Hydraulic motorcycle lift

[RogerSB]

 With any of those lift-decks, what  could be wrong with 4 verical bits of inch x inch rhs under each corner (with pins down though) to hold it up ? 
 
 Rager- is there anything stopping you from parking your bike on top of the platform segments laid flat on the floor ?? might save floor space and give some elevation for 'quick' stuff ?

Good point duTch, yes no reason why all the sections couldn't be stored flat on my shed floor with my GF on top. The black patch stuck on one of the sides is where my car's door touches it when opened to get in and out - it's that tight in my garage.

[Colsbeeza]

As a slight diversion from this main topic, I had to find a solution this week for getting the bike onto the lift for Short ar--s like me. My chinese lift deck at bottom position is 23cm above floor level. At my height of 160cm and with a dodgy left shoulder with no strength at the moment, I found that I had lost all confidence that I could run the bike on and then get onto the few inches of narrow table beside it to get it on the centre stand. With crash bars back & front, this bike is heavy. My mate Kev helped me last time.
So I built this wooden platform from old pallets from the local electrical wholesaler, secured to the lift with metal "hooks". It worked a treat. Once the bike is on the centrestand, I can remove the platform to get access to the jack handle. The Mrs helps me with a gentle push. It made the lift feel miles wide. I will store it against the garage back wall (once I have cleared a space). She didn't even panic this time.!
Col

[RDfella]

Roger - just seen the 2017 article regarding storage of a bike lift under your car, but that your BMW was 30mm too low to allow that. Then I read you were buying plywood etc. To make a bike lift. Why not put the wood on the ground to elevate the car above the bike lift? Only need 40mm.

[RogerSB]

Ha! A lot of water under the bridge since then. Car has been banished outside since attaching the Watsonian to my A10 and from last Oct I have a Velocette LE in there as well.

Ply platform is magic, very stable, couple of minutes to put together and take apart, stores flat against the wall. Used it loads of times and safe enough to get up on it alongside the bike, kick it over and start it.  Last used it Oct 19 to overhaul forks, etc prior to attaching sidecar.

Rog.

[TimK]

   Not having the space for a  hydraulic lift I've just spent the last two days of lockdown making a collapsible plywood table similar to Rog's.
   I used two sheets of 19mm ply and two 2.4m lengths of 40 x 70. I tried to find some plans on the internet but all of the pages pointed to had expired, so I used the logic that I'd need maximum support where the centre stand sits and under the wheels for when the bike's not on the centre stand. I already had an aluminium ramp and used a 12 volt boat winch to pull the bike up.
   The photos below show the result - don't worry, I didn't leave the bike on the sidestand, it went on the centre stand with ratchet straps to hold it firm. The second photo shows the table taken apart sitting between the tool box and shelves.
   It's very stable and although I don't know the SWL it was rock steady with both the Gold Flash and me standing on it. It takes about 5 mins to put together and take apart and each part is easily lifted by one person.
Cheers
Tim K

[Greybeard]

Excellent!

[Topdad]

Hi Roger I've had one of these for over 6 yrs found at first it wasn't much use was on the verge of binning it when a neighbour who loved playing with wood intervened and made me a fold ing workbenvch , The forks of the lift slip in like a forklift and it moves up to a good height because he added a couple od pieces of wood to the fork blades once on its legs you pull the lift out and can secre the bike ,saves the back..Cost about £50 quid , still working ,Brian its creator isn't here anymore so when I use it I get an extra buzz as i remember a good friend..Bob

[Rex]

Hydraulic bike lifts and the t'InterWebby.
The two things which make owning classic bikes possible.

[berger]

i am luckily still in the club of being able to roll about on the floor and don't need a bike lift YET!. as for the internet i always said i wouldn't have anything to do with it but when phone calls for parts weren't getting me anywhere and i had to go to b*strd john for top price parts my mate helped me with the computer thingy and i found out it opened up a whole new world of options. i think they call this upgrading from the 20th century to the 21st

[Richard Hinton]

Hi Roger, i bought a Clarke lift same as the picture slides under the A10 but carful where the rubber mounts connect under the frame. i sometimes put wood underneath so its not sitting on the side stand mount or the sump plate. make sure you strap it down as when you take either wheel out you lose the balance. so i always have a strap going to the garage roof. I also bought a Clarke electric winch this lifts the complete bike up and also supports the bike when working on it as a back up . Tried it on my Harley the other week and it will lift that. great for cleaning the wheels and inspecting the tyres. But with any tools / gadgets, secure the bike its centre of gravity will move when you take bits off.

[Minto]

Hi Roger I've had one of these for over 6 yrs found at first it wasn't much use was on the verge of binning it when a neighbour who loved playing with wood intervened and made me a fold ing workbenvch , The forks of the lift slip in like a forklift and it moves up to a good height because he added a couple od pieces of wood to the fork blades once on its legs you pull the lift out and can secre the bike ,saves the back..Cost about £50 quid , still working ,Brian its creator isn't here anymore so when I use it I get an extra buzz as i remember a good friend..Bob

Any chance of some detailed pics of that one, sounds excellent.

[scotty]

Here’s an interesting variation on the wooden workbench apparently from a U.S. Military manual

https://www.globaldimension.com/2018/06/wwii-wooden-motorcycle-workbench/

[Topdad]

Hi Minto, I'll hopefully be able to get in the garage to take a few piccys which I'll post ,it really is ok, uses rubbish bin wheels on one end to move it ,my bike as sat on it all winter a couple of times .Bob

[sean]

I have one of those. Use it infrequently because, unless you need the front wheel off the ground (as we sometimes do) it's not much better than working at floor level. In my case, my left exhaust pipe is a bit below the frame member so I lay lumber across it's arms to compensate. In any case, it was on sale for $50, so couldn't resist.

Richard L.

I have one similar it was handy for oil changes on my harley but still too low …. I made a hydraulic lift from mostly stuff around my shop and a hydraulic pump unit from a dock lift … now its easy to work on the bsa , my atv, and my riding mower ….

[Richard Hinton]

Yes i have one of these from machine mart, use it a lot to work underneath my A10. however i also use wood blocks to get the right position on the frame. So i miss the pipes the side stand main stand etc. but be careful when removing front wheel or rear as the balance of the bike is now lost so it could tilt forward or back then your in a mess.

Luckely i have a very strong roof so i also bought a electric winch which lifts the complete bike to any height. i sometimes drop it on to my Black and decker workmate but still supported by the winch as its on the limits of the workmate.

If you can buy an electric winch. i also use it to lift my Harley CVO up to check clean tyres etc.