Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)At less than $100 when I bought this dolly, I wondered exactly what kind of quality I would encounter when it arrived. To my relief, despite a few budget minded features, this product really does offer excellent value.
The build quality is very robust (that shipping cost is due to its 70 pound weight) and it supports the motorcycle well. The wheel tray comes in two pieces, but with the beefy connecting supports and ample hardware, I have no worry about it holding up to the weight of the bike.
Assembly wasn't difficult, just time consuming. The assembly is pretty straight forward, which is good because the manual is pretty poor. There is only one single illustration - the exploded view on the back page. This is what I actually used to assemble the dolly, because the text instruction page refers to multiple screw sizes (like M6, etc) that are listed on the exploded view page. So, after a quick read through to get the order of assembly, I simply relied on the diagram, which had key numbers to show what size screw goes where. It helps to be organized here: I laid out all the parts and placed all the screws, nuts and washers in stacks by size. With around 40 screws in 4 sizes, along with washers, lock washers and nuts for each, that's a lot of hardware to keep track of. Plan on at least an hour to assemble it. This is no snap together model.
At the end of the assembly process, everything fit together with nothing loose and no gaps where there shouldn't be any. Connecting parts fit tightly with no free play.
The overall fit and finish of the dolly itself is nothing exceptional, but seems like it will hold up. The quality of the paint job is one of utility, with some areas that could have stood to have a bit more surface prep for a smoother paint finish. However, when it's designed to roll a motorcycle onto it, I'm not concerned about beauty so much as durability. I'm certain this will handle a certain amount of normal usage without damage.
There are lifts at each end that not only raise the wheels off the ground, but create ramps for easy loading. As a result, there's no need for wheel locks. Just flip the two handles down, and the aluminum ramps flip down and under each end. For extra safety, there are stopper pins for each end that create gates to ensure the bike can't roll off either end.
The kick stand tray has more than enough room for even the longest stand. With three mounting positions, it assures your stand will line up, as long as it's an OEM frame mounted kickstand. A rear wheel mounted kickstand won't work here.
The wheel tray is very wide. Even many custom choppers with wide rear wheels should roll right in. In fact, it's nearly wide enough for me to flip down the center stand on my bike into it (almost, but not quite). The only issue might be length for bikes over 6 1/2 feet long. While the 1250 pound load limit is generous, keep in mind that the weight includes the rider if you sit on the seat when loading or unloading the bike. So, a 950 pound Goldwing with a 300 pound rider would be running right up at the safe limits of the dolly.
Probably the only downside of the product is the wheels. While they do allow the bike to be rolled in any direction, some slightly larger casters would have been of help when rolling over unpainted cement in the garage. If you have a bit of winter grit on the floor, the wheels can hang up a bit here and there. Also, due to the size of the casters, dual wheels on each caster are employed for extra strength. This makes them a bit harder to get rotated in the correct direction, meaning you have to jockey the works a bit to change direction. Unfortunately, without taller "mounting ears" to keep the wheel tray low to the ground, larger casters are out of the question. It works but it takes a little extra work at times to wrestle it around. You'd have to pay much more for that extra refinement, though.
One other nitpick would be the lack of any hooks or holes for tie downs. There is a hooked edge on either side of the kickstand tray that fills the bill, but a dedicated hole or hook would be a nice touch. Just to be safe, I tie down the bike just to ensure I don't accidentally push it over should the dolly wheels hang up on something, causing a sudden stop.
So here's the overall breakdown:
Build quality (assuming you put it together correctly): 5
Parts and fittings: 5
Finish quality: 4.5
Ease of assembly: 4
Manual: 3
Features: 4.5
Ease of use: 4.5
Overall, a good product at a great price.
Click Here to see more reviews about: MC-DOLLY Pit Viper 1250 lb Capacity Motorcycle Dolly
Save garage and shop space with the double caster wheeled Pit Viper motorcycle dolly.Featuring a 1250 lb capacity 76"L x 8"W x 2"H usable platform with a 5 positionkick-stand tray, the 66 lb Pit Viper is a great way to maneuver sport bikes around in a stable and secure fashion. Easy to use front and rear gates speed up motorcycle loading and unloading. Includes pins on each end prevent the motorcycle from rolling off during use.
Click here for more information about MC-DOLLY Pit Viper 1250 lb Capacity Motorcycle Dolly
0 comments:
Post a Comment