Hey Del don't worry about the sucking eggs bit , if someone's about to get their first lift this is great information . Thanks for sharing peace and love to you both ✌💗
Once again I put on my 54 years as an "Instructor✈🛩 and Safety hat" and compliment you. You do not waste words but you are through and thoughtful. You speak at a pace that does not waste times and yet at a speed us "Mechanicly challenged" hobbyist can grasp. You cover the " Minor but often overlooked" detailed. Any way I who no longer use PP Can feed your kitty from the US of A 🇺🇸
Hi Mike.. Thank you so much for that glowing endorsement, it's privilege to have such kind regard.. i just like to keep it simple and lay on the common sense, pretty much anything like this is easy enough if you just take a stand back look at it and be careful... I wasn;t sure what your last line meant.. but thank you either way for your kind support sir.. Take care.. Del.
Found it. Exactly what I was after. Thanks so much - appreciated. 52yo and getting tired of crawling around on my knees. Not cool anymore. Again, many, many thanks. Cheers Karl
Great tips there Del. As ever, things are so obvious in hindsight. How we laughed the first time we dropped the lift onto something out of sight on the far side and the whole lift with bike lurches towards you as it pivots on the solid object. Keep yourselves well and enjoy the day. Skäl David
Hi David, I'm always happy if the lift pivots on a solid object, but this lift doesn't , it's so bloody heavy and rigid and with the Harley on it too, it just stops and usually there's a crunch then it continues to descend lol... which is when I'm glad it's not my foot lol.... great to see you and the Damage meister at Mackies meet yesterday - awesome!
Del, as many before me, just invested in my first lift and you get zero information with the kit so your video is absolutely fantastic for complete novices like me. I trust your advice 100% so never assume your audience knows what, how or why for that matter. Keep em coming mate, really appreciate the clarity and skill by which you get the subject matter out to us all.
Thank you my friend, that's very kind, am really glad the videos can help in some way... you certainly won't regret a bike lift, it will save you a lot of time... and backache! But just remind yourself that you can never be too careful, or take too many precautions, get used to the loads straps and never take a chance, even for a second... 200kilos of bike coming at you off the lift can spoil your whole morning lol... Thanks for your kind words mate, much appreciated,... and enjoy your lift! D&Px
@@Moonfleet41 great vid Del but at the risk of sounding stupid you never mentioned putting your bike on its centre stand if it is fitted with one> What is your advice for that plz?
Thanks for demonstrating how to properly load a bike onto a table. I'm constantly surprised by how many people insist on riding their bikes up onto the table, thinking it's safer, when in fact, the opposite is true.
Hi Del, great safety video. There is one more thing to remember when taking the bike off the ramp. Make sure to put the side stand back up. I learned the lesson first time I used my ramp, as the rear wheel started going down the ramp the side stand hit the platform and shoved the bike away from me and it very nearly fell over. Luckily my brother was with me and grabbed the bike allowing me to flip the stand back up. Lesson learned.
Sure thing David, there was so many more things I could have said in this 25mins video, but it was already long enough - but that is a very good one for sure... !
One of those videos where most of the way through you think to yourself "well thats just common sense! Who wouldn't do that??!?" Then... there's one or two little gems where you think, "well, I didn't consider that!" And you feel a little humbled... Great video! Keep them coming!
Thanks buddy, I thin you're right with all these kind of videos, I've even picked up a few gems myself from here in the comments stack, we are all a hive mind of knowledge, and it's so important to share it, don't ya think?!
As always a good and informative video. I bought a lift myself last year and would like to add just a few additions to Del’s comments. 1. Always make sure the lift surface is clean and oil free before moving the bike. 2. Beware when lifting the bike as I very nearly hit the underside of the garage door. Check as you lift. 3. Make sure side stand is not down as you push the bike onto the lift. 4. Make sure the jacking bolts are down and lift weight is not being applied to the positioning wheels. All 4 of these points almost caught me out so hope this helps. Stay safe all!
Wise words well said my friend, there are 100 things you could guard against and still find more, it just goes to show how fraught with danger it is moving heavy motorcycles around, thanks for your great contribution Rob...!
I have just now spent the better part of the first half of my day watching at least ten of your videos. I'm all the better for it. You've made my morning a joy for sure. It's like I was in your shop with you responding to many of your comments, did you hear me? Very cool Sir and thanx again from So. Cal.
Thank you so much for that sterling support Shane, i really appreciate you watching and taking the time to write.. have a good week sir, and stay in touch.. Del.
You made an excellent video. At no time would anyone think you were demeaning them or treating them as (dummies). You said what had to be said and you showed what had to be showed. E x c e l l e n t !
Great video Del and Penny, this will help keep lots of people safe when using a lift for years to come. I know I would not be without my lift, as you said Del getting the back wheel out of a Harley is a piece of cake with the wheel lift out plate. You both have a relaxing enjoyable Sunday. Cheers
Thank you buddy, that's really kind of you, every now and again we strike lucky and one of our videos becomes evergreen and just goes up in to the 6-figure bracket, things like the chain replacement, plastic welding, fork seals, all that sort of thing, can't do them all the time, it has to be bread and butter video, specially when you're doing a project, but things like this, you're right, they can last forever (we hope lol )... have a great Sunday yourself.... D&Px
Thank-you so much for posting this. Tons of videos on "unboxing", "reviews" and "setups" of these lifts, but not a single one that I ever found on the safety aspect of using one. Especially the rear plate. It is my belief that the majority of the users just wing it. Far too dangerous. And kudos to your video operator for the steady hand and great camera angles! This video is a "must see" before using your new bike lift, even if you you're a "pro".
I love your channel. By the years i have had 2 or 3 different motorcycle lift - tables . And there are allways some details i did not think about before . Thanks for your useful tips and thanks to the lady behind the camera. Allways good to see you. Regards Bjorn in Sweden .
Thank you buddy, that is so kind... we really enjoy it, it's a great time for me & Penny to share some time in the garage cos things like this are not messy or noisy so she can be around too! Enjoy your day out... sunshine out today !
Hello Delboy, thanks for covering the basic safety rules concerning the operation of a bike lift. I just bought a lift myself in January and used it for the service of my Honda, which weighs about 240kg, and my Vespa scooters. I´ve always wondered why my bike is wiggeling up there and I was always scared that the bike might fall off the lift even though I strapped it down at the front, but as I now saw in your video, with a poor set of straps which I formerly used to secure my windsurf board on the roof of my car. So now I invest in a propper set of straps and get the Job done. Thanks again for your great advice from Germany.
Hi Doc, good to hear from you, and glad you got a lift and getting in to using it ! One extra little hold still tip I could give is just a cunning one with a single strap... hook it in to one side of the lift, up over the tyre, and then down to the other side of the lift, be careful to not pull the bike over one way, as you click the ratchet tighter, just tug the bike back upright, but just one strap pulling down on the rear tyre across the bike makes it way more rigid... anything to be safe aye buddy?!
I’m a novice and this video is exactly what I needed. Thanks for taking the time to make the video. The comment about having a mobile phone with you is very important. I was working on my Ducati Monster 1200S late at night and when I pushed it back the stand caught in my trousers. I lost my balance and let the bike topple towards me. It went too far to stop, but it went down gentle with my leg and trouser bottom trapped underneath. No damage to bike or me but I couldn’t get my leg out or lift the bike. I was a cold night the doors were closed and my wife had gone to bed. Because I know the importance of having a phone with me, I could call her for help. I didn’t foresee this accident, so always be prepared.
Hi Graham, what a freak accident and thanks for sharing... glad to hear you were ok and not hurt, but like you say, you could have been there all night. Thanks for your kind words, we're glad the video sparked discusson and debate! Ride safe mate.
Great tutorial on your lift and how to be safe. I recently bought a Handy S.A.M. 1200 lift with side extensions and a wheel vise. . I'm new at it and was hesitant / stupid, but rode my Harley Dresser onto it into the vise. I quickly learned what you mentioned about the vise and your drawing. Great mention on everything.
Glad it helped you Sir, you'll get used to the lift and find it easier to operate over time, the only friendly tip I can pass on is as you become more experienced with it never lose your caution and attention to detail, because it's always way too easy to slip and drop a bike, or forget something and end up having an accident... and a full size touring Harley coming down on yer head from 3ft up can really spoil your day!
For those of us with a smaller budget it is highly suggested to ( here in the USA ) buy an older Sears Craftsman motorcycle jack as it is biult better than a lot of the current jacks that are offered on Amazon or Harbor Freight - and all the knock off designs. Also for the Kawasaki Versys X300 that was never intended to be lifted up with the standard jack (not the paddock style) I modified my heavy-duty skid plate to accommodate the jack. I just bought a Sears Craftsman motorcycle jack that was several years old as there are no new Craftsman jacks in any inventory anymore. I chose the old Craftsman because many of the current models are cheezed down on quality. The new ones have much less metal and the designs have shrunk down the heavy gage main frame with less bracing and no metal around the front wheels. The Craftsman jack is a beast and weighs probably 10 to 30 pounds more than the Harbor Freight and all the other knock offs. So, this gave me the opportunity to buy the best at less costs and clean it up and refurbish it which I've done. I first sanded all the rust off the frame with small wire wheels and flap wheels on my drill. Then use Rust-Oleum (Rusty Metal Primer) on the whole frame followed by the Rust-Oleum Semi-Gloss Black brush on topcoat. The red parts I bought a spray can of "Cherry Red" Rust-Oleum metal paint and sanded down all the rust and sprayed that on. Next a lot of the hardware was working but looked bad - especially the Acorn Nuts used on all the pivot points. I bought new stainless Acorn Nuts and some lock and flat washers and got rid of all the rusty bits. On the platform top where the motorcycle sits, I replaced the rusty Acorn nuts with some stainless-steel lifting triangle shaped eyelet nuts. The Craftsman has all M12 heavy duty fasteners. The triangle (eyelets) can be attached to the bike at first contact and the bike will not go anywhere during the lifting process unlike the loops down on the base cannot be used until the bike is fully up in the air. I've posted the final assembly build and modified skid plate on a Kawasaki Versys X300 to allow it to be lifted up in the air. The video is on my channel - LINK: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZOFhH2zYQyM.html&ab_channel=trekOCLVone
Excellent video - loads of “reviews” out there but not too many videos showing people how to work safely. As someone just getting back into bikes and starting on a BMW airhead project, I really appreciate the trouble taken to make videos like this. 👍
No problem buddy👍, check out the later one we bought for the current unit.. electric and with much wider sides.. So depending what you're looking for, drop me a line if you want some links to them..!
Hi Del & Penny, great bit of information it came just in time as I had my bike lift delivered yesterday and after my weekend shift I will be tinkering with it tomorrow, thanks guys 👍👍👍
Good informative vlog, I've only got the small type of bike lift (goes under the frame), people don't realise there's more to it than meets the eye--- safety being the no 1 priority. All the best guys 🖒😎
Hi Geoff, good point made my friend, those mobile lifts have just as much ability to get your hurt as a big table lift... am hoping to take this up a notch an possibly work with Sealey to make some safety videos for all of their lifts as there are many different ones they do... including the collapsible stuff that stand up against walls... I think safety videos could be a direction for us as more and more people get in to their tools and are taking care of their own bikes - thanks for the reminder, I should have made mention of your lift !
My lift came with a wheel clamp but I never used it. I use a good quality roll-on front wheel stand that I can lock down on the lift. Much safer, quicker and easier than a clamp and the one stand works for 17, 18 and 19 inch wheels. Also have my lift recessed into concrete so I don't have to deal with a ramp.
Good move buddy, those rolling wheel locks are awesome and so safe to use... I really wanted to say a lot more in the video and would have to have covered the use of one of those wheel locks, if only to just promote them to people as an option, but it was already 25mins long! I've actually been thinking about sinking my lift in to the floor so that when it's down, it's flush, but I'll lose 7" of working height at the op level, but am working on a way over that by extending the ram with a linkage... then it makes it a lot safer and gives me a parking space in my cramped little garage lol
Oh yeh, having it recessed means it effectively disappears when not in use. I bought a lift with the biggest lift height going at the time. I still get 840mm above floor level with it recessed in the concrete, which is easily enough. You can see my setup and roll-on stand in this vid. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-llJTd6Vk9Mg.html or this one, ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XmILI7yNVkw.html
Always good and useful information from Delboys Garage... although I don’t live anywhere near his place he is my go to guy and in reality my Mechanic... again great site and Thanks for a wealth of information..
Hi Del I know you done this video a couple of years ago but I've only just watched it as I have just bought a lift similar to the one you have. Although most of it is common sense (I have never used a lift before always worked on smaller type lifts or on the floor) I found some of the points you make really helpful, things that I would have sussed but probably not without a few scares so thanks for the heads up and keep doing what your doing all good stuff H&R.
Hi Alan, congratulations on your new lift mate, if you've not had one before, it will make a huge difference to your life int he garage, lots of benefits, but obviously, as am sure you know, just play it safe and load straps are your friend!
Awesome video. I wish I would have saw this before I bought my lift because I thought all lifts were the same. But I like my motorcycle lift I have the same problem with the back plate when I put the motorcycle on the lift. I have a 07 Sportster XL883L . I put a board on the bottom of the back plate and a smaller board in the middle. And I installed a motorcycle wheel chock lock for the front and I used the original wheel lock for more support to hold the front tire. And the original wheel lock is not bolted down so I could remove it and I'm ready to take the motorcycle off the lift. Penny and You Have a wonderful week and Ride Safe.
Sounds like you've got it set up just right Paul... that's something we should mentioned, get everything how you need/want it aye?! Have a great week, hope you are enjoying some summer! D&Px
@@Moonfleet41 Im assuming it comes on a pallet and the delivery driver has a pallet truck? In your video it looks like you unboxed and positioned into place yourself? Was that doable?
Hi Tony, exactly that my friend, this is the kind of things that's been lost on the DIY mechanic as we all learn and teach ourselves, because proper apprentices are drummed in to this from day one week one... but with the wonders of YT we can bring some health and safety to the amateur world... have a good weekend mate, D&Px
I would like to have watched that video before I bought and used my own ramp. Sensible, practical tips there, Del, and better than the guidance given in my user manual. I have a horizontal scar on my right shin - can you guess how I got that? My old Paris Dakar weighs about 500lbs wet. I'm no weakling but I once dropped the bike away from me while pushing it up onto the ramp. So I made a horizontal wooden platform the same height as the lowered ramp and I walk up onto it as I push Helmut into place. Much easier. Once the bike is secured, I can tip the wooden platform on end and sit on it to work on the bike... or stand it up against the wall out of the way. It really does work well. Ramps are great but if they're not used sensibly they're definitely more trouble than they're worth. Another excellent, helpful video, Del. 👍
Hi Keith, thanks so much for that kind feedback mate, I've seen so many people make simple mistakes and hurt themselves... and even in a professional garage you can get 'fly' and careless and end up in casualty having a bad day... there's so much more I could have covered, but it was already a 25mins video, one thing was tall bikes, like yours, there are some different observations with that, and also working on your own presents even more complications, but we hope we covered the basics... and we're glad you enjoyed it !
Central pivot stands seem virtually impossible to find without substantial cost here in Canada. I’ve gone to a 1/2” steel rod through the pivot point on car jack stands. Jack up the rear with a rear tire paddock stand.
Sounds like a great way to get round it buddy, there are some clever lifting contraptions these days, but it's always balancing the cost of them with how many times we're going to use them! But I've always found that once you invest, you use them all the time! Stay safe and have a great week.
cool video.... i've been wanting to get one. i'm very safety minded. i always have 4 jack stands and 2 #3000 jacks when i left anything. i like to work on stuff level not tilted. thumb up guys
Thanks Bob, good plan you can never have enough jacks... and there is only one way to work and that is safe aye? Always good to hear from you, have a great week !
Great video Del.Been thinking about buying a lift too..I use a little harbor freight one now that works just fine if you use it SAFELY..lol..Love this channel my friend. Cheers. Joe l..
Thank you Joe, glad to hear you're thinking of investing, I often hear that the Harbor Freight stuff can be pretty good if you're not too heavy handed with it... good luck with your purchase !
Hi buddy, I like your logic, but for what it's worth, there is a hole in that lever and it had a handle in it, but I took it off, because I kept walking straight in to it with my shin, or better still, walking past it and the handle inserts itself in the pocket of your hoodie and drags you backwards with a 'rip' sound lol ... just a bit restricted for space in my garage, so I took the handle off, after walking in to it for the 5th time !! Not only that, at the wrong height, it can catch you in a place you don't want it to lol !
no safety goggles or breathing mask needed, only a mobile phone and a possible ambulance visit nice one bruv. Great instructions video a thorough break down on how to use a lift. I'm a bit cheap so I knocked up a wooden deck to do my work from old pallets from work. I told you I was cheap lol it does the job for me but I still have to bend down or kneel witch ain't no good for my knees especially as I have no knee cap in one of my legs. the damp from the ground gets right into the joint. Not good bruv. I'll have to work on da wife and see if I can get one. wish me luck😁😁. Ride safe bruvva and sista
Cheers Ray, good to hear from you mate - hope you had a good day yesterday! Nowt wrong with a wooden table, if I had the room in a big unit, I'd have a row of them at different heights! ... It's seriously worth the investment to get a lift mate, it'll save your back and your knees and it's a lot safer way to work... ! Good luck getting your chitty signed.... !!
Hey Delboy I just purchased a lift table for my garage and I'm experiencing high centering. Can you describe the scaffolding planks or provide a link. I want to get this right the first time. I would appreciate your help, thanks.
I don't buy the part about tying the loose part of the strap down like that as it will do nothing to hold the bike if the ratchet comes loose and I've never heard of a ratchet paw coming loose.
Sorry mate, i haven't seen that one, but Machine Mart equipment has never let me down so far, my Lathe, Bandsaw, and many other smaller tools, all working fine.. so as long as you work within its limitations, im sure it'll be fine.. check out the reviews i believe they post them on their website.!
You would get your arse kicked for that in any dealership workshop mate, it's a health and safety no no, you can walk past it and catch a foot under it, it's a well known trip hazard, and if you leave them on when the lift is raised, it's even worse, always take them off specially if other people are around, but of course, you do what works for you in your private garage.
Did you secure the lift to the concrete floor. Because it won't take much to tip over a 4/500 # bike if it's up high. Kinda like cow tipping (But then with bike's. I guess that's called bike tipping).
haha cow tipping...! That made me laugh, just the thought of it - what a silly pastime lol ! And yes, mine is secured down at the front, plus it's wheels don't touch the ground, I should have made mention of it !
Great tips and video, thanks. Please consider getting a better microphone though. The sound is muffled and echo-y and makes it difficult to understand your speaking.
Hi Andrew, I know that bike very well, and they can be really challenging... there's almost nowhere to lift against underneath, but I have seen one of these and it's able to lift a bike up to waist height without to much difficulty... worth a look?? Let us know how you get on... www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.asp?gotonode=ViewProduct&method=mViewProduct&productid=17108&productdescription=&productcode=&category=31&catgroup=249&catmicrogroup=&analysiscode=&requiredresults=16
Thanks, Smart as I am I had never seen that back tire hold down. I love to learn tricks like these because the safer you work the longer you will ride. I've learned a lot from you. Thanks again!
