A motorcycle lift is a lift table

Lift table

A lift table is a device that employs a scissors mechanism to raise or lower goods and / or persons. Typically they are used to raise large, heavy loads through relatively small distances. Common applications include pallet handling, vehicle loading and work positioning...

 that is designed to handle motorcycles. Many repair shops use such lifts to bring the vehicle off of the ground and up to a level so that the mechanic does not have to put any strain on his or her back or lay upon the ground to perform any kind of work upon the vehicle. Also, motorcycle enthusiasts have put these lifts into their home garages so that they can perform simple maintenance jobs such as changing the oil and cleaning the bike without having to get down on the ground. These lifts are typically made of steel and powered by air or hydraulic cylinders that handle load capacities up to 1500 lb (680.4 kg).

Variations

There are many different variations and styles of motorcycle lifts. Some are simple and only large enough to handle a simple motorbike. Others have front and side extensions that make them long enough for a chopper

Chopper (motorcycle)

A chopper is a type of motorcycle that was either modified from an original motorcycle design or built from scratch to have a hand-crafted appearance. The main features of a chopper that make it stand out are its longer frame design accompanied by a stretch front end...

 and wide enough for an All-terrain vehicle

All-terrain vehicle

An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...

. Most lifts come with a clamp for the front wheel to help stabilize the bike so that it stands upright on its own. Other options that these motorcycle lift tables have are the rear wheel drop out that allows the back of the table to be taken away so that a person can perform maintenance on their rear tire without it touching the table.