what did you wrench on today??

[sinkankan]

Cheap bike lift

I converted an old hospital bed, actually a physiotherapist treatment bed to a bike lift. Took the mattress off the top and had a 3mm sheet of steel bent up, the 25mm edges give it a bit more strength. With a touch of a button I have an electric bike lifter capable of raising the bike 850mm off the deck. I used a wheel chock bought from a local auto shop, and a couple of tie down anchor points for safety (the wheel chock will hold the bike until you get the straps on).
And to get the bike up onto the ramp I bought a $99 boat winch and some slotted angle and made a frame to mount the winch. Totally easy way of loading a heavy bike when your by yourself, I had to extend the remote control wires on the winch switch another six feet so I can hold the bike and use the winch.

[Grimly]

There's a forthcoming glut of old hospital beds (powered and unpowered) coming onto the used market, as hospitals gear up for the obese generation in their older years. The old gear just won't cope with the fatties.

[steve murdoch]

The lift looks great, Sink.
A couple more pics of lift and the beautiful bike on it would be nice.
If you don't mind what did the steel plate cost?

[sinkankan]

The plate was $70 from a local sheet metal place, found next day I could of got the same one in aluminium for $45, but I reckon it would been too weak. The end where the bike goes up the ramp tends to flex a bit, the GS850 weighs in about 246lbs. I use a folding aluminium ramp to get the bike up. The bike wheel chock was $90 at a autoshop. I bought two, one for the ramp and one for trailer.
Short video of the BSA on the lift.

[oracwa]

Thought I was almost finished with replacing all the missing little bits as I went to fit the tacho cable that just arrived from Germany. Found a home made plug in the socket in the head, removed it and oil came out. Strange I thought but cleaned up the mess and carried on. Tried to fit the cable only to find no actual drive in the hole, hence the oil. Now if I'm lucky, all I need is the tacho drive shaft, seal etc. to finish. If I'm unlucky, the drive gear could be missing from the camshaft or damaged? Fingers crossed.
Cheers

Scott
84 GS1100GK with sidecar

[steve murdoch]

Thanks for the info and clip on the lift.
A Beezer with a couple oil spots....what a novel concept. haha.

[sinkankan]

Thanks for the info and clip on the lift.
A Beezer with a couple oil spots....what a novel concept. haha.

Strange, after that it hasn't leaked a spot, must of been moody.

[Guest]

Gonna bleed my brakes today, time for the 2 year flush.

[Buffalo Bill]

There's a forthcoming glut of old hospital beds (powered and unpowered) coming onto the used market, as hospitals gear up for the obese generation in their older years. The old gear just won't cope with the fatties.

My 1982 GS1100G weighs 570lb or 257kg, are you saying a lot old people weigh more than that???

[Brendan W]

My 1982 GS1100G weighs 570lb or 257kg, are you saying a lot old people weigh more than that???

Nah, it's their insurance paperwork and malpractice ambulance chaser brochures.

[Grimly]

My 1982 GS1100G weighs 570lb or 257kg, are you saying a lot old people weigh more than that???

Give it time. The hospitals are already turfing out gear that was perfectly capable of the previous generation's weight. Some of it was simply old and due for renewal, but some just needed to be updated with a bit of leeway for the land whales that will be hitting the ERs soon.

[wymple]

The plate was $70 from a local sheet metal place, found next day I could of got the same one in aluminium for $45, but I reckon it would been too weak. The end where the bike goes up the ramp tends to flex a bit, the GS850 weighs in about 246lbs. I use a folding aluminium ramp to get the bike up. The bike wheel chock was $90 at a autoshop. I bought two, one for the ramp and one for trailer.
Short video of the BSA on the lift.

I wish my 850 only weighed 246 lbs.

[Guest]

Give it time. The hospitals are already turfing out gear that was perfectly capable of the previous generation's weight. Some of it was simply old and due for renewal, but some just needed to be updated with a bit of leeway for the land whales that will be hitting the ERs soon.

Land whales. I gotta remember that one.

[Guest]

Been a while since I logged in or posted but in recent times I've done the steering head bearings and fork oil on the 450 and made some air filters for the velocity stacks and done the necessary jetting changes. So far she's like a whole new bike...

[Guest]

Brakes flushed and bled, new brake and clutch levers on the way and oh yeah gotta get a new front tire for next year for sure. Didn't realize mine was already 11 years old, lots of rubber still left and no sidewall cracking. time flies when ya have fun.