I picked one up years ago .. still use it everyday with no problems. The only things I have done to it, are drill holes for some screw in eyelets for more tie down spots and the best thing I did was swap out the tire vice for a Condor style locking wheel chock.....
Glad to hear it! Mine is a little over a year old now and I am still loving it! I really need to update the wheel chock like you did, more tie down points is a great idea as well!
I finally got one about a year or two ago. I was actually out in the garage yesterday, replacing the tire clamp. Harbor Freight is now selling a better tire clamp, about $79.00. But the directions are good on how to install it. Second, most think that the removable plate is so you can remove the rear tire. Actually, it is so you can service the bottle jack, but it does enable the removal of the rear tire. Just be sure to check the hydraulic fluid in the jack. Mine was shipped "bone dry", and I had to fill it first.
I bought mine used for 140 bucks, I got a fairly heavy bike but it's holding it up pretty good with the retainer bar keeping the weight off the jack, im pretty happy with it because it's actually almost brand new, but harbor freight has jacked the price up a bit from what it used to be so I'd have to really think hard about paying what their asking for one these days with the economy in the tank because of you know who.
I bought one when they first came out when they were under 200.00. And it’s still holding up. No drop down in the hydraulics area. Best rack made. I’ve even rolled out around with the bike in the air. And as of right now my road king is strapped down on it for some bike repairs. Haven’t had to do any maintenance to the rack it’s as awesome as the day I got it. I’m guessing around 16 years ago.
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift. Here's the link to the video on the mods I did. th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
After mulling it over for years, I finally bought one this year. I don't know why I waited so long. I can't imagine not having one if you do your own work.
@@cheesingarage I bought the adjustment screw and the stationary right side at a yard sale. I made the left side of the clamp that bolts to the adjustment screw. -Joe
I’ve had mine for almost 20 years now. It’s been a real godsend for me. It could be sturdier, I agree, but as he said in the video, it’s only for occasional use. If I was using it daily and making a living with it, it certainly wouldn’t be this one. But it works great for me. I still have not upgraded the front wheel clamp. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Just don’t think about it when I’m not using it. If you want a good lift for a decent price, then this is the one. I’m 65 and I do all my own Harley work, and it’s all been done on this lift. There are a good many upgrades out there you can do for this thing, so don’t sell it short.
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift. Here's the link to the video on the mods I did. th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
That is the thing with Harbor Freight. Nothing is TOP quality but giving you access to tools and lifts. That store is my first choice. You can always modify it and make it better with great hard ware if needed. I think I will get one put it under my Jeep. I have a Harbor Freight hoist that I use to keep the bike from EVER falling off. I have three hoists: on is in a pelican case that has helped me several times. You can change the jack to an air driven one if needed. All the toys we can play with!!!
i just bought one the other day and it holds my electra glide very well. mine only came w 2 tie downs i dont really care much for the front of this lift im probably going to look for a better front tire holder. Im also not too impressed with the price it went from 400 to 600 in a year but with inflation it is what it is i guess.. but this is definitely going to get plenty of use repairing and detailing bikes.
@@Jarhead-le1qu I ended up drilling into mine and using the other one and I hate it. Least the origional held the bike somewhat the one I'll have to.check it out and see what it looks like
This lift work ok for my needs servicing both bikes....BMW K1200LT and Kawasaki KLR650. There are two weaknesses. It is bit narrow for good footing while loading the larger bikes. To cure that, I made some 8ft long x 12in wide x 8in high wooden platforms to place along sides of the lift. They just sit on the floor to get bike on lift then I secure the bike then move platforms out of my way. The other issue which has been mentioned a few times is the lightweight wheel brace system. I do plan to upgrade to a better chock soon.
Thanks for the info! This lift is definitely narrower than some others but that is both a pro and a con. With a garage my size, any wider wouldn't work for me. But with a larger bike I can see that being an issue
I bought a pneumatic handy lift new. I’ve had it for about 25 years now. I wish I would’ve bought the harbor freight lift because I like the slow rise and fall of a hydraulic lift versus a pneumatic. When I try to get my motorcycle up as close as possible to the ceiling in my garage on the windshield. I can’t be that precise with the air lift versus a hydraulic lift that you can take up a millimeter at a time if you’re going to use it in your garage at home and you have a bike with a full fairing and tall windshield on it. As a result, I drag my hand a lift out into the driveway to lift my venture and goldwing , with the air pneumatic lift. The lift goes up at different rates of speed. And then it won’t go up for a while and then it’ll takeoff and go up 6 inches within one second. That’s too erratic for a low ceiling garage.. when I was a motorcycle mechanic at three different dealers we always had hydraulic foot operated lifts. I like them better. Like the one in this video. I would not be too upset with an imperfect powder coating or paint job on a lift because, it’s gonna get hammered anyway. It’s not an expensive piece of furniture, it is a tool to be used up..
Great info on the hydraulic vs pneumatic, thanks! And yea, I'm not too concerned about the powder coating for my use, but its something worth mentioning and some people might care enough to get a different lift. Thanks for watching and thanks sharing the info!
I have 4 of these in my shop. Had them for almost 10 years. They're good for what they are; but, ditch the vise and get a chock first thing, second thing put 4 inch grip tape on the ramp
I mounted angle iron (1/8x2x2) to the concrete floor so the lift doesn’t slide around. This is all I had to do to make it perfect for me, it saved my knees and back!
I just got one. Well, first one had fork lift damage so I took it back same day and they replaced it with no haggle. Got the second one home it was fine. Put it together was real easy. I put my Vulcan 2000 classic Lt on it and it was heavy but lifted it up just fine. I’ll still need a center lift to raise the back tire enough to remove the rear plate and take the tire off and out the removable rear plate hole. I hope to be able to do my own rear tire changes.
That sucks the first one was damaged, but glad you were able to replace it easily. I haven't done any tire work yet on the lift, let me know how it goes!
I learned a lot doing it. I strongly suggest not attaching stabilizing straps to the handle bars when the bike is on a lift and then using a sissor lift to raise the back tire off the motorcycle lift. If I have to use stabilizing straps I’ll attach them to my highway pegs or something. I bent the 7 inch risers bolts on my handle bars slightly. This cause small chrome damage on my tank at full lock. I replaced the riser bolts and had clearance again. All because I wanted to change my own rear tire. 🤷🏼♂️ good thing it’s on my parts bike and not my primary.
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift. Here's the link to the video on the mods I did. th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
2 years on mine and have not replaced a thing. I've toyed with using one of My pneumatic bottle jacks but just never got around to it since it's not bad the way it is and it's not like I'm up and down 20 times a day. It lifts both the 883 and a Goldwing just fine.
I've had two of them for 14 and 10 years respectively. I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. The only problem I had was after about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift. I did have one ramp pin break off on each lift due to a bad weld. My HF welder took care of that. Here's the link to the video on the mods I did. th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
I’m building a wider platform for ATV’s.. need to extend the petals so they come out further.. has anyone done it and if so how or where did you get the extensions?
The lift went up in price in Texas, $499.99 - $100.00 off Father’s Day sale, so $399.00. My question is, can you remove the front tire off on this lift or spin the tire and rim to clean the rims or spoke on front or rear tire? Thanks for the video and answers.
When I bought mine I used a $100 coupon as well, definitely helps justify getting one! I think the answer here is that you can, but its not meant to. The tire clamp is meant to hold the bike upright (although I wouldn't trust it without straps). But you could try use only the straps to hold the bike and then put a jack under the front of the frame to lift he front wheel (make sure you chock the rear wheel!). You'll just have to lift it enough to take the slack out of the forks. I think it could be done, but it is not something I am planning on doing (at least not while the lift is up) I would attempt this at your own risk.
If you need to remove the front, you would chock the rear wheel, place a jack under the frame like you usually would and use the tie downs to hold the bike. I would probably do that a ground level until you have everything secure, then lift the table. Or you might be able spin the bike around backwards, but I haven't tried that.
Thanks for the video man! I'm Considering picking one for my sportys... Ive already just about finished the bobber I'm building but I'm not getting any younger so a lift might still come in handy..
Thanks for watching! I've been using it for a little while now and I am glad I pulled the trigger on this. As I pointed out, its not perfect, but you cant beat it for the price.
For the sportster I can put a jack under the center to lift the rear up. I have a spool lift for the R1, but I havent tried to use that on the lift yet
I don't think so. The deck sits about 8 inches high, not including the tire clamp. A truck or suv might depending on the model but I doubt there are many cars, if any, that can clear this lift.
If you had a touring bike, I assume that you would have to ride it up the ramp and somehow secure it by yourself, do you think that would be do-able ? Thanks.
I've seen people do bigger bikes a few different ways. You can push it, although I am sure that isn't very fun. You could have the bike running and walk next to it as I did, feathering the throttle/clutch to help it up. But yes, you can ride it up. If you were planning on riding it up, I would recommend upgrading the front wheel chock/clamp to something that will help hold the bike better as you get off. I found this video of a guy riding his bike up onto the lift, starts around 2:40 - th-cam.com/video/MwAi9WnB6tU/w-d-xo.html
@@cheesingarage Thanks. I just purchased the HF lift yesterday and waiting for delivery. I definitely am going to change the wheel chock, and I have some ideas about adding on to the sides so I can put my feet down. These lifts are $500.00 now, (with coupon). Way more than I ever intended to pay,but if I wait, they’ll only cost more tomorrow !
I didn't have any issues with the wheels, they were attached and working out of the box. I haven't moved it around a ton, but they seem to be working fine. I know the manual says to not roll it with a bike on it, so if you have weight on the wheels they may not work properly. Hope this helps!
No, it only works on the one side. You can get a better look at the way they attach at the 3:50 mark. If your tight on space, you can remove them, while your working on the bike. I do that sometimes when I plan on leaving at a height for a while. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching! It is stable enough to do some wrenching but it does sway a little if you push on it. With the center of gravity that high I probably wouldn't recommend doing anything too crazy anyway.
@@cheesingarage I have a 600# lathe, mill, drill press combo machine on a rolling bench. That's 600# about 3' off the floor. I rolled it up onto my lift to install a digital readout on it. I had to make very sure it was centered on the lift to insure stability. No bike is going to have a center of gravity that high.
Yup, still happy with the purchase! I have pretty much just had the sportster on it the whole time while I build it, but the lift has been great. With the straps on the bike it feels plenty stable and being able to work on the bike at standing height has been great. The only complains I have are the same ones I listed in the video
That's going to depend on your vehicle for sure. The deck is about 8 or 9 inches from the ground when all the way down, then you have the tire clamp and tire stop on top of that. I could easily park my truck over it but I doubt many (if any) sedans can park over it. Hope this helps!
I understand your concern, that's a heavy bike haha. The lift is rated for 1000lbs so at 800lbs you should be ok, but you are approaching the lifts limitations. I have heard of people putting road kings and some other larger bikes on these lifts without issues, but I haven't done or seen it personally. I definitely understand why you would be on edge about it.
@@cheesingarage I'm mainly concerned about stability if any thing. I have my king currently on the jack replacing the compansator and whol primary is off sitting that low and on a stool my back n legs are like what's wrong with you lol 😆
@@Dachamp2001 I've had a 900# Goldwing on mine and it's solid as a rock. Down low there is a little torsioning of the lift arms, but the higher you lift it the stiffer it gets. At the first level for the safety bar all that goes away. I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift. Here's the link to the video on the mods I did. th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
This is an Auto Meter 3209 gauge mount (I got it from Amazon) that I attached to a universal turn signal fork clamp. It's not the best setup as the speedometer is much heavier than turn signals, so the clamp needs to be adjusted every so often. I am working on moving the speedometer from the forks to the frame right now, but still using the Auto Meter clamp. I'll be capturing this in some upcoming videos if you're interested in seeing what I come up with. Thanks for watching!
You're right, its not. Unfortunately, none of the bikes I have weigh that much, so I cant say personally. I have seen other people put some touring bikes on these without issues and its rated for 1000lbs, so it can be done. Although anytime you start approaching the weight limit on a tool, it can start to become a little sketchy (I prefer to have some margin). Ill have to have a friend with a touring bike come by and put in on the lift sometime and give an update.
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift. Here's the link to the video on the mods I did. th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
They're good enough lifts. In the UK they come from Clarke or Sealy, all made in the same Chinese factory. I know a couple of professional mechanics that use them. However, there's something wrong with yours. The down pedal is supposed to spring up when take your foot off it.
To any viewers that think this lift isn't that great - why did you buy the cheapest one if you won't top notch 'professeional' performance ? You get what you pay for in life so don't expect caviar and champagne if your budget is more pizza and beer ! As for stability, well you know that you can use straps to tie the bike to the lift ? - yes, well you can also use straps to tie the lift to (removable) anchor bolts in the concrete floor of the garage and then it'll be stable. Watch guys who use these things professionally and you will see them lower the bike when they have to loosen axel nuts etc, for all other fasteners they have impact guns..... and you can buy corded mains power ones on the net for peanuts !
Yea, the tire clamp is in the 'needs improvement' area for sure. That's where most of those poor welds are located. I wouldn't trust it to hold the bike on its own, but with straps, it does just fine for me. Air lifts are very nice, but typically not in the same price range. This is by no means a top of the line bike lift, definitely entry level, but for a home shop like mine it works. I had a $100 off coupon when I picked this up and you wont find many options at a ~$300 price point. What lift did you end up going with? Thanks for watching!
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift. Here's the link to the video on the mods I did. th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
Bought this and it does work....BUT....I didn't trust it to securely hold my Harley Davidson Heritage. Too shaky with the thinness of the metal used, I decided to sell it at a loss and just save up for a heavy-duty professional ramp instead. Not a bad ramp just isn't built to the specs that most pro ramps are. I'm speaking about the pro ramps for heavy motorcycles like my Harley.
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. The Pittsburgh is definitely built lighter.
The tire clamp is definitely the weak point on this but easily upgradeable in the future. For now I am just happy to be off the floor! Thanks for watching!
I am not sure what you mean. You can definitely take off the tire, replace brakes and chain (belt) while on this lift. There is even a removeable section to drop the tire down so you don't have to fight with the rear fender.
I picked one up years ago .. still use it everyday with no problems. The only things I have done to it, are drill holes for some screw in eyelets for more tie down spots and the best thing I did was swap out the tire vice for a Condor style locking wheel chock.....
Glad to hear it! Mine is a little over a year old now and I am still loving it! I really need to update the wheel chock like you did, more tie down points is a great idea as well!
I finally got one about a year or two ago. I was actually out in the garage yesterday, replacing the tire clamp. Harbor Freight is now selling a better tire clamp, about $79.00. But the directions are good on how to install it. Second, most think that the removable plate is so you can remove the rear tire. Actually, it is so you can service the bottle jack, but it does enable the removal of the rear tire. Just be sure to check the hydraulic fluid in the jack. Mine was shipped "bone dry", and I had to fill it first.
Great info, thanks for sharing!
I bought mine used for 140 bucks, I got a fairly heavy bike but it's holding it up pretty good with the retainer bar keeping the weight off the jack, im pretty happy with it because it's actually almost brand new, but harbor freight has jacked the price up a bit from what it used to be so I'd have to really think hard about paying what their asking for one these days with the economy in the tank because of you know who.
I bought one when they first came out when they were under 200.00. And it’s still holding up. No drop down in the hydraulics area. Best rack made. I’ve even rolled out around with the bike in the air. And as of right now my road king is strapped down on it for some bike repairs. Haven’t had to do any maintenance to the rack it’s as awesome as the day I got it. I’m guessing around 16 years ago.
Thanks for sharing! You wont find me rolling it around with the bike up though! haha
Glad to hear its been working for you after all this time
Just got one there $599.99
They're $600.00 now. Thanks, Biden.
So it handles the Road King ok?
@@roadkingrider6532 yes.
Liked how "fast" you set it up. Superman would be proud of you!
Haha! Thanks for watching!
I bought the 12 ton air hydraulic bottle jack and replaced the stock jack. Just a simple conversion needed. It works great no more foot pumping.
Great tip! I will look into that!
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift.
Here's the link to the video on the mods I did.
th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
I got Mine this summer too. I like it just fine. It does what I need it to do.
Hard to beat getting off the floor for that price! Glad you like it, thanks for watching!
After mulling it over for years, I finally bought one this year. I don't know why I waited so long. I can't imagine not having one if you do your own work.
Now that I have one, I cant image going back
I added a 110 degree tire clamp and repositioned the tie downs on mine. Added non-skid to the ramp. Works great .
The nonskid to the ramp is a great idea! Do you have a like to the tire clamp you used?
@@cheesingarage I bought the adjustment screw and the stationary right side at a yard sale. I made the left side of the clamp that bolts to the adjustment screw.
-Joe
I’ve had mine for almost 20 years now. It’s been a real godsend for me. It could be sturdier, I agree, but as he said in the video, it’s only for occasional use. If I was using it daily and making a living with it, it certainly wouldn’t be this one. But it works great for me. I still have not upgraded the front wheel clamp. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Just don’t think about it when I’m not using it. If you want a good lift for a decent price, then this is the one. I’m 65 and I do all my own Harley work, and it’s all been done on this lift. There are a good many upgrades out there you can do for this thing, so don’t sell it short.
Thanks for watching! Glad to hear this lift has been working out for you and stood the test of time!
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift.
Here's the link to the video on the mods I did.
th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
That is the thing with Harbor Freight. Nothing is TOP quality but giving you access to tools and lifts. That store is my first choice. You can always modify it and make it better with great hard ware if needed. I think I will get one put it under my Jeep. I have a Harbor Freight hoist that I use to keep the bike from EVER falling off. I have three hoists: on is in a pelican case that has helped me several times. You can change the jack to an air driven one if needed. All the toys we can play with!!!
Mine is arriving tmrw, I plan to put some skateboard deck grip tape strips on mine. Thanks for the video, def helps get an idea how it will work.
Nice! Yea some grip tape or something, especially on the ramp, is very helpful.
i just bought one the other day and it holds my electra glide very well. mine only came w 2 tie downs i dont really care much for the front of this lift im probably going to look for a better front tire holder. Im also not too impressed with the price it went from 400 to 600 in a year but with inflation it is what it is i guess.. but this is definitely going to get plenty of use repairing and detailing bikes.
Harbor Freight has started selling a better tire clamp, for the lift. About $79.00
@@Jarhead-le1qu I ended up drilling into mine and using the other one and I hate it. Least the origional held the bike somewhat the one I'll have to.check it out and see what it looks like
This lift work ok for my needs servicing both bikes....BMW K1200LT and Kawasaki KLR650. There are two weaknesses. It is bit narrow for good footing while loading the larger bikes. To cure that, I made some 8ft long x 12in wide x 8in high wooden platforms to place along sides of the lift. They just sit on the floor to get bike on lift then I secure the bike then move platforms out of my way. The other issue which has been mentioned a few times is the lightweight wheel brace system. I do plan to upgrade to a better chock soon.
Thanks for the info! This lift is definitely narrower than some others but that is both a pro and a con. With a garage my size, any wider wouldn't work for me. But with a larger bike I can see that being an issue
Doing some shopping and your review was helpful. Thanks for putting it up.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
I bought a pneumatic handy lift new. I’ve had it for about 25 years now. I wish I would’ve bought the harbor freight lift because I like the slow rise and fall of a hydraulic lift versus a pneumatic. When I try to get my motorcycle up as close as possible to the ceiling in my garage on the windshield. I can’t be that precise with the air lift versus a hydraulic lift that you can take up a millimeter at a time if you’re going to use it in your garage at home and you have a bike with a full fairing and tall windshield on it. As a result, I drag my hand a lift out into the driveway to lift my venture and goldwing , with the air pneumatic lift. The lift goes up at different rates of speed. And then it won’t go up for a while and then it’ll takeoff and go up 6 inches within one second. That’s too erratic for a low ceiling garage..
when I was a motorcycle mechanic at three different dealers we always had hydraulic foot operated lifts. I like them better. Like the one in this video.
I would not be too upset with an imperfect powder coating or paint job on a lift because, it’s gonna get hammered anyway. It’s not an expensive piece of furniture, it is a tool to be used up..
Great info on the hydraulic vs pneumatic, thanks! And yea, I'm not too concerned about the powder coating for my use, but its something worth mentioning and some people might care enough to get a different lift. Thanks for watching and thanks sharing the info!
I love mine. Had it for about 7 years now. $199.99, best deal ever.
Agreed, still loving this thing!
I have 4 of these in my shop. Had them for almost 10 years. They're good for what they are; but, ditch the vise and get a chock first thing, second thing put 4 inch grip tape on the ramp
Great to hear! Yea the ramp gets pretty slippery as it is. Do you have a chock you prefer?
The grip tape is on Amazon and a must have for safety issues. I use my lift as a work bench when I need a large work bench.@cheesingarage
I mounted angle iron (1/8x2x2) to the concrete floor so the lift doesn’t slide around. This is all I had to do to make it perfect for me, it saved my knees and back!
I haven't run into that issue yet but that's a great solution! Thanks for watching!
I just got one. Well, first one had fork lift damage so I took it back same day and they replaced it with no haggle. Got the second one home it was fine. Put it together was real easy. I put my Vulcan 2000 classic Lt on it and it was heavy but lifted it up just fine. I’ll still need a center lift to raise the back tire enough to remove the rear plate and take the tire off and out the removable rear plate hole. I hope to be able to do my own rear tire changes.
That sucks the first one was damaged, but glad you were able to replace it easily. I haven't done any tire work yet on the lift, let me know how it goes!
I learned a lot doing it. I strongly suggest not attaching stabilizing straps to the handle bars when the bike is on a lift and then using a sissor lift to raise the back tire off the motorcycle lift. If I have to use stabilizing straps I’ll attach them to my highway pegs or something. I bent the 7 inch risers bolts on my handle bars slightly. This cause small chrome damage on my tank at full lock. I replaced the riser bolts and had clearance again. All because I wanted to change my own rear tire. 🤷🏼♂️ good thing it’s on my parts bike and not my primary.
Bought one 14 years ago. Still going strong.
Awesome! Hope I get as much use out of mine!
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift.
Here's the link to the video on the mods I did.
th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
You're a lot faster than I. And stronger. And younger. Good video. I need to get one of these and save my back and knees.
Thanks for watching, I'm glad you like it! Definitely a back and knee saver. Hope it helped you out!
Hell yeah. I was thinking about it and after watching your vid, definitely going to do as you did and pull the trigger on one. Thanks brotha.😁
Go for it! Thanks for watching!
2 years on mine and have not replaced a thing. I've toyed with using one of My pneumatic bottle jacks but just never got around to it since it's not bad the way it is and it's not like I'm up and down 20 times a day. It lifts both the 883 and a Goldwing just fine.
I've had two of them for 14 and 10 years respectively. I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. The only problem I had was after about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift.
I did have one ramp pin break off on each lift due to a bad weld. My HF welder took care of that.
Here's the link to the video on the mods I did.
th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
Well organized shop! Good video! Thanks!
Thank you and thanks for watching!
jost found the video, good review. by the way, that bobber looks awesome.
Thanks! Its still a work in progress but I have been loving it so far!
I bought a new wheel chock/vice for mine works alot better than the one that it came with. Other than that love the table works just fine for me.
Glad to hear it worked out well for you! What wheel vice did you end up going with?
I’m building a wider platform for ATV’s.. need to extend the petals so they come out further.. has anyone done it and if so how or where did you get the extensions?
I haven't done it, but I would think the easiest way would be to just weld and extension onto the existing pedal. Good luck with the build!
Love my HF bike lift.. especially the $$$. ... lets say I love it so far. Enjoying th channel. keep it up!
Can't beat the price, especially with a sale. Thanks, glad to hear! Thanks for watching!
@@cheesingarage You too bud... Thanks for Subing and watching.
The lift went up in price in Texas, $499.99 - $100.00 off Father’s Day sale, so $399.00.
My question is, can you remove the front tire off on this lift or spin the tire and rim to clean the rims or spoke on front or rear tire? Thanks for the video and answers.
When I bought mine I used a $100 coupon as well, definitely helps justify getting one!
I think the answer here is that you can, but its not meant to. The tire clamp is meant to hold the bike upright (although I wouldn't trust it without straps). But you could try use only the straps to hold the bike and then put a jack under the front of the frame to lift he front wheel (make sure you chock the rear wheel!). You'll just have to lift it enough to take the slack out of the forks. I think it could be done, but it is not something I am planning on doing (at least not while the lift is up) I would attempt this at your own risk.
Thanks for the video and bacon on!
You are welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks!
No problem!
Nice review. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Kicking around the idea of getting one. I have a low ceiling in my garage. Can this be adjusted fire different heights, or is it all up or all down?
What if you need to remove the front tire
If you need to remove the front, you would chock the rear wheel, place a jack under the frame like you usually would and use the tie downs to hold the bike. I would probably do that a ground level until you have everything secure, then lift the table. Or you might be able spin the bike around backwards, but I haven't tried that.
"Could've hot hurt, or worse, I could've knocked over the R1" 😆
Thanks for the video man!
I'm Considering picking one for my sportys...
Ive already just about finished the bobber I'm building but I'm not getting any younger so a lift might still come in handy..
Thanks for watching! I've been using it for a little while now and I am glad I pulled the trigger on this. As I pointed out, its not perfect, but you cant beat it for the price.
It needs a swing arm lift on the back for removing the rear tire.
For the sportster I can put a jack under the center to lift the rear up. I have a spool lift for the R1, but I havent tried to use that on the lift yet
Can the front and back wheels be turned while on it (washing white walls)?
It cant on its own, but if you put a center jack under to lift the wheels off you would be able to.
How many foot pumps does it take to get it fully in the air?
About 35 pumps to get it into the lower position and another 40 to get it all the way up. Thanks for watching!
Great thank you!! And thanks for the review!!
This looks amazing.
Its been a life (back) saver!
Can it fit under a car like a BMW 750 li ?
I don't think so. The deck sits about 8 inches high, not including the tire clamp. A truck or suv might depending on the model but I doubt there are many cars, if any, that can clear this lift.
Great review very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
If you had a touring bike, I assume that you would have to ride it up the ramp and somehow secure it by yourself, do you think that would be do-able ? Thanks.
I've seen people do bigger bikes a few different ways. You can push it, although I am sure that isn't very fun. You could have the bike running and walk next to it as I did, feathering the throttle/clutch to help it up. But yes, you can ride it up. If you were planning on riding it up, I would recommend upgrading the front wheel chock/clamp to something that will help hold the bike better as you get off.
I found this video of a guy riding his bike up onto the lift, starts around 2:40 - th-cam.com/video/MwAi9WnB6tU/w-d-xo.html
@@cheesingarage Thanks. I just purchased the HF lift yesterday and waiting for delivery. I definitely am going to change the wheel chock, and I have some ideas about adding on to the sides so I can put my feet down. These lifts are $500.00 now, (with coupon). Way more than I ever intended to pay,but if I wait, they’ll only cost more tomorrow !
I love mine. My knees love it more. No worries with stability.
The more I use it the more I'm glad I have it. My knees and back are very happy with my decision. Thanks for watching!
Hey man, do you have a hard time moving around the rear wheels? Do I need to do something with those pins? Sorry for the stupid question.
I didn't have any issues with the wheels, they were attached and working out of the box. I haven't moved it around a ton, but they seem to be working fine. I know the manual says to not roll it with a bike on it, so if you have weight on the wheels they may not work properly. Hope this helps!
Is it possible to put the pedals on the other side?
No, it only works on the one side. You can get a better look at the way they attach at the 3:50 mark. If your tight on space, you can remove them, while your working on the bike. I do that sometimes when I plan on leaving at a height for a while. Thanks for watching!
Good video, how stable is the lift when it’s raised all the way up?
Thanks for watching! It is stable enough to do some wrenching but it does sway a little if you push on it. With the center of gravity that high I probably wouldn't recommend doing anything too crazy anyway.
@@cheesingarage I have a 600# lathe, mill, drill press combo machine on a rolling bench. That's 600# about 3' off the floor. I rolled it up onto my lift to install a digital readout on it. I had to make very sure it was centered on the lift to insure stability. No bike is going to have a center of gravity that high.
It’s been 10 months, do you still like it?
Yup, still happy with the purchase! I have pretty much just had the sportster on it the whole time while I build it, but the lift has been great. With the straps on the bike it feels plenty stable and being able to work on the bike at standing height has been great. The only complains I have are the same ones I listed in the video
When all the way down can you park a car over it?
That's going to depend on your vehicle for sure. The deck is about 8 or 9 inches from the ground when all the way down, then you have the tire clamp and tire stop on top of that. I could easily park my truck over it but I doubt many (if any) sedans can park over it. Hope this helps!
@@cheesingarage thanks for the reply
how big is your garage ?
I've been considering get this lift but having a 800lbs road king vicla in the air has me on edge
I understand your concern, that's a heavy bike haha. The lift is rated for 1000lbs so at 800lbs you should be ok, but you are approaching the lifts limitations. I have heard of people putting road kings and some other larger bikes on these lifts without issues, but I haven't done or seen it personally. I definitely understand why you would be on edge about it.
@@cheesingarage I'm mainly concerned about stability if any thing. I have my king currently on the jack replacing the compansator and whol primary is off sitting that low and on a stool my back n legs are like what's wrong with you lol 😆
@@Dachamp2001 I've had a 900# Goldwing on mine and it's solid as a rock. Down low there is a little torsioning of the lift arms, but the higher you lift it the stiffer it gets. At the first level for the safety bar all that goes away.
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift.
Here's the link to the video on the mods I did.
th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
where did you get your speedo mount ?
This is an Auto Meter 3209 gauge mount (I got it from Amazon) that I attached to a universal turn signal fork clamp. It's not the best setup as the speedometer is much heavier than turn signals, so the clamp needs to be adjusted every so often. I am working on moving the speedometer from the forks to the frame right now, but still using the Auto Meter clamp. I'll be capturing this in some upcoming videos if you're interested in seeing what I come up with. Thanks for watching!
Your bike isn’t a 900+ pound touring bike! How safe is the HF lift for a heavy bike?
You're right, its not. Unfortunately, none of the bikes I have weigh that much, so I cant say personally. I have seen other people put some touring bikes on these without issues and its rated for 1000lbs, so it can be done. Although anytime you start approaching the weight limit on a tool, it can start to become a little sketchy (I prefer to have some margin). Ill have to have a friend with a touring bike come by and put in on the lift sometime and give an update.
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift.
Here's the link to the video on the mods I did.
th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
They're good enough lifts. In the UK they come from Clarke or Sealy, all made in the same Chinese factory. I know a couple of professional mechanics that use them. However, there's something wrong with yours. The down pedal is supposed to spring up when take your foot off it.
These lifts are over $600 in California at Harbor Freight. Not such a deal anymore!
Wow, really climbing in price!
To any viewers that think this lift isn't that great - why did you buy the cheapest one if you won't top notch 'professeional' performance ?
You get what you pay for in life so don't expect caviar and champagne if your budget is more pizza and beer !
As for stability, well you know that you can use straps to tie the bike to the lift ? - yes, well you can also use straps to tie the lift to (removable) anchor bolts in the concrete floor of the garage and then it'll be stable. Watch guys who use these things professionally and you will see them lower the bike when they have to loosen axel nuts etc, for all other fasteners they have impact guns..... and you can buy corded mains power ones on the net for peanuts !
I just bought one, they are up to 550 now! Got a big 15% off, whoopee, lol
I did the same yesterday. Already love it.
Anything helps haha. I was lucky enough to find a $100 off coupon when I got mine. Hope you're as happy with it as I am!
I found, the lift is not too bad. The tire clamp is a piece of crap. Air over Hydraulic was worth it ,at least for me.
Yea, the tire clamp is in the 'needs improvement' area for sure. That's where most of those poor welds are located. I wouldn't trust it to hold the bike on its own, but with straps, it does just fine for me. Air lifts are very nice, but typically not in the same price range. This is by no means a top of the line bike lift, definitely entry level, but for a home shop like mine it works. I had a $100 off coupon when I picked this up and you wont find many options at a ~$300 price point.
What lift did you end up going with?
Thanks for watching!
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. After about 12 years of frequent use, the pneumatic pump gave out and I manually pumped it up for about a year. I eventually converted it to a hydraulic cylinder powered by an electric pump. It was a good lift. Now it's a great lift. I'm in the process of converting my other HF lift.
Here's the link to the video on the mods I did.
th-cam.com/video/T6eHjhZNkXw/w-d-xo.html
Bought this and it does work....BUT....I didn't trust it to securely hold my Harley Davidson Heritage. Too shaky with the thinness of the metal used, I decided to sell it at a loss and just save up for a heavy-duty professional ramp instead. Not a bad ramp just isn't built to the specs that most pro ramps are. I'm speaking about the pro ramps for heavy motorcycles like my Harley.
My Limited is either being ridden, or on the lift as soon as I return. Nine years and no issues. I have three of them.
I have the Central Pneumatics motorcycle lift table from Harbor Freight, (the predecessor to the Pittsburgh) that came with the air/ hydraulic jack. The Pittsburgh is definitely built lighter.
There is no way I can push my StreetGlide up onto a lift.
I motor Harleys and Goldwings onto mine.
Thank good I deal
Now they are $599.99😂
😮
The tire clamp it Junk.
The tire clamp is definitely the weak point on this but easily upgradeable in the future. For now I am just happy to be off the floor! Thanks for watching!
Chinesium hardware in many products just sucks. Even the screws provided for light fixtures. Just terrible.
The hardware does suck, but even after replacing it the price is still too good to pass up. Thanks for watching!
When you need tske off tire,like yo replace tire,brakes,chain...This lift is USELESS :))) Katana got iwn lift fir rear tire :)))
I am not sure what you mean. You can definitely take off the tire, replace brakes and chain (belt) while on this lift. There is even a removeable section to drop the tire down so you don't have to fight with the rear fender.
The lift seems ok, however that incoherent comment was USELESS :)))
I don't know what you're talking about. I routinely do wheel / tire work on my HF lifts, on all sizes and brands of bikes.
I see you are quite excited reaping the benefits of slave labor.
Nobody cares
Then why are you here? lol