Bike lifts

[Tomcat]

The old office chair works well next to the lift. 

[Kickaha]

I use an old hospital bed which I just put a plywood top on and some tiedown points

[Greybeard]

I use an old hospital bed which I just put a plywood top on and some tiedown points

I'd like to see a picture of that.

[chaterlea25]

Hi All
I also have a hospital bed based bike bench, I cut the frame down to  28inches wide, and bolted on a plywood top
The bench in my other shed is  one I made it is much heavier and uses a trolley jack for elevation

John

[RDfella]

Be careful with the homemade stuff. Don't want your bike crashing to the floor from two feet or higher or, worse still, landing on you.
I use a sealey full lenght (well, almost full length - one wheel remains on the inner end of the ramp). Downside is it's heavy. Putting it out of the way when not in use is not really an option, other than flipping it on its side (if you're strong enough). Like many commenters here, I'm getting too old for lying on the floor to work on machinery. With the lift, I can sit on a chair whilst I'm working.

[chaterlea25]

Hi RD,
Fear not, The main workshop bike bench is made from 50 x 6 angle and heavy gauge rectangle box for the scissors legs
The angle iron came from work, a packing frame that supported a high voltage circuit breaker for transit
It was nicely painted bright red most of which has survived well 
It has had quite a few big heavy beemers and such on it  without complaint.
The hospital bed is rated for a really fat bloke  so safely holds the vintage BSA and
before that an A10 and others over the last 10 years

John

[bikerbob]

I have a home made lift that is very heavy so much so that when I want to move it out of the way I have a chain operated lift that fastens to a garage beam, which i use to put the lft on it's side against the garage wall it is then tied back to a hook on the wall.
When using the lift which is operated with a modified hydraulic car jack, the bike is always on the center stand tied down with 4 ratchet straps for safety. The jack is only used to lift the bike up and lower it down, when raised I have a strong metal support that comes down automaticaly and supports the platform so I do not rely on the jack to support the bike jacks can and have failed before.
When I used to work under cars I would never go under a car that was only supported by a jack always used axle stands or other non hydraulic supports. Safety is paramount .

[hdawson]

I am still singing the praises of my bike lift which I have had for about five years.
Kendon Motolift.
Light enough to stack against the wall when not in use.
Narrow enough to manoeuvre my other bikes around for spontaneous egress.
Not cheap but money well spent.
Safe wishes to all.
Hadrian.

[Butch (cb)]

Yep. Makes pretty much any job a pleasure, even oil filter changes on earlier big block Guzzis. Mine has something up on it most weekends, and a bike is just parked on it when it is not in use.

[muskrat]

G'day Fellas.
I got two big ones. The BSA's live on them. The best I've ever had. The pump up and release is a little slow (very slow release if here's no bike on it) but they lift the 300+Kg HD with ease.
https://tinyurl.com/y3fw2yyq  I got the faster red ones.
Cheers

[hdawson]

I don’t have as much room as Muskrat (impressive) so had to fork out more for something more stowable. Essential piece of kit when no centre stand fitted of course but also converts my ancient stable into a museum with a work of art on show. 

[sean]

after looking at lots of bike lifts I ended up making my own so I could use it for the riding mower atv and the bike s as the ones offered on sale were either too narrow or too much money probably not able to see much in this pic but its a hydraulic lift mostly made from scrap steel I had around the shop and things I scrounged from work .