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

Updated: 23 April 2025

The best motorcycle lifts and benches, tried and tested by MCN staff

Whether it’s intellectual curiosity, pride or just saving money, working on your motorcycle can be highly satisfying. Even a simple task like cleaning the chain is a chance to get eyes on future problems or other needs. What’s the biggest obstacle to working on your bike? The bike itself.

A motorcycle lift or bench is the answer. By safely raising the bike, you put everything at eye-level and within somewhat easy reach. The right lift or bench (along with a trusty work stool) gives you a proper stage to work your magic, so to speak. And your lower back will thank you.

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 ‘re also heavy. Consider how you’ll get it home, or have it delivered. Also think about how maneuverable it will be for you, if you have to move it around your garage.

Consider the weight rating of the lift and what it’s lifting. Only full touring rigs weigh 800 lbs or more, but you want a lift rating that far exceeds the weight of your bike.

Height

Different motorcycle lifts and benches lift to different heights. Some lift a few inches, while others will bring the tires 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 handle the strain of your bike’s weight.

Portability

Space is at a premium in many garages, so consider how mobile or portable the lift or bench is. Smaller lifts or benches might stow away under a worktop or in a corner, while proper lifts need dedicated space. With proper lifts, you likely won’t stow it away after use.

The best motorcycle lifts and benches

Sealey Headstock Stand

Expert rating:

4.0

Price: $227.18

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Tested by Simon Relph for 15 months:

"Paddock stands are a great invention, come in all shapes and sizes, and at the end of the day do a great job of keeping a motorcycle stable so that you can work on them. I have made do with a couple of paddock stands for years and have been able to carry out most jobs.

"But when I came to take the wheels out of my Suzuki SRAD, disaster struck as one of the pinch bolts snapped off in the fork leg, which now meant removing the fork to take out the bit of stud left in the threaded hole. So I was left scratching my head as I tried to work out how I was going to support a fully faired bike with only a sidestand.

"I had seen the headstock stand used on the likes of MotoGP bikes when they are preparing bikes before a race, so spent five minutes on the internet searching for something similar. I soon found Sealey Products make a headstock stand which fits a range of bikes with headstocks between 830mm to 925mm, and the stand comes complete with a set of five swappable headstock pins which are 13, 15, 16.5, 17 and 18mm – so are suitable for most motorcycles.

"The stand arrived in kit form, but was quickly and easily put together and ready to use. Select the pin that fits best in the bottom yoke of your bike, then fix this head of the stand securing it in place with the M8 cap screw, with the stand height adjusted to the same as the bottom yoke.

"The next bit is made easier if you can get someone to hold the bike upright while the headstock pin is inserted fully into the bottom of the headstock. The bike can now be raised by pulling the front part down until it sits flat, firmly on the floor.

"This is the beauty of this stand because it allows the front wheel to be removed, but also the fork legs. Well made and engineered from steel tubes welded with substantial fittings, it feels very stable when the bike is raised up, but afterwards the assembly folds almost in half, making it easy to stow away. It’s a great addition to any workshop."

Pros

Great for supporting fully-fared bikes
Feels very stable when in use
Folds away for easy storage when not in use

Cons

Won't fit every bike – make sure to measure before buying

Quality

5.0
Value

4.0

Max. load	300kg
Size	83cm - 92.5cm (H)
Weight	6.7kg

Strong tubular frame supplied with a range of pins to fit the most common headstock sizes
Once in place, access to all mechanical components at the front of the bike is made easy
Stand folds down for compact storage when not in use
Included Pin Sizes: 13, 15, 16.5, 17, 18mm

Acerbis Elevator Bike Stand

Expert rating:

4.0

Price: $112.95

www.acerbisusa.com

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Tested by Simon Relph for six months:

"I have never owned a tall off-road bike with massive ground clearance before. It didn’t worry me either, until I wanted to take the front wheel out of my long-term test Honda CRF300 Rally.

"Time to get something suitable for the job. I opted for the Acerbis Elevator, because this stand had a range of 460mm, was higher than that of the Honda’s clearance, plus with the CRF300 Rally weighing in at 153kg (7kg less than the max load) I felt it would save my back a bit when getting the bike lifted into the air.

"Using the elevator stand could not be simpler. It comes in big bits and does not take too long to assemble, I added grease to the bolts and moving parts for good measure.

"Pushing the pedal down raises the bike. The pedal can be then locked in place. When you are ready, release the mechanism, lift the pedal and the bike slowly goes down thanks to the hydraulic damper. A real joy to use!"

Pros

A joy to use, and does its job well
Doesn't take up much space in the garage

Cons

Only really works with smaller capacity bikes designed for off-roading

Quality

4.0
Value

4.0

Max. load	160kg
Size	33cm - 46cm (H), 34cm (W), 48cm (D)
Weight	6kg

Hydraulic damper gently returns your bike to the ground after use
Pedal lock to prevent accidentally dropping the bike while in use

How we test motorcycle lifts and benches

The MCN team of expert journalists have decades of experience over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t torture test anything. We use it just like you do in the real world and in all conditions to deliver impartial motorcycle lift and bench buying advice.

MCN covers countless miles each week and tries lots of options in a short space of time. We quickly discover which motorcycle lifts and benches work great, which ones don’t and why.

We only feature motorcycle lifts and benches we’ve extensively tested. Comparison motorcycle lifts and benches will be included if deemed important and relevant. Testing is ongoing and we will continually add gear and products to our site.

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

Scoring explained

Products are given a score from 1 to 5 stars. Beyond the ratings tab, you’ll find in-depth info on product and gear performance and attributes.

1 Star – Avoid at all costs.
2 Stars – Barely acceptable.
3 Stars – Average or adequate.
4 Stars – Above average.
5 Stars – Excellent performance.

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

– NOTE: While MCN may receive commissions or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections – read why you should trust us.

- Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.

By Anders Carlson

USA Correspondant Rider, writer and enthusiast since 2006. Currently based in Chicago, USA, Anders writes for numerous titles, including Motorcyclist, Cycle World, Motorcycle Classics and even Road & track once. He enjoys subjecting gear to inadvisable road trips, inhospitable conditions and track days. When away from his desk or the open road, Anders loves restoring vintage 2-stroke bikes as much as actually riding new electric motorcycles.

The best motorcycle lifts and benches, tried and tested by MCN staff