Best rolling motorcycle jack?

Henry McCann

Joined
Apr 27, 2020
Messages
23
Age
69
Location
Montana
I'm looking for a quality rolling jack for my ST1300. There isn't room for a permanent lift. Something stable while stationary and of course stable when moving. I can't say price is no object, but I really want quality.

Thanks for your time.
 
I have one by Sears (Craftsman), but virtually the identical lift / roller is offered at Harbor Freight.
Particularly for the ST1300, I would NOT recommend it. It is sketchy up in the air, and there's no way I would try to "roll" it anywhere with the bike on it.
I have used a scrap piece of lumber at the back of the engine to make it level, but it's nerve-wracking. Bought it years ago, before I had the ST, and I don't think I've ever actually lifted the 1300 on this thing. It's too scary for me, even if I tied the handlebars to the rafters to help steady it.
Personally, I really like the one @Mellow bought, and since it's Monday on a Tuesday I can't recall the name... Skylift maybe? That will be my next "lift."
But the difference is low as sub-$200 for these, versus about $800 for Mellow's piece of mechanical art.

Here's Northern Tool & Equipment's version:
Northern Tool
1676413061132.png1676413061132.png


Toolots - which I've never heard of.
1676413186279.png1676413061132.png1676413186279.png
And Craftsman...

1676413254184.png1676413061132.png1676413186279.png1676413254184.png
 
Sadlsor said:
Skylift maybe
Click to expand...

Abba Skylift | Tools/Workshop/Garage

Hey folks I have been mulling over the idea of getting a lift for working on the bike. At the bike show here in Dublin over the weekend I saw the Abba Skylift and was impressed given how versatile it is . I called the manufacturer in England today and they do make adaptors for the pan has...
www.st-owners.com www.st-owners.com
 
The investment for the Skylift is reasonable, in my opinion, and I like that it doesn't take as much room as a lift "table." The table will generally (for many) cost more, be far heavier, take up more room, and it costs extra if you want to sink it into your garage floor. But that would be upper-first class. Cutting concrete...? Not for me, no thanks.
So, the lift comes with one adapter, buy a second adapter (1250 GS/A), and good to go.
I think it's prettier than most tables, too.
It's good to have choices in life, and I will disparage none of yours.
 
Sadlsor said:
I have one by Sears (Craftsman), but virtually the identical lift / roller is offered at Harbor Freight.
Particularly for the ST1300, I would NOT recommend it. It is sketchy up in the air, and there's no way I would try to "roll" it anywhere with the bike on it.
I have used a scrap piece of lumber at the back of the engine to make it level, but it's nerve-wracking. Bought it years ago, before I had the ST, and I don't think I've ever actually lifted the 1300 on this thing. It's too scary for me, even if I tied the handlebars to the rafters to help steady it.
Personally, I really like the one @Mellow bought, and since it's Monday on a Tuesday I can't recall the name... Skylift maybe? That will be my next "lift."
But the difference is low as sub-$200 for these, versus about $800 for Mellow's piece of mechanical art.

Here's Northern Tool & Equipment's version:
Northern Tool
1676413061132.png1676413061132.png


Toolots - which I've never heard of.
1676413186279.png1676413061132.png1676413186279.png
And Craftsman...

1676413254184.png1676413061132.png1676413186279.png1676413254184.png
Click to expand...
I have the Harbor Freight model for ages now. It is adequately sound for stationary use, I wouldn't move it around at all with a bike as heavy as either the 1100 or 1300. Disaster is waiting for the slightest little wiggle. I did roll my lighter bikes around on it quite easily on it. Hint.....I kept the wheels and castors clean and well lubricated.
 
Thanks for the response. The SkyLift looks good. Several years ago I saw a motorcycle jack video that showed them lifting a Harley bagger up and moving it around a garage. Then someone got up on the bike to show how stable it was. For the life of me I can't remember the name.
 
Worm driven, no hydraulic bottle jack to fail and toss your bike.
The Dolly is very low to the ground and stable, casters good quality, etc.
Have used to lift Harley Touring models, Goldwings, and just about everything else in between.
Look in the bays at just about ANY motorcycle repair place and you'll see K&L Center Jacks and Fat Jacks.
My center jack is used Daily, and over 40 years old, and still works as good today as it did when purchased new.
I've seen many hydraulic jacks (Pitbull, J&S, Craftsman, Harbor freight) break at the worst possible moment, and toss bikes over on their sides, or spray oil out and not allow the lock to be removed without the help of have a dozen people to lift it up etc.

K&L SUPPLY COMPANY - K-L MC455 FAT JACK

The MC455 Fat Jack is a wide version of our popular MC450 Center Jack, MC464 Fat Jack Dolly works with the MC455. Casters let you move bikes easily, with the stability you need.NOTE: Do not use air/impact guns to raise and lower the MC455Specs:Max Load Capacity = 1100 lbs16-rdquo;(405mm) Length...
dealer.klsupply.com dealer.klsupply.com
 
Igofar said:

K&L SUPPLY COMPANY - K-L MC455 FAT JACK

The MC455 Fat Jack is a wide version of our popular MC450 Center Jack, MC464 Fat Jack Dolly works with the MC455. Casters let you move bikes easily, with the stability you need.NOTE: Do not use air/impact guns to raise and lower the MC455Specs:Max Load Capacity = 1100 lbs16-rdquo;(405mm) Length...
dealer.klsupply.com dealer.klsupply.com
Click to expand...
No prices shown. Do you know the cost?

Never mind. Found some. There's a cheap one on Amazon. I wonder if the quality is different.

It's not even the cheapest one:

 
Has anyone used the Sky Lift or the Fat Jack with their 1300?

I finally remembered what jack I had watched the video comparison of, it was J&S Lifts. Looks great but won't work with the 1300 or any BMW's. My two bikes are the 1300 and a K75S.
 
There are NO cheap K&L Center Jacks. You may be looking at just the Dolly etc.
The cheaper/off shore models (Red/Black) etc.
Are cheap for a reason. I've flattened out the threads on the rod just lifting dirt bikes up repeatedly.
 
Think about what you are asking this jack to do if you plan on moving the bike while it is aloft. These jacks are either not very long or not very wide. The force required to tip the bike/jack assembly over is not very great with such a small footprint. Yes, you can strap the bike to the jack, but unlike a lift table, the straps are not very far out and everything may tip.

I'd urge you to only move a bike on one of these on a freshly swept smooth floor and preferably with a helper. I've rolled my HF lift with a bike aboard and elevated, and if those steel wheels hit anything on my smooth garage floor, the table comes to an abrupt halt with much wobbling of the bike (I strap it to the table, fore and aft).

I'm not telling you not to use one of these, just to be very careful if you do.
 
Larry Fine said:
I wonde
Click to expand...
I don't know about the one you linked to. I have one of the cheap Chinese ones and they are definitely not the same quality. There are no bearings on the screw rod, only washers as a bearing surface. The threads on the screw rod are poorly cut, not smooth, and the rod is not perfectly true. All this makes it much harder to raise and lower the motorcycle. The pivot points in the frame are not sleeved, simply holes, etc., to give you some idea of what to look for.

Having written all that, it works perfectly well for me as I don't use it very often. If you are only going to use it a few times a year like I do, they work perfectly fine. If I was using it as often as IGOFAR does, I would definitely spend the money for the quality found in those in the range of the K&L.
 
Henry McCann said:
I'm looking for a quality rolling jack for my ST1300. There isn't room for a permanent lift. Something stable while stationary and of course stable when moving. I can't say price is no object, but I really want quality.

Thanks for your time.
Click to expand...
Henry, it really comes down to what you want it for and how often you'll use it.

If just for tire changes, a simple bottle jack, or any jack for that matter, to slightly lift up the front tire by using the bottom of the engine will be fine - maybe a board there to keep from damaging the fins on the engine.

For working on the bike pretty much all other lifts will be good enough but if you know a table lift is not what you want due to space - same reason I went with the Abba Skylift.

The Skylift is pretty awesome. You can easily move the bike while on the lift and some will use it for bike storage by keeping the safety peg in the desired location and then opening the jack so it's not under pressure. The rollers look questionable at first but they do a great job and the whole thing, with bike on it, moves around easily.

It makes it very easy to clean the bike. This isn't as high as it will go but is easily moveable and easy for replacing tires/wheels. You will have to call them for the ST1300 adapter, you can see the gold part pushed into the frame - that is different based on different bikes.

IMG_20230204_092434.jpg

It is tricky when you first start to put the bike on the lift, I think all lifts have a level of risk, you have to balance the bike with side stand up and maneuver the lift aligning the adapter into your bike. Once you do that side and make sure the lift wheels are locked, you have to carefully walk around the bike while keeping some pressure towards the lift and attache the other side on. That is the most precarious part of this as you feel you can easily drop the bike but once you do it a couple of times you get more comfortable with the process. Obviously, taking it off the lift is similar but in reverse.

I like that if I'm in a middle of a tire change and found I put the bike in the wrong spot for the work, I can just move it around - wheels on or off.

I don't know if I'll use it for valve checks as I've never seen the benefit if everything being at eye level and can do one just as easily with the bike on the centerstand.
 
I thought it looked a bit flimsy a while back, but the site has a video where a guy gets on a lifted Hayabusa and off the other side [yikes, won't do that]. Will check out price for Canada tomorrow.
 
Chris09 said:
I thought it looked a bit flimsy a while back, but the site has a video where a guy gets on a lifted Hayabusa and off the other side [yikes, won't do that]. Will check out price for Canada tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I won't be doing any of that.
 
Mellow said:
It is tricky when you first start to put the bike on the lift....
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Joe, couldn't you put a chock on the floor, roll the bike into it, attach your SkyLift and pick the bike up out of the chock? Maybe a chock attached to a flat metal plate for stabilty that could be moved away and not screwed tot the floor?
 
SMSW said:
Joe, couldn't you put a chock on the floor, roll the bike into it, attach your SkyLift and pick the bike up out of the chock? Maybe a chock attached to a flat metal plate for stabilty that could be moved away and not screwed tot the floor?
Click to expand...
Yeah, I suppose that would work well, probably cuts the risk down to 2% lol good idea
 
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