Motorcycle lifts and benches buying guide | How they make bike maintenance easy and our favourites

Nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment you get from working on your own motorbike. Whether you’re simply cleaning the chain or getting your hands dirty with something more serious, almost every job is made easier by having some way of lifting your bike off the ground.

Even if you only need to get the wheels up by a few centimetres, a motorcycle lift or bench will safely raise the bike, giving you easy access to the bits you need to reach while fettling.

• Related: MCN’s guide to changing your own tyres

What to consider before buying

Weight

Motorcycle lifts and benches are designed to lift up heavy machinery, so they come with a fair amount of heft of their own. Consider how manoeuvrable it will be for you, if you have to move it around in your garage.

Height

Different motorcycle lifts and benches will lift up to different heights, which is important to consider. Some may only lift up a few centimetres, while others will bring the tyres up to chest height. Consider what you’ll be using it for, and how much height you’ll need.

Build quality

A good motorcycle lift or bench has to be put together well, and made out of quality materials to take the strain of holding your bike on it.

Portability

Space is often at a premium in many garages, so consider how portable the lift or bench you’re looking at getting is. Smaller units will easily stow away under a worktop or in a corner, while bigger units may need a whole chunk of space carved out especially for them.

The best motorcycle lifts and benches

How we test lifts and benches

Here at MCN, we make it our mission to help you find the right kit for you, at the right price for your budget. We don’t lab test or compare specs; there’s no substitute for just putting them to work, and fettling on our own bikes with them. Our word is backed by hundreds of thousands of hours spent fettling collectively, but our recommendations come from each tester individually.

While testing, we predominantly focus on build quality, ease of use, and value. When we write up our full reviews, we’ll give each pair of lifts and benches a rating out of five stars in each of these categories, and offer a final verdict too. This page is only for the best motorcycle lifts and benches, so every one you’ll see has been awarded at least four stars overall – that’s the passing grade – but here’s what each score really means:

1 star – Poor performance in this category or overall. A lift or bench with a single star rating has fallen below the expected standard and should be avoided.
2 stars – Basic performance in this area or overall. A lift or bench with a two-star rating has managed to perform to a barely acceptable level, and there is much room for improvement.
3 stars – An average performance in this area or overall. A lift or bench with a three-star rating has achieved a basic level of performance and is deemed adequate.
4 stars – A lift or bench has performed over and above the accepted averaged in this category or overall. A lift or bench with a four-star rating has surpassed expectation and delivered in a particularly impressive way.
5 stars – A lift or bench has performed at the highest possible level in a particular category or overall. A lift or bench with a five-star rating has delivered to the highest possible level, impressing the tester with its performance. We would happily spend our own money on it.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

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