Privateer’s Garage is a great idea. The concept is simple, you have a motorcycle and technical know how but no good place to work or you don’t have the right tools for many repairs or upgrades you would like to do yourself. Located in San Diego, California, Privateer’s Garage provides a fully equipped garage with lifts, professional tools, parts and whatever else you need for do-it-yourself repairs. Instead of trying to work outside or in a crowded garage using whatever tools you happen to have, you pull in and go to work in well lit and fully equipped comfort.
They offer:
* 8 motorcycle stalls (all with bike stands)
* 2 motorcycle lifts
* Tire changer
* Tire balancer
* Drill press
* Compressed Air
* Full set of mechanic’s tools
* Motorcycle specialty tools
* Overnight bike storage for those multi-day projects
* Long-term bike storage
Think of what you could do:
* Oil changes (buy the oil and filter on site, they do disposal)
* Tire changes (buy the tires there and then change them yourself)
* Performance exhaust (swap the exhaust with the bike up on a lift)
* Tune-ups
* Track set-up (safety wire your bike and get it ready for the track)
Remember TechShop? This is a very similar idea, you can choose from annual memberships, monthly memberships, or hourly rental rates. Hourly rates start at just $20. Grand opening on March 6th.
This is something I would like to see more of. I like it.
Link: Privateer’s Garage via Roadracing World
Froste says
Great idea that I’ve thought of myself for auto repair as well for bikes. I’ve always thought that the cost of liability insurance would be prohibitive for this type of business. Any thoughts?
todd says
but in my own garage I can leave the tools on the floor. I wonder how they make sure everything stays so tidy?
-todd
Randy says
What’s the policy on consuming alcoholic beverages on site? Do they have mini fridges in each stall? After wrenching on the bike for an hour or so, it’s perfectly fine to crack open a cold one in my garage; but what about here?
JSH says
$20 bucks an hour to use someone else’s tools! No thanks, I got my first craftsman set for Christmas when I was 12. I still use it and have slowly added to the collection ever since.
mark says
This kind of thing is great for apartment-dwellers like me who don’t have a garage to work in. It’s easy enough to do an oil change or bolt on a few accessories outside, but having access to a quality garage is really nice when you’ve got major work to do…
Jeff says
I think this is a good idea for some people as Mark stated . Not only do you get access to tools you might only need once or once in awhile or have access to tech help if you need it . Heck it’s a great place to gather with like minded folks who like to wrench on their own bikes . Nothing wrong with that . I myself am lucky enough to have a space designated for my bikes and tech help is only a phone call away and tools to boot .
marshall says
I would have loved to have access to a shop like this when I bought my first motorcycle in California. I was 19, lived in a run-down house (no garage) with some coworkers and had only your basic mechanics tool set, which I loved, but it just doesn’t have some of the things this place appears to offer. A month’s membership would have been well worth my money during that first month of owning the bike, when I was trying to go through it and fix everything up. Very ironically, I lived in Menlo Park, where TechShop is apparently located, and this was only a couple years ago – wish I’d known! I think there are plenty of situations where people would want to pay for garage/tool time, and I hope they become a franchise. I remember my dad telling me he used to go to the do-it-yourself garage owned by Click and Clack (the Car Talk guys) near Boston. I believe they used to be fairly popular – certainly more so than now, when everyone is afraid to maintain their own vehicles (and more skill and computer knowledge are required for repairs).
I’ve only ever owned three 20+ year old bikes, but I would imagine that even newer bikes are still uncomplicated enough that these DIY places would be a good value to motorcyclists.
fat tony says
$20 per hour is pretty affordable. I don’t see how they could stay in business with anything less.
However, if you only work there 2 hours per week, that adds up to $160 per month that should allow you to rent a garage somewhere near your house. If you don’t already have your own tools, then that’s your own fault. You should have been asking for tools instead of video games every Christmas like me for the last 15 years. 😉
todd says
I don’t know, fat tony, shop space around here (Menlo Park for instance) goes for around $2 – 3 per square foot. That’s only because real estate is at a low right now.
-todd
Burphel says
I’d love to have something like this locally. Part of me is nervous about having all my maintenance done at the dealership because I don’t have the right tools to do it.
Don’t know if they do it anymore, but when I was a kid, they had a public garage at the Navy base my dad served at. Bangor isn’t the biggest post out there, nor the smallest. For those of you in uniform or retired (thanks btw), it might be worth checking around. Older high schools and community colleges might have garages to be borrowed under the right conditions, too.
properly.
Burphel says
Doh. Editing fail.
JSH says
I’ve had friends without garages turn to self-storage areas to rent garage space at a reasonable rate. Around here a 10×20 is between $80 to $100 per month. They have lighting and some are available with power and A/C (for more of course). Though not really intended for use as a workshop most areas only care if you pay on time not what you use the space for.
ed smith says
Garages like this were in many cities back in the 1960s, but most seemed to have gone out of business because they were unprofitable. Even in big cities with lots of apartment dwellers, not enough people used these so-called co-op garages to keep them in business. The ones I saw got very dirty by the sloppy users who were trying to work as fast as possible to keep the cost down. Also theft was common at these places if you had to leave your vehicle there. Even the rented tools were not returned because they were worth more than the deposit.
Nevertheless, rental workspaces like this are a good idea and I hope they succeed.
Trey says
Some military bases have something like this. I always thought it was a great idea. When I was stationed at Hill AFB, in UT, I changed all 4 discs and calipers, and shocks, mounted and balanced my own tires. They had tools there, and there was always a few employees that were there to help, not to mention there was always numerous other there willing to help!
The only problem I see is insurance as well. There are way too many people that are idiots, and think they should be paid for being an idiot.
Trey
4Cammer says
This is a great idea for people w/o a garage, tools or the desire to invest in them. While stationed at Vandenburg AFB CA I took advantage of a setup like this. Not as clean or nicely detailed of course, but it cost almost nothing and I had a place to install my rear airshocks on my ’68 Ford Fairlane…..I miss that car.
Drinkchai says
Only concern is the liability issue. If someone gets hurt, & most likely a frequent occurrence from all the amateur/part-time do-it-your-self mechanics there, the insurance would be incredible?
Even if you have the customers sign a waiver, still, keep the 911 phone handy for accidents, burns, cuts, etc. Suggestions?
AlohaRider says
Sounds like a great idea, really help people that enjoy doing there own work but live in condos etc. keeping the idiots under control is definitely going to be key, possible safety class and personal safety waver?
Bob Nedoma says
$20/hr, based on WHAT?
How much time the bike is in?, how much time I spend trying to find out where the oil leak is located. I’ve taken the head off and find out I need a different “new” gasket, delivery is five weeks. Enlighten me, please.
@fat tony: lovely.!!