Thanks for all the suggestions. The platform lifts are really
interesting and have good prices, but I am space limited. Maybe when
I move in a couple of years I'll have room for one.
Right now, I've settled for the inexpensive Sears lift. I've seen a
few minor complaints and some remedies on the internet.
I really appreciate all of ya'lls comments.
Steve in Niceville.
and I'd love to have one--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com,
wrote:
>
>
> Why do you guys keep doing things the hard way?
>
> 1. Lean KLR against inside of garage door.
> 2. Hook a tie-down from each side of the handlebar to the waist-
high handle on the inside of the garage door. Pull enough slack
through the friction clamp on both tie downs to leave about 4' of
hook-to-hook length on each tie-down.
> 3. Attach a tie down from each side of the luggage rack to the
same handle on the garage door. Leave these about 8" longer than the
straps on the handle bar.
> 4. Hit the button on the garage door opener.
>
> The garage door will raise, taking the slack out of the tie downs.
Then the KLR will be gracefully lifted and moved it to a point in the
middle-front of the garage where it is suspended for your
convenience: inside where it's nice and dry, but close to the garage
opening where the light from outside is still good. Depending on
your particular garage characteristics, you may need to experiment
with the starting lengths of the tie-downs for optimum resulting
height once the bike is lifted. Took me a time or two before I got
the bike perfectly level and the height off the floor I wanted. Just
mark your tie downs with a Sharpie once you're happy and you're good
to go from there on out.
>
> There are many benefits to this approach. First, in true KLR
fashion, its dirt cheap and dead easy. No heavy and expensive lift
to buy (or store when you're not using), and we all have several
clamp-type tie downs in our motorcyce gear. You get unobstructed
access to all sides of the KLR for most general maintenance needs,
and you can drain the oil without spilling it all over a mechanical
lift. Wheels can be pulled without any worry of unbalancing - the
motorcycle will automatically adjust its position as its fore-aft
center of gravity changes.
>
> Being suspended by a single point, you can also pivot the
motorcycle around the vertical axis at will, but if you spin it
around, don't let go or it will swing back with enough energy to get
your attention. I solved this problem by using a chain swivel from
Smith Fastener snapped to the garage door handle with two carabiners.
http://www.smithfast.com/iichain.htm>
> Now I can swing it around and it stays there. No more dragging
tools from one side of the bike to the other - the side of the bike I
want comes to me.
>
> Need to close the garage door before you're finished working? No
problem. Just hit the button. The moving door will gently deposit
the KLR on the floor at the front of the garage, and half the time it
will lean against the door by itself. Just be ready to lean it in
the proper direction if it tries to tilt away from the door as the
tires or frame touch the floor. Piece of cake.
>
> I've only run into two drawbacks with this setup. First, sometimes
a second set of hands is required to steady the bike if you're trying
to break loose a large, difficult fastener or assembly The bike
will move around on you if you't not thinking things through.
Second, and not least, unplug the garage door opener while the bike
is suspended and you're working on it. You don't want the wife
clicking the button on her remote control as she turns the corner
towards the driveway assuming the door is down. DAMHIKIJKOK.
>
> Steve
> Hangin' loose in Norman, OK
>
>
>
> ---- Tengai Mark Van Horn wrote:
> For me, the main reason for needing a bike lift is to get the
wheels
> off the ground. For that, $69 at PepBoys does the trick. The lift
> below doesn't appear to accomplish that task.
>
> Mark
>
> At 01:50 PM 2/23/2007, you wrote:
> >One of my friends attended the large m/c trade show in Indianapolis
> >last week and was telling me about the lift below:
> >
> >I just checked and shipping to Ohio would be $100. Still, it's
hard to
p/ht1001.htm
>