Motorcycle lift from a 2 post lift...

jxxxoxxxe · Feb 17, 2010

I have been thinking about this since I built my shop and installed my lift. I was going to buy a motorcycle lift at the same time I got my 2 post, but the guy was sold out. Fast forward almost 2 years and 6 bikes later, and I really have been wanting a motorcycle lift again.

I've had this idea for awhile, and done many searches on here and through google, but never found anything like I had envisioned. Someone made a thread awhile back about using a 4 post to lift a bike. Suggestions ranged from driving it on 1 ramp and using a tire vice, to hanging the bike in the air with straps...

So here's what I've come up with to start...Excuse the dirty shop, we just finished some add on construction...

Obviously its not finished, but I plan on buying a motorcycle wheel vise to mount to the front, making a drop away ramp, and add some eye bolts to attach straps to...I plan to cover it with aluminum treadplate hopefully..I also plan to add an axle to one end with wheels to be able to lift it and roll it away...

As you see in the pics, the frame is just sitting on the lift pads for test fit purposes. I am going to have some new lift pad spacers machined, the weld them to a larger disc, then weld it all to the frame. As it sits in the pictures, the frame is about 1" off the arm, I am going to have it sit on the arm to provide stability. That will keep the table from tilting towards the lift column. I've thought about using large C clamps (clamped to the arm) to help keep it from leaning away from the column.

Anyone have any other ideas, thoughts, suggestions, or criticisms?

This will be used mostly for Harleys, what thickness of a top should I use? A typical Harley weighs about 700 lbs...

Nealcrenshaw · Feb 17, 2010

That's a good idea,saves space too.

Aberdale · Feb 17, 2010

Great idea. I've been considering doing the same thing. One question, why is your platform going to be so wide? From your pics, ATVs perhaps? I was considering making mine as narrow as possible for better access to the bike, and it would take up less space when I'm not using it.

I'm considering making mine more like a U shaped rail with a wheel chock at the end. When in use, I was considering bolting the rail to the lift arms to make it secure.

Post more pics of your progress!

Dale

diogenes · Feb 17, 2010

I've been thinking about this as well. Keep us posted.

Fubar · Feb 17, 2010

I put mine on a single-post in-ground lift. Works nice, but you have to be careful. I also have a Bend-pac scissor mid rise that is good for that.

purpony · Feb 17, 2010

looks great. If you made another one for the other side then you could lift your atvs as well.

JamieK · Feb 17, 2010

Just an idea, but what about putting some casters on the bottom. That way, if you had a bike torn down and needed the lift for a car, you could just roll it to the side.

Also, will you be able to access both sides of the bike with the lift arms in the way? I've never worked on a bike, so ths may be an non issue. If there were casters, you could turn the bike 180 degrees to access the other side.

tigmusky · Feb 17, 2010

Keep use posted. I've thinking about doing the samething. SOMEDAY..

Daye

Shadowdog500 · Feb 17, 2010

I was thinking of doing the same thing when I get my lift. Just a thought but I was thinking of making the platform so it went across the two posts with one lift pad on each corner so I could access both sides of the bike. I like JamieK's idea of making it a mobile platform that you could put the bike on the platform then move into position by the lift. Make sure that you attach the platform to the lift instead of just sitting it on the lift so the bike and platform cant tip over, or one of the arms cant be knocked out of place.

That is really heavy metal to lift a bike, how much does your bike weigh?

Dirty shop my ****, I wish my shop was that clean.

Chris

jxxxoxxxe · Feb 17, 2010

Aberdale said:
Great idea. I've been considering doing the same thing. One question, why is your platform going to be so wide? From your pics, ATVs perhaps? I was considering making mine as narrow as possible for better access to the bike, and it would take up less space when I'm not using it.

I'm considering making mine more like a U shaped rail with a wheel chock at the end. When in use, I was considering bolting the rail to the lift arms to make it secure.

Post more pics of your progress!

Dale

For the width, I just went off what all the standard bike lifts are. I figure that will give me a good base to rest my feet on if need be, plus I can use it to set tools on as I'm working on it...

A friend mentioned using something like C channel, but I just liked this idea better, plus at this size I can use it for other things also...

JamieK said:
Just an idea, but what about putting some casters on the bottom. That way, if you had a bike torn down and needed the lift for a car, you could just roll it to the side.

Also, will you be able to access both sides of the bike with the lift arms in the way? I've never worked on a bike, so ths may be an non issue. If there were casters, you could turn the bike 180 degrees to access the other side.

Good idea, I probably will do it this way, rather than only adding dolly type wheels...I think I should be able to get to both sides of the bike pretty easily, but if not, I could always turn it...

Shadowdog500 said:
I was thinking of doing the same thing when I get my lift. Just a thought but I was thinking of making the platform so it went across the two posts with one lift pad on each corner so I could access both sides of the bike. I like JamieK's idea of making it a mobile platform that you could put the bike on the platform then move into position by the lift. Make sure that you attach the platform to the lift instead of just sitting it on the lift so the bike and platform cant tip over, or one of the arms cant be knocked out of place.

That is really heavy metal to lift a bike, how much does your bike weigh?

Dirty shop my ****, I wish my shop was that clean.

Chris

The metal used is some scrap 3" maybe 1/8" wall I had laying around. I can carry that frame with one hand...

I've thought about making a second one for the 4 wheelers in the background, or my mower, but will wait to see how well this one works...I ordered the tire vise tonight, and am going to look at some treadplate on friday...

manansal · Feb 18, 2010

I am no engineer, but i know my two-post lift manual says never load less than all 4 arms.

I know bikes are light (I have 4 2 wheeled contraptions and 3 atv's!), but those cruiser bikes aren't that light, plus the steel tubing of your bracket.

I just wonder if being so out of balance would upset anything, cable or hydraulic wise on the lift.

Perhaps someone with more engineering background can comment.

jxxxoxxxe · Feb 19, 2010

So the vice came today...I also found some scrap aluminum treadplate...Here's how it sits as of now...

its actually quite stable...in the pic of the right side, you can see where i had a hand clamp, and some spacers in the front to make it rest on the arm. I will weld the right size spacers on the bottom there so I dont have to add them everytime...

You can also see where I hit the last foot of the treadplate with a polisher for a minute or 2...I think it should clean up nice...

I am going to tear it back down this weekend to paint the frame black, and clean the treadplate up more. I also need to install the tie down hooks in front and back, add the tire stop to the vice, and build a ramp...

Any goo place online to get some 5" casters?

gandyj · Feb 19, 2010

jxxxoxxxe said:
So the vice came today...I also found some scrap aluminum treadplate...Here's how it sits as of now...

its actually quite stable...in the pic of the right side, you can see where i had a hand clamp, and some spacers in the front to make it rest on the arm. I will weld the right size spacers on the bottom there so I dont have to add them everytime...

You can also see where I hit the last foot of the treadplate with a polisher for a minute or 2...I think it should clean up nice...

I am going to tear it back down this weekend to paint the frame black, and clean the treadplate up more. I also need to install the tie down hooks in front and back, add the tire stop to the vice, and build a ramp...

Any goo place online to get some 5" casters?

If there's a Harbor Freight close to you give them a try. I've been considering changing the all steel castors on my car dollies to ones with steel centers and nylon outers so they roll easier on my rough concrete garage floor. I was in our local store today and they had several different sized castors on sale.

ovilla · Feb 20, 2010

How about bolting down an ATV jack to the center of the platform (so it sits directly under the motor)? This way you could raise the entire platform (with bike) to a comfortable working height and then get the whole bike off the platform? This would allow you to easily take off the front or rear wheel as needed.

jxxxoxxxe · Feb 20, 2010

I may check out harbor freight tomorrow...

I've got a scissor jack to go under it, for tire changes and whatnot, but if it was bolted in place, it would get in the way of putting the bike on and off..,

jxxxoxxxe · Feb 24, 2010

Here is it...its pretty much done besides polishing the top more. The pads I was using to polish were gumming up really fast...anyone have a good way to polish tread plate...?

It moves around pretty good when on the ground, and I could actually slide it right up against a wall...

I dont think there's anything more I can add to it to make it any better...

Any ideas...?

metal1313 · Feb 24, 2010

what about bolting it to the lift. just run a carriage bolt through the arm when you remove the pads, or actually you could weld tabs on to it matching the angle of the arms, then have some square bottom u-bolts bent up to fit.

jxxxoxxxe · Feb 24, 2010

metal1313 said:
what about bolting it to the lift. just run a carriage bolt through the arm when you remove the pads, or actually you could weld tabs on to it matching the angle of the arms, then have some square bottom u-bolts bent up to fit.

I'm not sure I'm following you on this...???

There's really no need to bolt the table to the lift that I see...Even the C clamp that I put on there is overkill, its really pretty stable...Its got machined risers on the bottom that fall into the holes in the lift arms...

Aberdale · Feb 25, 2010

Looks nice! With the casters, do you have to put the platform on the lift arms before you can roll the bike on?

Dale

fomocoforrester · Feb 25, 2010

I have what looks like the same tire vice on my lift. When I dismantled it to check on the construction, I found that the threaded nut that the handle shaft runs in was only pushed in the square tubing with an interferance fit. This could allow the vice to loosen its grip when clamped on a wheel. So I just ran a weld bead around the nut/tube joint.

Might be worth a check.

jxxxoxxxe · Feb 25, 2010

Aberdale said:
Looks nice! With the casters, do you have to put the platform on the lift arms before you can roll the bike on?

Dale

I havent tried it yet, but I doubt it. The front casters have locking brakes, plus whenever the front tire get on the ramp the pressure holds the whole thing in place...

fomocoforrester said:
I have what looks like the same tire vice on my lift. When I dismantled it to check on the construction, I found that the threaded nut that the handle shaft runs in was only pushed in the square tubing with an interferance fit. This could allow the vice to loosen its grip when clamped on a wheel. So I just ran a weld bead around the nut/tube joint.

Might be worth a check.

I will see about checking into it...Thanks...

Motorcycle lift from a 2 post lift...

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