The Clarke CML7 Hydraulic Bike Lift raises the bar for home servicing

Professional workshops have hydraulic bike ramps for servicing and general maintenance, so why can’t bike owners? Actually, we can.

Forget about not having enough space in the garage for a pump-up bike bench; if you have room for your pride and joy, then you have room for a Clarke CML7 Hydraulic Bike Lift.

With its purposeful platform dimensions of 1900mm length by 530mm wide, even in its lower state (180mm height) it takes up about the same space as any bike parked on its main or side stand, or paddock stands even. The upshot is, whether working on your bike, parking it or storing over winter, you’ve got the same space you always had but with the much-needed bonus of raising the bike to a relaxed and safe working height of 620mm (680mm if the supplied safety lock bar isn’t in place).

Let’s be honest about this: who really wants to be working on bended knees or stooped almost in double just to clean a bike let alone changing oil and filter? Getting the bike up to a practical working height is easy by simply pumping the foot-pedal operated hydraulic ram. A serviceable ram that’s capable of raising most motorcycles – the CML7 has a total lifting capacity of 360kg!

Getting bikes on and off the “bench” is a breeze, too. Simply roll on, roll off thanks to its removable ramp, which, like the rest of the CL7, is made from steel and topped with a durable red coating. This also includes a rear lift-off access door to drop the rear wheel down when removing it.

The bench area is chequered steel to aid grip placing the bike and has raised side lips to help prevent 10mm socket escapes. Another useful point is the hand adjustable front wheel clamp, which assists stability when the bike needs to be upright and using the bike’s main stand or a rear paddock stand. Tough solid rubber side covers on the clamping area ensure costly, wide, spoked-rims, anodised or painted aluminium wheels remain scuff-free. The clamp also unbolts to aid front wheel removal.

Don’t ever worry about the bike rolling over the front edge because there’s an unobtrusive safety catch-bar to prevent this. Removable U-clamp tiedown points are especially useful if the need arises to move the bike-laden CL7 to get access to, say, the lawnmower or similar. Yes, the CL7 has wheels; two small caster-types at the front and two larger fixed wheels at the rear. Two padded screw-down feet are used to act as parking brakes; being threaded also takes into account uneven floors.

Putting the Clarke CL7 Bike Lift through its paces underlines the fact it does everything it’s designed to do -make our motorcycle-loving lives easier – and in a very safe way. Equally as important is the cost price. The CL7’s current list price is £478.80 inc. VAT – about the same price as a full suite of bolt-on accessories, cheaper than most aftermarket exhausts and definitely less than an early knee or hip replacement in years to come.

If the thought of an even heavier capacity Clarke Bike Lift, or one with an air-assisted hydraulic ram raises aspirations of being Edward Spannerhands, check out the full range on the official website.

To find out more or to buy, head to the Machine Mart website.

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