Motorcycle Workshop: Built Over Holidays

My Motorcycle Shop

Well, not exactly over the holidays, but close to it. I'm building this workshop in my backyard to house my motorcycles. I started by laying an 18'X14' slab with a 24" perimeter and an 18" cross-section all in rebar and No. 6 mesh to make a slab. It's not going anywhere. It's finished off with a four foot ramp onto a patio with pavers. The framing is all in 2'X4's and the trusses are in 2'X6's. The roof is covered in a 30 year asphalt shingle and the edges trimmed in cedar. Three sides are OSB and the front facing is OSB covered in tongue and groove cedar planks. I installed a 14ga steel 6'X7' garage door with lock as my only entry. The windows were salvaged from my house; the front pane is about a 4'X4' glass pane (it's about 60 years old so it's very thick) and the side windows are two, very heavy, still functional steel crank windows. The front window has security bars, but it won't keep anyone out, but it does protect it from footballs and soccer balls. I'm about 85% finished, still need the corner and door cedar trimming and the roof soffit.

Inside I have yet to do anything except I have already run my 12/2 wiring for 10 plugs. There is no insulation and I am debating whether to do that at all since I'll mostly work with the door open and the walls will be covered with heavy duty peg boards. 

I'm open to any recommendations as I try to finish it up within the next couple of weeks.

Preparation for Slab

Freshly Laid Slab

Starting Framing

Cedar on OSB

About 85% Complete!

Blog Update Page...

The RT and a rider

This page is just an ongoing post about things that pop into my head on an on-going basis. I'll try to keep it related to motorcycles.




2012 Dec 18
We made some changes on the Blogger settings so that viewing on mobile devices and devices like iPads is better. Pages should now load much faster and each post has only a small part of the beginning of the post in order to fit more on a page. To select a post that you would like to read simply click that entry. If you are on a larger tablet or a phone with a large display you may use the link "view web version" which is located at the bottom of each page to view the blog using the desktop version.

2012 Sept 17
1 - Added a review of the Schuberth C3 helmet. C3 Review
2 - Updated the Grip Buddies review. Grip Buddies Review

2012 Aug 24
I'm late doing a number of posts, reviews and updates to this blog because it has been a few weeks since I got back from my yearly extended tour. We did a ride from Texas to Yellowstone NP and back where my bike did 4,453 miles during the 10 day tour. This year I upgraded a few items and added a few items to my daily carry pack. My new riding gear included a new Schuberth C3 helmet plus the relatively new to me BMW Airflow gloves. I also tried a CamelBak during the long hot ride home. The temperature range ran from 55 degrees F to about 105.

2012 May 21
It's time I did more postings. My 65W low beam upgrade did not last long. No, nothing wrong with that upgrade. I jumped the gun and did the HID upgrade. And while I was at it I also mounted my GPS (Zumo 660) over my dash. I'm happy with both upgrades. Reviews will soon follow.

2012 Feb 28
Planning on going to my BMW dealer for a 3rd time to get the left hand switches replaced. I don't mind the ride but staying at a hotel has already cost me more than $300. Status report when I get back.
Update (Mar 2012) - Finally got all of this resolved. Update in my bike R1200RT post.
tsp

2012 Feb 28
Warning - no motorcycle content
One of my hobbies or interests is aromatherapy. Been interested many years but it wasn't until recently that I found a good way to diffuse the oil blends that I make into the air in my house. I started a web page with info on the product a few days ago. It's very raw but a start. I'm not sure I'm keeping this service or use another service.
Web site: Aromatherapy and Stuff
tsp


2011, Dec 30

If you are like me you don't mind buying at least one pair of fairly nice riding boots. The sad part is that it took me over 40 years of riding to realize that I should pair up boots with a good pair of socks. I recently purchased a pair of tactical boots that I want to use for casual riding. Next to the boots was a rack of socks that retail for about $20 each pair. I'm used to buying packages of 3 to 6 pair of socks for a total of cost of less than $20!



You gotta give these socks a try. What I looked at had options for light, medium, and heavy socks. The heavy are too thick unless I up all my footwear by at least one size. I purchased some light and medium pairs and really like them. I got mine at Academy for a slight discount off of retail.

tsp



2011 Dec 1

I have a number of things wired up on my RT but I'm getting the urge to redo the job and clean up things a bit. I'll do some before and after shots (even to include the stuff I hate like the location of the power distribution box).

I'm breaking my rule of not tearing into any major work on a bike before a long ride. Planning to do a day's ride on Saturday.

tsp

2011, Nov 19 - This past Thursday my fellow contributor and brother had a business meeting in Austin, TX. He invited me to ride along with him and I agreed. It's about a 300 mile ride each way so we planned on returning on Friday. I had 639 miles total for the trip when we got back on Friday evening.

To pass the time while he was in meetings I visited the local BMW/Triumph shop. Well... after riding for over 40 years I finally decided to purchase my first pair of motorcycle riding pants. I can't review them yet because 1) only used them yesterday for the trip home and today I went on a very short 15 mile ride and 2) it's not cold and it's not hot at this time in my locale. The ride today was in 86 degree F and yesterday it started at 58 and was 78 by the time we got home.



But it appears that I have really been missing out. The pants felt so much better than regular jeans. Jeans seem to be beating on you as you ride at highway speeds while the riding pants stayed put very well.



I'll follow up with a review when I log more miles with them in both hot weather and cold. We don't get too cold here though. The review will be comparing jeans to these pants. Keep in mind that I wanted something for Summer riding. Anything else they do is a bonus to me.

tsp at Tail of the Dragon

tsp

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Blog Update Page

tsp

Blog Update Page...

tsp & RT

This page is just an ongoing post about things that pop into my head on an on-going basis. I'll try to keep it related to motorcycles.

2012 Sept 17
1 - Added a review of the Schuberth C3 helmet.  C3 Review
2 - Updated the Grip Buddies review.   Grip Buddies Review

2012 Aug 24
I'm late doing a number of posts, reviews and updates to this blog because it has been a few weeks since I got back from my yearly extended tour.  We did a ride from Texas to Yellowstone NP and back where my bike did 4,453 miles during the 10 day tour.  This year I upgraded a few items and added a few items to my daily carry pack.  My new riding gear included a new Schuberth C3 helmet plus the relatively new to me BMW Airflow gloves.  I also tried a CamelBak during the long hot ride home.  The temperature range ran from 55 degrees F to about 105.

2012 May 21
It's time I did more postings.  My 65W low beam upgrade did not last long.  No, nothing wrong with that upgrade.  I jumped the gun and did the HID upgrade.  And while I was at it I also mounted my GPS (Zumo 660) over my dash.  I'm happy with both upgrades.   Reviews will soon follow.

2012 Feb 28
Planning on going to my BMW dealer for a 3rd time to get the left hand switches replaced.  I don't mind the ride but staying at a hotel has already cost me more than $300.  Status report when I get back.
Update (Mar 2012) - Finally got all of this resolved.  Update in my bike R1200RT post.
tsp

2012 Feb 28
Warning - no motorcycle content
One of my hobbies or interests is aromatherapy.  Been interested many years but it wasn't until recently that I found a good way to diffuse the oil blends that I make into the air in my house.  I started a web page with info on the product a few days ago.  It's very raw but a start.  I'm not sure I'm keeping this service or use another service.
Web site: Aromatherapy and Stuff
tsp

2011, Dec 30

If you are like me you don't mind buying at least one pair of fairly nice riding boots. The sad part is that it took me over 40 years of riding to realize that I should pair up boots with a good pair of socks. I recently purchased a pair of tactical boots that I want to use for casual riding. Next to the boots was a rack of socks that retail for about $20 each pair. I'm used to buying packages of 3 to 6 pair of socks for a total of cost of less than $20!

You gotta give these socks a try. What I looked at had options for light, medium, and heavy socks. The heavy are too thick unless I up all my footwear by at least one size. I purchased some light and medium pairs and really like them. I got mine at Academy for a slight discount off of retail.

tsp

2011 Dec 1

I have a number of things wired up on my RT but I'm getting the urge to redo the job and clean up things a bit.  I'll do some before and after shots (even to include the stuff I hate like the location of the power distribution box).

I'm breaking my rule of not tearing into any major work on a bike before a long ride. Planning to do a day's ride on Saturday.

tsp

2011, Nov 19 - This past Thursday my fellow contributor and brother had a business meeting in Austin, TX. He invited me to ride along with him and I agreed. It's about a 300 mile ride each way so we planned on returning on Friday. I had 639 miles total for the trip when we got back on Friday evening.

To pass the time while he was in meetings I visited the local BMW/Triumph shop. Well... after riding for over 40 years I finally decided to purchase my first pair of motorcycle riding pants. I can't review them yet because 1) only used them yesterday for the trip home and today I went on a very short 15 mile ride and 2) it's not cold and it's not hot at this time in my locale. The ride today was in 86 degree F and yesterday it started at 58 and was 78 by the time we got home.

But it appears that I have really been missing out. The pants felt so much better than regular jeans. Jeans seem to be beating on you as you ride at highway speeds while the riding pants stayed put very well.

I'll follow up with a review when I log more miles with them in both hot weather and cold. We don't get too cold here though. The review will be comparing jeans to these pants. Keep in mind that I wanted something for Summer riding. Anything else they do is a bonus to me.

tsp at Tail of the Dragon

tsp