Hi, I'm looking for some advice on the above, the problem is that along with the commando I usually have other bikes in the garage, from mopeds to modern stuff. For my XLR I can get a MX lift stand quite cheaply, but a solution that would fit many bikes would be ideal. roll on work platforms present the same problem for the commando as the frame generally needs to be supported indepentantly to remove engine cradle gearbox etc. The one I like the look of is from On-bike but pretty expensive, other than this - anyone got any experience or diy ideas that they have tried?

CNW has a brace that allows engine/GB removal and the bike still rolls, I seem to recall that it's about $50.00.

Derek Weaver (FT. Worth, Texas) has a nice lift for about $820.00 delivered, thats the way I think I'm going to
go. The Weaver lift will be a parking place for a bike when it's down.

Unclviny

I just bought $200 worth of steel 1" X 2" 0.125" square tubing, 1" X 0.125" strap and 8" X 0.125" to make my own table lift. I have the thing drawn on paper, well scribbled. For the lifting I am fortunate to have an hydraulic cylinder I salvaged from my old job, but as an alternate, a threaded rod coupled to a reversing drill could be used. With my design, the table is no more than 2" off the ground so the bike can be rolled on and off without any help, this was the main reason for making my own aside from the fact that I am too cheap to buy a ready made one

Stand by for pictures soon.

Jean

I used to use my trailer as a stand, or wood blocking after using my roller jack. For Christmas I bought myself a Harbor Freight motorcycle lift in alloy.
It was fairly cheap and lifts 1500 lbs if I recall and has a locking mechanism. So far it has worked on my featherbed Norton and my Goldwing.

I started work on my lift. First I made the pivot pins from ½" rod with a washer welded to the end and threaded for a 3/8" bolt.



Then I made the four uprights, 36" in lenght. Drilled them two at a time to get the holes all at the same distance one from the other.



Then I drilled the holes for the perimeter, welded it together and welded the cross braces for the uprights.




This is the cylinder I will be using, it has a built in pump and a 28" stroke which will be amplified with a pulley. My table could lift to about 35".




Jean

That looks slick. I have one of those jacks that lifts the center now and it is a great help but that should be twice as good.

I found this for plans http://www.afabonline.com/table_lift_plans.htm A bit similar to my design, except the table is too high when it is down.

Jean

That's interesting too. At this point I go home and when I have an extra hour I sit by the hooligan bike I'm making and run another few wires. It's up on blocks but comfort would be improved to have it higher I think, next time.

I have this small lift to bring both wheels from the ground :


I am lucky to have a 4 pole car lift , so when I want the bike at a comfortable working height ,
I simply put the small lift on one of the runners of the car lift .

Ludwig - that is a COOL little lift!

I don't imagine the bike stays balanced if you remove only one wheel from the bike?

That's a big shortcoming with the two lifts I have (store-bought scissor-type bike lifts). I've been thinking of making bolt-on outriggers to keep the stand balanced for one-wheel removal.

grandpaul wrote:..I don't imagine the bike stays balanced if you remove only one wheel from the bike ..

It stays balanced . It would be pretty useless if it didn't , but both rear and front wheel are much lighter tnan STD .
The front support is off centre to clear the sidestand spring , so it takes the curved cross tube at a slight angle .
This may cause the bike to slide sideways , if pulled too hard .
So I usually secure it with plastic straps around the frame tubes and the 3 supports .

Had to make a little design change, my hydrauic cylinder would not have worked so I used a 1500lb winch and built a raised point of anchor. My battery is bad but I was able to test it with me and the wife and while she didn't let me go all the way up, the winch lifted the both of us. Together we weigh over 300 pounds (I make up themost of that ) I'm glad it works and I am able to keep it low to the ground. I'm not sure, but I thik my pulleys give me a 3 to 1 ratio meaning the 1500 pound pull is multiplied by 3 which I think should mean that a 500 pound motorcycle would be an easy lift. I will do some tests with an electronic scale before putting a bike on it that's for sure.

Jean



That is about 30 inches hight

Are you going to have a locking system?

Cookie wrote:Are you going to have a locking system?

Of course

Jean

Something like this would be good. I bought a small motorcycle jack, but it's no good because the sidestand lug gets in the way.