Harbor Freight Motorcycle Stand : Anyone Use them?

My racebike has one of those. It goes on at the end of each weekend. I was told "they spend a lot more time off the track getting pushed around than they do on track"

 

In life

there are two kinds of people:

The JC Whitney* types that are easily sucked in by the low price (and amazing line art drawings!), which then sees the part of their brain that weighs the price/use/value trifecta triggered, and ultimately allows the "power finger" to click Add To Cart, 1 ea.

Then there are the "Buy the best, buy it once, have it for life" types, who have suffered through the empty promises and lost time/money and anguish after the cheaper and less expensive (they really are two different things) product left them in a lurch, earlier in their career/life, and have vowed to never go down that path again.

That or they were born into a life of privelege, and do not know that cheap shit even exists!

* Before there was Harbor Freight, there was mail order (kind of like a virtual online store), where you would send a "letter" requesting the company to "mail" to you a "catalog" that was printed on very thin newspaper, which ironically enough could double as ass wipes if you were left in a pinch.

 

I have both Woodcrafts and PitBulls and find the Woodcrafts much easier to use even though I don't believe they offer any contingency.

 

JC Whitney, they use to send a new catalog every week for years.

 

I have a Pitpull rear stand (powdercoated green)
and a LP neck lift front stand.

My buddy stop racing a few years ago so I have been spoiled using his Pittbull front and LP rear stand. Since he is coming back out to race next year i need some secondary stands and just ran across these. If a majority said they where great stands i would grab one (still might with the promo coupon for $25).
Just never seen these and was asking for feedback...good or bad. Thanks
I think i will get one to see with the $25 coupon.

What caught my eye was the short handle, and looks light weight. Im constantly kicking the Pitbull handle (other people also).

 

The HB freight wheels will get flat spots if not moved often.

 

I had a set of Handy stands, they worked pretty good. That said, there is no comparison to the Pitbull stands I have now.

 

I had one of those. The width adjustment would never stay tight, and on a 08+ R6 you an get to the rear axle nut, and the axle won't come out because it hits the lift thingies. Bought a pit bull rear.

 

Like my pit bull stands, I also like my LP aluminum stands, I've had both several years and never had a problem with either one.

 

^^^^ Right on the money. I have a set of older FG Special parts stands and Pit Bull. For my GSXR 750 on the rear stand the Pit Bull is rock solid, can get on the bike, stand on the pegs and pump the suspension solid.
The FG stands are, at best, adequate. The thinner diameter steel tubes flex and the stand is no where near as stable.

 

I had the welds break on my pit-bull fork lift stand and that think had never seen anything heavier than a 600cc sport bike.
nothing is perfect ace.

As far as the stand in question they work well enough. If I was in the market for a stand I would consider it.
I also have the other harbor freight stand that's convert able from rear to front stand. Its worked okay as well.

 

thats the one I f****** hate! :tut:

 

another one of those "$99" specials I couldnt say no to. I think I paid those forward as well but they havent caused any damage afaik.

 

If you just use it in your garage those crappy Chinese stands work ok. But I'd still not buy them for other reasons.

Pit Bull are NOT overkill if you actually go to the race track or move your bike around on the stand. Woodcraft have good stands too.

Those pressed aluminum stands are terrible. They come by several different names but they all are pretty much the same. Crappy thin aluminum. Hell even the "steel" Chinese ones suck. That steel is not the same as US steel.

 

To be fair my older pitbulls had that problem too. I emailed PB and they admitted and said they redesigned because of that issue. Got an updated assembly and havent had that problem.

 

I call bullshit on this, and even if it did happen I'm pretty sure you would have a NEW STAND out of it.

 

ALL old stands that I've used had that "problem". They had never had an 06 R6 till 2006.

All you have to do is remove a little metal from the stand. Even a hacksaw would work in < 2 minutes.

 

I had one.
For general usage around the garage they were ok. The wheels flatspot after the bike has been sitting on one for awhile so thats a negative. They are super light and held the bike firmly which is a positive. The fulcrum is close to the bike which makes it hard to push the rear of the bike up which is neg. The price is as cheap as it gets so thats a pos!

You're about 50/50 plus/minus.
I gave mine away with the sale of a bike but will probably grab a couple of others to have around the garage because they are small, light and cheap.

 

Why cheap out on an stand, youre just throwing money away. Buy a Pitbull use it 'til you're done with it, then sell it for practically what you paid for. They last forever. Plus youre supporting a great company.