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Carpet runners on a carpet garage floor, Just wondering if you did this to prevent the lift from moving when riding the bike on the lift ? I kinda like the idea of ride on, step off, walk away .
I'm guessing you're asking about mine, I have two 60x36" door mats from a big box hardware place, the type you see in front of the doors at businesses. They are rubber backed and ribbed for my bike's pleasure About $20 each. They help keep the lift from moving as I installed outdoor carpet. They are more to protect the carpet though. Probably not needed, but if I want to move the lift aside it'll give me something to work on.
Before I bought the HF table I was concerned about getting the Ultra onto the lift safely by myself. With the HF 'Condor' style chock, I've never had an issue. There's enough room for my feet to easily go on the edges of the table as I go up. I park there every time I come home, often multiple times a day. It sure is nice being able to add air to tires and clean the bike level and at whatever height I want. I left the wheels off the lift when I assembled it, as the only time I move it is to tip it on it's side against the wall.
I've used the HF Condor style choke on a trailer before and they do a good job. And I think this may have been mentioned but it does have a pin to remove the rear cantilever. Seems like a good option for a lift for when doing work on front wheel/forks. I've been seeing a lot more good reviews for the HF lifts recently. Used to not be the case so I might just go with that over the more professional lifts.
Look like a new product for HF is a front wheel vice specifically for their lift table. I have no idea if it's any good, or whether their Condor style is better or not....
Well I tried to put the bike on the lift Today, here is how it went :
At first I tried to walk the bike up, it starts out ok but when the back tire hits the ramp the whole lift moves forward on the concrete floor, this is with the wheels installed and the jack bolts lowered to the ground, so i blocked the ramp from moving forward but I still could not get the bike pushed on the ramp, I guess I just don't have enough *** with 2 bad knees to get the job done that way.
On my Third attempt I started the bike and walked it up the ramp by feathering the clutch, everything was going well but when it hit the wheel chock it met more resistance than I was expecting and for a split second I dumped the clutch and the bike lurched into the chock. The lift table rocked forward lifting the rear wheels of the lift off the ground and I immediately hit the kill switch and everything settled into place, the jack bolts being down did not prevent this. The wheel chock did hold the bike steady enough for me to check my shorts, catch my breath and let my blood pressure lower a bit. The bike is awful wobbley without being strapped down but I did not have a choice as I did this by myself.
After I got the bike strapped down I noticed a couple of things :
1) The gate does in fact hit the bottom of my fender on both sides with the trim piece removed on my 2011 FLHTK , but it is a light hit and caused no damage, I believe if I move the piviot bolt forward an 1" or 2" it would solve this, but I think my heart would like me better if I just went with the condor style wheel chock in the future. This set up is doable on these big bikes but I think with my physical condition and having to do this by myself I would prefer something a little more solid.
2) The safety bar looks like it is bowing, The lift is rated for 1,000 lbs , the bike is suppose to be 850 ish. but even when removing the saddle bags and side pieces it just looks sketchy. the bike will be in the air for the next week or so while I change out an engine seal. If it falls I will let you guys know.
3) Once the bike is strapped down it is solid, when trying to rock the bike side to side it does not move on the lift, the table itself does flex a little but nothing that conserned me. The whole unit is hard to move however , the front swings with effort but trying to get the rear of the lift to move with the bike on it is a real PITA. I strongly suggest any one to have the lift exactly where they want it before putting the bike on it.
Here are some pictures ...
Lift gate hitting inside of fender. Lift gate hitting inside of fender. Safety bar bending with 850 lb bike 2011 Ultra Limited on HF lift table
I walk my bikes onto the lift all the time. For folks without lift wings or side extensions, riding up may not be a great idea. Especially for those duck walkers I see at stop lights. 🤣
Last edited by Brando4905; Aug 8, 2022 at 05:52 AM.
2) The safety bar looks like it is bowing, The lift is rated for 1,000 lbs. , the bike is supposed to be 850 ish. but even when removing the saddle bags and side pieces it just looks sketchy. the bike will be in the air for the next week or so while I change out an engine seal. If it falls I will let you guys know.
I don't really want to say don't worry about the bowing, but I bought mine used and it did not come with that bar I used a Horseshoes pit bar looked to be a pretty solid bar and it bowed lots more than yours has so far.
My bike sat on that lift for 4 months two years in a row and it was fine, The bar "should" find its settling point and be fine you just have to put it in and pull it out with the arch down. Or get something really really hard.
I knew from reading reviews that the lift may move when riding up it my barn floor is rough, so it took very little weight in front to hold it. I agree you may want to mount the lift in the place or as close as possible where you want it.
Next is to find out if you can get the bike back out of the chock by yourself? If not you may have to make some blocks and mount them on the lift at the correct place to get leverage.
1) Condor style chock - 100% better.
2) Ride the bike up the lift. There's plenty of room for your feet, I do it every day on the same lift.
3) Take the wheels off the lift unless you need to move it around, and put some type of rubber under the contact points with the floor.
4) The safety bar will hold, I left some of the bike's weight on the jack until I got a bigger 1" bar for mine after a few months. Drilling the holes out for that with a large step drill is easy.
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About $20 each. They help keep the lift from moving as I installed outdoor carpet. They are more to protect the carpet though. Probably not needed, but if I want to move the lift aside it'll give me something to work on. 
