I have two motorcycles -- a big, comfy bike (shown above) and a small, fast one. I ride every day but obviously can only use one bike at a time. Thus, I need shelter for the motorcycle not being used.
I don't have a garage. I plan to add one at the end of my renovations, just before I buy a Lotus Elise. Until then, I need a solution. A home for my motorcycle.
A while back, I asked Robin if I could park my bikes in our living room. They're beautiful to look at and kind of like sculpture. Sadly, she said no. Actually, she said, "Are you crazy?" I interpreted that remark as a no.
For makeshift shelter, I've been using covers for my bikes, but they don't work well -- they're a pain to put on and they wear out quickly. I read in a motorcycle magazine about something cool -- a portable shell that covers an entire bike without touching it. They're sturdy and protective.
The shells aren't cheap but I figured they look like a solution to my problem so I bought one. It's great! Easy to use; superb protection; and less obtrusive than a larger shed. Here are pictures of mine, both loading a bike and fully enclosed.
Aren't these ingenious?!
Do you have a garage? Where do you keep your car, motorcycle, scooter or spaceship?
How does this hold up in heavy winds?
ReplyDeleteI have a garage, thank the lawd. I couldn't imagine not having one here in the winter, and I know plenty of people who don't. It's so hard on a car in the winter if it's not parked in a garage. I visited my boyfriend last February when temperatures dipped into the -20s at night, and I had no garage to park my car in. The cold totally killed it: the window mechanism froze up. As I was leaving in the morning, I unrolled the driver's window to talk to my boyfriend before I drove off. It got stuck that way and I had to drive 100 miles home with it unrolled in zero degree weather. :| I got it "fixed," but it hasn't been the same since...
Anyway. I like garages.
That is nifty!
ReplyDeleteI have a 2 car attached garage, and 2 car detached garage (aka "the barn"). However, I park our 3rd vehicle in the driveway. The dog fencing obstructs access to the barn, so we just use it for stuff like the table saw. That will change by winter, as the Challenger will be housed in there to winter over so I don't have to scrape my windshield every morning!
You can nail the shell down to keep it stable from wind or just let the weight of the motorcycle hold it. I do the latter. With 500 or 800 lbs. sitting on it, it ain't goin' anywhere.
ReplyDeleteThat is WAY cool. We have a garage, so don't have to worry. Hopefully, we'll end up in a house with two large garages. One for the motorcycles and the other for Hubby's woodworking shop. If I didn't have a garage, I'd buy one of those shells. It looks so much easier than a PIA cover! That big, comfy bike of yours is quite pretty. :-)
ReplyDeleteNo offense to the small, fast one. Interesting that they are both the same blue. Coincidence?
ReplyDeleteThis is a very practical solution. You need to do some photo shoots on your bikes! They make a great backdrop!
ReplyDeleteDaphne.
http://fashiondivamommy.blogspot.com
I don´t care very much about what happens to the car. My husband does it for the both of us, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
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That's a very cool cover thingy. I once kept bicycles inside an apartment and I don't even recommend that, at least if you use them regularly, because then they carry in dirt from the street.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a driver's license or a car. G's car stays out in the sun (poor thing). My bike is permanently parked in the living room (we're advanced in interior designing! Also used as a hanger most of the days). And I can't tell you where I keep my spaceship (I'll have to kill you afterwards...it's a top secret)! Lovely bikes (not that I could tell, but blue is my favorite color)!Kisses buddy
ReplyDeleteNot a coincidence, TM. I love royal blue and steer toward it on all of my bikes. My previous motorcycle (Yamaha Venture Royale) was also the same color.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice looking bike. Do you wear a helmet? Sorry but its the healthcare person in me;)
ReplyDeleteNow about that little hut, what a cool idea. The bonus feature is that if the economy gets much worse we can all buy one and live in them.
Is it weird that I think it's kind of cute, along with looking really nifty?
ReplyDeleteDoreen, I always wear a helmet. I had a bad accident in 2003 and would have died if I hadn't been wearing one. No sane person wants to hit pavement at 60 mph without protection.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, we can live in one of these, especially since they're cute, as Francy notes. They remind me of something in nature, like a clamshell.
I've actually never ridden a motorcycle! but I love your alien dome very cool : )
ReplyDeleteThis is very smart :) talk about good design.
ReplyDeleteI bet you could also store your bbq in there.
I live in an apartment so I park in the apartment's parking area (holds about 40 cars) it's on a second floor and roofed so its well kept.
BTW I would have said the same thing Robin said !
ReplyDeleteWhen you've bought that Lotus, be sure and get me an oceanfront property in Arizona while you're at it. hehe
ReplyDeleteHubs would sympathize with you since I frowned upon him displaying his collectible Star Wars glasses on our fireplace mantle. ;)
I've been meaning to tell you since I know you like riding...recently I got on my boyfriend's bike for the first time. I was terrified at first 'cause there was no sissy bar, but now I'm in love! His whole family rides as well, so I'm hoping at some point his mother will be able to school me on how to ride a smaller bike. Luckily they have a huge garage - they park their cars in the driveway but tuck the bikes away in there.
ReplyDeleteI love the motorcycle igloo. I also love that Robin said, "Are you crazy??" I can totally hear her saying that. So funny. Give Robin my love. Also give yourself some too!
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a garage. It was made into a recording studio for my lovely and amazingly talented husband. It would be nice to have one, but I don't think we really need one in NoCal.
xoxo,
Tracy
That's a great idea. I wonder if they do something similar for cycles ...
ReplyDeleteYou give us some tantalising glimpses of Robin, I wonder if you could tempt her into a guest post sometime?
Sebbie
Sexy home for a sexy bike! I saw @loveashelle last night and she was telling me all about her motorcycle adventures and now seeing your bike makes me want to fulfill my dream of getting my M license!
ReplyDeleteWhen my husband first got his new bike he was worried about someone stealing it, so against my wishes he kept it in our SMALL dinning room. I hated it. We did eventually get a shed big enough but he rides it just about everyday, so putting it in our backyard through the gate is a pain. So we came to an agreement. We live in a townhouse so parking in the street was out of the question for him so its parked right at our front step, with a cover. Our neighbors got these pods and he loves them so perhaps one day we will get one and then he will keep it out on the street. Luckily our neighbors do not mind that we do this!
ReplyDeleteI'm all for bringing bikes into the house :) they ARE works of art.
ReplyDeleteThose shells are nifty. A great solution. Do they really come in spaceship size? ;o)
You actually asked if you could keep your motorcycles in the living room?
ReplyDeleteYou should know by now that you don't ask; you just do it.
Explain later.
http://www.glamkittenslitterbox.com/
Twitter: @GlamKitten88
LOL, I love it that you even asked to put the bikes in the living room.. .crack me up. NOT surprised she said NO. I would have too :)
ReplyDeleteI like the cover that you bought.. its perfect!! have a great weekend. xox J
I do understand where you are coming from - My hubby parked his R1 (also that lovely blue) inside for a while - amazing what you can get used to - now it is parked in the workshop...a bit of a mission to get it out - but he does not ride every day anyway....
ReplyDeleteI like this cover style. I would like the product name or where you purchased, so I may order one for my son. This cover has the zipper, others I have search do not.
ReplyDeleteThanks
CycleShell at http://www.cycleshell.com/
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