Friday, April 10, 2009

How to Choose a Motorcycle Lift

There are many factors to be considered if you are interested in buying a motorcycle lift. The task can be overwhelming, particularly if you have never bought one before. There isn’t a lot of good information about how to choose one on the net, which is a problem because it’s such an important issue. I mean, if you’ve going to hoist your motorcycle into the air on it, and potentially crawl around underneath it, you definitely want to make sure that you’ve made the right choice. In order to help out, I’ve tried to come up with some important things to consider when you go out to look to buy motorcycle lifts.
-Most motorcycle lifts will fold up and lean against a wall or slide underneath a workbench, which is an incredibly handy feature to have if you’re looking to work on your motorcycle in your garage, or another area with limited space (or if your wife just particularly likes to nag). Some motorcycle lifts don’t fold, so be aware of that when you’re making your choices. If you have the space to keep a lift up all the time, by all means buy one, but I like the folding ones.
-Make sure the lift you buy hits the appropriate height. Although lifts are adjustable, make sure the height range is one that you’re comfortable. Trying to work with tools on an improper surface can be dangerous and can also lead to strain and physical injury, so be careful to have strict and stringent standards for this.
-Get a lift that’s made out of a good solid metal. Nothing should be flimsy, bendable, or loose. Again, it is an issue of your safety that we’re talking about here, not a convenience. Additionally, if you put your bike on a flimsy lift and it collapses, you’re going to be a very unhappy camper, so it’s best to avoid that if you can at all help it.
-If you have a little extra money to spend, consider buying a hydraulic motorcycle lift. It will save you a ton of hassle and grief. The manual ones are fine for occasional use, but if you’re really serious about working on your bike, then it is definitely worth the little bit of extra money to get the hydraulic stand.
Choosing a motorcycle lift can be difficult, but most importantly remember to just trust your gut. Keep these helpful tips in mind when you go shopping, but trust your instincts. Thanks for reading my motorcycle lift blog.