6 Harbor Freight Finds Useful For Motorcycle & ATV Owners

Harbor Freight has built a reputation for selling tools and supplies at extremely competitive prices. This makes it an extremely tempting storefront for those looking to build up their home garage. Wondering around the isles of these bargain hardware stores can feel a bit like treasure hunting as you search through the store's impressive catalog. There are all kinds of great deals on display, and the store's regular sales can make some of the bargains even more tempting. Harbor Freight has useful products for everything from carpentry to home repair, but their main demographic is home auto mechanics. But what about tools for those who prefer less traditional vehicles?

Motorcycle and ATV owners generally have a much harder time finding hardware to suit their specific needs. They often have to resort to more expensive specialty stores for some of the harder-to-find components for their vehicle, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't try to save money where they can. You probably already know you can get a decent ratchet set and lots of other tools that are must-haves for every home garage, but there are a few finds waiting amidst Harbor Freight's inventory that you might not be expecting. I've been riding a motorcycle for 15 years, and I've found that one of the best ways to find good, affordable gear is to check out what products are on offer and see what people are saying about each of them to gauge their quality. Here are a few great items that can be found at Harbor Freight that Motorcycle and ATV owners will appreciate.

Riding a motorcycle or ATV is great during the spring and summer, but it isn't always an option during the colder months. Rain, sleet, and snow are typically best left for vehicles with internal cabins, so you'll probably need someplace dry to store your motorcycle or ATV during the winter. Of course, the best practice is to keep your unused vehicles in a garage where they will be safe from the weather and dramatic changes in temperature, but that isn't always an option. Sometimes, a good cover is the best you can offer. There are custom ATVs and motorcycle covers available that can fit your vehicle like a glove. Still, another even cheaper option is to get a weather-resistant drawstring tarp from Harbor Freight.

This special tarp comes in a 9x9-foot size and is made of industrial-grade polyethylene. It only costs $12.99 and has a built-in drawstring rope that can be used to easily cinch the tarp around smaller vehicles in order to protect them from the corrosive elements of the weather. You might even consider doubling up on the weatherproofing by using one of these thick tarps over a more fitted motorcycle or ATV cover for added protection. I've personally used one of these on my bike when I was in the process of cleaning out my garage and needed a temporary cover while my bike was parked on the street. The ropes are thick, and the tarp itself is quite sturdy, making it an excellent budget option to keep your vehicle dry.

Harbor Freight has a number of partner brands, but many of the more budget-oriented tools available at the store are made by the company's primary store brand, Pittsburgh. This brand offers a wide variety of different kinds of tools and has several sub-brands associated with it. One of these sub-brands is called Pittsburg Motorcycle, and it has various bike-specific items available, which are sold exclusively through Harbor Freight.

One of the most popular items Pittsburg Motorcycle sells is its 1,000-pound Steel Motorcycle Lift. This lift table is made of diamond plate steel and has a foot-operated heavy-duty hydraulic pump for hands-free lifting that can take a 1,000-pound bike up to 29.5 inches off the ground. Getting your bike up to eye level makes maintenance much easier and allows you to service your vehicle in comfort. It has several nice features built in, too. It has retractable casters with an integrated leg-lock so you can move it around your garage and position it securely, a three-position tire vise, a 7-inch wide tire stop, and a welded steel frame.

This is one of the highest-reviewed motorcycle products on Harbor Freight's website. Forums like the ones at Garage Journal and the Harley-Davidson Forums are likewise full of testimonials from home mechanics who've used this lift and found that it has stood up to years of hard use.

Now, if you already have a bike lift and want to make sure your motorcycle is a bit more secure, then options are available for that, too. Another of the most popular of Pittsburg Motorcycle's products is the Motorcycle Wheel Vice Accessory. This is a useful add-on for anyone with a motorcycle lift since it allows you to add stability to the bike by further stabilizing the front tire on the lifting table.

By locking the front wheel in place, this vice prevents the motorcycle from rolling too far forward when the back end needs to be lifted for maintenance. The vice includes a wheel stop, fully insulated rubber pads, mounting hardware, and a powder-coated frame to prevent rust and erosion. It has predrilled holes that fit perfectly onto the Pittsburg Motorcycle 1,000-pound Steel Motorcycle Lift mentioned above, but these holes are also designed to allow the vice to be used in conjunction with several other lift table makes. It comes with mounting hardware and a wheel stop, which can be bolted to the front of the table.

With a 4.6 out of five from 119 reviews, the Wheel Vice is the highest-rated motorcycle accessory sold by Harbor Freight. Reviewers state that the vice is very secure and a good deal for the money, especially compared to other brands.

The 1,000-pound lift is for motorcycles only. ATV users won't be able to fit their wider, four-wheel vehicles on the narrow table. Some of you may also want a lift that can handle a bit more weight. In those instances, the Pittsburgh Automotive 1,500-pound Aluminum ATV/Motorcycle Lift might make for a better fit.

As the name implies, this lift can support both motorcycles and ATVs with a weight capacity of up to 1,500 pounds. The flip side is that its lift range only goes from 3 ⅝-inches to 17 inches, meaning it only goes a little over half as high as the table lift. That said, having your bike off a table is also beneficial. It's more compact, which makes storage easier, but it also allows easier access to the underside of the bike. A table isn't much less restrictive than the floor, but the narrow lift trades some of that stability for extra room to work. It also comes with a pair of saddle extensions that fit the lift and can add an extra two inches to its maximum height. The aluminum construction means that the lift is lighter and easier to move. The lift also has a locking bar for added safety and stability.

John P. of OneMansBlog wrote in his review that those with the space and budget should invest in a heavy-duty foot-powered lift, but "if you need something portable, or that generally doesn't cost too much or take up a lot of room, the Aluminum Harbor Freight ATV / Motorcycle lift will do just fine."

It's not always about maintenance, though. Harbor Freight has some surprisingly decent accessories for ATVs, too. One of the company's higher-rated add-ons is the Haul-Master 300-pound. Capacity ATV Cargo Carrier.

Harbor Freight states that this heavy-duty carrier is comparable to the Guide Gear WX2-657784, but there appears to be at least one key difference (aside from the price.) The Guide Gear carrier was made from aluminum, whereas the Haul-Master version has an all-steel square tube construction and a black powder coat finish to prevent rust. The design is pretty simple otherwise, however. It's just a five-bar cage bottom with side rails around the perimeter. But even a simple carrier like this can be a great addition for ATV owners since it can allow them to bring all kinds of things, from coolers to camping gear, on their off-road adventures. The cage's dimensions are 46 inches L x 18 ½-inches W x 4 inches H, which is a good capacity for ATVs and even larger vehicles. Best of all, it only costs $59.99.

This carrier has a 4.7 out of five on Harbor Freight's website, with over 900 reviews on file. These reviews state that it installs easily in the tow hitch and can easily carry the weight capacity promised.

Don't worry if your ATV doesn't already come with a pre-installed tow hitch. Harbor Freight has you covered there, too. Haul-Master also makes an ATV hitch adapter. This add-on has a 2-inch square drawbar, which makes it easy to attach everything from carriers to trailers. It also has a ½-inch thick tow loop to attach winch cables and tow straps.

Just like Haul-Master's cargo carrier, this tow hitch is made from heavy-duty steel that has been powder-coated to prevent rust and corrosion. Not only that, but it's designed to maintain your vehicle's current ground clearance, so you won't have to worry about catching or dragging when you take your ATV through more rugged terrain. The design was modeled after the Curt CUR45006, which usually retails for around $50. With the Haul-Master version going for just $12.99, that's a hard bargain to beat.

This product has maintained a 4.7 out of five weighted review score on Harbor Freight's website, with 366 current reviews. It also has a 4.2 out of five on Amazon. While most people find that it's most appropriate for use with an ATV, many have found that it's also adequate for use on tractors, mules, and riding mowers. 

I have 15 years of experience as a motorcycle owner and have spent a good deal of time maintaining my bikes. With this experience in mind, I searched the Harbor Freight catalog to pick out six of the highest-rated items I felt would be useful for motorcycle and ATV owners. Few professional independent reviews have been done for most of these items, so I drew on my personal experience where possible and relied on forums and other user reviews to gauge the quality of the rest of the items on offer to ensure that they were worth recommending.