Can Am motorcycle lift

[Bill Davis]

Have read various post about good and not so good motorcycle lifts.
I'd be interested in knowing what this group thinks are the best lifts
for a Spyder.

[bmwlarry]

I use a full size Handy lift with side extensions and wooded ramps. It is also used as the parking space for my spyder when parked in the garage!!IMG_5230w.jpg

[slather1]

I have a Pittbull that works very well.

[Chupaca]

on what you are going to do...your condition ( kneeling, bending, crawling etc.) and your budget. Full lifts are nice but access to working on it is the same as being on the ground less the crawling around. Some things you can't reach or remove without lowering and rasing and are expensive and many need modifications. Ramps, floor jacks, bottle jacks, sissor jacks are all workable but need jack stands and a balacing act to secure your work and are not adjustable. I, as many, use the atv/motorcycle lift and support with jack stands. This works best for me with the limitations I have. I can work on a rolling stool and get access to everything. Idealy I would like the newer one on the market screw drive side lift "big blue" but out of my reach. So see what you want to do and go from there....

[WackyDan]

http://lifts-and-stands.com/dev/prod...big-blue-lift/

They make one with the SPyder adapter... Video looks pretty cool too. Expensive, but This option gives you full access and the thing can be stored out of the way.

[coz]

i would recommend this for a gs, rs, or st only. rt is too heavy. a better quality lift table, with a higher load limit could be easily modifed for an rt.

[woodyt74]

on what you are going to do...your condition ( kneeling, bending, crawling etc.) and your budget. Full lifts are nice but access to working on it is the same as being on the ground less the crawling around. Some things you can't reach or remove without lowering and rasing and are expensive and many need modifications. Ramps, floor jacks, bottle jacks, sissor jacks are all workable but need jack stands and a balacing act to secure your work and are not adjustable. I, as many, use the atv/motorcycle lift and support with jack stands. This works best for me with the limitations I have. I can work on a rolling stool and get access to everything. Idealy I would like the newer one on the market screw drive side lift "big blue" but out of my reach. So see what you want to do and go from there....

Chupaca, what is the reason for using the jack stands in addition to the motorcycle lift? If the Spyder unstable on the lift only? Seems like something elst to get in your way unless there is some instablility on the lift. Thanks. Woody

[Dragonrider]

I use a Northern Tool ATV lift - works well, for what I use it for. Cost was $99 on sale.

[MarkLawson]

http://lifts-and-stands.com/dev/prod...big-blue-lift/

They make one with the SPyder adapter... Video looks pretty cool too. Expensive, but This option gives you full access and the thing can be stored out of the way.

Dan, the US distributor, who lives in the Atlanta area, is bringing a Big Blue with both a Spyder adapter and Goldwing adapter to my house this evening to see how it works for me - no commitment to purchase required. I called him yesterday with some questions about the lift and the Spyder, some of which he could not answer, as he is the distributor, not the designer or manufacturer. He proposed bringing one out to satisfy both our curiosities.

As far as price is concerned, for me, it seems very reasonable when compared to one like the Handy, which is top-notch, but some 2-1/2 times the price for what I would be expected to pay for the Big Blue. As mentioned above, it would also be a parking space for a Spyder, as it takes up so much space in the garage. The Big Blue, on the other hand, is much smaller and appears to be easily moved around & set aside for storage. Also, that price comes with a lifetime guarantee.

One major drawback for the Big Blue, is that the Spyder adaptor has the rear lift point on the bottom shock mount, which BRP recommends against in their shop manual. As such, it also causes the rear wheel to remain in place when the Spyder is lifted, making servicing that wheel much more difficult than it should be. I have exchanged emails with the guy in England who makes it, and he says there is only about 25% of the total Spyder weight on that lift point, so is not enough to cause damage. I wrote him back this morning to also point out the disadvantages of rear wheel work with his design & am looking forward to his reply.

My hope is that with a demonstration in my garage tonight, I'll be able to determine if I can fabricate another lift point to allow free access to rear wheel removal. I'll let you know what I think.

[Bill Davis]

I'd definitely be interested in the results of your demonstration.

Thanks,

Bill

[Jim&Teresa]

I use a full size Handy lift with side extensions and wooded ramps. It is also used as the parking space for my spyder when parked in the garage!!IMG_5230w.jpg

What particular model is this one? Looks like it works perfect for the Spyder! Thanks for sharing and the photo!

[MarkLawson]

Jeff White did come by last night and we spent near two hours looking it over. The quality of the device is first rate. We did place it under my 2010 RT and did find that the KewlMetal highway bars I added several years ago hinder it from getting to the optimal lift point.



He instead moved the lift so that that vertical riser was near touching the outside edge of the driver footpeg. The adapter for the Spyder could be adjusted on the lift arm to accommodate this setup, although it would place more weight to the front of the Spyder and less to the rear, which already is much lighter. As stated by the OP, there is a barrel that is to be permanently installed in one of the holes of the cross member that runs from side to side across the engine. The adapter slides into this barrel, giving it a secure fastening point. The rear lift point is on the rear shock mount & they provide U-bolts which can be used to secure the rear shock mount to the lift.

As far as fabricating another adapter to lift at the rearward most portion of the frame instead of the rear shock mount, thus allowing free access to the rear wheel removal and suspension work, that proved to be unworkable. Doing this would place the two lift points only about 18" from each other, which would be much too close together to be stable.

We did not try to lift the Spyder as I had already concluded that it would not work for my needs.