You tinker with your bike, perform your own basic maintenance, don’t have much available room in your garage and no budget for a professional lift. You can make your own crate workstand with a piece of wood and 2 dairy crates, or use a pre-made one offering sturdiness, stability and versability.
This “professional” Wheel Crate Workstand is using two heavy-duty dairy crates (not the lightweight department store storage boxes) and a ramp, is easily assembled and disassembled when the job is done. When the job is done, pick it up and lean it vertically against the wall, out of the way until it’s needed again.
It will raise your bike 11″, which is great for display, detailing, cleaning and some repairs (maxi weight is 500 lbs). Includes complete set-up and use instructions. Dimensions (set-up) 116.5″x48″x20″. Zinc plated steel model is 48 lbs ($237). Aluminum model is 25 lbs ($267) Order two Wheel Crates per stand ($12 each) and one set of tie downs ($30). Ships UPS. Order online at Aerostich.
By my reckoning, not only does this cost like three times what you can get a hydralic bike lift for, it actually takes up more space.
Here’s a 3/4 ton hydraulic lift for $79.99:
http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-atv-motorcycle-lift-2792.html
Seriously, milk crates? What were they thinking? And if you get the aluminum version plus milk crates and tie-downs, you’re looking at $321.
To make matters worse, it doesn’t lift the wheels off the ground, usually the main reason you put a bike on a lift. To do that, you have to put a scissor jack (not included) on the ramp and lift one wheel at a time. Tell me that doesn’t look freakin’ dangerous in the photos!
I don’t know about the stand —– wouldn’t that 650 V Twin look great with a Buell Decal on the side as a great entry level Harley for the young ” inclined ” sport bike rider.
I’m with Todd-8- on this one.
Although the Harbor Freight lift won’t lean up against the wall, it’s sturdy enough to climb up onto and kick-start your scooter (and may be lifts a little higher).
Not having to push a scooter up that incline is a hell of an advantage for a lift.
The only down side of the lift is that the ground clearance on a 42FL is so that i had to build a “mini-ramp” to role Millie up onto it.
-nicker-
How about this one? Clean Dean with Biker magazine bought this with a coupon out of In The Wind magazine for $279 this weekend.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-capacity-motorcycle-lift-91764.html
The wheel clamp is a little iffy, but if you tie the bike down it works great.
Now I can get rid of all these milk crates I have laying around!
Kit,
RE:
“…How about this one?…”
If your hard up for floor space, that one takes up too much room and is tough to push out of the way.
(for me anyway)
-nicker-