mangocrazy wrote:It certainly looks a solid piece of kit, but unfortunately (for the group buy) I've already shelled out on an Abba Sky Lift a few years back. I'm surprised that the Abba doesn't have fitting inserts for Andy's Hondas, perhaps slightly less so that they don't cater for his son's Maxi-scooter.
This is Abba's fitment list:
The SkyLift list doesn't include the Futura - though I don't understand why it wouldn't work with it but given the EazyRizer Ebay listing shows a Futura being lifted, I'll be more inclined to go with that certainty.
No early to mid '70s Honda are shown and given that they have solid swinging arm pivots I think they won't work.
mangocrazy wrote:
From what I can see in the video, the EazyRizer does some of what the SkyLift can do, at a significantly lower price point, which seems about right. I'd make the following points:
1. I'd like to know more about how the 'moving the EazyRizer about with a bike attached' works. Are there some hidden castors involved, or does it just rely on the exceptionally smooth finish of the power-floated floor in the video? The Sky lift has lockable external castors that make it a breeze to move around even on my rather pitted shed floor.
The EazyRizer video, confirms it as "wheels free" and looks as though it just slides on the floor. The ease with which the people demonstrate its movement suggest it's not at all difficult - but their floor does look smooth.
The question is, how important is it that you can move it?
Definitely going to be easier than working on the ground with an Abba or Ulti-Pro stand. I guess the lack of castors depends on your personal desire for castors. Could probably fit some to it if it were a problem.
mangocrazy wrote:
2. The Sky lift can raise the bike in 3 'attitudes' - level (like the EazyRizer), or in the 'stoppie' or 'wheelie' position. I used the stoppie position to remove the shock on my KTM Duke and can't honestly imagine how I would have done it without that capability. Having those extra modes really makes doing difficult jobs actually quite simple.
Yes, I had noted the Skylift can adopt 3 "attitudes" through deployment of a strap.
I can see that this could be useful.
Obviously the EazyRizer can do the level position very competently. I'm also convinced that it can use the same technique as the SkyLift to facilitate the wheelie position using a robust tie-down strap on the base of the stand.
What isn't so obvious is how it might do the Stoppie position. My thoughts were that I can probably figure out something if I need to but would have to get one first to consider how to do it. Success, of course, is not guaranteed.
That said, I've removed my Falco's shock many times on the ground where the bike is flat. Sounds as though the KTM is more of a problem.
mangocrazy wrote:
3. The Sky Lift can raise the bike significantly higher than the EazyRizer - about 50% higher, I'd estimate. This is almost certainly due to the additional footprint of the Sky Lift - the base sticks out significantly more than the EazyRizer in all directions, so is more stable. But it takes up more floor space.
Are you sure? Looking at the pictures and videos, they both appear to lift to a similar height Sadly I can't find any numbers to support this.
SkyLift:
EazyRizer:
I think they are very similar.
mangocrazy wrote:
4. The hydraulic ram on the Sky Lift is ridiculously over-specified and will hold a bike in the raised position for a long time without any droop. Even so, the Sky Lift has two holes in the main beam where you can insert a peg to hold the bike at a pre-set height without needing to trust the hydraulics. But being conscious of this, before I fully assembled my Sky Lift, I took the main beam to an engineering shop near me and asked them to drill additional holes in the beam at 50mm intervals so I can peg the lift at pretty much any height between minimum and maximum.
The EazyRizer doesn't use hydraulics but a worm drive that you rotate with an electric drill (though if one of those were not available, a ratchet drive from a socket set would do the job). Obviously a virtue of worm drives is that they don't move after you stop turning them.
It has a natty little feature where you can apply a padlock when raised right up to add theft security.
mangocrazy wrote:
5. If you subscribe to Abba's mailing list they will (from time to time) make you aware of special reduced prices. I presume they offer this when stock is high and orders are slowing. I bought mine on one of these offers and got (from memory) about £80 off the list price.
If I didn't have the Sky Lift I would seriously consider the EazyRizer, especially in view of the price differential. But having used the Sky Lift over a period of years, I've come to appreciate its versatility. And recently I've overcome what I did regard as a major drawback - storing the damn thing when not in use. I've come up with a solution for wall mounting all the parts of the device bar the main beam and hydraulic ram, and that can fit comfortably between my parts washer and some racking. I'd need to take a photo and post it up rather than try to explain. If anyone is interested, let me know.
Don't let my comments put anyone off the Eazy Rizer, but I just wanted to give the Sky Lift side of the story.
Yes - and I heard that Abba offer good Group Buy discounts. They are looking into this on the AP Workshop Facebook page - it was that which started me looking at the SkyLift .... and when I found it couldn't work with all our bikes, started looking further.
Certainly the SkyLift is a good bit of kit but the fact that the EazyRizer should work with all my family's bikes, looks significantly more robust and that the starting price is significantly less, I think it's a good option for me.
Glad to see Fatboy is interested - though we'd need a few others to approach them about a Group Buy ....
If anyone has any interest, let me know and I'll see what I can do.
“Scientists investigate that which already is. Engineers create that which has never been.”
-- Albert Einstein