lucky me, I must have been a good boy

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2016 9:00 pm

K&L bike lift turned up yesterday.
I used to work on plywood layed across milk crates.
This is easier.

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2016 11:04 pm

You will love it. Its better than laying on the floor working on the bike. I got one last year and was the best money I have spent.

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2016 11:08 pm

Nice Rickman too!

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 1:16 am

The Rickman has been an ongoing project of about 5 years so far. I picked it up complete for $2500. It hadn't run since 1981, but the engine was rebuilt 1000km's before it was taken off the road.

Clean carbies and new fuel meant she fired up and ran fine.

My aim is to finish it this year or the next one or the one after that.

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 1:57 am

Mate that looks like pretty flash bike lift!

I am doing a very stressful training course at the moment. Stressful, in part, because not everyone passes... Anyway, I have promised myself that if I pass I will get myself a proper tool cabinet and a bike lift. I have looked at stuff like this cheap one on ebay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121819753682?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Yours is obviously much better quality than that ebay cheapy. I guess that you did a bit of research on cost benefit of various options. Care to share your findings?

Thanks,

Chris

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 3:37 am

G'day Chris

Good luck with the course mate.

I didn't really look at the cheaper ones. They will be much better that working on the floor but I'm not sure how stable they are or if you would feel safe leaving it in the raised position for a long period. Both of these issues can be overcome by lowering it when not in use and maybe putting timber props or something under it for extra stability, but I'm not really sure. My mate had a similar priced one but gave it away when he moved because he wasn't impressed with it.

I looked at the ones it my mates workshop years ago that he has been using commercially for a long time and they are fine and he has not had a problem with them. They are around the $1600-$1800 mark (I can't remember the brand).

The K&N lift is better for sure. While it may be over kill for home use my reasoning was I have been working 6 days a week since before Xmas and when I buy tools I tend to go for the better quality if I can at the time. JR (CBXtra) who just bought one pointed out that this will still be worth decent coin in years to come which is true, so it can be sold when I'm not using it anymore. Similar to the bikes I have invested in (that's what we call it don't we?)

I've got a few bikes with always something needing work or servicing, along with a few projects so this lift will get a fair bit of use for sure.

It's about twice the price of the ones my mate uses in his workshop. Everyones situation is different including mine at different times of my life. I decided to go for this one by thinking how many days work do I need to do to cover the cost of this.

Have a good one
Scott

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 5:24 am

Thanks for the advice Scott,

Glad you were able to get something that will not cause you any concerns. I probably won't be investing quite as much, but then again, I don't have the number of bikes that you do! I will try to steer clear of the ultra cheap for the reasons you have stated. Almost every time I have bought a cheap tool I have ended up replacing it with a better quality expensive one Wink

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 8:42 am

I have one the same as the cheap ebay one and have used it almost every day for over a year now and no problems. I paid $499 for mine but it has the foot pump and can connect an air hose for pneumatic lifting as well. They look like cheap crap but when you get closer, they are reasonably strongly made. I have a bike (GTR1000) that weighs 280kgs and it lifts it no worries. I have attached some shackles along the both sides of the table and use tie down straps just to make sure the bike is secured. I have left my lift up with a bike on it for 2 weeks and it never came down. There is a bar that goes through the bottom rail to stop accidental lowering or if the cylinder leaks.
I was lucky as there is a company 10kms away from me that sells them and I went in and had a play with them before I decided to buy one. It does what I want and I am happy with it.

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 10:04 am

Thanks GPZman, that is good information to know. I will keep it on the list of possible options.

Cheers,

Chris

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 3:15 pm

Awesome people on this site.......... I have a Rickman SOHC as well, it's rough but all there, but since it was originally built as a race bike, it is missing the speedo drive. My recollection was that it was driven off the rear wheel, using the original Honda speedo drive, but not the easiest thing to find to look at or get pictures of.

Scott was gracious enough to take the time to send me some pics.

Thanks for the help Very Happy

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2016 8:08 am

gpzman wrote:

I have one the same as the cheap ebay one and have used it almost every day for over a year now and no problems.

I have had one of these for a few years now and never had an issue. You can lock them off in a couple of positions with the through-bar, and I've had project bikes up in the air for months at a time, but I did run some tie-downs at the rear just in case.

Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 12:26 pm

bikeboy wrote:

gpzman wrote:

I have one the same as the cheap ebay one and have used it almost every day for over a year now and no problems.

I have had one of these for a few years now and never had an issue. You can lock them off in a couple of positions with the through-bar, and I've had project bikes up in the air for months at a time, but I did run some tie-downs at the rear just in case.

That is good to know too. Given that I won't be using the lift professionally and that it just has to be better than the 'block of firewood and strap from the roof' technology I was using before, it may do the job.

My previous 'lift':

By the way, I passed the course, so I will be treating myself to a lift and a proper tool cabinet soon!

Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 12:36 pm

I dunno Chris....I really liked the block of firewood and strap from the roof technology. It really showed the Aussie Spirit of shade tree engineering....I smiled a lot the first time I saw that picture in your build thread....Congratulations on passing the course....was there ever a doubt?

Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 12:49 pm

I managed to slip a go-pro into the flight deck for the test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRy3fCCR0Yg

Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 1:45 pm

Bone wrote:

I managed to slip a go-pro into the flight deck for the test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRy3fCCR0Yg

Hahahahaha....great, somebody has to take charge when things get dicey up there!!!

CB1100F Joined: Feb 17, 2009 Posts: 2105 Location: Oz

Bone wrote:

By the way, I passed the course, so I will be treating myself to a lift and a proper tool cabinet soon!

Congratulations Chris. Was it hard going from A to B?

And, I too have an eBay cheapie but the hydraulic ram seized solid in less then six months. Luckily it was retracted. I'm currently waiting for a replacement under warranty. However, I think i'm just unlucky as all the other eBay ones I know of are perfectly fine.

Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 11:54 pm

Thanks Don. Going from Airbus to Boeing is a little tricky. It will take a little while for things to become automatic in my brain rather than have to think about things, but it will happen pretty quickly. Biggest difference is the change of pace from 1 long sector a day to doing 3 or more with short turn arounds.

Think I will probably go with the Ebay lift and use the extra funds to get a good tool cabinet. The Maxim tool boxes get reasonable reviews https://www.justprotools.com.au/42-inch-19-drawer-combination-red-top-tool-chest-a

Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 4:09 am

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AIR-HYDRAULIC-Motorcycle-lift-bike-lifter-stand-jack-hoist-motorbike-table/151864050881?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D1810409ad6aa44a480ddad2f5652e191%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D151864050881

This is the same as the one I got. From a different supplier but does the job.