To be clear, by “motorcycle garage” we’re talking about a space where you’ll not only store your bike but also repair it. It should have enough room to comfortably store tools and supplies. Maybe even enough to install a lift if it catches your fancy later.
That’s what I’ll be covering in this guide. If you were looking at a small shed for storage, this might be above your pay grade.
For a motorcycle workshop, size is obviously one of the first considerations. In my experience, bigger is better. I own a bike shop. Built at least two garages solo. I personally would never recommend anything less than 12 x 16 ft.
But space is just the beginning. There’s a whole lot of jazz to this. Flooring, permits, electricals, insulation, and framing. I’ll cover everything you need for a setup you’ll be proud of. Walk with me.
Building a Bike Garage from Scratch: The Fundamentals
You’ll need a site plan to build your motorcycle garage. It’s generally required for a building permit, but it’s also crucial to your project.
A well-detailed site plan incorporates the garage’s layout and how you want to use it. So, it essentially provides a bird’s-eye view of the building process. Knowing what’s supposed to happen at each stage will help you avoid expensive errors.
Here are the things I’d think about before setting the baseline:
- Size and Layout of the Garage
- Permits and Code Compliance
- Flooring and Load Capacity
- Materials and Framing
- Ventilation
- Electricals and Equipment
Size and Layout of the Garage
Most people build for the bike they own now. I like to think about projects I’ll probably have five years from now. This is not critical, but it’s definitely worth considering. Almost everyone eventually buys more tools or decides they want a bigger or faster motorcycle.
If your budget and yard allow, build slightly larger than you think you need. It’s way cheaper than trying to expand the building later.
If you’ve worked on bikes, you probably have a good idea of how you’d use the garage. If you’re fairly new to this, you have to think about that. The space you need for routine maintenance or deep cleaning after a bike rally is different from what you’ll want for things like tire mounting or engine rebuilds.
Here’s a list of recommended garage sizes and what they’re practical for:
10 × 12 ft (120 sq ft): I’d never recommend this for a serious garage. The only thing you can do with this is storage. At that point just slap some wood boards together and call it a shed.
12 x 16 ft (192 sq ft): Minimum size for a workshop. You can have a workbench and store basic tools. Possibly even install a lift for changing tires. But there won’t be a lot of moving space.
16 × 20 ft (320 sq ft): You can comfortably store two motorcycles with this. With just one bike, you have more than enough room for a fabrication bench, a welding area, and standalone storage racks.
20 × 24 ft or larger: Perfect if you’re seriously into builds, especially customs. You can split into a separate room for storage and one for the workshop. With this kind of space, you can restore vintages or work with your friends.
Of course, you can use any dimensions as long as the smallest width is 12 feet and the smallest length is 16 feet.
Thinking about the layout helps you figure out how you’ll work around the garage. Typically, your garage will have the following zones:
- Where the bike itself is parked
- Workbench area
- Storage area (for equipment and parts)
- “Walk around” room
- A fabrication area (for custom builds and restorations)
- An assembly area (for engine rebuilds & suspensions)
Factor in the ceiling height too. If you’re installing a lift, go for at least 10 feet.
Permits and Code Compliance
Because of the International Residential Code (IRC), most U.S states, except Missouri, don’t need a building permit for detached garages or sheds under 200 sq ft.
But that exemption may not necessarily apply in your state or county. Some states have stricter limits. In Wisconsin, the limit is 150 sq ft. In Texas, each municipality has its own threshold.
It doesn’t end with building permits. You still need to meet zoning requirements. And if you’re installing electricals, you’ll need permits for those.
Essentially, there’s a lot of fine print when it comes to permits and code compliance. Because these permits vary significantly depending on your state or city, you’re better off checking with your local building department first.
Most departments walk you through once they know what you’re trying to build. But for a bike garage, you’d generally check for things like:
- Building size
- Height restrictions
- Electricals
- Roofing
- Zoning permits
- HOA Approval
Depending on how complex your build is, you will likely deal with several documents and paperwork. Plans, permits, inspections, invoices, etc. Personally, I organize them categorically in a single folder. Makes the process easier.
Flooring and Load Capacity
If you’re installing a lift or using the garage for custom work, you need to put more thought into flooring. You’ll also need a strong floor for bigger bikes like Harley-Davidsons.
A lift weighs 500 to 700 lbs. With a cruiser on it, that’s anything from 1,000 to 1,600 lbs. or more. Your flooring must be able to withstand that much concentrated weight.
For floors that’ll handle whatever you load on them, reinforced concrete slabs are the gold standard. And this is where professional expertise matters. I usually enlist my specialist friend, Mike, for this part of the build. He’s a concrete contractor that specializes in garage floors.
Mike’s recommended process for solid flooring:
- Your slabs should be 5 inches thick with a strength of at least 4,000 PSI. Sounds overkill for a bike garage. But if you’ll be using it as a workshop, it’s worth it in the long run.
- A sub-base of compacted gravel. 4 inches is usually fine, but the measurement also depends on your soil type. If you’re in regions with clay types or wet soil, do 6 inches.
- Welded wire mesh generally works for reinforcement. But for the safest bet, especially for lifts and bigger bikes, use a steel rebar grid.
- If you love a clean garage, epoxy is your best option for a finish. Polished concrete also has incredible weight-bearing capacity, but it soaks up oil stains. Epoxy doesn’t, so it’s much easier to clean.
Building Materials and Framing
A motorcycle workshop takes more abuse than a regular storage garage. You’ll eventually hang cabinets, mount shelves full of parts, bolt workbenches into the walls, maybe even suspend a chain hoist or retractable extension cords from the ceiling.
The frame needs to handle all of that. You can build your frame with timber, concrete, tin, or brick. For most DIY builds and non-commercial workshops, timber is perfect. It’s easier to build, cheaper than concrete, and doesn’t turn into an oven in the summer like tin.
Also with a timber structure, you can pretty much attach any siding you want with nails or screws.
What about insulation?
If you’re in the Midwest like I am, you absolutely can’t avoid insulating metal, concrete, or brick. But with timber, you might get away with no insulation depending on how you build it.
Basically, if your garage has only a single layer, i.e., the boards that form the outside walls also form the inside walls, it’s not really weatherproof. But if there are two layers, that creates an air gap that makes it more weather-tight.
Generally, it’s a good idea to install insulation no matter what material you use. Double-skinned timber walls might have an air gap, but it won’t compare to the weather resistance of properly insulated material.
Questions you’ll need to answer when building a timber garage
2×4 or 2×6 stud walls?
Honestly, a 2×4 would do just fine. But if your budget allows it, go for the 2×6. You get stronger walls. Plus, more inches of internal space, which means you can install better insulation and run thick electrical wires more easily.
Which siding to use?
You have more options since it’s a timber frame. But generally, the big 4 are classic T1-11 plywood, hardie cement boards, metal, and engineered wood.
Hardie boards and metal will need OSB sheathing to be structurally sound. T1-11 and engineered wood are exterior grade and structural—no need for sheathing. I’ll recommend engineered wood, as it’s far more resistant to decay and bugs compared to plywood.
What about roofing?
Sloped, corrugated metal roofing is the standard choice. It sheds snow and heavy rain effortlessly and has a much longer lifespan (at least 50 years) than other options.
That said, it’s harder to install DIY than roofing shingles. Hoisting and cutting sharp metal panels is more demanding and dangerous. You’ll likely need friends for this part of the build.
Ventilation
Opening the garage doors is not enough ventilation if you’re welding, tuning, or painting your motorcycle.
To deal with the dangerous fumes from the engine and welding smoke, you need to install an exhaust extraction system. With this setup, you can slip an exhaust hose on your muffler or directly over your welding area.
It vents the exhaust directly outside instead of letting fumes build up in the workshop.
Chemicals and welding release toxins that will linger in the air so you should have proper cross ventilation, get an industrial shutter fan, and add an intake vent to your garage’s back wall.
Electricals and Equipment
You can’t run a workshop off one circuit from the house. At least I wouldn’t recommend it. If you’re going to use a welder and air compressor, for instance, you’ll need at least 60-amp to 100-amp subpanel.
For the wiring, 120-volt outlets are standard, but I’d try to have at least two 240-volt outlets. You might not have any tools that require that kind of output now, but you might in the future.
Where to place your outlets
In a workshop, outlets down near the floor aren’t the most practical. Mounting them along your main workbench around 48 inches high puts the power right where you’re working.
This saves you from having to bend down constantly. It also keeps extension cords off the floor and away from spilled fluids.
Every outlet needs to be GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) protected. You’ll be working with a lot of metal and liquid; GFCI ensures you don’t become the path of least resistance if a tool shorts out. Standard GFCI won’t work for 240V outlets; you’ll need a 2-pole GFCI.
How to get the best lighting
Working on motorcycles means constantly looking into tight spaces. The less shadows in your garage, the better. Instead of chasing brightness, aim for even lighting throughout the shop.
Around 70 to 100 lumens per square foot at work-bench height is ideal. Go for daylight-colored LEDs, rated at 5,000 Kelvin. They make wiring colors easier to tell apart and are easier on your eyes during long projects.
Don’t mount all your lights directly overhead. Your body might end up blocking exactly where you’re working. So install two rows on either side of your main work area.
You Probably Shouldn’t Do This All By Yourself
As you can probably already tell, this is a time-intensive (at least 2 months) project that requires serious skill. I wouldn’t recommend tackling it entirely on your own even as a serious, experienced DIYer.
The most complex aspects of your project will be pouring the foundation and installing electricals. For safety (yours and your bike’s), you’re better off leaving those to professionals.