Looks good, Bernie! How many people did it take to unload it? I think one is in my future too.
BTW, I have that exact same map of the San Juan Islands! :-D
BTW, I have that exact same map of the San Juan Islands! :-D
Tips needed in using my new bike lift table
- Thread starter STBernard
- Start date
ChucksKLRST
Team Colorado
Well I can show you a way to put four bikes and Mommas car in the garage, but first you need to decide if your garage is for wood working or for motorcycling (I see you have a bunch of saws there.)
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MileHigh
Juvenile delinquent
Hey Bernie,
I have the same lift and front chock. A couple things I did to make life easier was-
Pick up a scissors lift. Something like this-
I went to a junk yard and got a spare tire scissors lift out of a Chrysler minivan for $2. That will help you raise the bike to put the center stand down. Also helps with raising the bike, on the lift, in general.
A couple other things I did was to "loosely" bolt down the front chock. That way, it can be removed when doing front wheel work. The front chock doesn't have to be so tight it feels like it is premaritally mounted. It's still going to hold your bike on the ramp when you pull up allowing you to hop off and put the straps on. The bike must be on the center stand if you are going to remove the front chock!
Another thing I did was drill two holes in the front of the table allowing me to put the ramp on the front of the lift. Now, I can load the bike from the front end of the ramp, placing the removable slot in the table under the front wheel.
A HUGE WARNING, PLACE SOMETHING UNDER THE FRONT OF THE RAMP IF YOU DO THIS If you don't, the ramp will pop a wheelie with you on the bike.
I have the same lift and front chock. A couple things I did to make life easier was-
Pick up a scissors lift. Something like this-
I went to a junk yard and got a spare tire scissors lift out of a Chrysler minivan for $2. That will help you raise the bike to put the center stand down. Also helps with raising the bike, on the lift, in general.
A couple other things I did was to "loosely" bolt down the front chock. That way, it can be removed when doing front wheel work. The front chock doesn't have to be so tight it feels like it is premaritally mounted. It's still going to hold your bike on the ramp when you pull up allowing you to hop off and put the straps on. The bike must be on the center stand if you are going to remove the front chock!
Another thing I did was drill two holes in the front of the table allowing me to put the ramp on the front of the lift. Now, I can load the bike from the front end of the ramp, placing the removable slot in the table under the front wheel.
A HUGE WARNING, PLACE SOMETHING UNDER THE FRONT OF THE RAMP IF YOU DO THIS If you don't, the ramp will pop a wheelie with you on the bike.
ChucksKLRST
Team Colorado
This is what Mark is talking about. I also did this on my first lift when I lived in Texas.
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MileHigh
Juvenile delinquent
This is the most important picture!
Always use blocks under the front of the lift if you load from the other end! DAMHIKT
:
RocketMan
so many roads...
That's BRILLIANT Mark!
Definitely going to do that to mine in the spring.
Up til now I've been removing the front fender to make removal of the front tire easier.
Your WARNING about blocking has been duly noted.
Bruce
Definite plus one on the blocking.
But I might recommend something a little wider then a 2x4 on edge, just my onion
But I might recommend something a little wider then a 2x4 on edge, just my onion
OP
OP
STBernard
BlewBayou
One issue I found was that I had no problem getting the front wheel on the lift, but when pushing the VFR onboard, the rear tire, rather that going up the ramp, pushed the whole lift forward! I have the casters off the ground. Maybe the concrete is too smooth, but it was a bit un-nerving and took me 3 or 4 tries to get it up. I was thinking of drilling the concrete and putting in a couple of bolts that would be spanned by a 2x4, thus keeping the lift in place while loading. Anyone else have this problem?
I have yet to put my ST on the lift. My VFR is still loaded, and as I mentioned, it has no center stand. With the wheel chock I have installed, is there enough room to put the ST onboard, then roll back on the Center STand? I can pull the chock off easily because I used wingnuts, but if the table is long enough I would rather not risk losing the mounting hardware for it.
I have yet to put my ST on the lift. My VFR is still loaded, and as I mentioned, it has no center stand. With the wheel chock I have installed, is there enough room to put the ST onboard, then roll back on the Center STand? I can pull the chock off easily because I used wingnuts, but if the table is long enough I would rather not risk losing the mounting hardware for it.
I haven't had this issue until last week when I was putting my ST on the lift. Normally I have the casters in the air but I was trying to save time and didn't put down the feet. As I was walking the ST up the lift it started to slide on me. I just backed it off and did it the right way. I have never had a VFR on mine. Just 1100s and 1300s. Off the top of my head I would think this would be a bigger issue with a heavier bike than a lighter one. My floor is pretty smooth.
As for the ST. Yes you will have enough room to get the bike on there and put it on CS but it may be sitting too far back to remove the plate. I know it would if you had an 1100 for sure. It will be close with the 1300. That black wheel stop that comes with the lift I have mounted as far out as I can and pull forward until I hit that. Then I roll back to the centerstand and it is about right where I want it and you can pull the plate on the back. Doing the same with the 1100 puts the CS right at the edge of the plate.
As for the ST. Yes you will have enough room to get the bike on there and put it on CS but it may be sitting too far back to remove the plate. I know it would if you had an 1100 for sure. It will be close with the 1300. That black wheel stop that comes with the lift I have mounted as far out as I can and pull forward until I hit that. Then I roll back to the centerstand and it is about right where I want it and you can pull the plate on the back. Doing the same with the 1100 puts the CS right at the edge of the plate.
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ST1100Y
Site Supporter
Overhauled like 3 ST1100 on the very same rig, I can confirm.
I've further disable removal of the lid/plate by bolting it onto the beams beneath, as the legs of the ST's main stand end up right on the edges there, so if one slips off the mains platform onto the smaller lid/plate, it'll bend causing the bike to tilt. If I'd access to welding equipment, I'd even shut it periode...
Having to remove the 4 bolts of the rear fender in order to get the wheel out is a small price for gaining stability, plus its safer on rim paint, rear rotor, etc... the opening would be too narrow for the lateral movement required of getting the d/splines out the f/drive safely.
The far more expensive, professional platforms at the dealer's w/shop never have those hatches either.
Yeah I don't pull the plate much. It is easier to pull the fender on either bike and take the wheel off that way. I have done it through the hole but you have to feed it under the lift and then lift it up through the hole which is a little odd. It is much easier to set it on the platform with the plate in place and lift it 1-2" into position. So for the STs I don't bother with removing the plate.
ChucksKLRST
Team Colorado
I have never pulled the plate when removing wheels on the ST1100 or ST1300. But with the NT700 thank goodnees for the removable plate.
ST1100Y
Site Supporter
For jacking up the front I can reccomend getting one of these:
On main stand plus this, the bike rests rock solid.
On main stand plus this, the bike rests rock solid.
For jacking up the front I can reccomend getting one of these:
On main stand plus this, the bike rests rock solid.
I was looking at getting something like that or one from a junk yard. In the end I have 5 sections of 2x4 that are about 12" long I stack them. Press down on the back of the bike and slide them in for cribbing. It is just as solid and works great. I guess that is the one time I do pull the plate on the back of the bike. If I am working on the front I will pull the plate so that the rear wheel can dip down in the opening with the cribbing in place. If you don't do this you can't get enough clearance to pull the front wheel out without removing the front fender. Once the cribbing is in place I tighten my tiedowns and like mentioned the bike is rock solid. I don't remember if it is 4 or 5 2x4s that I use but it works really well and it was stuff that I just had laying around.
ST1100Y
Site Supporter
A pile of bricks might 'work' too...
But I do like the adjustable elevation for removing the front wheel, just crank it up till the tire clears the front fender, roll the wheel out and lower the bike back horizontal, comfortable and safe (have to admitt that I almost never use tie downs...)
Plus they had it on sale... just too tempting...