Show us your shed

These days it’s not uncommon for someone to own several scooters. In doing so, it creates the problem of where to put them all…

Ask anyone who owns a scooter what model it is and often they'll tell you that they don’t own one, but several. Not that there is anything wrong with that, and when finances allow, that figure can easily run into double digits. Owning several scooters is fine, but what about the problems of storage? Where do you house them all?

These days when people post pictures on social media of their scooters more often than not it will be at home. Most likely it will be taken in the garage or on the driveway, with several other scooters in the background all neatly lined up. It seems that the cars can happily live life outside the building that was designed to house them. The family car is relegated to the drive while the collection of scooters now takes residence in the garage. It also follows that the bigger the garage the more scooters that can fit in it. Rather than leave enough space, the trend tends to be to buy as many as possible until there isn't an inch of available floor space left.

So the next problem arises. Where do you work on them and store all the spares needed? The answer to that is that most times it is the garden shed. This becomes the overspill from the garage, but doesn’t come without its problems. You see, the garden shed is usually meant to keep things such as a lawnmower, kids’ paddling pool and occasionally, when the weather allows, sun loungers. These items are now in the way of the transformation into a workshop facility for scooter maintenance. So a smaller shed often appears to cater for those items.

Finally, you have the space required to store your scooter collection, albeit after explanations to the rest of the family as to why it was necessary. It’s almost like a compulsory land order has taken place and nothing else is allowed to be stored in there. Now comes the transformation and it doesn’t matter if it’s the garage, shed or both. Not content with having commandeered the space, it now seems it has to become a shrine to the scooters themselves, from signs to banners, in fact, anything that acknowledges the scooters’s roots and rich history. Most enthusiasts, whether it be for vintage cars or motorcycles, often do the same. It also has to be remembered that many scooter owners have spent years attending rallies and along the way have collected a lot of memorabilia. The workshop wall is the ideal place to showcase all those past memories. And why not, because scooterists should be proud of what they have achieved, and there is no harm in displaying the fact.

Then comes the work area. If space is big enough, then the transformation can be unbelievable. Sometimes the whole area is stripped out and repainted, and a new floor laid, often with an expensive finish. What resembled a place to put the car and store household junk has now been transformed into a Formula One pit garage. All scooter owners are happy to spend decent sums of money on their pride and joy. The same seems to be the case for the storage area. If it’s a bit damp ,then the heating system is upgraded. If the token strip light is too dull, new lighting is installed. New shelving is fitted with a workbench and new tools, just to make it look and feel even nicer. Sitting centre stage will be the hydraulic stand or, if space allows, possibly two.

Once the transformation is complete it almost becomes like a second home. with. every available bit of spare time spent in there working, maintaining or preparing a scooter for its next journey. Though sometimes it can get a bit too intense spending time away from the family, just an hour or two working on a scooter in a clean environment can be a great escape from the stress of everyday life. What better on a cold winter’s night than getting away from it all working on what you love doing most? Though it may seem a bit harsh not spending time with a loved one, remember that they will benefit when both of you are out on the scooter the following summer.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that the garage or shed at home is how many scooter businesses started up in the first place, many steadily building up trade until it was possible to make the financial jump into commercial premises. Just think over the years how many scooters have been repaired at someone's house and, in doing so, meant those people have gone on to serve the scooter industry admirably. One thing you can never have enough of is space, and when it comes to owning scooters, an abundance of it is required.

Seeing how someone has transformed part of their house to do so is certainly a sight to behold. Perhaps in future, the magazine should have a section entitled ‘Show us your shed’. I’m sure there will be enough willing to participate by way of sending in photographs.

Perhaps in future, the magazine should have a section entitled ‘Show us your shed’. I’m sure there will be enough willing to participate by way of sending in photographs.