HF Motorcycle Lift Table

[truck]

I used to ride mine on. I used 2x12's to make platforms for my feet. These are too long, you only need to be able to put your foot down on it.
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[HogMike]

I used to ride mine on. I used 2x12's to make platforms for my feet. These are too long, you only need to be able to put your foot down on it.
[attach=0,msg1346052]

I had similar wood planks and rode the bikes up.
Now I have a cheap HF winch powered by a first year Electra glide battery that pulls any bike up into the wheel chock. Works for me. I'll try for a pic tomorrow.

[72fl]

My buddy had a shop and he used several of these lifts, MY Opinion is I wouldn't have one as I value my bike and did not care for the way these Go up and down by foot as the bike moves around quite a bit and they are to high for someone that is less than 6' tall trying to get a bike on and off of it. JW, they are always for sale try to find one b4 you drop your money on one,granted it's only $300 but I will pay a little more for a quality Air/Hydraulic lift, I found a NICE Snap-On Branded for $600 delivered to my door from the seller that was 200 miles away

[wolf_59]

Thanks everybody for the responses. I'm about to pull the trigger, so to speak, and just go buy it tomorrow. I see the minimum height is 7". That means if you need to park a bike on it (like I will) to not chew up precious garage floor space (I have 5 bikes parked in a somewhat small 2 car garage), then I need to ride the thing up on it. Right? Not sure I can push a bike up a 7" incline. What do you guys do?

-JW

I ride my on that's why I have the 2x8 or 2x10 lumber attached to the side, also I cut a couple of small pieces off a rubber mud flap and put those under the front legs to keep it from scooting across the floor

[HogMike]

I used to ride mine on. I used 2x12's to make platforms for my feet. These are too long, you only need to be able to put your foot down on it.
[attach=0,msg1346052]

I had similar wood planks and rode the bikes up.
Now I have a cheap HF winch powered by a first year Electra glide battery that pulls any bike up into the wheel chock. Works for me. I'll try for a pic tomorrow.

[Hossamania]

I can push the RoadKing up, but the Ultra is a little too heavy most of the time, so I start it and walk beside it to drive it up. It takes a bit of practice, but so far no YouTube worthy incidents. I'm not a fan of riding it up.
I know many have used the HF lift with no problems, but I couldn't do it, I found a good used Handy lift for a good price, it even came with the side panels.
I often think of the phrase, "the joy of the money saved will go away much quicker than the joy of having a quality product."

[HogMike]

I can push the RoadKing up, but the Ultra is a little too heavy most of the time, so I start it and walk beside it to drive it up. It takes a bit of practice, but so far no YouTube worthy incidents. I'm not a fan of riding it up.
I know many have used the HF lift with no problems, but I couldn't do it, I found a good used Handy lift for a good price, it even came with the side panels.
I often think of the phrase, "the joy of the money saved will go away much quicker than the joy of having a quality product."

Be real careful with that, I used that method in the past and had some real "pucker" moments with a slick ramp!

[Hossamania]

Oh, don't I know it!

[PoorUB]

I just sit on it and ride it up. Been doing it for years. I park one of the motorcycles on it most of the time so I might ride on to the lift several times a week.

[BJB]

I will say straight up I have zero experience with the HF lift. I have heard/ read that the steel in a bar that holds the table up can be problematic.
That being said I have 2 table lifts.
The 1st one I got was a Kendon Cruiser lift thru a on line auction. It was consigned and was missing the tube loop that acts like a chock and the rocker gate that the front wheel rolls over and then is retained
Kendon was good and for $30 or so I was good to go. Total of like $150. I ended up adding 2×8 footboards & after kinking the tubing front I welded up a permanent front wheel holder out of bar joist bridging angle off a job. A decent lift that is in my cabin garage. The nice thing about the Kendon is, like many Kendon products, the thing stores upright on end. It holds my FLTRU okay. I'd say it is a decent enough tool.
On CL I saw a very gently used Handy for sale about half way between home and WBL, where Hoss lives. I knew at $250 I had to act fast or he would be there  and I hit the bank on the way. Nice lift but I like ridind up vs walking so I added extensions. I got 2 pieces of 5' long 1" EMT & ran them out the holes punched in the sides of the table. Then I cut 2x8s & 2x6s to span to the EMT, mounted conduit straps to the under side of the wood, & added eyebolts to the ends of the EMT to server as tiedowns & keep the wood from sliding off. I could and have taken the sides off but mostly just leave it all together.
The comments about scissors jack adding stability is so true.

[Bikerscum]

Definitely rig some side steps whatever you get.

I park on mine when not in use so it takes up no extra space. It's funny... I was timid at first, now days I ride up the driveway into the garage & onto the lift one motion, think I hit it at about 30 lol

Backing up was even more timid. I have to back down off the lift onto the downhill driveway, still rolling backwards I have to make a right turn onto a sidewalk, then forward left turn to continue down the driveway. I can do it now in about 10 seconds with just one foot down 

The whole time I'm doing the backwards maneuver, I'm controlling the whole thing with just the front brake, something the experts say NEVER do  I can't imagine doing it any other way.

[PoorUB]

I am about the same when riding on. A couple times the garage door was open so I just rolled on in and up onto the lift. Good thing I have a decent wheel chock or I would have ridden right on over and through. The lift has slid 2-3 feet when I rolled on and crashed into the chock!

As for the front brake thing. I feel it is different when going backwards. Hitting the front brake wants to aim the forks straight instead of going forward and at a slight turn wants to turn the forks and toss you to the ground.

[Flhfxd]

JW113 ....yes. Go buy one. Better than crawling around on the garage floor. That's exactly why I bought one. 5 years - all good. Just make sure to level the base with shims before you crank up your bike (see Trucks' stock shot). And put wings on it with angle iron and a couple of planks.

[FLH_Rider]

I use some slip resistant tape on the ramp, it helps to keep the wheel from spinning, it also allows me to creep up the ramp.
see attachment

[kd]

I use some slip resistant tape on the ramp, it helps to keep the wheel from spinning, it also allows me to creep up the ramp.
see attachment

I do the same but I have a caution for you if you haven't already found out the hard way.    Any fuel or oil will act like "auto release" on the glue. It turns to a slimy state of not cured and bad things can happen if you expect it to provide traction but does not.

[chaos901]

I've never had an issue riding up on my HF Lift, but I am fairly tall. 

EDIT: Also, there was an earlier comment about the bar that secures the lift when raised.  Mine has a solid bar that is about 1" in diameter and I can't foresee that ever being an issue.

[hattitude]

Thanks everybody for the responses. I'm about to pull the trigger, so to speak, and just go buy it tomorrow. I see the minimum height is 7". That means if you need to park a bike on it (like I will) to not chew up precious garage floor space (I have 5 bikes parked in a somewhat small 2 car garage), then I need to ride the thing up on it. Right? Not sure I can push a bike up a 7" incline. What do you guys do?

-JW

I'm 5'8" and 185lbs...  I'm no body builder, but no weakling either...

I have a K&L lift table with a minimum height of 8"... I have to park one of my bikes on the table at all times..

I can push my '01 FXSTS up the ramp... not too bad..

I can push my '03 Heritage up the ramp... it takes some effort..

I tried once to push my old '12 Limited up the ramp... almost got real ugly, real fast... I won't try that again..

Luckily, I anticipated this and had purchased the side extensions with the ramps for the extensions..

I found that with either softail, the seats are low enough, I don't need the extension ramps for my feet, to ride up onto the table...

But I need the side extensions for a comfortable spot to set my feet down once up on the ramp... The table is just a tad too narrow for easy, foot placement once on the table. I probably don't need the side extensions to put my feet down, but it's tight without them, and one careless foot placement, or slip, without the side extensions could end badly..

I have had to stop a couple times while riding the bagger up onto the lift table... If I hadn't had the side extensions and extension ramps mounted... it would have been a really painful, and expensive experience... The bike and I would have gone over..

Just sharing my experience.... obviously, height, weight (you & bike), and minimum table height can make a big difference in your need for side ramps of some kind..

Enjoy the lift table...!

[JW113]

So after all the great comments, I caved. Considering the area of the lift itself, and the additional area to but "wings" on either side of it for the feel, I simply don't have enough free space in my garage. Before I can reward myself with a lift, I need to make a LOT more space, else I'll be tripping on it constantly. Or rather, my WIFE will be tripping on it, and we all know what that means, right?


I think the most likely outcome will be to completely re-do my garage, and in such a way I can tilt a lift up against a wall, like a Murphy bed, and only pull it down when needed. So, maybe in another 10 years?


thanks all,
JW

[rigidthumper]

Another option is to cut/pour a sub-surface flat so the lift is even with the floor when it's down.
Here's a pic of what that looks like.
Coyote may have some pics, too- he did his at his old house, and he and Jim did that same thing for Phil years ago.

[Ohio HD]

You beat me to it Robin.

I'm not sure who's lift this is, maybe the one Keith and Jim put in Phil's or Jim's shop?


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[kd]

You beat me to it Robin.

I'm not sure who's lift this is, maybe the one Keith and Jim put in Phil's or Jim's shop?


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So we've gone from a $449.00 lift to this?     It's sure fun helping members make decisions and spending their money.

[Buglet]

  Although I thinks it would be nice to have a lift even with the floor. For me I rather have the full height of the lift. The lifts I have go up 48" and believe or not there up there more then you would think so I don't want to lose the height, and yes it is sometimes a pain to put the bigger bikes on. I not a big person and old age is knocking on my door.

[Ohio HD]

You beat me to it Robin.

I'm not sure who's lift this is, maybe the one Keith and Jim put in Phil's or Jim's shop?


[attach=0,msg1347070] 

So we've gone from a $449.00 lift to this?     It's sure fun helping members make decisions and spending their money.

A little concrete is cheap enough, rent a saw, ibuprofen for the back pain later, not expensive.     

[cheech]

  Although I thinks it would be nice to have a lift even with the floor. For me I rather have the full height of the lift. The lifts I have go up 48" and believe or not there up there more then you would think so I don't want to lose the height, and yes it is sometimes a pain to put the bigger bikes on. I not a big person and old age is knocking on my door.

I often ponder the pit idea but think along these lines. The one I have is a max height of ~33" Its not enough IMO.
Like the right floorboard screws up inside the rail on the baggers for example before the chassis change.
Every time I fool with those I go drastic and think to myself these things ought to be about eye level right now while standing.

[PoorUB]

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I thought about it, but that is a bit more commitment than I am willing to do.