Building a motorcycle lift... anyone????

[Stephen]

Decided I need to have a motorcycle platform for the garage.

I checked out the wood pile & sure enough, I have all I'll need. I even have 8' ramps ready to go.

Ordered a wheel chock kit from Harbor Freight.

It won't raise, of course. But it'll have casters.

Pics when I finish.

 

[Canadian FJR]

This sounds interesting, please send pics to show your progress.

Canadian FJR

 

[Stephen]

Glued & screwed. Only things left are the leg supports, carpeting, paint and levelers (they will take the place of the casters). Used 2 pieces of 1/2 plywood (glued & power-nailed together), 2x4's & 2x2.

Front wheel chock on the way from Harbor Freight.

2' x 8'. Also will fit my rear wheel lift. Installing an eye bolt in the garage ceiling for a amid-ship brace. Also eye bolts at all 4 corners for tie-downs.

 

[majicmaker]

Looks like that will do the job just fine Stephen! Nice Work! Uhhh Rahhh! :clapping:

 

[FJReady]

Consider putting some diagonal bracing on those legs. Don't want to read about an unfortunate garage mishap some day. its a heavy bike.

 

[FJRMGM]

sorry man but that design looks like a U-Tube disaster clip in the making.

On ramp is too narrow and the way the "leg" 2x4's are attached look to me like if it is twisted or experiences any lateral movement the entire thing will collapse.

If it were half that tall it would be much more stable, easier to put the bike on and still have the bike up in the air to work on .

how do you get the bike up on that thing? Surely you are not riding it up there, are you??

I would suggest making the on-ramp wide enough that the side-stand can be put down when taking the bike up the ramp for added safety. A 600 lb bike tipping over and off that would be a really bad thing.

 

[RadioHowie]

That loading ramp screams "What Kind of Soup Would You Like On That Sandwich, Sir?"

BE VEWWY CAREFUL!

 

[edjo69]

Are those casters plastic?? The legs need to be at least 4x4's and braced much, much more. If you ride it up the ramp how are you going to get off it with out tipping it over. Please be careful it looks dangerous.

 

[Stephen]

Like I stated, the diagonal supports (extruded aluminum) are not attached yet. Either is the 2" box aluminum outriggers for the legs. There will be levelers at each end of the outriggers.

The ramp will be 2 8' long 2x10's fastened together (only one is shown). The angle is fairly low, although it will take two people to push it up. I can also hook up a hand-cranked come-along, if I need to.

In the garage, it will be quite stable. For safety's sake, I have a 2" strap attached to several large beams in the ceiling via a steel bar.

For oil changes, I have a funnel attached to a hose that will pass through the flooring into an oil bin underneath.

The center of the platform will be paint w/ sand. Thin carpet (like in an SUV) will be on either side.

Total height at finish will be 27".

Casters will be removed. They're only on so I can maneuver it in & out of the garage until its finished.

Here's an idea what it'll be with the supports.

 

[Big-D]

Let me see! I do appreciate your thought process designing this (death trap). I'm sorry and don't mean to sound rude, but,

1) if you actually try to ride, push or both a nearly 700 lb FJR up that 8' long 2x6 or 2x8, it will break and the bike will end up on top of you.

2) if you managed to get your bike up there, it will undoubtedly tip over on you and again the FJR will use you for a cushion.

3) If the above two things don't occur, those cheapy plastic wheels will explode and the FJR will once again land on you ruining your day.

4) if the first three episodes don't occur and you get your bike up there, the legs will collapse inward, outward or both because of not properly being braced and the FJR will once again piss in your cornflakes!

5) and finally, if none of these thing happen and you get the bike up there successfully, your entire "Trojan Lift" will simply fall over on you and once again your bones will suffer dearly!

6) Oh yeah, let's not forget that if you manage to avoid everything mentioned above, when you are finished and try to get the bike down from there, one or more of everything listed above will occur and the FJR will crash upon you and you will once again be screwed.

Summary: If you use the I-bolt that you screwed into a ceiling joist to support your nearly 700 lb FJR, there is a chance that joist will break and your entire ceiling will fall upon you, breaking both you and your FJR most severely. And to add to this catastrophe, when your (i.e. wife, girlfriend, mother or SO) comes home to see what you have destroyed, they will take whatever is left of you and finish it off for good!!

Mind you, I'm not trying to be negative!!

Just Saying!!

 

[LAF]

I park on a lift every night. You have way more balls then me to even consider putting your motorcycle on that!

I don't mean to sound harsh but for what you have in it you could have bought a 1 step up Harbor Freight death trap.

Sorry man but you are setting yourself up for a very big disaster to say the least. I say that out of concern not ridicule.

Again no disrespect but I have been wrenching for a few years on very heavy bikes, A Road Glide and then a BMW K1200 LT and now the FJR, and IMHO you are setting yourself up for a really ugly FUBAR.

 

[beemerdons]

Stephen, I know you've worked very hard on this project and I always appreciate someone who takes the initiative to build things on his own; but, I also am having reservations about a 700 lb. FJR on this platform. I hope you don't mind, but I've PM'd WheatonFJR with this thread. Mark's a Structural Engineer, maybe he'll Mechanical Engineer and analyze this one.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Consider putting some diagonal bracing on those legs. Don't want to read about an unfortunate garage mishap some day. its a heavy bike.

sorry man but that design looks like a U-Tube disaster clip in the making.

I love the do-it-yourself nature of this board....BUT I would seriously walk....NO, RUN away from this thing. Your lateral bracing appears to be inadequate in both directions...and the vertical support is iffy for the 600 lbs you are going to be putting on that table.

You may or may not get it up on that thing safely...but over time, if not the first time, those connections will fail...and you will have busted up your FJR beauty, and likely one or both of your legs.

PLEASE consider PURCHASING a lift. They are cheaper than the ER bills and the cost of a new FJR.

 

[beemerdons]

Thank you very much Wheatie, for your experienced opinion! I agree with wheatonFJR, I'd try a Harbor Freight lift first! For $70, plus tax, at you local HF, I would give this a try first!

https://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capac...-lift-2792.html 1,500 lb. capacity, twice the weight of an FJR. Hopefully someone here who has one will give us an FJR consumers report.

 

[LAF]

It is nice an Engineer looked at it and gave a good opinion, one I would definitely heed. He or any of us have no vested interest in this other then you and your bike.

I DO hope you understand it is our concern we are speaking up.

Here is what I use and I got mine for 749.00 and picked it up in Delaware. They will wheel and deal with you. I also got the Black Jack and have not checked it on the FJR but it has a bunch of adjustment and frame pegs with it. One hell of a small jack.

If I was rich I would have bought a full boat Handy Lift but they are really big money.

My Lift

Yes I know not everyone can or will spend for a lift but as I got older it makes life very nice at times and since I have a carport I park on it every night because of floor space.

I am not a HF lift fan but have seen 900# LT's sitting on them. Not mine, but others. So maybe that is a good safe solution for you? Most guys then build side extenders from 2x10 and park on them also. A lift with no side rails is a pretty spooky adventure to park on, 6" looks a long way down from sitting in the saddle.

 

[Stephen]

OK, going to version 2.0.

1. Replacing legs with 4x4's.

2. Total height will be 20".

3. Boxing in sides with chipboard.

4. Steel/ aluminum loading ramps.

We'll use it for an emergency shelter when it's stored.

 

[wfooshee]

I don't think you need to box the sides in, that will add a tremendous amount of weight to the thing without doing much for it's structure. Yes, boxing will replace diagonal bracing, but damn! it'll be heavy!!

Diagonal braces that go all the way to the bottom of the legs, not just halfway, and across the table as well as down the length.

Might not hurt to have a couple more joists under the deck, as well.

Maybe a winch to pull the bike up while you walk along beside it, on the floor.

Myself, I'd rather have a stand that raises from the floor, to lift an already secured bike.

 

[rogdeb]

Thank you very much Wheatie, for your experienced opinion! I agree with wheatonFJR, I'd try a Harbor Freight lift first! For $70, plus tax, at you local HF, I would give this a try first!
https://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capac...-lift-2792.html 1,500 lb. capacity, twice the weight of an FJR. Hopefully someone here who has one will give us an FJR consumers report.

The best $70 I spent.

 

[XXX]

That thang is gonna fold up like a cheap lawn chair.

Listen to what some of the others have suggested .