Thinking about a motorcycle lift.

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I happened to be in PA yesterday and saw the lift that's on sale. Not to put down anyone that's bought it, and understanding that there's a substantial price difference, but it's on a different planet compared to the Direct Lift. Quite frankly, I wouldn't put my bike on PA's sale lift at all. I don't know about the other lifts PA sells but this one is narrower, shorter, and made of tin (I exaggerate, but that's what it felt like).

For anyone that gets ANY of the PA lifts, I highly suggest making some form of outrigger to stabilize the table. Mine came with them and is rock solid. While this is likely a bigger bike than most are looking at putting on a table, keep in mind this happened in the "down" position...

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Hack said:
PA has theirs on sale again... https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/800-lb-motorcycle-lift-table/A-p8668071e

It says it's rated for 800lbs... I wonder if that's just what the bottle jack is rated for and one could increase the weight by installing a heavier duty bottle jack or... Is it the frame overall that is rated for that 800lbs...?

My FJR supposedly weighs about 640lbs... I'd like to have a little more than 160lbs to play with... Lol. (no fat chick jokes please)
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That BMW on its side probably has a wet weight close to 770-780Lbs? thats pretty close to an 800lb limit on the PA lift. I'd like to know if there are mitigating circumstance or if it just tipped over.

Of course the 800lbs is lifting in a straight line up, they dont have a tip resistance rating, I'd be bolting some outriggers on there. You'd hate to push hard on a wrench and watch a bike fall over.
 
The lift with the BMW on it is actually the 1000 lb unit, not the 800 lb unit mentioned in my quoted post. I haven't actually seen the 1000 lb unit so have no comment on it. The 800 lb is a joke IMHO. Regardless; outriggers!

The story on the forum I got the pic from was simply that the bike was left on the table over night in the down position and that he neglected to strip the bike down. His front wheel chock apparently has a bit more play than he thought and the bike leaned a bit and over it went. Note that the wheel is still in the chock.

I can tell you that I tested (with friends) the stability of my DL lift without the outriggers when I first got it to see if I needed the outriggers (they do present a bit of a trip hazzard). I don't think this would've happened, even in the up position, as I think the bike would have fallen off before the table tipped but there was some sway. With the outriggers it's bomb proof. Using it with a Baxley chock and I never use straps either.

crankcall said:
That BMW on its side probably has a wet weight close to 770-780Lbs? thats pretty close to an 800lb limit on the PA lift. I'd like to know if there are mitigating circumstance or if it just tipped over.

Of course the 800lbs is lifting in a straight line up, they dont have a tip resistance rating, I'd be bolting some outriggers on there. You'd hate to push hard on a wrench and watch a bike fall over.
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coyo said:
The lift with the BMW on it is actually the 1000 lb unit, not the 800 lb unit mentioned in my quoted post. I haven't actually seen the 1000 lb unit so have no comment on it. The 800 lb is a joke IMHO. Regardless; outriggers!

The story on the forum I got the pic from was simply that the bike was left on the table over night in the down position and that he neglected to strip the bike down. His front wheel chock apparently has a bit more play than he thought and the bike leaned a bit and over it went. Note that the wheel is still in the chock.
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So what happened there is tgat the bike fell over and took the lift with it... The lift itself did not initiate the topple.
 
-D- said:
Hey,
What was the cost for this?

Also, how do you get the bike up?
Another piece of wood acting as the ramp??
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All of a sudden it's not much of a "lift" is it? I think you're supposed to pretend this box is like the back of a pick up truck.
 
-D- said:
your dad could make these and sell them to use...there is the thing you were looking for he could do, lol.
the plans are on the site and he can mod it also
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CSA approval would be a nightmare. I'm still confused how some of these clowns slide the homebuilt pepper mills thru. Trump's throwing up towers all over the world. They call him a dummy. I wanna build a plywood box lol.
 
inreb said:
All of a sudden it's not much of a "lift" is it? I think you're supposed to pretend this box is like the back of a pick up truck.
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can probably just make a wood ramp also?
find some way to use the ramp as part of the unit after or use it as a bench to sit on
I like the idea that it comes apart. I would probably opt for 1 inch plywood and some sort of reinforcement beams on the bottom of the deck part.
 
-D- said:
can probably just make a wood ramp also?
find some way to use the ramp as part of the unit after or use it as a bench to sit on
I like the idea that it comes apart. I would probably opt for 1 inch plywood and some sort of reinforcement beams on the bottom of the deck part.
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Any bike worth owning you won't want to push up that ramp. All you need for a work table is 8" high. Makes all the difference in the world.
 
-D- said:
your dad could make these and sell them to use...there is the thing you were looking for he could do, lol.
the plans are on the site and he can mod it also
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I've made a few of these, for myself and a few friends. As TSC113 said, 2 sheets of plywood, don't have to make them the exact dimensions as the plans on the website.

They aren't as versatile as a lift but definately a cheap way to save your back and knees.
 
inreb said:
Any bike worth owning you won't want to push up that ramp. All you need for a work table is 8" high. Makes all the difference in the world.
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can probably make one the height of those car ramps...only need 1 car ramp to get bike up.
use the bike stands from there
hmmm
 
inreb said:
CSA approval would be a nightmare. I'm still confused how some of these clowns slide the homebuilt pepper mills thru. Trump's throwing up towers all over the world. They call him a dummy. I wanna build a plywood box lol.
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CSA's initial mandate is as an electrical certification body, they have littler bearing on my hand propelled mills. Now go bash out another cod piece for the tin man , metal boy. Joes getting a $5 buck mill.
 
Sorry you lost me at mandate, not that there's anything wrong with that.
 
inreb said:
All of a sudden it's not much of a "lift" is it? I think you're supposed to pretend this box is like the back of a pick up truck.
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Yep It's cheap, You can even get the long cuts done at what ever place you buy the materials at. I push my racebikes onto mine by myself all the time. As some said the height you want depends on the size you cut the boards. 3/4 inch is more than strong enough. I sit on the bike on top of the stand all the time.
 
mimico_polak said:
How do you find the stability on that?
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I've been using the same one for probably 7 or 8 years now with out any issues. The top is very soaked in crap now and still solid. I use a steel ramp to roll the bike up and usually have it on the front and rear stands. I've stripped the racebikes right down to bare frames without out any issues. The front cross piece is 4 feet wide
 
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