The beauty of owning a motorbike isn't limited to the ride. It's also the hours spent in the garage cranking some tunes, cracking an ice cold beer and getting your hands dirty.
But an increase in housing demand has forced many to live in smaller spaces, which obviously means less or even no garage space to work on their motorcycle.
Luckily, there's a solution to this problem and it's f*cken awesome.
Community Motorcycle Garages (aka DIY Motorcycle Workshops) are starting to pop-up in cities around the world and there's a lot more on the way.
The concept is simple. These motorcycle workshops offer memberships to riders to come in and work on their bike. Obviously, the finer details vary from garage to garage. But as well as providing space, nearly all of them offer all the tools you need to customise and service your bike.
Kustom Kommune is the closest to us here at Quad Lock and, at this stage, it is Melbourne's only DIY Motorcycle Workshop. So we popped in for a visit.
In short, it's a wrench monkey's paradise.
As you walk in, you'll first notice the walls lined with a variety of (mostly vintage) motorcycles. From classic BMWs and Hondas to Scramblers and Adventure rides. Some ready to ride, some near complete. Most of these bikes are owned by members who pay a small storage fee to leave their bikes on-site.
Once you stop gawking at the bevy of bikes you'll come through to the garage, which is full of everything you can imagine a community garage would be. Tool chests, oily rags, spare parts and dedicated bays to work on your bike.
Each bay has its own hydraulic lift, tool kit and bike jacks with padded stands. But what you won't notice with just your eyes is that Kustom Kommune really is a "community" garage.
A quick chat with owner, Jimmy Goode, and it was clear this is what he's most proud of. Kustom Kommune is built on the community aspect. There's a schedule for dedicated volunteers but that doesn't mean anyone can't help anyone.
Time in the bays aren't charged by the hour. They're by the month, year or even lifetime! Yes, a lifetime membership. This is because Jimmy wanted members to feel free to help each other out and not feel that they're spending their money by helping the person next to them.
If you need more dedicated learning, they also offer 1-1 training and a variety of courses to suit any experience.
Members range from the very experienced to absolute newbies, but there is one clear thing they have in common... a love for motorcycles.
If you want to find a community garage near you, try a classic Google search or visit communitymotorcyclegarages.com
