What is the safest and best way to lift your bike?

**cooneyr** · 2nd December 2009, 07:29

A chopping block (length of tree trunk) is all I use but bro has one of those sissor lifts (same as Barts) and it works really well. Can wheel the bike around when it is lifted off the ground and nice and stable. Can lift the Super Tenere with it so the big should be no worries!

I've got lazy lately cause Griffon has a centre stand and I use a strop from the handle bars to the roof for front wheel removal.

Cheers R

**clint640** · 2nd December 2009, 07:31

Originally Posted by NZKTM

More or less, yeah...
I will buy some axle stands, try that, or even just a big block of wood as Crisis says....

There is only so much punishment my garage floor can take and my stress levels as well, come to think of it!

I saw a cool home made stand on ADV a while back, it was 2 axle stands attached side by side to a flat base, with a platform on top & a bottle jack in between. The release levers on the stands were welded to a bar going across so trhey could both be let down from either side. By the time you buy the axle stands & a jack etc you might as well just get the $200 job as above though...

Clint

**Waihou Thumper** · 2nd December 2009, 07:42

You are right.
I was looking at the bike this morning. I think it might work if I take the bash plate off. That will give me a little more height.

**alane** · 4th December 2009, 08:59

The best idea I,ve seen---was in my KLR650 "TENGAI" manual.

Join two scissor lift car jacks (Heaps around) together by the worm threaded shaft,so they work in tandem.The joint may need to be a bit flexible,---i.e. clamp some hose on.

Then extend the base & top with some sort of platforms secured to the jacks.WOOD---easy to add to ,or alter (old cupboard doors come to mind).
STEEL SHEET ---light & permanent.
Have never got round to makeing one---it,s on my "must do" list.

Another lift/tiedown,is a permanent wire strainer,can be bought for abought $3 @ a hardware store.

I have used ordinary wire strainers to lift bikes & engines out of cars etc.

**richyrich** · 6th December 2009, 10:08

Originally Posted by bart

Really, for $200 one of those proper bike lift things is cheap. The damage you could do to your bike (or your back), makes it a good investment. The bike can also be wheeled around the shed while sitting on it. It has a lock thing, so the jack part won't go down. Rated to 500kg, so it should almost be strong enough to lift a big.

I wouldn't be without it.

what bart said +1

**warewolf** · 6th December 2009, 11:29

That's a pretty sharp price, I thought they were more like $600... or have they come down since they were released?

**Woodman** · 6th December 2009, 11:33

Originally Posted by warewolf

That's a pretty sharp price, I thought they were more like $600... or have they come down since they were released?

$200 is about right now.

**Waihou Thumper** · 13th December 2009, 05:52

Powerbuilt have brought these back in.
I bought one from the guys in Morrinsville, it arrived from Christchurch. The price was $224, which was after a 10% loyalty discount thing. It works well and lifts cleanly.

It is pretty heavy but has the nice wheels and castors on it to manoeuver around the garage should I want to take the DR for a walk....

**El scooto** · 13th December 2009, 11:41

Originally Posted by NZKTM

Powerbuilt have brought these back in.
I bought one from the guys in Morrinsville, it arrived from Christchurch. The price was $224, which was after a 10% loyalty discount thing. It works well and lifts cleanly.

It is pretty heavy but has the nice wheels and castors on it to manoeuver around the garage should I want to take the DR for a walk....

I got one of these type ones from topmaq, for lifting the big S10 it does the trick nicely. Pretty much the only style of lift (apart from the table type jobs) that is rated high enough to lift the S10 fat ass off the ground (236kg). Castors on it are very handy too.

Cheers

**K9OFSTRIKEX** · 13th December 2009, 14:54

Originally Posted by NZKTM

Powerbuilt have brought these back in.
I bought one from the guys in Morrinsville, it arrived from Christchurch. The price was $224, which was after a 10% loyalty discount thing. It works well and lifts cleanly.

It is pretty heavy but has the nice wheels and castors on it to manoeuver around the garage should I want to take the DR for a walk....

Good call on that style lift, I was with bart all the way. Up until I had a bike with a center stand I always had one of those in the garage and you would be surprised how helpful the ability to take your bike for a walk can be. Had a BMW rear wheel fail on me once (terrifying) and was able to lift the rear of the bike with one of these jacks and with the help of a mate and a few random skater kids was able to walk her all the way home for surgery!

**Woodman** · 13th December 2009, 19:03

Originally Posted by NZKTM

Powerbuilt have brought these back in.
I bought one from the guys in Morrinsville, it arrived from Christchurch. The price was $224, which was after a 10% loyalty discount thing. It works well and lifts cleanly.

It is pretty heavy but has the nice wheels and castors on it to manoeuver around the garage should I want to take the DR for a walk....

I have it on good authority that they have the same Powerbuilt ones at Repco for $199.

**warewolf** · 14th December 2009, 11:43

Aaah, right, I see we are not talking about the same thing. These $200 jobbies only lift to 400-ish mm - not working height.

What I thought bart was using was the motorcycle stands that rise to more like 1.2m(?) with the bike clamped to it by hooks in to the footpegs.

Here's one from motomail, but this isn't the one I was thinking of, not as capable: