Bike lifts

[MikeK02048]

I have the J&S for my 2012 Ultra Classic EG and I love it. Extremely well made, easy to use and bike seems very solid on the lift with no tie down straps.

 

[BAGGERSROCK]

I have no complaints with my J&S jack. Works Great.

 

[Iceman24]

Another happy J&S customer/owner - great product & liked their slogan (built by bikers). Did research PitBull too (also top rated), but didn't see a need for the added grease option b/c I'm not sure it's needed for this type of device. If I was using in NASCAR pit w/fast moving action - yes...need for speed. :s

 

[turnerbend]

I got the OTC 1545 Motorcycle Lift Jack for my 07 Ultra. The jack is low profile 3 1/2". Will roll right under the cycle while sitting on jiffy stand. The cost is mid range (about $130-$160 I believe) had it a while. Good strudy jack. My bike is on it now.

 

[kemo]

I bought the Pitbull and it wasn't really any more expensive cause the handle was included and it raises the bike to 25". Total price shipped out by UPS was $480. They have a Christmas deal which included shipping which is $389 but I got the $399 show price plus shipping $80. Expensive but that is what I wanted and I do use them often in the shop.
Ken

 

[glider]

In most cases you get what you pay for. I can't see buying a $20K+ bike and putting it up on a cheap lift myself.

Quality comes at a price.

 

[R_W_B]

In most cases you get what you pay for. I can't see buying a $20K+ bike and putting it up on a cheap lift myself.

Quality comes at a price.

The first and 3rd sentences are absolutely true I won't argue that. But You know I have heard the second sentence so many times and I don't quite get that statement.

Admittedly I guess if you can afford to spend $20k + on a bike, (which most of you can I'm sure, but I can't) then why not spend the most possible on a lift. I mean if you got it, it's only money right?

But "just" because it has a cheaper price doesn't mean that you are running a risk of destroying your $20k bike ONLY because you are putting an expensive $20k bike on an cheaper price lift. With all due respect to you Glider since I know you are the knowledge king and have always been a nice feller to me so I don't mean to offend you.

But many of us have previous owner $10k bikes and we would not put them on something we did not trust. If I somehow won the lottery and got a 20k + bike I would still feel safe putting it on my H.F. lift. Or mabye I might get all puffed up in my head and just go buy the Pit Bull cause I could. Who knows how I might react under those conditions.

I don't debate that the Pit Bull etc are better more double duty jacks, I just don't get the thing about if you spend a lot of money on a Ultra that you automatically want to spend the most money possible on the most expensive jack.

But you know how us old has been rednecks are. Just tainted in the head a bit I guess. But in closing I would like to share something with you.

In a somewhat separate debate that was on HDFORUMS awhile back over not "which" lift but rather if the Dyna mod pad movement on the H.F. and Sears lifts, weakened their ability. There was this post and pic of the Sears Red Jack (with the Dyna mod done). It's similar design to the H.F. Yellow lift.

[--
I even lifted my OL's 4200 lb SUV to prove a point. The 2x4 was to add height so the wheel was off the ground, there is absolutely no flex in the frame. That is one stout lift.
--]

 

[glider]

RWB

My point is that the cheaper lifts that are available are usually manufactured overseas and also contain inferior bolts too besides the quality of the workmanship and materials used to build them, thus the cheaper prices on the lifts.You know as well as I do that the standards in other countries and the standards in the USA differ greatly not only in QC but just all around workmanship.
If you or anyone else doesn't mind saving $100-$200 on a lift and sacrificing quality for price , then by all means use the cheaper ones.

What I do know is that it is your bike that is on the cheaper lift and not mine and I feel confident that I got the best quality to trust a bike that is over $20K a few feet off the ground when working on it.:s

Welds fail, bolts break and regardless of any posts made to attest to the quality of the HF lifts and others in that price range. I'll still go the extra $200 or so to get the quality lift that comes with a warranty.

Using a lift as pictured in your post tells me a lot about the person doing it too. It wasn't designed to hold up a car like that but I'm sure you could use it for that but how long would it be before it fails? Especially the jack mechanism that isn't rated for that much weight.

JMHO.

 

[Hoople]

If I somehow won the lottery and got a 20k + bike I would still feel safe putting it on my H.F. lift. Or mabye I might get all puffed up in my head and just go buy the Pit Bull cause I could. Who knows how I might react under those conditions.

Come on R_W_B.. If you won the lottery, you would take your Harley to the dealership and sip coffee in the waiting room until it was fixed.
Or better yet, just TRADE IT IN for one that works!

 

[R_W_B]

RWB

My point is that the cheaper lifts that are available are usually manufactured overseas and also contain inferior bolts too besides the quality of the workmanship and materials used to build them, thus the cheaper prices on the lifts. You know as well as I do that the standards in other countries and the standards in the USA differ greatly not only in QC but just all around workmanship.

Well that's sounds a bit more sensible worded like that and I will agree with that. Still my jack does the job.

If you or anyone else doesn't mind saving $100-$200 on a lift and sacrificing quality for price , then by all means use the cheaper ones.

ugh well it's a bit more than $200 between the H.F. and the J&S etc. Closer to $300.

What I do know is that it is your bike that is on the cheaper lift and not mine and I feel confident that I got the best quality to trust a bike that is over $20K a few feet off the ground when working on it.:s
. . . . . . .

That's cool, I feel confident I got the most bang for my buck and my bike sits on it just fine. So we are both confident.

Using a lift as pictured in your post tells me a lot about the person doing it too. It wasn't designed to hold up a car like that but I'm sure you could use it for that but how long would it be before it fails? Especially the jack mechanism that isn't rated for that much weight.

JMHO.

Yea he knows that, since he works doing Engineer ratio calculations for a living. It was meant to prove a point. It has been said that "any" engineer can design a bridge that won''t fall down. It takes a great engineer to design a cost effective bridge that won't fall down under design conditions.

Anyhow good exhange.