Bikes To Big? Here's How To Add Length To The Motorcycle Lift You Built!

Question: I have built a lift using your plans and am to the point of attaching the decking. I am concerned that the lift will not be long enough. The bikes it is intended to service are a harley 1990 fxrs and a 2006 Harley fltri. The wheelbase for fltri is 63.5 and overall length is 93.7 fxr wheelbase is 63.1 overall is 91.6. When positioned next to bikes lift looks really short especially the bagger. I am considering adding length to the lift but am not certain how that might affect the center of gravity (CG) stability etc.

Answer: The bikes listed above, the Harley 1990 fxrs Harley and a 2006 fltri fits on the platform with the relevant wheelbases, but looking at the overall dimensions they really don’t fit.

If length has to be added to the lift then this should be done on the left side of the platform as shown on the next picture. So the center of gravity will move on the left. If length is added on the right side the center of gravity will move to the right and overall stability of the lift will be worse.

This is not guaranteed but we recommend that you cut two additional 12’’ and one 24’’ long square tubes and weld them to the left side of the platform as shown in the picture below. Also use two additional gussets in the corners. Mount the threaded plate above.

On the following pictures we show how the CG point changes depending on the additional 12’’ length. For simulation we added to the platform 762 pound bike, which is kind of a sample model of 2006 Harley FILTRI.

Position of the CG point without adding any additional length. It’s right from the center.

Position of the CG point with additional length added on the left side. It’s closer to the center.

Position of the CG point with additional length added on the left side in lower position. The CG point moves on the left in the lower position, it’s on left side of center, but it’s close to the center.

In conclusion we can say that:

The ideal position of the CG point for this device should be exactly in the middle of the base frame. Adding additional length shouldn’t be a problem for stability, but it has to be done in the left side of the platform. This should improve the stability of the motorcycle lift table.