustable screw stops to keep the rear wheels off the ground, so the lift doesn’t move when loading or unloading. I also added some holes to the deck, so the tie down straps had multiple locations to hold the bike in various positions. I found that the painted deck was very slippery for the tires. Initially I used 3M anti-slip tape to insure the tires didn’t slip. I quickly found that the tape didn’t work well around gas and oil. The Diamond plate is a better option. The final modification was to drill a hole in the front tire stop, so I could attach a lift rope. That allows me to store the lift vertically while not in use.
Although I would love to have electric or air over hydraulic for the lift; I think the Harbor Freight lift was the best option for me after it was modified.

 

[Randyjaco]

Since we are on the topic of bike lifts, I thought that I would chime in about my experiences with the Harbor freight lift. I bought mine a few years back when the only choices were the $250 HF model or the top of the line $1000 alternative. There was no air over hydraulic option. I typically do my bike maintenance in February when I don’t ride, and I didn’t want it under foot the rest of the year. The work area that I had available is only 7’x 15’, so whatever I got had to be mobile, so I could store it elsewhere. Therefore, I purchased the Harbor Freight lift. The HF unit is quite adequate for the hobbyist, but has some limitations.
I do almost all my work by myself. I can’t manhandle my 1200RT up onto any lift by myself. I need to be able to ride the bike onto the lift. I also have a 29” inseam, so balance and good footing is imperative. My first trip onto the lift found me wedged between the steel work table and the tilting bike. That was a very scary experience! Luckily, there was minimal damage.
I made some modifications to the lift. First, I added some 2 by walk boards to insure that my feet were grounded whenever I was going on or off the ramp. I also added two rear adjustable screw stops to keep the rear wheels off the ground, so the lift doesn’t move when loading or unloading. I also added some holes to the deck, so the tie down straps had multiple locations to hold the bike in various positions. I found that the painted deck was very slippery for the tires. Initially I used 3M anti-slip tape to insure the tires didn’t slip. I quickly found that the tape didn’t work well around gas and oil. The Diamond plate is a better option. The final modification was to drill a hole in the front tire stop, so I could attach a lift rope. That allows me to store the lift vertically while not in use.
Although I would love to have electric or air over hydraulic for the lift; I think the Harbor Freight lift was the best option for me after it was modified.

More photos

 

[humanrace]

Got a link to those auto tie down straps? They sound pretty awesome.

Here's the lift my friend has in his shop. The front chock and the rear drop both drop out of the way. Here's a link to his auto retrieve ratchet straps. He has a pair on the front and the rear of all three of his lifts. Unless he has recently sold it, he has one of these lifts new and in stock.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/car...p.ds&msclkid=6479b7ea488e1859e00bd1310b901632

 

[AllByteNoBark]

Here's the lift my friend has in his shop. The front chock and the rear drop both drop out of the way. Here's a link to his auto retrieve ratchet straps. He has a pair on the front and the rear of all three of his lifts. Unless he has recently sold it, he has one of these lifts new and in stock.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/cargobuckle-g3-retractable-ratchet-tie-down-2-pack?ds_e=MICROSOFT&ds_c=BPS|Shopping|Smart|CatchAll|General|NAud|NVol|NMT&gclid=6479b7ea488e1859e00bd1310b901632&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=6479b7ea488e1859e00bd1310b901632

I like everything about this lift, except the price. It is really nice but more than I need. I do think this would be the way to go if you were making your living with it.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Yea, that redline lift is pricey, especially once you add on all the options. But it does come in orange and black!

 

[k-dubya]

Maybe I can donate blood?

You'll get more for plasma ...

 

[pwillikers]

Here's what I did. I'm very happy with it. I prefer the scissor lift design as opposed to the parallelogram lift.

 

[one Wolf]

Weaver® W-1500 Hi-Rise Motorcycle Lift

Get the best-selling Weaver® W-1500 Lift with a 42" lifting height and 100" length, includes extensions and vise. Expert service guaranteed.

www.derekweaver.com

I bought this one back during the winter. Picked up in Midlothian or Waxahachie??

I think having a frame that can be anchored to the floor is a good idea

also, and having a platform that you can stand on after riding the bike on to the lift is good. Removable wings let you service your zero turn mower, which is even harder than getting in the floor with your bike.

Make sure you've got a plan for getting it unloaded and into the shop.

Take it from an old man, "it ain't gonna get any easier".

 

[AllByteNoBark]

Weaver® W-1500 Hi-Rise Motorcycle Lift

Get the best-selling Weaver® W-1500 Lift with a 42" lifting height and 100" length, includes extensions and vise. Expert service guaranteed.

www.derekweaver.com

I bought this one back during the winter. Picked up in Midlothian or Waxahachie??

I think having a frame that can be anchored to the floor is a good idea

also, and having a platform that you can stand on after riding the bike on to the lift is good. Removable wings let you service your zero turn mower, which is even harder than getting in the floor with your bike.

Make sure you've got a plan for getting it unloaded and into the shop.

Take it from an old man, "it ain't gonna get any easier".

That one is on my short list and picking it up saves some $$. Is the diamond tread hard to keep clean? One thing I was wishing is that it was some color other than black. I have one bike that has a lot of black screws and bolts. I know picky, picky.

Would you buy the same one again? Servicing my Zero turn is one of the reasons I planning on getting one.

Thanks for posting on this. Personal experience is a great help when making these choices.

Edit: I have a tractor with a loader I can use to set it in the shop.