Blog posts tagged with 'handy motorcycle lift'

A motorcycle lift is ideal for some maintenance activities like changing fluids or just washing the motorcycle from tail to tip. Motorcycle Lifts are gaining more popularity as more bikers are taking responsibility of maintaining their bikes. As a result, various models of lifts are now available. There are different models for sports bikes, street bikes, race bikes, cruisers, choppers and custom bikes.

A motorcycle lift with the optional extensions can be used for many different recreational vehicles such as four wheelers, ATVs, jet ski, snowmobile, as well as non-recreational vehicles such as a riding mower. The main difference between the various lifts is the weight capacity that it supports and the style of the wheel frame, which has to be considered very carefully as using an incorrect type of lift could scratch your bike or could also damage the brakes with the wrong type of wheel secure. Two types of motorcycle lifts available are: * Air Lift * Air / Hydraulic Lift Motorcycle lift ratings can vary, depending on some of the following factors. You definitely want to be sure you are buying what you need, and what will work best for your bike, as well the physical capabilities of your body!

Be sure to keep these things in mind when you are considering buying a motorcycle lift:

* How high you want the platform to rise
* Where will the lift be used
* How long will you be leaving the bike on the lift
* What type of security you require
* How big is the bike

The biggest attraction to owning your own lift is the ease of working. Lying on the floor is uncomfortable, and maneuvering is difficult, not to mention hard on the back, knees, joints. Once you've used one, you'll wonder how you ever got by without one. How do you justify the expense? The comfort factor alone makes it worth spending the money on a lift. And performing your own maintenance tasks saves you from having to take your bike to a professional. You'll see the return in no time, not to mention the relief you'll find not having to bend over and kneel down. If you've ever considered purchasing a motorcycle table lift for working on your bike then we recommend several. To buy motorcycle lift you should always research the possibilities.

We recommend PRO 1200 Motorcycle Lifts, Elevator 1800 Lift Tables, and Handy Lift Tables. To prove they are our top motorcycle lift picks, we are a dealer for all 3 for a reason. We only sell what we, ourselves, would buy. We want to offer equipment to our customers that makes them feel they've gotten a deal and a piece of equipment that will last. And...we want to turn them into repeat customers. (Editor's Note: Since this writing, we've stopped selling Handy Lifts. We find the other options are much more affordable, so we've continued selling lifts that we feel are more than a brand name; they offer quality, longevity and a more affordable price point.  We have a 'higher end' model to offer to people who are really serious about quality. We stand behind the quality of ALL of these lifts. All are rugged and a good buy for the money. We've made videos demonstrating each of these motorcycle lifts, so you can see the features and durability in real time! Make sure you watch them, they are worth checking out.

1. PRO 1200 MOTORCYCLE LIFT

The PRO 1200 Motorcycle Lift is our #1 choice for motorcycle lifts, hands down. Why? Well, first we'll look at pricing, features, packaging, and then we'll compare them. PRO 1200 (basic package) is priced at $1599. Features of this lift include Pneumatic operation: Air powered w/ foot pedal controls; 7 Position Safety Locking System: secures lift in place while working;  Detachable 40" Drive-On Ramp: Low angle ramp protects bikes as they are rolled onto and off of the lift; Rubber lined Front Wheel Vise: secures vehicles and includes adjustable front stop; Pullout / Drop Through for Rear Tire Change: Allows access to rear of vehicles and makes wheel service easier; 3 Stage Adjustable Front Extension: Chopper extension allows long bikes to fit onto the PRO 1200 Motorcycle Lift. Make the table 84" long, 97" long or 110" long; Single Heavy Duty Pneumatic Cylinder: Heavy-duty construction w/ sealed roller bearings for smooth operation; Greasable shaft: Grease zerks on X frame maintains smooth operation; Powder Coated Finish: Powder coat finish for durability with red or orange accents; Compact Portable Design: Makes the PRO 1200 Motorcycle Lift easy to move and store. The basic package includes a 1,500 lb capacity lift (watch our demo video of this lift raising and lowering 1,500 lbs), plus a 1 year warranty. Above, we linked to a video of this lift holding a certain weight amount. Did you catch the number of lbs? We hope the ruggedness of this lift speaks for itself in that demonstration. Lastly, don't take our word for it. Check out our customer reviews of the PRO 1200 Motorcycle Lift here. The newest in the PRO series line of motorcycle lifts are designed for even higher weight capacity for heavier, larger vehicles, which puts them in their own class. This lift is perfect for UTVs, trikes, spyders, even golf course and road paving equipment. This heavier series includes a versatile quartered side extension kit with each package, to accommodate trikes, spyders, and more. These lifts can lift it all!

2. ELEVATOR 1100 AND 1800 LIFTS

Elevator 1100 and 1800 lift tables are designed by NHProEquip. These lift tables were manufactured to the highest degree of quality. We left no stone unturned, because we wanted to offer people a lift that would stand the test of time, and be top of the line for any professional or DIY-er who wants to work on their motorcycle, sled, atv, utv, trike or any other vehicle without having to pay someone else to get it up on a lift. These lifts are built beautifully, with every detail in mind. Elevator series lift tables are designed and crafted to last for years. These lift tables are not your average products. The quality, workmanship, and materials used in manufacturing are of the highest level.

Elevator lift tables are made with thick 10 gauge steel, rugged enough to handle the heaviest vehicles. We start with a quality frame and rectangular base, a footprint that ensures safety in lifting and safety in working. The base frame is fitted with a tow bar that accepts a wheel dolly, the base frame is also pre drilled with to accept a wheel kit which allows for easy placement and storage. A safety locking mechanism is built into the base with 4 and 5 settings, depending on the model, to adjust to your height. Includes a completely adjustable quick lock wheel chock allowing the table to handle bikes of all kinds. Front and rear drop down panels are a huge asset when performing tire service.

This lift includes a 2 year warranty and is built beautifully. There is no better lift built anywhere; both the design and craftsmanship will blow you away.

There are several packages to consider for the Elevator 1100 and the Elevator 1800 lifts. The Elevator 1800 motorcycle lift with sides is a top choice for our customers. In addition to motorcycle lifts, we also offer, golf cart lifts, snowmobile lifts, lawn tractor / mower lifts, atv/utv lift. Your choice as to whether you want sides. We wanted to make attractive, affordable packages for all powersport needs and vehicles.

Here is a review from our customer Bryan in NC:

"It's awesome!! It is a very well built and smooth fast lift and lowering! I love it!! Great lift, great price and fast shipping. It's double duty of any other lift I've used or researched. Very sturdy with a heavy utv or atv on it and its the easiest to add and remove the extension width panels ! No tubing or pins to put in and take out to add the atv wide panels and the drop outs are very solid and easy to operate. I am just looking for more projects to work on on the lift!! Its so convenient and saves my back!! Thank you NH
Lifts ! Best tool in my shop!"

3. HANDY MOTORCYCLE LIFTS Presently, Handy manufactures goods for the power sports and power equipment markets and the recreational vehicle market. Its shop products include electric and air powered lifts and motorcycle stands. Their lift tables are used both by individuals and commercial use alike.

We should note that current prices as of this writing-- spring 2023 -- reflect about a $1000 difference in price from the PRO 1200 lift table, which includes several accessories, and the Handy lift table, which includes no accessories. If you want a jack, vise, and sides (which are all included in the PR0 1200SEMAX package), these three acessories alone will cost an extra $1600.

While some may prefer the electric lift tables, air powered equipment is also a great alternative. If you are doing your own work, chances are you've already got an air compressor, so why pay the additional cost for the electric?

Its state-of-the-art features were actually designed by the people who use the lifts as well as motorcycle techs. The Handy SAM 1000 motorcycle lift table, which has a longer 84" length will be great for owners of longer vehicles who need the extra length. And remember that a shorter motorcycle will fit on a longer table, but not vice versa. You can cover all the bases with it. The Handy SAM Lift is the same as the standard air lift, with additional features of a dropout panel and 84" length for working on those longer motorcycles.

Handy 1000 Handy SAM Lift Features a safety-rated 1000 lb. capacity, 24" width, 30" maximum height, 7" minimum height, and weight of 330 lbs. * Handy 1000 S.A.M. Handy Lift also offer several attachments to customize your S.A.M. 1000 Lift, such as various handy lift extensions, including as a 14476 CV 17 Cycle Vise, 16002 8" Side Extensions, 12" Side Extensions, 16011 13" Front Extension, 10732 Lift Dolly and a 16010 Tool Tray. The drop out panel at the rear of the table is a great option. This allows the rear wheel to be more easily removed on motorcycles that don't have a single-sided swing. The drop out panel would be beneficial for anyone that has a bike with a full rear fender that makes getting the rear wheel out very difficult. Just position the rear wheel over the drop-out panel, support the bike, remove the panel and you'll be able to lower the wheel out the bottom. If you are willing to pay the money for a lift, you might just want spend a little extra for all the amenities to make life that much easier!

Once the table is set to the desired height, it is lowered down onto the locks and the air line can then be disconnected for other uses when the motorcycle is being serviced. This Handy lift table may be raised and lowered with a foot pedal. It is rocked one way to raise the table and the other to lower the table. This leaves you with both hands free should you need them. The required air pressure is only 90-100 psi with 100 being the maximum allowed. Handy states that any compressor that develops the required pressure will be adequate, since it requires very little volume to raise it. This lift table should work fine with any small portable compressor that's capable of producing 90-100 psi.

The Handy Sam 1000 lift is rated for a total weight of 1000 lbs.

Handy 14472 1500 B.O.B. Handy Lift is longer, wider and taller for your Bike The introduction of Handy 1500 BOB Handy Lift solves numerous challenges in today's professional workshop. The Handy B.O.B. lift has an adjustable height from 10 to 40 inches; lifts 1500 pounds for the fully dressed motorcycles, trikes and quads; and has a drop-out panel for convenient tire changes. Handy also made the lift a full 7' long and expended the width to 28". To further customize the B.O.B. to your needs, you can add 12" side extensions (14473), a 13" front extension (14474), and a 14475 trike extension kit to the lift. Handy 1500 B.O.B. Handy Lift Features: * 1,500 lb. safety rated lifting capacity * 40" maximum height * Work surface of 84" x 28" (not including any extensions) * Drop out for tire changes * 11 gauge steel construction * Air Source 90-100 psi * Ramp length 31" * The B.O.B lift is CE approved. It does not include vise, side extension, or front extension.

A customer called us a week or so ago about buying a motorcycle lift. He had purchased a lift for just under $1,100.00 from another source, got it home to RI, and set it up. To his surprise the lift collapsed the first time he used it. The customer asked if we had anything "that isn't a piece of junk." First, I can't help thinking what a sad situation it is for both the business and the customer. No business wants a dissatisfied customer, and no customer wants to be dissatisfied--right? Not to mention the "danger" factor. Certainly things can malfunction, but when you're dealing with a lift that fails, injuries can occur, and in some cases, even be fatal.

I told him we carry Titan Motorcycle Lifts, Handy Motorcycle Lifts, and Quality Motorcycle lifts, and I made a few recommendations based on what he was looking for. I'm a firm believer of following the customer's lead. I have extensive product knowledge and offer as much information as I can when solicited, but I will never push a product they just don't want or can't afford. He said he'd stop by the shop, on his way to return the failed lift. They weren't accepting of the explanation initially, but he was able to prove that it collapsed, and managed to get his money back. He was concerned and wanted to see bike lifts from each company we represent. I understood his concern (naturally) and reassured him that our offering of lifts wouldn't fail on him. There's a method to my madness. I've been doing this for 37 years, and the choices I've made in what lifts I carry are well thought out.

All are solid, well-made lifts, but I try to represent different price tiers, depending on the buyer's needs and finances. After recommending a Titan lift because of his price point with the failed lift, I told him it doesn't have all finished polish he is looking for, but it is well-made, and I stand behind it. In fact, I never have had a return and never a dissatisfied customer.

At this point, he told me he was a nut about quality (preferring the best of the best), so then I got more of a sense of what he wanted. Top of the line. I presented a Handy lift to him. After commenting on the fine details, he seemed to really gravitate to this lift, and he said he willing to put a little more money into it to know he had quality. He paid $2,050, nearly double what he paid for the failed lift, but that's what he wanted. I didn't have to "sell" him anything; he just wanted a premium quality lift. The experience actually made me realize why I started selling Handy lifts. I like the best of the best, too, and these are QUALITY lifts. Interestingly, even though Titan is in a different price tier, I chose them for their quality as well. They may differ from Handy, but a good, solid lift with many extras as standard equipment, nonetheless. (Quite frankly, I wouldn't be selling it if it wasn't.) Titan lifts fit people's needs and the price is right. Here's an analogy: Driving a BMW as opposed to a Ford Focus. BMW's are engineered right, and they have all the polish to go with it! Costs a lot to fix, but it's a rugged, nice, long-lasting car. Will the Focus work well? Yes, the Focus is a well-made car, too, but maybe the bumps feel a little different, and it's a little noisier when riding on the road. With either choice, you reach your destination, right? And that's all that matters.

Thanks to Jared at MotoWerks in Haverhill, MA for sharing this pic of the Handy SAM2 Lift he purchased from us awhile back. He tells us the bike on the lift is a "KTM Supermoto in progress."

Below you will find the Handy Motorcycle Lift SAM 1000 Instructions and Parts diagrams and lists. We find its been helpful for folks perusing our blog to post documents provided by some of our manufacturer partners. We post all of these PDFs on our website as they become available to us (you will find this particular pdf in the product description for the Handy SAM 1000), but since they are setup as a clickable link, sometimes they can get overlooked. We are grateful for your feedback as it steers us in the right direction - please keep it coming! We are always interested in learning more about what you'd like to see on this blog! Best wishes for a Happy New Year, Clark Heintz Tools & Equipment LLC HANDY S.A.M 1000 AIR LIFT

PARTS LIST AND INSTRUCTION 1. Center load on table - 1000 lb. maximum.

2. Connect to 100 psi maximum shop air.

3. Keep safety bar in position at all times - except when lowering.

4. Keep hands and tools from under carriage. 5. Do not mount table when in elevated position.

6. Do not ride vehicle onto lift.

7. Lift must be in the lowered position when moving.

8. Only trained persons should operate Air Lift.

9. The working area should be sufficiently lit.

10. Foot controller should be at least 3 feet away from Air Lift during raising and lowering operation.

11. Lift is recommended for indoor use only.

INSTRUCTIONS UNPACKING AND SET-UP

1. Open carton, then remove ramp and shipping boards.

2. CAREFULLY TURN TABLE UPRIGHT INTO OPERATING POSITION BEFORE REMOVING SHIPPING CABLE RESTRAINT FROM SCISSOR MECHANISM.

3. Connect foot-operated air valve to 100 psi maximum air supply. The lift may be damaged and/or personal injury may result if the pressure exceeds the maximum 100 psi rating.

4. Stand clear of lift table, and depress the UP side of foot valve to raise table.

5. To lower table, lift detent bar from safety latch and lower to next position or to floor.

6. Place drop-out cover over dropout opening.

7. Insert ramp mounting pins into holes at either end of table to mount ramp.

NOTE: If cycle vise is being installed, ramp must be mounted opposite the cycle vise. OPERATION

1. Loads must be centered on table at all times. Table is rated for a maximum load of 1000 lbs.

2. Loads must be firmly positioned and secured on table at all times.

3. All moving parts have been lubricated at the factory and should be re-lubricated every (6) months to prevent galling. Grease zerks are located at each end of frame pivot shaft and at top ends of inside frame assembly.

4. Lightly oil cylinder rod when it becomes dry.

5. Squirt some oil through bleed hole in plate end of cylinder to lubricate piston and its seal every (6) months.

6. Pivot shaft set screws should be checked frequently to be sure they are tight. These are located at the top end of the inside frame assembly. OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE Separate installation instructions included with each option. PART # DESCRIPTION 14476 CV-17 CYCLE VISE – Used to stabilize motorcycles while on lift 16002 12” SIDE EXTENSIONS (2) - Expands width of lift from 24” to 48” includes stabilizer bar. 16001 13” FRONT EXTENSION – Extends lift top to 97” for longer wheel base motorcycles 10732 LIFT DOLLY – Helps move lift while in down position

PART # DESCRIPTION 10819 dentent clip 14381 valve hose with fitting 11250 screw 3/4 - 10 x 1 3/4 11253 retaining ring 1 5/16 11255 lockwasher 3/4" 11319 wheel 12887 valve stern assembly 12937 foot valve assembly complete 13304 cylinder shaft bushing 13305 cylinder shaft seal 11061 cylinder 11071 cylinder shaft assembly 11315 cam roller bearing 11252 retaining ring 11308 piston 11306 piston seal 11065 cylinder end plate 11250 screw 3/4 - 10 x 1 3/4 11316 cam bearing space 15685 top assembly 11225 inside frame assembly 11222 outside frame assembly 11123 ramp 15687 dropout cover 11177 detent bar 11179 frame pivot shaft 11008 cylinder pivot shaft 11254 retaining ring 1 1/4 11321 track roller bearing 11253 retaining ring 11248 1/2 x 1 3/4 clevis pin 11249 cotter pin 1/8 x 7/8