Motorcycle Lift
#52
10-22-2012 | 11:38 PM
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 301
Likes: 1
From: Melbourne Florida
I have the same one & am really happy with it. The first time I lowered my Heritage I just about ****. But now I hold the lower part of the handlebars & all is well.
I like the idea of adding a screw to slow things down. Might have to try that.
I like the idea of adding a screw to slow things down. Might have to try that.
#53
11-29-2012 | 06:00 PM
2nd Gear
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: manchester,nj
#54
11-29-2012 | 07:12 PM
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,762
Likes: 1,925
This is the $109 one I got at Sears, which seemed to support the Rocker quite stably when I first tried it last night. Raising and lowering are done with separate foot pedals. The long handle is just for moving it around.
Looking at some of the bad reviews, I think most of the problems would be solved by following the instructions: Purge the hydraulic cylinder before using the first time (it's been in various positions during shipping), and lower the jack onto the locking arm when in use, taking the pressure off the hydraulic cylinder. That's good practice anyway, because any hydraulic cylinder can develop a problem and leak down. If the cylinder leaks down and sets your wheels on the floor, the bike may go over.
It probably won't go under some lowered bikes without running the wheels up on a 2x6 or something first.
Oh, and some parts pivot on a threaded portion of a bolt. That's kind of dumb, because it wouldn't have cost the manufacturer much more to do it right, and would keep it from wearing so fast. Maybe I'll fix it with longer bolts, or maybe I won't bother.
Looking at some of the bad reviews, I think most of the problems would be solved by following the instructions: Purge the hydraulic cylinder before using the first time (it's been in various positions during shipping), and lower the jack onto the locking arm when in use, taking the pressure off the hydraulic cylinder. That's good practice anyway, because any hydraulic cylinder can develop a problem and leak down. If the cylinder leaks down and sets your wheels on the floor, the bike may go over.
It probably won't go under some lowered bikes without running the wheels up on a 2x6 or something first.
Oh, and some parts pivot on a threaded portion of a bolt. That's kind of dumb, because it wouldn't have cost the manufacturer much more to do it right, and would keep it from wearing so fast. Maybe I'll fix it with longer bolts, or maybe I won't bother.
#55
11-29-2012 | 08:13 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 27,077
Likes: 4,633
From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
I got a Larin first, bottle failed under the first bike l put on it (fortunately, a honda). Got the bike up, and a few minutes later the bottle dumped all the fluid on the floor. If that wasn't fun getting a car floor jack under it to get it down. Have a Harbor Freight high lift now (got it for $160 new), lifts almost 30", more solid that the common style, but it doesn't roll with a bike on it. Whatever you get, I'd recommend checking first that you can get a replacement bottle for it - you can't with Larin's, I found out. Generic off the shelf bottles probably won't fit any of them.
Edit: I wouldn't work on or move any bike on a jack/lift without tying it down good first. That's something I like about my high lift, as soon as the lifting arms are against the bike, I can tie it to them and go up and down while tied; most (all?) conventional bike jacks have to have slack to go up, and go slack coming down. I've seen the videos, guy gets on a bike and wiggles it on the jack to show it won't fall off. I don't buy that, bike's are too expensive to take that kind of risk, heard of too many people bumping their bikes and watching them fall over.
Edit: I wouldn't work on or move any bike on a jack/lift without tying it down good first. That's something I like about my high lift, as soon as the lifting arms are against the bike, I can tie it to them and go up and down while tied; most (all?) conventional bike jacks have to have slack to go up, and go slack coming down. I've seen the videos, guy gets on a bike and wiggles it on the jack to show it won't fall off. I don't buy that, bike's are too expensive to take that kind of risk, heard of too many people bumping their bikes and watching them fall over.
Last edited by Imold; 11-30-2012 at 12:47 AM.
#58
11-30-2012 | 12:37 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 27,077
Likes: 4,633
From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
Compared to a dealer doing it maybe? I read on this forum that dealers are super expensive for anything. Don't really know, always done all my own maintenance. Throw in tires every couple three years, would help speed up return. I don't think about the money; lifting the bike so I can comfortably reach it sitting on a stool is worth whatever to my old back. Ain't got room for a table. With two bikes, and what I've already used it for, I figure my $160 jack paid for itself this summer if I figured all that work done by a dealer. Payback on my tire changer may take a few years, though.
Last edited by Imold; 11-30-2012 at 12:42 AM.
#59
11-30-2012 | 01:12 AM
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 218
Likes: 0
From: UK
I'm looking at the big blue from this site. Expensive, but gets very good reviews, and its not hydraulic www.on-bike.com
#60
11-30-2012 | 06:16 AM
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,908
Likes: 791
From: Omaha
I banged my head on this one for weeks after I bought my bike.
The J&S Jacks is sure nice and isn't a bad purchase decision however after seeing it at a friend's house it appears to just be wider with a bit more iron in the construction than a typical jack.
It does lift a bit higher than the Sears red jack but I didn't see $350 more jack than the $86 Sears red jack.
I decided to get the Sears red jack and spend the other $350 on some accessories.
I've been happy with the red jack and as long as Sears stays in business I'm not that worried about getting it replaced if it dies.
Once the bike's in the air, if I put a pair of jack stands forward and aft of the red jack, I can sit on the bike and rock back and forth without straps and the bike doesn't move. Of course when I tried this, I had two people standing next to the bike. I'm not stupid you know.
The jack stands cost me $19.95 at Harbor Freight so I have around $110 in the entire setup.
As for the "on-bike" blue jack. I don't know what is available in the UK, but it certainly seems solid. I like to be able to move my bike around once it's on the jack so the blue jack wouldn't work for me.
The J&S Jacks is sure nice and isn't a bad purchase decision however after seeing it at a friend's house it appears to just be wider with a bit more iron in the construction than a typical jack.
It does lift a bit higher than the Sears red jack but I didn't see $350 more jack than the $86 Sears red jack.
I decided to get the Sears red jack and spend the other $350 on some accessories.
I've been happy with the red jack and as long as Sears stays in business I'm not that worried about getting it replaced if it dies.
Once the bike's in the air, if I put a pair of jack stands forward and aft of the red jack, I can sit on the bike and rock back and forth without straps and the bike doesn't move. Of course when I tried this, I had two people standing next to the bike. I'm not stupid you know.
The jack stands cost me $19.95 at Harbor Freight so I have around $110 in the entire setup.
As for the "on-bike" blue jack. I don't know what is available in the UK, but it certainly seems solid. I like to be able to move my bike around once it's on the jack so the blue jack wouldn't work for me.
Last edited by Bluraven; 11-30-2012 at 06:19 AM.