I have the older HF model with foot pump and hydraulic lift, I love and use it often. Lifts are back and knee savers and offer a convenient platform for your tools and beverage of choice. I spents months looking and waiting for a used Black Widow or Handy lift to show up in my regional Craigslists but ended up buying a used HF lift from a friend for $200. HF lifts are worth the money but not as nice as other professional brands. If you are not using it 40 hours a week they will serve you very well.
The first thing you need to do is to throw away the new style front vise and buy or make a proper vise for the front wheel (as noted above). The stock one is junk and dangerous. Someone on Chop Cult built this
vise.
It is easier to simpler to buy a HF wheel chock or a proper front wheel vise for less than $100 and you are good to go.
Use the bar that comes with the lift to bear its weight once it is raised, otherwise the pump will leak and the seals will go bad. This is clearly stated in the instructions and yet the internet is filled with complaints of bad HF pumps
after users failed to use the bar relieve strain on their pumps.
Remember to use safety straps to hold your bike in position (as noted above). I have heard horror stories on several motorcycle forums of people who bumped and tipped their bikes off lift tables because they were not held in place with straps.
Once you work on a bike on lift, you will never go back to working on your knees ever again. Buy it.
