DIY Bike stands

DitchDiggrr · February 11, 2019, 10:59:16 PM

Hey all, if this should be in another section please correct... but I thought I would share a pair of quick and dirty bike stands I built that worked out both good and bad... (I'll elaborate)

I have always needed a bike lift, but never got around to buying one but after years of laying on the floor and leaning over my back decided I should make a bike table and just use a ramp to load and unload it instead of waiting until I could save the money for a lift.

The first table I built was fantastic and made my life SO much easier... I stored all my parts and tools under the table and made sure it was long enough that I was able to place tools and parts behind the back wheel as well.

HOWEVER... even with VERY long ramps I had a very hard time loading and unloading my bikes.

It was a huge pain to do it by myself.

After a year of fighting the tall table, and dropping a bike off the ramps once... I decided to just break it down and store the lumber for another project.

but... I really missed it... so this week I was looking at the Aerostich Aluminum wheel crate workstand : https://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-aluminum-wheel-crate-workstand-three-crate.html

... and so I thought maybe I should give a nice short table like that a try.

So I threw this one together.... 12" tall, and VERY handy.
EXTREMELY simple too load, but... I would really like a wheel vice in the front... so I may start working on that next.

As you can see I did eventually duplicate the Aerostich crossbar design up front for easier tie down anchoring points and a little more tip over stability... but honestly, I still am not thrilled with tie downs always being in the way... like I said, a wheel vice is gonna be a the top of my priority list... but over all... a great use of an hour of time and some leftover lumber!

Highly recommended!

FJmonkey · February 11, 2019, 11:31:34 PM

Great post, many here like to see other ways to skin the cat.

HydroDog · February 17, 2019, 01:37:22 PM

If you get one of these it should help with stability.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1100-LB-Motorcycle-Dirt-Bike-ATV-Scissor-Center-Jack-Mini-Lift-Crank-Floor-Stand/181935108965?epid=4019656926&hash=item2a5c2d7365:g:W9IAAOSwvg9XXm2-:rk:2:pf:0

Millietant · February 18, 2019, 05:16:51 AM

Here's a photo of the home-made bike stand/table/lift that I bought locally from a guy last year. It's been an absolute god-send for me.

It's absolutely rock-solid (totally sturdy) and uses a standard everyday trolley jack to raise and lower it. The frame is made of 2" angle iron and 2" square tube, with a bit of 1/4" plate welded into the base where the jack sits and the legs lock in place in one of three height positions. The bench top is 3/4" marine grade plywood, with holes drilled in it at the centre to allow a bike to be chained to the bench for protection against theft, which I use as rubbish chutes, with a bin under the bench. I use my bike trailer ramp to run our bikes up onto the bench and can do it single handedly without any problems.

If anyone would like details, I could measure it up and draft up some sketch-drawings so you could build one yourself (or get a friendly odd-job-man to make one up for you). The materials are really cheap and the trolley jacks can be bought from Aldi for just a few £'s ($'s).

And a pic in the lowered position, after I put Liz's old VF on it to start its restomod.

ribbert · February 18, 2019, 05:57:30 AM

Quote from: Millietant on February 18, 2019, 05:16:51 AM
Here's a photo of the home-made bike stand/table/lift that I bought locally from a guy last year. It's been an absolute god-send for me.

Now that is an absolute cracker. I've seen a lot of these but they're always over complicated, that's a beauty. Simple, safe, effective, easy to build, cheap. I had been thinking of buying a second one but this has inspired me. I even have everything in the photo, spare floor jacks, steel, Mig, even a sheet of 19mm marine ply.

It needs wheels.

The mantra of all lift table owners..." I should have bought this years ago" or " how did I ever manage without one"

Noel

ribbert · February 18, 2019, 07:06:47 AM

I know a few members will revel in my misfortune, but anyway, I lost a BMW off a lift table a few months back, $9500 damage, and the table was at it's lowest, probably only 250-300mm off the ground.

Noel

DitchDiggrr · February 18, 2019, 07:39:37 AM

Quote from: Millietant on February 18, 2019, 05:16:51 AM
Here's a photo of the home-made bike stand/table/lift that I bought locally from a guy last year. It's been an absolute god-send for me.

It's absolutely rock-solid (totally sturdy) and uses a standard everyday trolley jack to raise and lower it. The frame is made of 2" angle iron and 2" square tube, with a bit of 1/4" plate welded into the base where the jack sits and the legs lock in place in one of three height positions. The bench top is 3/4" marine grade plywood, with holes drilled in it at the centre to allow a bike to be chained to the bench for protection against theft, which I use as rubbish chutes, with a bin under the bench. I use my bike trailer ramp to run our bikes up onto the bench and can do it single handedly without any problems.

If anyone would like details, I could measure it up and draft up some sketch-drawings so you could build one yourself (or get a friendly odd-job-man to make one up for you). The materials are really cheap and the trolley jacks can be bought from Aldi for just a few £'s ($'s).

And a pic in the lowered position, after I put Liz's old VF on it to start its restomod.

Very nice!!! I like that a lot! Wouldn't mind a set up like that at all!

Millietant · February 18, 2019, 07:42:12 AM

Ouch Noel........ did the table give way, or did the bike just topple ?

I've put in 3 eye bolts on each side so I can easily put ratchet strap hooks in place and cinch a bike in position securely while I'm working on it - and have fastened short timber 2x2's to the bench top to keep the wheels in place - overkill, I know, but I'm paranoid about bikes on benches or trailers falling over

Millietant · February 18, 2019, 07:46:45 AM

Very nice!!! I like that a lot! Wouldn't mind a set up like that at all!
[/quote]

When I get a couple of hours I'll measure it a all up and put some marked up sketches on here in case anyone wants to have a go at making something similar themselves.

Tuned forks · February 18, 2019, 10:16:44 AM

So I suppose you could attach a ratchet strap to the rear so as to lift the front tire for servicing as well?

Joe

DitchDiggrr · February 18, 2019, 10:30:42 AM

Quote from: ribbert on February 18, 2019, 07:06:47 AM
I know a few members will revel in my misfortune, but anyway, I lost a BMW off a lift table a few months back, $9500 damage, and the table was at it's lowest, probably only 250-300mm off the ground.

Noel

Good greif man!!! 9500$!?!?
That's terrifying!!!!
What all ended up breaking??

Old Rider · February 18, 2019, 10:31:01 AM

DitchDiggrr Nice ramp but how do you get the bike up on it ? is it a 2 man job ?. I made something similar once and i drove the bike upon it but then i had to jump down and almost lost the bike

DitchDiggrr · February 18, 2019, 10:43:37 AM

Old rider, it's not bad at all for the short table... I just have a 6' long ramp and ands not bad at all to load myself. The TALL table was a nightmare. I did actually drop a Yamaha xs650 off the ramp while
Loading it one day... that was the last straw. After that I took it apart.

This 12" high ramp is a peice of cake. I just get a little run (not much) and then walk it up by standing next to it.

Millietant · February 18, 2019, 01:10:17 PM

Quote from: Tuned forks on February 18, 2019, 10:16:44 AM
So I suppose you could attach a ratchet strap to the rear so as to lift the front tire for servicing as well?

Joe

Yep, that's it Joe, and once the wheel is in the air I fix a short batten to the bench, across the line of the tyre, at the rear of the tyre, so that when I come to put the wheel back in, I can support the wheel so that the holes line up and I can easily just push the spindle in. Makes wheel swaps a quick and easy single-person job.

It also means that I can hold the front end down and loosen off (and remove the top ones) the subframe mounts and drop the whole thing back when I want to take the airbox out. The extra room that little bit of movement in the subframe give, makes getting the air box and carbs on and off, so much easier.

Millietant · February 18, 2019, 01:16:10 PM

Quote from: Old Rider on February 18, 2019, 10:31:01 AM
DitchDiggrr Nice ramp but how do you get the bike up on it ? is it a 2 man job ?. I made something similar once and i drove the bike upon it but then i had to jump down and almost lost the bike

If I ever make one like the one I bought, I'll make it 1.2m wide (instead of 0.8m wide), then I can ride the bikes up onto it and have plenty of room to put my feet down on both sides. Luckily the bench top is only about 150mm/6"" from the floor anyway when it's collapsed.

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DIY Bike stands