Potential bike lift?

[derek badger]

Rechargeable lifty thing. Was converted with a top place and suction puller to load heavy(ish) equipment into boxes. It's got 100kg capacity and with the plate taken off looks like it has potential for a bike lift. The KX500 weighs 220lb dry...

[David]

Why wait?
It's a boike lift

[Wreckless Rat]

Seems close to is max weight and is rather large/space hungry. Not sure I see the point?

[David]

I am assuming it will be v. cheap or free. If it is rated at 100kg it will have been tested to around 150kg...and the bike is 220lb....100kg.

[GuzziPaul]

Seems close to is max weight and is rather large/space hungry. Not sure I see the point?

Same here, plus the column gets in the way, and why would you need to lift it above your head. I'd want at least 300kg for a bike lift. Look at the picture you would be lifting via the engine/frame and leave the wheals floating? or would you extend the platform so it sat on the wheels instead?

[derek badger]

It's free and it'll be used similar to an MX type stand, except it can go a bit higher. It'll not be used for working underneath.

[David]

Its free. Hesitate not i tell you.

[derek badger]

So chillt made a trip over to the office to collect some racking and anything else he could get in his van or on the trailer. He kindly took one of the Newton mini-lifters back to my place. I'd removed the 10mm steel plate that held the suction device and the nylon base plate above it and the forks were a perfect size to slide under a moto-x bike.





The batteries needed charging so while I waited I cut some MDF to make a plate with some stainless counter sunk bolts and also a base to rest tools on etc.





Once they had some charge it easily lifted the KX500 up..and up...and up. Perfect access for working on.







It's easy to move about and allows me to slide it closer to the MT-09 for access to one of the workbenches and then move it out the way to get it off the paddock stand.



All in all, I'm well pleased. Even more so when I discovered they are £3700+VAT new!

[David]

Free...does the job better than a "proper" lift. Whats not to like?
Brilliant..

[Trogladyte]

Love it!

I've been thinking about a bike lift, and I am sort of attracted to the Abba skylift. I'm in two minds though, as it looks unstable - but allegedly isn't. Anyone used one?

https://abbastands.co.uk/product-detail ... ift&pid=44

[Silly Car]

Love it!

I've been thinking about a bike lift, and I am sort of attracted to the Abba skylift. I'm in two minds though, as it looks unstable - but allegedly isn't. Anyone used one?

https://abbastands.co.uk/product-detail ... ift&pid=44

I can’t comment on the sky lift but the previous superbike lift is rock solid, even on castors.

I might be convinced to part with mine if anyone was interested in making me an offer...

[G.P]

p.m me with how much you want and where you're located

[GuzziPaul]

The "normal" Abba stand is pretty solid, I've even had the Tuono up on my bike lift with it on the stand. I also have the front wheel lift attachment as well which again is pretty solid.
I went for for a hydraulic bench rather than the Abba stand soI can get the Le Mans up in the air and the Abba stand doesn't fit.

[Beancounter]

Love it!

I've been thinking about a bike lift, and I am sort of attracted to the Abba skylift. I'm in two minds though, as it looks unstable - but allegedly isn't. Anyone used one?

https://abbastands.co.uk/product-detail ... ift&pid=44

I’ve not used the Skylift myself but I’ve seen one in use lifting an Aprilia Caponord (the ETV1000/Varadero lookalike model). Very stable and assuming a smooth garage floor, the bike/lift can be moved around pretty freely. Setting up is a one-man job. Only slight criticism is that it at full height, the wheels/axles will be a couple of feet off the ground which isn’t as high as I was expecting.

I’ve got a Big Blue Easy Rizer and had to go down this route because the Skylift doesn’t work with RHS SSSA like on my 1150GS. Whilst the Easy Rizer is a solid piece of kit, it’s not the most user-friendly or practical. I’ll see if I can find my posts on UKGSER and will drop them in here.

[Beancounter]

Post 1:

“I can’t comment if the Skylift is easier to use than the Big Blue but I suspect it probably is easier if only just. Setting up the brackets on the Big Blue has taken me the best part of 40 minutes, the big concern making sure the foot peg/lift plates are in the correct position so that the bike gets raised squarely. Obviously this won’t be an issue going forward.

As Ian points out, the Big Blue works only with the centre-stand retracted (you also have to extend the side stand so that the lifting brackets can get a good connection to the foot pegs!), This means you either need another person to hold the bike upright whilst you connect the Big Blue’s foot peg mounts/brackets, or a wheel chock. TBF, the Quasar website does say you need a wheel chock, I just thought I’d chance it but I was proved wrong. I bought a cheap wheel chock from Amazon for £35. It works okay but you need to get some weight behind the chock otherwise the weight of the GSA just pushes the chock away. I used a full 20l jerry can FWIW. The Quasar products chock looks a lot mor substantial and much better quality.

Once the bike is lifted it cannot be easily moved around the garage, if at all but I knew that before I bought the Big Blue. The bike feels pretty solid on the stand, even when rocked (albeit gently, tried to mimic accidentally knocking the bike).

If you add the cost of the Quasar wheel chock to the cost of the Big Blue you’re up at £535 which is Skylift and Abba Stand money.

I cannot comment if the Skylift is better but what I can say is that I’m happy with the Big Blue. I mentioned earlier in the thread that I spoke with Abba and they said their stand doesn’t work with RHS swingarms but I can’t remember exactly why. Appreciate that some people might be able to make a work around to use the Abba stand but I’m not that way minded.

I have taken some photos. They’re not great but I’ll try to get them posted.”

[Beancounter]

Post 2:

“I’m a few months in using the Big Blue Easy Rizer so thought I’d do a bit of an update.

From my point of view, it’s a good piece of kit but a PITA to use.

Problem 1: Storage of the BBE. I have a single car garage which is bike storage and workshop area. The garage is home to four motorcycles, a tumble drier and a fridge (side by side). I also have another worktop opposite the TD/fridge which ‘eats’ into floor space so having the BBE set up all the time really makes things awkward in the garage, particularly just moving through it. Appreciate that my situation might be extreme with so much crammed into the garage and certainly if I only had one bike then it wouldn’t be an issue.

Problem 2: Setting up. The way the lift operates on every motorbike is the same but the actual set up of the mounts is different. My pal came round yesterday to do a minor service on his CB1000R and it took an hour and a half just to get the mounts set up correctly. TBF, we were nattering away and the more you use it, the quicker it would be but it’s definitely not as easy to use as the Abba Stand. I’m just about to try setting it up on one of my other bikes so will be interesting to see how long it takes me.

Problem 3: Oil changes can’t be done using the BBE because the mount usually obstructs the sump bolt and/or the filter. You can’t do any work to the footpegs because this is where the BBE mounts to. So the lowest points on the bike which might need attention you’d still need to bend down for.

Problems 2 and 3 are minor really, it’s the amount of space it takes up, you end up shunting it into a corner and only using if you really have to.

I’m probably going to look at the Abba Stand now, I just need to know which adapter kit (if any) fit the GS1150.“

[demographic]

So chillt made a trip over to the office to collect some racking and anything else he could get in his van or on the trailer. He kindly took one of the Newton mini-lifters back to my place. I'd removed the 10mm steel plate that held the suction device and the nylon base plate above it and the forks were a perfect size to slide under a moto-x bike.

I realise I'm a bit late to make this point but I have a suction glass lifter the same as that yellow bit that looks like a big old style telephone handset.
Think its made by Veribor.
Surprisingly handy for lifting glass obviously but also for inspection panels in commercial buildings.
I've had it for just shy of 20 years now and its as good now as when I got it.

Ive even pulled a shallow dent out of my wifes car with it.

[derek badger]

Bike lift is fucking brilliant.