Fazer Owners Club - Unofficial
General => General => Topic started by: VNA - BMW Wank on 04 October 2014, 12:43:57 pm
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Sorry for the second thread on bike lifts.
I was thinking of a traditional work bench lift, but now I'm starting to think maybe an Abba or eazyrizer lift might be better.
Pros - easier one person operation. Takes up less space. Can do stuff like get both wheels off, swing arm out etc easy peasy.
Cons - lifting from one side can restrict access to lift side. Are the lifting kits really 100% secure and don't stress the bike in any way? Compatibility with bike relies on comprehensive range of lifting mounts?
Would love to hear from any users of either of these lifts - or any other such types.
Comments very much appreciated.
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I think a full bench is better with both wheels on the bench. You can jack it up as you would on the floor, both ends if you want. and it's more stable.
I have a scissor lift that is sunk into my garage floor. It's a lot better working when seated.
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Phoned the Abba folks - who to my surprise were open today.
Was worried about how many bikes it would fit/lift.
Basically seems to lift anything with a modern swingarm pivot and/or 8mm footpeg mounts.
Things it won't lift - customs bikes - Harley Davidsons - vintage British bikes.
They claim you can strip a bike down to the frame on it.
So yesterday I was for a traditional table, now I'm thinking Abba lift.
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Phoned the Abba folks - who to my surprise were open today.
Was worried about how many bikes it would fit/lift.
Basically seems to lift anything with a modern swingarm pivot and/or 8mm footpeg mounts.
Things it won't lift - customs bikes - Harley Davidsons - vintage British bikes.
They claim you can strip a bike down to the frame on it.
So yesterday I was for a traditional table, now I'm thinking Abba lift.
ABBA stand, or ABBA sky lift mate?
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Abba Sky lift.
http://www.abbastands.co.uk/product-detail.asp?item=sky-lift&pid=44 (http://www.abbastands.co.uk/product-detail.asp?item=sky-lift&pid=44)
You got one Joe?
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The one and only disadvantage I see with the skylift over traditional lift is not being able to sit on the bike mid job which you want to do with a few jobs, but that is the only thing!
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Not that I've studied the subject, but I've only heard good things about ABBA stuff.
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You can sit on it Punkstig, fully raised.
I'm gonna order something on Monday.
At the mo this is the favourite.
Would have thought somebody here would have one........
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As awesome as they are, they are quite expensive. That's probably the only reason more people don't have one.
For me I have an engine hoist / crane so I could probably utilise it plus some axle stands to a similar effect... though I don't think I'd ever feel safe sitting on a raised bike :P
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It's roughly the same price as a Draper/Sealey/Clarke table lift.
I'm thinking of ordering one tomorrow. Looks like the way to go for me.
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Ordered today. Should have it tomorrow.
I mentioned to them that I was finding it hard to find anybody who had one.
They told me it's only been on the market for one year now.
They also said they are shipping loads of em abroad but home sales are slow just now.
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I had the ABBA stand with the correct fitting kit for my z1000sx. You had to be ever so careful when fitting it to the lifting points. I ended up scratching the frame. Best to protect the area around the lifting points. I was always nervous when lifting the bike, did not really ever get used to it.
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I had an Easyrizer lift and it was a pain in the arse! It would be alright for use with just one bike but to use in place of a bench when you work on all different makes and models just takes up so much time..... Things never seemed too secure either, quickly sold off and another proper bench was purchased!
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I had the ABBA stand with the correct fitting kit for my z1000sx. You had to be ever so careful when fitting it to the lifting points. I ended up scratching the frame. Best to protect the area around the lifting points. I was always nervous when lifting the bike, did not really ever get used to it.
Same here with my z1000 also bought the front lift arm but, the zed is so front heavy it doesn't have the leverage to lift the front wheel. The bike lift does look tempting but not sure it would work for me.
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I've got an easyrizer - as per deefer, it's a pain in the arse with multiple bikes. Have had a couple on it, but won't be bothering again for anything other than major work.
Only bought it because space is at a premium, and a full lift would too restrictive on access through the rear doors of my garage (the garden gets used as a storage area!
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Well I opened up the two boxes this morning.
Mmmm seemed to be a big bit missing.
Then my phone went beep, oh another ABBA delivery late afternoon.
Guess the delivery firm messed up.
Oh well hope the ABBA works better than the easyrizer.
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(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3927/15310617648_cc7ba3a4f2_z.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3939/15310554670_bda18fe67d_z.jpg)
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2948/15310364649_cec0676e3b_z.jpg)
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Great piccies, thanks for sharing, I like the way the stands not much wider than the bike :thumbup...how easy is the whole lot to move with the bike raised ?
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Sorry rather you than me. That just does not look stable. Is it designed to work on the bike or move it around. Just looks as if it is heavy at the front nothing looks balanced here, lets know how you get on.
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I think it looks great. I want one now :lol
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My garage floor is not particularly flat, so it bounces about a bit as I move it, but basically I can stick it anywhere I want. With the bike fully raised, I could do some work on it in the middle of the garage, then stuff it in a corner and do something else.
The strap on the swing arm is to lift it horizontally. Drop it down, take the strap off and remove the bar, lift again and it goes into the stoppie position. There's a second way to use the strap to get it into the wheelie position, but you can only do that if you have a swing arm bobbin.
I might get a bobbin mount welded onto my swingarm when I next remove it.
Lew, you can shake the bike about on it, as you would expect, considering it's only held via the swing arm mount.
I did climb up and sit on the bike with it fully raised, which feels pretty weird as yeah it bounces about with you on it. Abba told me it's fine to climb up, sit on it and do some work up there!
There is a bit of a knack to getting the bike hooked up. I think I've got a reasonable feel for it now. So yeah for general servicing, if you are running a bike shop, a table would be quicker. But if you are pulling bits off the bike, then one of these might be handy. For me it simply takes up less space.
Everything is pretty solid and well made. A couple of things I didn't like, are the release screw on the 3 tonne jack and the pumping handle, both seem a bit feeble, the jack itself is seriously solid, and maybe I'm just being fussy.
Anyway the bike is still in use. But hey, maybe this winter I might start pulling bits off it and carrying a half decent tidy up.
Hopefully I'll get good use out of this. Happy with it so far.
And oh, I should have washed the bike before I took the photos - sorry!
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Oh if you want to take the swing arm out, there is a swing arm removal kit which I also have.
Basically pop the foot peg mounts off. Pick the one closest to the swing arm pivot, screw in the adaptor and lift.
At some point I'll give that a go.
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Basically it is an ABBA stand with a Hydraulic jack, do take care you do not scratch your frame. Can you fit / rig it on either the side stand or centre stand?
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Don't think I'd scratch the frame with it Lew.
I did have a few wobbly moments hooking the bike up. If you don't take care with it you could drop the bike trying to hook it up, but I think I have the hang of it now.
It won't hook up off the centre stand. So basically you slide it in roughly with the bike on the side stand. Retract the side stand and manoeuvre the stand in closer and hook up. You need to raise the stand a little on the pump to hook up, but once I've determined the exact height for my bike I'm gonna put a mark on the stand so I won't need to faff about getting that height spot on. Then you pop the brakes on (an easy mistake to forget), walk round the other side and slip the bar on and slide into the swing arm mount (will be a doddle once I have the mark), tighten it up and bingo. Put the other bar and strap on (if raising horizontally), pump away, slip the pin in and take the pressure off the jack. That's it.
There's good demos on their web site showing you how it's done.
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Hi VNA, reason I mentioned about scratching the frame was this muppet here scratched the frame on my SX. I was never that confident using my ABBA stand but expect if I had used more often I would have gained more confidence. As you say ABBA do make good kit, it is like everything the more you use it the more confident one will become. Good luck with but take care do not want you dropping your pride and joy.
Lew :faz
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Cheers Lew. I've splashed the cash so I've gotta get on with it!
But seriously I think it's the right option for me.
A table lift would have taken up so much more space, been possibly even more of a pain to get the bike onto (cos I can't take a run at it as you usually would with a table lift) and you still have to lift the bike up from the table if you want to pull certain bits off.
I can see why table list make sense, but this also makes sense.
As long as the kit is robust reliable it should do me fine. Time, as they say, will tell.
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Cheers Lew.
Confident but not complacent - I hope!
One more snap;
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3936/15327566050_6e4c0b5a5e_c.jpg)
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Well you inspired me to get an Abba superbike stand.
What a great piece of kit, used it last night to change my shock and the bike sits solid.
I've invested in the addition for raising the front so next week the forks are coming off for an upgrade with no dodgy jacks/blocks of wood/ropes supporting the bike!
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I think a full bench is better with both wheels on the bench. You can jack it up as you would on the floor, both ends if you want. and it's more stable.
I have a scissor lift that is sunk into my garage floor. It's a lot better working when seated.
I think I need to go to Robins place next time I work on my bike?
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Well you inspired me to get an Abba superbike stand.
What a great piece of kit, used it last night to change my shock and the bike sits solid.
I've invested in the addition for raising the front so next week the forks are coming off for an upgrade with no dodgy jacks/blocks of wood/ropes supporting the bike!
Nice!
I think preping the bike for the summer back in march made my mind up. I could hardly move after a day faffing aboot wi the bike. I just had to get something that allows me to stand or sit for most jobs.
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I cant believe how easy it is to use, theres so little contact with the bike yet once in place you can jump up and down on it !
The most common thing I see people saying about not buying one is that it uses the swing arm bolts so you cant use it to remove the swingarm. Well, they do a swing arm removal kit for it as well :)
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Just thinking over the whole concept and the last comment it occured to me that once you have this lift there is nothing to stop you making a ridged table workbench that the lift could roll up to and place the bike on for the few occasions a bench would be better.
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Just thinking over the whole concept and the last comment it occured to me that once you have this lift there is nothing to stop you making a ridged table workbench that the lift could roll up to and place the bike on for the few occasions a bench would be better.
thats what ive been thinking...I made a bench with castors when I restored my honda 400/4, using a long scaffold board to load.i have to empty the garage to make enough room though, too many projects :rolleyes....this lift would make it easy.....spotted a eazy rizer at the stafford show last week..similar thing but lifts from the wheels using a screw lift...
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Red I wonder if you could replaced the screw with a car jack either the single leg type or a scissor jack?
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Ah yes, some of the ramp type us a small car trolley jack, dont think the single leg or the scissor jacks would have enough lift..SLIMWILLY has made his own using a quick lift jack , the type off roaders use, he'll be along shortly with a picture........ ;)