Best rolling motorcycle jack?

[Obo]

ST1300 on an Abba Sky Lift

 

[Henry McCann]

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.



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.

Mellow a great reply and post!

I emailed Abba Sky Lift about an adaptor for the ST1300. They do have one and the cost with the ST1300 adaptor would be the $775 as advertised. I was thinking of buying the Pro Lift with the technicians kit as it covers 350+ bikes but unfortunately they don't have anything for my 1992 BMW K75S, the only other bike I own. So the ST1300 adaptor would extra on top of the Pro Package.

With the technicians kit I thought the options would be nice to use for friends and families bikes, or any bikes I might buy in the future. I sent an email asking the cost of the ST1300 adaptor on top of the Pro Lift. Awaiting a response.

Thanks to all who have taken time to respond.

 

[Henry McCann]

Abba got back to me and stated that if I let them know before I ordered the Pro Lift package they would add the ST1300 adaptor in at no extra charge. Good business as the Pro is $300 more than the standard Sky Lift. I'm definitely going to get the Sky Lift, I just now need to decide if I want the Pro Lift with the technicians kit.

I sold a motorcycle last fall and instead of turning that money into another bike I want to put that into equipment like the Sky Lift, maybe a No Mar tire changing system, and other tools. If you have favorite equipment or tools please let me know as possible future purchases. Thank you.

 

[CDNolddude]

Yeah, the Canadian price quickly gets scary... LOL

That is true for ANYTHING

 

[Chris09]

Bought what seems to be a pretty good used hydraulic MC jack; Torin seems to be the brand [embossed on the foot pedal] measures almost 13" across the outside edges of the two parallel pads and about 11 3/4" along the rubber inserts between the small diameter rods. The two white knobs are for adjusting the caster height of the outriggers that hinge out, no means to lock them in place once they're out. Two fixed [straight] position steel wheels and two swivel steel castors, seems to roll nice on concrete with nothing on it. There's a pair of stakes which sequentially drop and drag back out of the first four of five slots to lock it up should the hydraulic leak down. Rated for 1,500 lbs, found it listed new for [works out to] about $350.00 Canadian, paid $75.00.
I wonder if anyone has one of these and if it would work for lifting an ST1300.

 

[Sadlsor]

I have had that for years, branded Craftsman but I've seen it with other labels.
I have yet to own a bike that's comfortable on it, so I seldom use it. All my bikes have center stands, so in most cases it is less scary and just about as effective.
On some bikes, I haven't even been able to do an oil change ecause when balanced, something on the jack is in the way.
Or I have a bike whose engine isn't flat where the jack's support arms are, ... it's always something.
@Mellow has the Skylift (?) which will be my next one.
That device seems to be fairly common, though, so I guess it's useful for some machines.

 

[Bmacleod]

Bought what seems to be a pretty good used hydraulic MC jack; Torin seems to be the brand [embossed on the foot pedal] measures almost 13" across the outside edges of the two parallel pads and about 11 3/4" along the rubber inserts between the small diameter rods. The two white knobs are for adjusting the caster height of the outriggers that hinge out, no means to lock them in place once they're out. Two fixed [straight] position steel wheels and two swivel steel castors, seems to roll nice on concrete with nothing on it. There's a pair of stakes which sequentially drop and drag back out of the first four of five slots to lock it up should the hydraulic leak down. Rated for 1,500 lbs, found it listed new for [works out to] about $350.00 Canadian, paid $75.00.
I wonder if anyone has one of these and if it would work for lifting an ST1300.

My neighbour had one of these and we placed it under my ST a few years back to see if it would work. There was no place to situate the lifting pads that wouldnt damage the plastic underneath. I dont know if it would have worked if I had removed the lower fairings. I wasnt interested in trying as I felt that the bike would not have been stable, perched on top of it.

 

[Chris09]

After posting this yesterday I [re] visited and see [Sadlsor] you've already answered my question back in February, thanks [again] for the benefit of your experience, especially since you've got or had both the ST and the Black Bird. It's actually the PO of my BB who called me up and asked me if I wanted it, looked good enough to get me through fork seals on my XL600 and maybe tires on my VStar [both no centre stand] with maybe a couple custom bases and ratchet straps, but I won't push my luck.

 

[Sadlsor]

Fairings definitely need to be removed, ST or XX, before using that jack.

 

[ReSTored]

An option for people is to wait for a HF type lift to become available on the used market for $200 - $250 and don't fuss with all of these workarounds.

If you have an SUV or truck you might be able to park over the lift as it only 7" high in the low position. This past winter I removed the lift table from the frame, a < 10 minute job, and stored it along the wall next to a shelving unit. The "chassis" of the lift fit under the shelving unit. Overall took up very little space. I use my lift 2 or 3 times a year, so pulling the table and reinstalling it is no big deal to save the space and to have the full functionality of a lift.

 

[core-aggie]

I wonder if anyone has one of these and if it would work for lifting an ST1300.

As in my photo ? Mine's a knock off, bought from Harbor Freight or Northern Tool - can't remember...

Do NOT suggest using it for ST ... maybe for a dual sport that's lightweight and has the proper undercarriage

I did buy it with the intent of using on the bikes, but no go ... only use it for the zero turn mower.

 

[David Fyffe]

About two years ago I got photos of the Abba Skylift.
I bought wheels with locks, a long travel ram and some 1.12x1.25 tubing and built one (copy).
A little shaky at first mount ,but, once attached rock steady.
Front wheel up, whole bike up or rear wheel up.

 

[klaproth]

About two years ago I got photos of the Abba Skylift.
I bought wheels with locks, a long travel ram and some 1.12x1.25 tubing and built one (copy).
A little shaky at first mount ,but, once attached rock steady.
Front wheel up, whole bike up or rear wheel up.

Got pictures, and/or a video of the build? A lot of us are time rich and money poor, and it sounds like a good project! I recall thinking that it would be interesting to build one when I saw Mellow's Skylift. Thanks!