Weld bike to cherry picker.

After reading this, I've realized that my post was not helpful. :lol:

So, here it is.

First things first. Attach some screw eyes to your rafters. Don't get the cheap "bent" into a circle eyes, get the one's that are solid. There are two ways to do this. The best way, (if you have exposed rafters) is to drill through the rafter about 1/3 of the way down, and install a nut and washer on the end of the screw eye. That shit ain't going anywhere. If you have sheet rock over the rafters, use the lag type screw eyes. Drill a starter hole 1/2 the diameter of the screw, dip the screw in wood glue, and run it in. The screw should be a minimum of 3 inches long for this method. It's okay to install both screw eyes into the same rafter, but it's much better if you split the load between two.

Right, now you have anchor points.

Buy two "come along's". Get good ones, not the cheap shit. Come along's are far superior to ratchet straps, in that they have nice big handles to pull on while you lift, instead of the stupid little tab thingy.

Now you have to attach the bike to the come along's hook. One inch webbing is good for this, but not just any webbing. You want Tublar Webbing. You can find it online at Amazon, or REI, or anyplace that sells climbing gear. It's not that expensive, and it's strong as fuck. Like, 4000 pounds strong.

Depending on the bike,and what you're trying to do, you can make a cradle loop, or run one webbing sling from either side of the bike to the hook.

Ok, so here's the scary part. You have to tie a knot(s) in the webbing to make this all work. Google "Water Knot". That's the one you want. It's actually one of the easiest knots to tie, and the one that works best with Tublar Webbing.

If you want to get fancy, (and I do...) you can install more screw-eyes, 4 feet to either side of your main anchors. From those, you can run ratchet straps to your bike at 45 degree angles. This will keep the bike from wanting to twist while you break axle nuts.

If you want to get REALLY fancy, buy chain motors instead of come alongs.

Fancier even still, is to wrap the part of the frame you're rigging to, with Teflon tape before installing the strap, (keeps the scuff marks off).

And that, motherfuckers, is how you hang a bike from the ceiling.

JC

If I wanted to get real fancy, I'd buy an electric cable hoist winch and put that shit up there... several eyelets and some pulleys and you could lift just about anything.

Electric winches and chain motors are basically the same idea.

Not sure why you'd need a pulley though.

JC

Reading fail. I read it as 'chain hoists' instead of 'chain motors'...

Pulleys to distribute the load across multiple points of lift... Sure, you could just feed the cable through the eyelets, but I'm gettin' fancy damnit!

I normally tie a "knot" just behind the ratchet just in case personally...:idk:

Speaking of ridiculous overkill when hangin yer shit - I grabbed a pair similar to these on closeout @ Northern Tool:

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-qua...ist-96482.html

I saw they have a heavier (but less slick, w/o the ratchet-lever operation) one on sale for much cheaper:
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-chain-hoist-996.html


I used a ~3ft. 2x2x1/4" wall tube w/ 4x 3/8" threaded rods & a couple pieces of scrap plate to straddle a pair of the 2x10s in my old garage. Oh - and forged 1/2" eyebolts instead of the bent/un-welded ones, like Hay-Zoos said. Silly overkill, but free materials & it was a pristine ZX-11 getting strung-up. :lol:

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...p7-17-05_1.jpg

The cheapies you find @ Lowes/Home Depot will withstand a bunch more if you can tack-weld the end (that can backfire though if done too hot, making them weaker instead) & are *probably* fine for that purpose (3/8" ones anyway, doubled-up) - but I'd just stay away from them.
Same deal with ratchet straps, which *probably* will hold fine - even if heavy & fine for the load, they can still be a pain + a hazard getting the bike back down. I used a pair in the pic a couple times before finding the small hoists, but never liked them even though heavy decent ones. And ditto on tying a little 'insurance' knot with both ratchet & friction straps - when hauling as well.


One very important point - if you're suspending the front w/ the rear on a stand, be mindful of the alignment & have it centered well so it doesn't tend to swing. It can rock off the stand fairly easily, and a little angle will allow it to do so much more easily. Some zip-ties, safety wire, straps etc. securing the stand to the spool/swingarm on both sides is cheap insurance too.


Triple - Bummer & OUCH, that had to be a lousy oh-shit moment!

Honestly.. I wouldn't have the reason to hoist.

Why not just jack it up?

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...Softail002.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...n/Forks003.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...ld/Day5033.jpg


If you say sportbike... I have been waiting for Mud to come over with his for a couple years now... but he's too damn lazy.

That's great if you have a pair of nice flat frame tubes on the bottom to make a stable platform, but antique steel perimeter frames went the way of the do-do on most bikes circa 1985. :nee:

But there have been plenty of guys that have jacked up bikes in the rear, hell with jack stands no less.