I bought myself an early Xmas present this weekend - a new motorcycle table lift. I was tired of crawling around on the floor while working on the bikes.

Now, I'm a bit puzzled by how best to use it. I normally park my bikes on their center stands in order to work on them. This at least elevates the rear wheel. I could also put a floor jack under the engine to elevate the front wheel while on the center stand.

So, I put the wee on its center stand on the lift and then strapped it so that it cannot fall over. However, I noticed that even if I roll the bike all the way to the wheel stop, it ends up about 8 inches back once the center stand is deployed. This puts the feet of the center stand right on the edge of the rear wheel drop-out plate, making it kind-of useless.

For engine maintenance, having the bike on the center stand is fine. But how do you guys block it up for wheel removal if you don't use the center stand on the lift?

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2009 DL650 ABS (with touring kit)
2004 Honda ST1300

When I bought my Harbor Freight lift, I added their drive on wheel chock, Pittsburgh Motorcycle - item#69026. When I need to lift the rear wheel, I tie the front end down and jack up the rear with a bottle jack, then support the bike with jack stands.

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79 GS1000S
97 TL1000S
2002 Concours
2005 DRZ400
2005 KDX220R
2007 DLK
2009 KLR650

I added a Condor chock to my HF lift, setting the front crossbar all the way to the front and extending the wheel a bit forward. The stand comes just forward of the cutout then. A piece of plywood is needed to go under the center stand because the front wheel is elevated. Before that, I used ratchet ties to suspend the bike from the overhead joists, lowered the lift, moved it where I wanted, and raised it back to the bike. Also, I've never used the cutout after the first check of how it works. It's easier to get the rear wheel off with it in place.

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Pat- 2007 DL650A was ridden to all 48 contiguous states. 2012 DL650A is just getting started.
Nicknames for posting ease on my part, Vee = all DL1000s. Wee = 2004-2011 DL650s. Glee = 2012+ DL650s

I've got a drive-in wheel chock also, but it does not clamp as securely on the wee as it does on my ST13 (probably due to the narrower tire).

Do you guys ride the bike into the wheel chock or push it up manually? I find the lift a bit tall to stand beside. Am thinking about cutting the garage floor out and countersinking the lift into the floor.

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2009 DL650 ABS (with touring kit)
2004 Honda ST1300

I ride it in. It makes getting the bike on the lift much easier for one person.

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Pat- 2007 DL650A was ridden to all 48 contiguous states. 2012 DL650A is just getting started.
Nicknames for posting ease on my part, Vee = all DL1000s. Wee = 2004-2011 DL650s. Glee = 2012+ DL650s

I ride on and push on, depending on circumstances. Due to the 17 in. wheel size, it is much easier to drive the sportbike on vs pushing on.

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79 GS1000S
97 TL1000S
2002 Concours
2005 DRZ400
2005 KDX220R
2007 DLK
2009 KLR650

I push them onto the lift, into the clamp, hold the left grip with one hand and tighten the clamp with the other. After 50 or so times this will be easy . GET TRACTION TAPE. 3M makes stuff you can get at Home Depot (or Amazon), 4 inches wide, peel and stick, very grippy. Clean the ramp well before you apply obviously. If you don't you may have adventures trying to ease the bike backwards off the ramp holding the front brake. Also, keep some Simple Green handy and give the lift a quick spray and wipe and let dry before you load or unload. They get greasy.

If you need the centerstand deployed, clamp the front wheel, sling a towel through your rear wheel, grab both ends of it and lift the rear of the bike and reach over with your left foot and flick the centerstand down. Or preload it with a bungee if you can't reach the centerstand tang with your foot. This is easier than it sounds.

The lift kicks ass, you will never go back, and you will do better work. Enjoy!

N.

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Nils Menten - Santa Cruz, CA, USA

R1200GS, DL1K, R1100S, CBX, DRZ, KLR
I have a motorcycle problem.

I just took another look at your photo. I see the bike in the chock and the center stand down. Did you lift and reposition it?

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2009 DL650 ABS (with touring kit)
2004 Honda ST1300

No. I just put in on the center stand. I only used the suspension method before I got the chock. Note the front wheel is back from the chock. This is the chocked position before putting the bike on the center stand.

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Pat- 2007 DL650A was ridden to all 48 contiguous states. 2012 DL650A is just getting started.
Nicknames for posting ease on my part, Vee = all DL1000s. Wee = 2004-2011 DL650s. Glee = 2012+ DL650s

In preparation for moving long distance, I got rid of some heavy items that I didn't particularly like anyway, such as my workbench. So, I thought that after I am moved, since I want one of these lifts, maybe it could serve also as a workbench. I imagine I could build a simple pedestal from 2x6 and then screw a med density fiberboard on top of it. I think the work surface would be around 36.5" high. Just a thought. Bad idea? Any feedback?

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07 DL1000, all farkled up