Dannmar DML-1500HD Heavy Duty Motorcycle Lift Review: Commercial Power at Home

Dannmar is BendPak's value brand, and its motorcycle line is two tables: the foot-pump DML-1200 at around $529 and the air-hydraulic DML-1500HD at around $749. Published specs for the 1500HD: a 1,500 lb capacity, a 52 by 25 inch commercial-grade steel deck, an air-hydraulic pump requiring 90 PSI minimum, a 7 to 36 inch height range, dual safety locks with a hydraulic check valve and tie-downs, 235 lb assembled weight and a two-year limited warranty.

The $220 over the DML-1200 buys 300 lb of rating, 2 inches of deck length and width, 1 inch at each end of the range, 50 lb of steel, tie-down points and the air pump. That is a fair list for the money, and for a rider with a heavy bike and a compressor it is the right Dannmar.

The harder comparison is sideways. The Triumph NML-1500 at around $599 and Challenger CML-1500 at around $699 are 1,500 lb air-hydraulic tables with one lock bar each. The DML-1500HD's argument against them is its second lock, and the sections below ask whether that is worth $50 to $150.

The 1,500 lb rating is comfortable to about 1,000 lb of bike, which covers every two-wheeled production motorcycle including a CVO Road Glide at roughly 950 lb wet. Trikes at 1,200 lb are inside the rating but at 80 percent of it, and the BendPak ML-2000 is the better table for them.

The 52 inch deck is the same length as the Triumph NML-1500 and 2 inches shorter than the Challenger. A 64 inch wheelbase bagger has its rear contact patch about 8 inches inside the deck end with the front wheel chocked, which is enough for brake and wheel work with the drop-out panel free. Bikes with a wheelbase over about 66 inches, a Gold Wing or a raked custom, will be near the edge, and the Atlas AML-1500XL's 60 inch deck is the better fit.

The 25 inch width is 1 inch more than the Triumph and holds floorboards, saddlebag guards and a wide rear tire with room beside them. The 7 inch minimum makes roll-on loading with a low cruiser easy over a short ramp, and 36 inches puts a bagger's rocker boxes at a tall rider's chest.

The pump needs 90 PSI and a tank that holds it while the table rises. A 20 to 30 gallon compressor is the practical minimum; a pancake unit will do it in bursts as it cycles. If the garage does not have one, add $150 to $300 to the price and a filter and oiler inline to keep water out of the air motor. Drain the tank regularly.

With air, the effort of lifting a 900 lb bike is a pedal held down for a few seconds. That is the whole reason to spend $749 instead of $529 on the DML-1200, and it is worth it for any rider who lifts a heavy bike more than a few times a month. The check valve holds cylinder pressure if the air supply drops, so a compressor tripping mid-lift leaves the deck where it is.

At 235 lb the DML-1500HD is a two-person assembly of about 2.5 hours; the installation rating on this page is marked difficult, and the two locks need adjusting so they seat at the same stop. Once built it lives on level concrete with a footprint of about 4.5 by 2.5 feet plus working room and does not move.

The DML-1500HD has two independent mechanical locks, one each side of the scissor frame, a hydraulic check valve and built-in tie-downs. The locks engage stops as the deck rises and carry the load once the release is opened; with two, a mis-seat on one side still leaves the deck supported. The check valve holds pressure if a seal or hose fails. The tie-downs give four anchor points for strapping the bike before the first rise.

That is the same hardware set as the BendPak ML-1500 Pro, and it is one lock more than the Triumph NML-1500 and Challenger CML-1500. For a home builder working alone under an 850 lb bike, the second lock is insurance; for a shop with employees, it is the reason to choose this table over the Triumph or Challenger.

Dannmar does not list ALI or ETL certification for the DML-1500HD. No motorcycle table in this category carries ALI certification, because the program covers automotive lifts. The two-year warranty matches the Triumph and trails the three years on the Challenger and BendPak, which is the one place the DML-1500HD gives ground to its neighbors.

The Triumph NML-1500 at around $599: 1,500 lb, a 52 by 24 inch deck, 7 to 36 inches, air-hydraulic, one lock bar with a check valve and straps, 225 lb, two-year warranty. For $150 less it has the same length, 1 inch less width, one lock bar and 10 lb less steel. If one lock is acceptable, the Triumph is the value pick of the air-hydraulic class.

The Challenger CML-1500 at around $699: 1,500 lb, a 54 by 25 inch deck, 7 to 37 inches, air-hydraulic, one lock bar with a check valve and tie-down points, 245 lb, three-year warranty. For $50 less it has 2 inches more deck length, 1 inch more rise, one lock bar and a year more warranty. That is a close call; the Dannmar's second lock against the Challenger's longer deck and warranty.

The BendPak ML-1500 Pro at around $899: 1,500 lb, 56 by 26 inches, 7 to 37 inches, dual lock bars, check valve, tie-downs, 275 lb, three-year warranty. For $150 more it has the same locks on a bigger deck with a longer warranty and the BendPak dealer network.

Buy the DML-1500HD if the bike is over 800 lb, the garage has shop air, and two mechanical locks are a requirement rather than a preference. It is the cheapest 1,500 lb air-hydraulic table with dual locks, and for a rider working alone under a bagger that is a reasonable thing to pay $150 over the Triumph for.

Skip it if one lock bar and a check valve are enough; the Triumph NML-1500 does the same lifting for $150 less. Skip it if the deck length or warranty matter more than the second lock; the Challenger CML-1500 has 2 inches more deck and a year more coverage for $50 less. And skip it for trikes, which belong on the ML-2000.

Our recommendation is that the DML-1500HD is a good table in a crowded $100 band, and the buyer should pick it only if the second lock is the deciding factor. If it is not, the Challenger is the better buy.