sick of crawling on floor, a lift is needed. Which one should i get for 14? Ride on? Jack underneath? Skylift, which i like but bloody expensive. Input appreciated. I have a pro lift scissor jack, reckon could be used on table lift. Your thoughts gentlemen.
Can definitely use the scissor lift on the table mate.
I watched gumtree for q while and a decent second hand one came along. Pretty sure i posted the name and photos on the "what did you buy today" thread.
If not, I'll find out and post again. Has saved my knees and back.
I brought one of these Grog
https://www.machineryhouse.co.nz/a3495
Think they're an Aussie brand, so probably cheaper over your side. I like the air lift & the option for manual pumping it up, not used that bit, but good to know I have 2 ways of lifting the table. I also got the service tools tray at the same time, to put the tools I'm using on, handy as it can also be used on the ground, it easily comes off the roller stand & becomes a tray with castors you can take under a car.
https://www.machineryhouse.co.nz/t757?LeadID=8936
Tony has many lifts, he may have better knowledge on this than most.
This is my lift. Second hand off gumtree, only used once by the PO. Think I paid 400AUD
Manual pump and air up as well, detachable ramp and ratchet strap tie downs. Lifts up about 800mm I think, so high that with the bmw on the lift I couldn't reach the dash
.20260525_195123.jpg20260525_195151.jpg
I would say that this elevator is Chinese camouflaged as Western.
exactly in detail It's the one I have but with lever lift and it's been perfect for me in over 15 years. Not a problem
Definitely, so much is made in China, then final assembly in Australia
I have the Skylift, it is expensive, but it packs away into a corner when not in use.
If you have loads of room then a conventional lift is OK.
You can leave a bike on the skylift for days, it can be locked, so you can take the pressure off the hydraulics.
D.D.
Just to show use in my small garage.
20240723_131622.jpg
CBR1000
20240511_105701.jpg
If you have the space and $ there's no substitute for ride on lifts. There are many options but for a heavy bike like the 1400 I wouldn't take a risk with the cheaper units - some are quite unstable with a bike up high.
Here's what I have experience with. Definitely not cheap options but they're workshop quality.
Previously owned for many years. This guys warehouse is at Eudlo.
Warana Air Lifter (https://waranaimports.com/motorbike-lifters/the-air-lifter)
Current. Bought as this one allows the front wheel clamp to drop out for working on the front end. The other option is to push a 250kg bike on backwards, which can get a bit sketchy.
HAPP MC35 (https://buyhapp.com.au/product/mc35-pro-level-motorcycle-lift/?srsltid=AfmBOoqiQijs-cj_irHe_8Ffi36FN11nnnUqcIaGKyfN8TmKYob07APS)
I've got plenty of room now so I'm keeping an eye on marketplace for a 2nd hand one. Need something to park long term projects on :facepalm:
Quote from: Dwain Dibley on Monday, 25 May 2026, 11:06 PMI have the Skylift, it is expensive, but it packs away into a corner when not in use.
If you have loads of room then a conventional lift is OK.
You can leave a bike on the skylift for days, it can be locked, so you can take the pressure off the hydraulics.
D.D.
Just to show use in my small garage.
20240723_131622.jpg
CBR1000
20240511_105701.jpg
I would love a skylift, they are so handy. The current lift does the job though, happy with that
Thanks Blokes👍I really think I'd like Skylift. Freight, taxes , import duty make bloody expensive in Oz.
https://abbastandsaus.com/product-detail.asp?item=sky-lift&pid=44
Pretty sure these are the AU agents for ABBA Skylift.
Note if buying from the UK, try to get it in two separate shipments as under A$1000 doesn't attract GST (or it used to) .
I did this with LR parts, avoided 10%gst which more than covered the 2x freight costs.
Correct site. $1499 inc freight. $55 fittings.Import tax and gst on top. Just on $1900.
Sounds like a lot of coin to me Grog, when other less expensive alternatives are avail. If we were 20 years old, yeah, I could see we'd get the value out of a piece of gear like that, but at 20 we couldn't afford it, now we can afford it we probably won't get the use out of it, cos time will run out.
Gumtree, similar to an Abba skylift...
Motorcycle movable bike lift ( spider lift )
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/1334812597
All that correct Col, just don't want a full table taking up shed space. Eric, saw that one. No idea of brand so no info,capacity, fitting kit etc.Ill just keep an eye out, one will show up.
Space is a consideration, I find I'm aving to store either bike on the lift if I want any sort of room in the shed, so I'm getting good at getting them on and off.
One benefit is though, easy to move around once on there.
My Mate made up a stand from melding 2 together. Worked well on Rocket& Diavel. Might ask him for some tips.
Quote from: grog on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, 04:54 PMMy Mate made up a stand from melding 2 together. Worked well on Rocket& Diavel. Might ask him for some tips.
Good melding skills there :stir:
Wish I could meld...
I wouldn't mind a mind meld.
D.D.
Wouldn't bother asking him for tips. :confused1:
I'd ask him, to make me one. :onya: :clapping:
Yeah, I wish. Hes moved away.
Melding of two lifts to make one seems financially unviable, but what the heck if they're just lying around eh 🧐🧐
It actually looks factory.
Clever bloke. Ships engineer, worked the world over, mainly huge luxury cruisers .One ship had two large motors, he slept between them, reckoned if one went off song he'd wake up.Hes now battling with chemo every 3 weeks, over 30 lots now. ☹️
I have two Chinese ones from Hare and Forbes in Brisbane.
They worked great when I got them, and had a lot of use for many many years.
Eventually I had a ram fail, I got it rebuilt, later the other one failed, the rebuilds didn't last as long as the original.
Sooooo... a mate took the gas axe to one and we fitted a Toyota screw jack. This never failed, although it's not without its issues.
To be fair they had a LOT of use for many many years. Absolutely no regrets, although now I'd probably invest in a better one.
Random thoughts......
# They clamp the front wheel but don't open wide enough for a 6" rear, I redrilled the holes so I can put the bike on backwards for some jobs.
# I refuse to rely on the front clamp only. I always add a paddock stand.
# Some paddock stands are too wide to fit inside the raised edges. I can only use some of mine.
# I've used ABBA Skylift and similar lifts. I'm not a fan. With several different bikes needing a different fitting kit for each one, and any extra bike needs buying another kit and waiting for it to turn up doesn't suit me. I also like my tables wide surface area. I can put down parts, tools, mugs of tea etc etc where I'm working. I don't hate these style of lifts, they just don't suit me. If I had one bike or a single garage I'm sure I'd be more enthusiastic about them. I guess similar reasons to why you very rarely see them in bike shops / workshops.
(https://i.ibb.co/3mvzw8GQ/IMG-6075.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xqYHycPd)
(https://i.ibb.co/fYxM6Fkr/IMG-6074.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tMJBjKqY)
(https://i.ibb.co/hFpXdfVC/IMG-6077.jpg) (https://ibb.co/N2w1NSK7)
Top job Tony 👍Looks so well sorted, even the chooks like it.
I'd forgotten just how long I'd owned them !!
Going back through some old pics I had 2 when I moved house about 15 years ago. I know I bought the second one a few years after the first.
(https://i.ibb.co/SXDfKncT/IMG-6079.jpg) (https://ibb.co/270ZjtS2)
Certainly had my moneys worth.
Quote from: Tony Nitrous on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, 04:41 PM# I've used ABBA Skylift and similar lifts. I'm not a fan. With several different bikes needing a different fitting kit for each one, and any extra bike needs buying another kit and waiting for it to turn up doesn't suit me. I also like my tables wide surface area. I can put down parts, tools, mugs of tea etc etc where I'm working. I don't hate these style of lifts, they just don't suit me. If I had one bike or a single garage I'm sure I'd be more enthusiastic about them. I guess similar reasons to why you very rarely see them in bike shops / workshops.
I have bikes they don't do a kit for, so I made my own, plus you can just use the swing arm removal kit on most bikes.
However I am jealous of the amount of room you have there. :drool:
D.D.
Just thinking the same thing, myself. :smitten:
Quote from: Dwain Dibley on Thursday, 28 May 2026, 06:45 AMHowever I am jealous of the amount of room you have there. :drool:
D.D.
It's took me a long time and a lot of work but I always wanted a bit of space somewhere without neighbours.
A double garage on the house and 2 x 3 bays sheds is a bit like an 8 car garage, but in reality the sheds are deeper than a garage so floor space is the same as a 10 car garage. Hopefully there'll be a 6m x 8m extension soon making it similar to a 12 car.
Compared to what I had in the UK and the city it seems large, but amongst my neighbours and locals it really isn't. Folk I know have places that make mine seem quite small. Sheds waaaay bigger than mine are normal here.
Most folk wouldn't be that keen on living here. No mains water, gas, no phone or internet mains connection, no postman or dustbins. Mrs just drove over 100 miles home from work this morning, but there's plenty of land and the council are pretty laid back about what I build. It suits me.
Edit: A new brick home with sheds on 20 acres here is about half the price of a 1960's timber house on 700 square metres in the city. I couldn't afford to live where some of the S/E Qld folk do, I'm not as wealthy as them!
Edit: I'll take a pic of one of the locals. He has over 50 tractors in his shed.
Quote from: Tony Nitrous on Thursday, 28 May 2026, 09:48 AMQuote from: Dwain Dibley on Thursday, 28 May 2026, 06:45 AMHowever I am jealous of the amount of room you have there. :drool:
D.D.
No mains water, gas, no phone or internet mains connection, no postman or dustbins. Mrs just drove over 100 miles home from work this morning, but there's plenty of land and the council are pretty laid back about what I build.
sounds like heaven to me, looking for something similar here in WA...