bike lift extensions

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
Not a bike in this story
Last year I bought a new to me Colchester lathe,  the moving involved getting the existing lathe to another position in the garage making space for the replacement
I have a pair of "axles" made up with a flat bar across between the rollers for under the lathe,  I needed to turn the lathe 90 degrees twice to get it placed near the door,, on one of the turning manouvered the lathe slipped off the axle at one corner
Bang  and I was sure it was going to tip over but it rocked to and fro a few times before settling at an angle.. I had the presence of mind to get out of the way and almost "brown trousers" while it settled
1.2 tons ..
I thought F that and went and asked my brother to come and help recover the situation..
I also now find the bikes getting heavier and heavier
Gravity  must be getting stronger 

John

[Greybeard]

I recently dropped my new BSA. The bike fell away from me;  it was laying on its side in front of my shed. I tried to lift the bike back up but could not. I used to be quite strong but age is creeping up on me. I tied a rope onto the handlebar;  Janet pulled on the rope while I lifted from the other side.
I was dreading what damage I would find but amazingly all there is to show for the fall is a scratch on the windscreen. The bike had fallen onto some old cardboard boxes which must have protected it a bit.

We are going to be moving soon. The next house has a proper garage attached. It will be very nice to be able to roll the bike into the garage without having to negotiate a step as I do at the moment.

My wife asked if I was going to keep my bike hoist as the new machine should not require as much fettling as the A10. I cannot decide about this. Getting the large and heavy hoist down to Cornwall will be a challenge for our removals company or me if I hire a van and move all my shed stuff myself. After the guarantee period expires, (in 3 years time) I will service the Gold Star myself so a hoist may be useful but I'm not sure if keeping it is justified. The hoist takes up a lot of room, (unless it's stored on its side).
Another factor is that the new bike doesn't have a centre stand and lifting a bike skyward that only has a propstand is something that I will not be doing! I could get a pit stand for the bike but if I do I can probably service the back wheel without requiring a full hoist.

Before you suggest it, I will not be working on any other motorbikes.

Thoughts on disposing of my hoist?

[Greybeard]

Tripped on a piece of cotton and down she went. Smashed the right side tank and blinker . There goes a few hundred $$$$$.
BUGGA

BUGGA indeed. Sorry Babba 😕

[muskrat]

G'day GB.
Keep the hoist. When Deb and I moved here the first thing I got for the shed was two pneumatic lifts (no more pumping pedals). The two Beeza's live on them or their extra work benches.
Cheers
ps: Happy Australia Day

[limeyrob]

Fit a front wheel clamp to it to get around the side stand issue.  Bending down just gets harder and harder so the better work height matters.

[berger]

GB you could easily do as i do now you are going to have a garage and put a beam across and lift the bike with a ratchet winch or tirfor thingy or lorry ratchet straps , all you have to do is take the tank off or find a good place for a strap or two

[Greybeard]

GB you could easily do as i do now you are going to have a garage and put a beam across and lift the bike with a ratchet winch or tirfor thingy or lorry ratchet straps , all you have to do is take the tank off or find a good place for a strap or two

Hmm, I'll check the roof of the new garage to see if it's strong enough. 👍

[BagONails]

I had a close call yesterday.  Bike is up on a hydraulic lift, a short one about 2 ft long with planks across. 

Sorry to hear all these tales of woe, must admit, I've been lucky so far but have had a few close ones.  Your story above has convinced me to act Rob. It sounds like the same thing that I'm using, they are sold here as an ATV lift? Like an overgrown hydraulic jack but with more lift and very maneuverable but lacking in wheelbase. I find it extremely useful but you have to be careful and yes blocking the wheels/forks/swing arm is a good idea!

For the A10 and now A65, I fabbed up a small sub frame which sits neatly under the frame members and then clamps to the lift but the whole still lacks stability. For me the answer is to do what Berger suggested and provide an overhead beam or two and lash the frame up to them with maybe four ratchet straps. Ideally the lift will be taking majority of the weight with the straps as insurance and to prevent any tendency to topple.

These little lifts are good value on special and rated for 580kg. They allow you to get under the bike and push it sideways in order to maximise parking space as long as your shed floor is flat and smooth. When not in use they go down very low to stow under a bench or another vehicle.

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
BON, I was loaned one of those lifts,
FU@#ing dangerous in my opinion

I can recommend the electric winchi yokes sold by Lidl and Aldi every so often,
Some eye bolts and shackles and a couple of short fabric slings, make it easy to hang from rafters and such.
I have abused the crap out of mine pulling the lathes about, even winching the smaller Harrison up a trailer ramp for its new owner..  €50  well spent

John

[Greybeard]

I can recommend the electric winchi yokes sold by Lidl and Aldi every so often...

Will you show me a picture of that creature please.

[groily]

If the hydraulic things BON and John are talking about are like this picture, then they're an accident waiting to happen.
I have used this one to get bikes without centre stands vertical and 'up a bit', but as John says, risky as hell.  It's a more-than-one-man job safely to get a machine moored as it depends hugely on the shape of the lower frame rails, plus whether there are any projections underneath that get in the way, and where the balance point is. Can't be used without straps, preferably 4 off and attached to solid points on the floor, not to the jack's frame, while someone else is holding the machine steady.
Mine has mostly gathered dust as can be seen, and I sure as hell wouldn't recommend it. A tool of last resort that should carry serious health warnings! Winchi things far safer if a suitable beam is available  . . .

[Rex]

I must admit that a couple of my bikes are far too heavy/awkward to get on the centre stand when the bike is on the wobbly lift, so one of those belly jacks is ideal for lifting it high enough to allow the C/S to be swung down.
That said, it's a two-person operation as the bike needs holding upright while the belly jack is wound upwards. A bike falling off the lift is a nightmare of mine, and only surpassed by the bike falling off with me underneath it.

[muskrat]

G'day Fellas.
I have one of those for the HD. I agree their a bit iffy in that you can't strap the bike on till it's at the desired height. Once at height and strapped it's not too bad. Once the HD is on the bench lift I have a small one to lift the rear wheel.
I tend to do more damage in the shed than on the road!
Cheers

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
The engine jack in Musky's post is a very useful tool, I have had one a long time now.

GB, This link should show the electric hoist

https://www.lidl.ie/p/electric-rope-hoist/p10018526

John

[Topdad]

I have one of these type of lifts and only used it once as I thought to dangerous however my next door neighbour ,now sadly deceased being a man who loved wood and making things made me a proper table lift which incorporated the the dangerous lift very neatly only trouble is its slightly over engineered so is heavy once up it is a solid as any lift I've seen .