Motorcycle Dolly

Had a lead on one of these for pretty cheap locally, but just missed it. I did some research, and it appears really slick, although a bit expensive. Especially if you need multiple.

https://www.condor-lift.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=100

jagarra said:

Those center stand dollies work pretty good, I have the cheaper version for my R90 and it works OK. The issue I have with that style is that you have to get the bike up on it and you have changed your fulcrum length when you place a stand underneath the center stand, so it becomes so much harder to get the bike up on the new platform.

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As I mentioned, this is easily handled by simply raising the front wheel a bit. I wrote, "It helps to get the bike onto the center stand if you elevate the front wheel a bit. I use a stack of magazines I place on the ground when I pull into the garage. I have one edge tapered and then duct taped the stack into a solid unit. I ride up on it when I pull in."

jagarra said:

I am using the side stand dolly primarily because it's easier to get the bike on it.

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I had to place the end of my channel type loader against the wall to keep it from skittering away when I pushed the bike onto the ramp. In my set up, the wall is not always available. And when the bike is on the sidestand it takes up more floor space, than when on the centerstand.

khittner said:

I just got one of these for moving my bikes around in the off-season storage unit. In addition to the mounting difficulties that Jag describes, my ‘84 RT really exceeds the device’s 500-lb weight rating.

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You're mistaken. The website gives the Park‒n‒Move a weight capacity of 1,100 pounds.

I know people who use them for full dress HD's that easily exceed that when loaded. None of them report any issues. Your "84 RT"" is nowhere near "exceed[ing] this device's weight rating."

khittner said:

Probably because of this, it wasn’t really very easy to move the bike around once it was on the thing, even on smooth concrete.

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Sometimes I park on a covered, outdoor, cement slab and when the wind blows hard, it moves it moves the bike around on the Park‒n‒Move unless I lock the wheels on it. It sounds as if you've either gotten sand in the bearings or our definitions of "smooth concrete" vary widely. I've moved mine onto the 'poorly laid,' paving stone, parking pad, that my wife uses, to take some photos. While it certainly didn't move smoothly over the rough surface, it was doable and I never felt that the bike was going to tip or slide off the surface of the device. Take a look in the shadow area of this photo to see the detail (and roughness of the surface) in the paving stones.

khittner said:

I’ll use it for my Vespa P200, which is only half the weight of the RT.

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The Park‒n‒Move will easily hold either bike and if there was a way to put one on top of the other, you STILL would not exceed its weight limit.

Omega Man said:

FWIW- a half century of rigging

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I've done a bit of rigging myself. Forty years of owning my own sailboats, and helping others with both new boats and replacing existing rigging on older boats. I also spent quite a bit of time rock climbing, rigging climbing and rappel anchors and pendulums.

Omega Man said:

has me look at this device and I would pass on it. I guess it would be the difference between stopping on two wheels and stopping on four wheels.

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All of these devices have four wheels, so I guess I'm not understanding what this refers to.

Omega Man said:

It’s not that I think that it is a bad idea, I just see everything needing to be “just right” for it to work well.

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Again, not understanding what you're talking about. Perhaps if you'd give some examples of 'things not being right so it doesn't work well' I'd get it.

To use the device I ride into the area where I plan to park. I place the previously mentioned stack of duct taped magazines on the ground, and pull forward so the front wheel sits on them, then drop the side stand. I place the Park‒n‒Move under the center of the bike so that when I swing the center stand down by hand, it lands squarely on the flat surface of the Park‒n‒Move. I like to leave some clearance on the right side of the stand so that the centerstand lever give clearance to the left rear wheel on the Park‒n‒Move. Then I put the bike on the center stand, attach the ratchet strap, and move it where I want it. I can very easily swivel it around in its own length, something that much more difficult with the channel type devices, because they have the wheels at the ends of the channel while the Park‒n‒Move wheels are centered closely together under the bike.

Omega Man said:

Add the fact that the center-stand folds and I would rather see the long ramp or channel style with two sets of wheels.

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Don't sidestands "fold" too? I only know of one brand whose sidestands lock, HD. Again, I'm not sure why you bring this up? ALL of these devices have "two sets of wheels" right? Not sure what the length of the "ramp" or "channel style" has to do with how well these devices work. When I've tried the channel devices I found them quite cumbersome to turn around. I can stand at the rear of my RT, press down to raise the front wheel and pivot the bike in its own length.

As I said, the only issue I've had in about 4 years is when I hit an obstruction and the bike came off the centerstand. That's impossible now that I'm using a ratchet strap to keep it from folding.

Just realized that I sound a bit like a salesperson here. I have no connection to the company at all.

caseyc said:

Had a lead on one of these for pretty cheap locally, but just missed it. I did some research, and it appears really slick, although a bit expensive. Especially if you need multiple.

https://www.condor-lift.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=100

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I've seen these at some bike shows and they are VERY nice. They have the best locking devices of any of these tools and the large diameter wheels make for very smooth travel, even over some rough surfaces.

But the PRICE! YIKES!!

beemerdood said:

I've done a bit of rigging myself. Forty years of owning my own sailboats, and helping others with both new boats and replacing existing rigging on older boats. I also spent quite a bit of time rock climbing, rigging climbing and rappel anchors and pendulums.



All of these devices have four wheels, so I guess I'm not understanding what this refers to.



Again, not understanding what you're talking about. Perhaps if you'd give some examples of 'things not being right so it doesn't work well' I'd get it.

To use the device I ride into the area where I plan to park. I place the previously mentioned stack of duct taped magazines on the ground, and pull forward so the front wheel sits on them, then drop the side stand. I place the Park‒n‒Move under the center of the bike so that when I swing the center stand down by hand, it lands squarely on the flat surface of the Park‒n‒Move. I like to leave some clearance on the right side of the stand so that the centerstand lever give clearance to the left rear wheel on the Park‒n‒Move. Then I put the bike on the center stand, attach the ratchet strap, and move it where I want it. I can very easily swivel it around in its own length, something that much more difficult with the channel type devices, because they have the wheels at the ends of the channel while the Park‒n‒Move wheels are centered closely together under the bike.



Don't sidestands "fold" too? I only know of one brand whose sidestands lock, HD. Again, I'm not sure why you bring this up? ALL of these devices have "two sets of wheels" right? Not sure what the length of the "ramp" or "channel style" has to do with how well these devices work. When I've tried the channel devices I found them quite cumbersome to turn around. I can stand at the rear of my RT, press down to raise the front wheel and pivot the bike in its own length.

As I said, the only issue I've had in about 4 years is when I hit an obstruction and the bike came off the centerstand. That's impossible now that I'm using a ratchet strap to keep it from folding.

Just realized that I sound a bit like a salesperson here. I have no connection to the company at all.

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Glad it's working out for you.
OM

Omega Man said:

Glad it's working out for you.
OM

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Some reason you haven't answered the simple direct questions I asked of you?

In case you missed them.

Omega Man said:

It’s not that I think that it is a bad idea, I just see everything needing to be “just right” for it to work well.

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Again, not understanding what you're talking about. Perhaps if you'd give some examples of 'things not being right so it doesn't work well' I'd get it.

Omega Man said:

Add the fact that the center-stand folds and I would rather see the long ramp or channel style with two sets of wheels.

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Don't sidestands "fold" too? I only know of one brand whose sidestands lock, HD. Again, I'm not sure why you bring this up? ALL of these devices have "two sets of wheels" right? Not sure what the length of the "ramp" or "channel style" has to do with how well these devices work.

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You criticized, quite cryptically, a device that I use and recommended. I'm just trying to find out why.

Dude, it's a bike caddy, is it worth the keystrokes to argue...if it works for ya, so be it.

I saw the statement about not being a salesman...so it's cool you are a fan.

I had a bud give me one of those units earlier this year and actually have a GS sitting on it to check it out. My experience is you better be careful pushing/pulling it without extra effort of adding a strap on the centerstand or you will play panic catch as it rolls forward off the stand. The unit I have has the extra arm for the sidestand and I am not going to lean any one of our already lean to far bikes on it, but that's me.

Adding a strap is a PITA for me, doable, but still a PITA and so not a fan for regular use for me. If I were needing to store a bike for some time...maybe.
Needing to drive up on a spacer of some sort is also a pain for me...I'll do it on some bikes that have been lowered just to get the wheels off or even on the stand to change tires.

I am spoiled and folks who know how tight I am for space will chuckle that I am currently using one

I had three Park-n-Moves at one point when I had a small garage. Now with plenty of space I have only one and I use it only infrequently. The Park-n-Move can be quite difficult to load, finicky to move around when loaded and because of the small wheels overly responsive to minor imperfections in the floor. Additionally, as previously mentioned, there is a significant risk of the bike coming off with unpleasant results. I now use the device mainly when I store bikes for friends and I want to get the bike as out of the way as possible. I’d give it a “C” minus for a grade, but I don’t know if the other dollies on the market are any better since I have no experience using them.

henzilla said:

Dude, it's a bike caddy, is it worth the keystrokes to argue...

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Who's "argu[ing]?"

I thought that this was a discussion forum where one could ask questions, get answers and learn new things. And so, when a member wrote something that wasn't clear to me about a product I've been using for several years, I asked for clarification. When it wasn't forthcoming, I could not figure out why, and so I asked.

henzilla said:

I had a bud give me one of those units earlier this year and actually have a GS sitting on it to check it out. My experience is you better be careful pushing/pulling it without extra effort of adding a strap on the centerstand or you will play panic catch as it rolls forward off the stand. The unit I have has the extra arm for the sidestand and I am not going to lean any one of our already lean to far bikes on it, but that's me.

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Now here is some criticism that is clear and is easily understood. The cryptic passage from Omega Man, "… it would be the difference between stopping on two wheels and stopping on four wheels" makes no sense to me and so I asked what he meant.

A bike can JUST AS EASILY roll off its sidestand! Such criticism applies to both the channel stands and to the Park‒n‒Move.

henzilla said:

Adding a strap is a PITA for me, doable, but still a PITA and so not a fan for regular use for me.

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Another clear and concise criticism. NOT AT ALL like the comment from Omega Man ‒ "I just see everything needing to be 'just right' for it to work well." He's vague, and I'm unable to tell what he's referring to, so again, I asked. For some mysterious reason, he didn't answer me.

henzilla said:

Needing to drive up on a spacer of some sort is also a pain for me...I'll do it on some bikes that have been lowered just to get the wheels off or even on the stand to change tires.

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I don't see why this is a PITA. When I leave the house I put the duct tapes magazines on the ground. When I come home I ride up on it. The only hassle is putting it down and picking it back up. But your criticism is AGAIN clear and easy to understand. UNLIKE Omega Man's comment that the long channel models have "two sets of wheels" when the Park‒n‒Move ALSO HAS TWO SETS OF WHEELS.

henzilla said:

I am spoiled and folks who know how tight I am for space will chuckle that I am currently using one

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It appears that you too, use them. LOL.

akbeemer said:

I had three Park-n-Moves at one point when I had a small garage. Now with plenty of space I have only one and I use it only infrequently. The Park-n-Move can be quite difficult to load, finicky to move around when loaded and because of the small wheels overly responsive to minor imperfections in the floor. Additionally, as previously mentioned, there is a significant risk of the bike coming off with unpleasant results. I now use the device mainly when I store bikes for friends and I want to get the bike as out of the way as possible. I’d give it a “C” minus for a grade, but I don’t know if the other dollies on the market are any better since I have no experience using them.

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Two of your criticisms ‒ " difficult to load," and "finicky to move around when loaded because of the small wheels overly responsive to minor imperfections in the floor" are easily overcome. The third, "there is a significant risk of the bike coming off with unpleasant results" is the case with just about all of these devices at this price point.

But even when you get into the very expensive one that was suggested, it's necessary to use a strap to hold the bike into the wheel chock. Some won't, I realize. Just as many, with smooth garage floors won't follow my advice to secure the centerstand with a strap.

I use it only because it was gifted to me and wanted to see what it would do for me...other than the long storage this particular bike is having in our shop, I will roll it in corner with old scissor lifts for cruisers,the two floor jacks, and the turntable someone else gifted me when the current resident goes home.

As mentioned, having to add height to use and strapping does not work for me...PITA

Folks have opinions and discussions all the time, no problem. Calling folks out because you think something is vague and not fulfilling comes across as a polytickal debate to me, hence the argument comment.

I'm through playing

Maybe the center stand dolly version you have is different, Beemerdood. I bought this off of Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Dolly-Park-N-Move-Park-n-Move-Center-Stand-With-360-Degree-Casters/311564262260?hash=item488aad5b74:g:Vl4AAOSwgClbV8BP&vxp=mtr The verbiage in the Ebay listing says that the device I bought has a load limit of 500-lbs, and based on the way it behaves with my RT on it, I tend to believe that figure. If you've got something more robust, that's also denominated a "Park-N-Move", YMMV.

khittner said:

Maybe the center stand dolly version you have is different, Beemerdood. I bought this off of Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Dolly-Park-N-Move-Park-n-Move-Center-Stand-With-360-Degree-Casters/311564262260?hash=item488aad5b74:g:Vl4AAOSwgClbV8BP&vxp=mtr The verbiage in the Ebay listing says that the device I bought has a load limit of 500-lbs, and based on the way it behaves with my RT on it, I tend to believe that figure. If you've got something more robust, that's also denominated a "Park-N-Move", YMMV.

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I do believe that this link on eBay is to a knockoff of the actual Park-N-Move by the company Legal Speeding. The original Park-n-Move looks like this and has an 1,100 pound weight capacity according to the Legal Speeding web site.

From the pictures, the dolly on ebay has substantially thinner steel used in it...probably one of the limits for the weight capacity.

Enough Already! Time to put your dollies away for naptime, get out of your house and go for a big boy ride.

Friedle

henzilla said:

As mentioned, having to add height to use and strapping does not work for me...PITA

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To each their own. Seems to me as if those two things are like zipping up a jacket or fastening a chin strap, hardly a PITA, rather just another step in the process. We're talking literally 30‒45 seconds for both acts. Oh wait, I forgot to factor in removing the strap and picking up the magazine stack. Make that 60-90 seconds for a round trip! LOL. That is FAR LESS than if I were to pull in and then have to go back and forth for 2-3 minutes in a small area to park the bike. And while I'm out riding, the Park‒n‒Move is about 1' square to store, rather than a cumbersome device taking up 5-6 sq ft. I can shove it under another bike and it takes up zero extra floor space.

henzilla said:

Folks have opinions and discussions all the time, no problem. Calling folks out

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This is real simple. Omega Man made several comments that I did not understand. I asked what he meant. He bypassed my questions for reasons only he knows, so I asked them again.

henzilla said:

because you think something is vague and not fulfilling comes across as a polytickal debate to me, hence the argument comment.

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It's neither "polytickal [nor] argument[ative]." If we were standing face‒to‒face and you said something that I didn't understand, I'd ask for clarification. That's all that occurred here. Ascribing some other motivation, e.g. a "calling out [or] polytickal debate," is off‒base.

henzilla said:

I'm through playing

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Not "playing." just looking for information.

khittner said:

Maybe the center stand dolly version you have is different, Beemerdood. I bought this off of Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Dolly-Park-N-Move-Park-n-Move-Center-Stand-With-360-Degree-Casters/311564262260?hash=item488aad5b74:g:Vl4AAOSwgClbV8BP&vxp=mtr The verbiage in the Ebay listing says that the device I bought has a load limit of 500-lbs, and based on the way it behaves with my RT on it, I tend to believe that figure. If you've got something more robust, that's also denominated a "Park-N-Move", YMMV.

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Khittner's Park‒n‒Move (probably a Chinese knockoff).




My (trademarked) Park‒n‒Move.




Yes, you're correct. The device that you have is NOT the Park‒n‒Move that I'm talking about. Had you posted a photo in your original message I'd have realized this immediately. Your statement about weight bearing capacity was a clue, but I missed it, thinking that you had made an error. I'm kinda shocked that you didn't see the difference between what you have and the photo that I posted and realize right then that what you have is NOT what I was referring to?! You even reposted the photos when you quoted me! Your device is OBVIOUSLY not the same as mine, as can easily be seen from the two photos I've included. How did you miss this?

AND, as if all that wasn't enough ‒ Your device has a weight limit of 500 pounds. Your 1984 RT's DRY weight is around 517lbs, over the limit by 17 lbs. Add in gas, oil, saddlebags, tools and you've SIGNIFICANTLY exceeded the max weight the manufacturer recommends. NO WONDER you have trouble moving your bike around on this knockoff!

The price difference on these two devices is $127. (Original $200. Knockoff $73.) Proving once again, that you get what you pay for.

PGlaves said:

I do believe that this link on eBay is to a knockoff of the actual Park-N-Move by the company Legal Speeding. The original Park-n-Move looks like this and has an 1,100 pound weight capacity according to the Legal Speeding web site.

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Yes, again. The name "Park‒n‒Move" is Trademarked and the device is patented. Of course China does not recognize such niceties, and I'd bet that where khittner's device originates from.

20774 said:

From the pictures, the dolly on ebay has substantially thinner steel used in it...probably one of the limits for the weight capacity.

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Not only is the steel thinner, but probably since it is, there is reinforcement on the knockoff on the underside of the bends where the casters reside. The original, probably since the platform is made of substantially thicker metal, does not have (or need) them. The casters on khittner's device are cheap, off‒the‒shelf models, with a nut and bolt securing them to platform. The casters on the original device are threaded into the platform so there is not a bolt protruding from the top of it. Also note, especially since khittner said "it wasn’t really very easy to move the bike around once it was on the thing, even on smooth concrete." that the casters on the REAL Park‒n‒Move are substantially larger than those on the knockoff. The caster bearings on the REAL device are shielded, where the ones on the knockoff are not. Either and both of these will certainly affect how well these devices roll on smooth surfaces.

Another difference is that on the original Park‒n‒Move each caster has its own lock. On the knockoff, there's a lever that looks like, when flipped over, it brings a some metal to bear against the ground, to lock the device and keep it from rolling around.

Looks like at least SOME of the criticism of the REAL Park‒n‒Move comes, because at least one other member is using a knockoff version of the original Park‒n‒Move.

I wonder henzilla, are you using the original or the knockoff?

BTW, my bike is parked outside today and the gardeners just left. Their last act is to use a leaf blower to blow debris and dust off my covered bike. The pressure from the leaf blower moved the bike 2"!