How to display Motorcycle inside house?

[dbreid]

All,
I have a 1961 BMW R60/2 which I don't ride as much as I should (yeah, yeah, I know...). I don't have a ton of free time to ride, except for commuting, and the BMW just doesn't get ridden as much as my Kawasaki. Frankly, the thought of lane splitting in Bay Area CA traffic on the B<W makes me a little pale...

Bike looks just like this one (excellent shape, black):

However, because I don't want it to deteriorate, and I don't want to sell it, I lose a lot of space in the garage by parking it, and leaving a buffer (nothing can stack next to it, for feat of bumping/dings). So I am considering displaying it inside my house in my "library". I have a room (with access to actually move the bike inside) that I use as a Library/TV room/Office, and this would actually fit the decor.

I am wondering if any of you have ever done something similar, and if so:

1.) How did you convince your better half to allow it?
2.) What did you put under it? I have nice hardwood floors I don't want tire prints and center stand grooves put in... but I don't want an ugly drip pan under it either...
3.) Did you make something to make it easier to move around? (like mount it to a plate on casters or something...)
4.) Did you drain all the fluids? THe bike runs perfectly, and I am not trying to make it into 100% useless art, I just want it inside for a while.

Thoughts and especially pictures of anyone who has attempted this would be helpful! Thanks!!!

-Dan

 

[Thruxton]

I long ago sold the Thruxton I would hang on the wall, and my fantasy of a Greeves Silverstone displayed the same way is long gone, but that's how I would do it, hang it on the wall. Bet you get pics from some who have done it. As for fluids, don't worry about draining it all. If it sits for a while with a full sump, that's all that is lubricated - the sump. The top end etc. drains off early on. Just be sure to turn the crank occasionally to keep the residual oil lubricating things. And pics please once you have done it!

 

[iron_worker]

You could build a small "stage" from wood and cover it with diamond plate aluminum or painted steel or something of that nature (something that can easily wipe clean if you get a couple drops of oil on it). The beauty of the "stage" is you wouldn't even have to secure it to the floor, just shove it against the wall or in a corner and when want to take the bike out it's easily removable. Could put some type of fabric or carpet on the bottom of the stage so it doesn't mark up your floors as well.

The only other thing I would worry about is possible fuel smells. You could have the tank cleaned and coated to protect it... and you may have to clean the carbs and maybe remove the fuel lines? I'm not exactly sure, just tossing out ideas.

As far as explaining to your significant other why you should have your bike inside ... well uhhh, good luck with that.

IW

 

[Zrexxer]

I am wondering if any of you have ever done something similar, and if so:

1.) How did you convince your better half to allow it?
2.) What did you put under it? I have nice hardwood floors I don't want tire prints and center stand grooves put in... but I don't want an ugly drip pan under it either...
3.) Did you make something to make it easier to move around? (like mount it to a plate on casters or something...)
4.) Did you drain all the fluids? THe bike runs perfectly, and I am not trying to make it into 100% useless art, I just want it inside for a while. -Dan

I stored a Ducati in my Kitchen/Dining Room an entire winter.

1.) I didn't have a "better half" to object - all in all the best solution, IMO;
2.) I didn't have nice floors, I just parked it on the sheet vinyl and called it good...
3.) Nope, I just walked around it - there are worse things than having a Ducati (or a /2) in your dining room;
4.) Nope, just put Sta-Bil in the fuel, and rode 'er out the sliding glass back door come Spring

 

[Ric in Richmond]

Do it like Barber does it....

 

[ManxRacer]

This is how I displayed my Manx in my old house in Florida. I drained all of the fluids and put it on a PitBull stand. I put a small towell under it just in case.

 

[Dieselboy]

 

[bczygan]

Make it a vignette with an associated banner or sign and maybe some other memorabilia, like maybe a model of it. Put it on a pedestal literally. Then the important thing is to separate it from other things with empty or negative space around it and light it properly to highlight it. Think of up-lighting. Think of mirrors under or behind it. Look at how things are marketed or shown in ads in magazines. Make it like a museum display with a black and white checkered floor under it or around it. Put a plaque or sign with description in front. Build a glass case around it. Make the overall room generally dimmer with high intensity key lighting on features of the bike. Put it at an angle or in a corner to give it more interest. aise the front tire or put it on an incline. **** the front wheel and rest it on the stand. The eye goes to things set at angles. If you are going to show it off, REALLY do it.
Example:

 

[hifi_hokie]

Ugh...wish you were on the right coast, the back roads around here are made for a nice Slash 2

 

[Nick_Wa]

So awesome. New background picture!

 

[Will67]

What I lane split everyday across the bay bridge on my all origianl Vincent blackshadow

 

[Steevo]

If you decide you just can't find a place in the house, I will be more than happy to take on the responsibility for not only preserving your /2, but treating it like a member of the family, giving it the attention it deserves and making sure it is ridden enough to keep it alive.
I would be willing to pay you a fair market value for transferring responsibility, and will guarantee you annual holiday photos, visitation rights and even occasional long term ridership permissions.

 

[dbreid]

What I lane split everyday across the bay bridge on my all origianl Vincent blackshadow

Oooh. Nice! Always liked Vincents. I think that engine configuration is a little more "split" friendly as well. Nice!

 

[dbreid]

If you decide you just can't find a place in the house, I will be more than happy to take on the responsibility for not only preserving your /2, but treating it like a member of the family, giving it the attention it deserves and making sure it is ridden enough to keep it alive.
I would be willing to pay you a fair market value for transferring responsibility, and will guarantee you annual holiday photos, visitation rights and even occasional long term ridership permissions.

I have considered it, but this bike is part of my long term "plan". There will be a day when I might lose my two wheel "rights" (getting old/SO not as tolerant, etc), and when/if that happens, I want a bike that was built for a sidecar.

As for maintenance, I am a pretty obsessive person about all things motor. The bike stays in mint shape, and has fluids run obsessively, so I am not worried about her rotting. Plus, I am thinking that one of the ideas will be to position the bike close enough to the sliding glass door that I can roll her our easily and get her blood moving.

 

[darkk]

I am wondering if any of you have ever done something similar, and if so:

1.) How did you convince your better half to allow it?
2.) What did you put under it? I have nice hardwood floors I don't want tire prints and center stand grooves put in... but I don't want an ugly drip pan under it either...
3.) Did you make something to make it easier to move around? (like mount it to a plate on casters or something...)
4.) Did you drain all the fluids? THe bike runs perfectly, and I am not trying to make it into 100% useless art, I just want it inside for a while.

1) you ask?
2) nothing, I don't care...but you could buy a small black rubber based mat.
3) got wheels on it, why would you need anything else?
4) ?why drain something if you have a mat under it?
5) JUST DO IT ALREADY!!!

 

[Furious D]

No way would I display my Triumph in the house where those two animals (My Kids) could get to it, It safer out in the garage.



I knew a guy that bought a house with a walk-out basement that housed a 12x40 woodshop. He wasnt into woodworking so He used the area to store vintage bikes, even put picture windows in the wall so you could see the bikes from the basement bar. It was pretty cool to sit at the bar and view them.

I think you need to post some pics of of your Vincent Will. I think the Black Shadow has got to be one of the top 5 bikes of all time.

 

[The Hot Rod Grille]

A buddy had the bike in the pic below in his rec room prior to building his new garage. He had it displayed on a "stage" that was covered with polished diamondplate and illuminated with track lights. Looked better than how he has it now IMHO.

Jim

 

[powellscooter]

Here is my Husqvarna behind the bar in the Toyhouse

 

[yellowdartdave]

The BMW brings back memories.

To store it inside, place masonite on the floor with some carpet on top of it.
You can always leave the battery disconnected but plugged into a battery tender.

My 'display' case.

If you are married, this would probably be pushing it.......

If she complains about the bike in the house, tell her it could be worse....

Good luck!!

 

[Painter123]

1.) How did you convince your better half to allow it?


Just bring it in the house 1 piece at a time
she'll never notice.....

 

[yellowdartdave]

1.) How did you convince your better half to allow it?


Just bring it in the house 1 piece at a time
she'll never notice.....

In my case it was simple....

19 years (yesterday)ago I kicked her out as I had an issue with her choice of boyfriends.

 

[dlc]

The BMW brings back memories.

To store it inside, place masonite on the floor with some carpet on top of it.
You can always leave the battery disconnected but plugged into a battery tender.

My 'display' case.

Ahh, a CBX. Hands down the best sounding bike ever built (with a 6-1 ****** header). I'd give anything to have mine back.

 

[KraftwerkMk1Jetta]

Great thread going here. Love the old Jap and Euro bikes pictured...so much more interesting than all the Harley b.s. that gets hammered down your throat most of the time.

 

[omr]

In my case it was simple....

19 years (yesterday)ago I kicked her out as I had an issue with her choice of boyfriends.

lol .

 

[SSCustoms]

Where have I seen this picture before? Was it Nesba or Wera?

 

[Stephenw]

Like this...

 

[crewchief888]

Here is my Husqvarna behind the bar in the Toyhouse

nice husky
used to have a '77 360 auto

i havent seen one since the mid 80's, worked part time for a husky/maico shop when i was between jobs.

it was like aluminum tank heaven in that place

 

[dbreid]

This is helping!

I have been considering building a low, metal covered (galvanized, or riveted aluminum, perhaps) platform with dollies under it. Kinda like the sleds people use to move table saws around. Then loading the motorcycle onto that, so I can move it around in the room to clean and position it easily.

I like the idea of dedicated lights to shine on it.

THanks for the ideas so far!

 

[BackTracker]

In my case it was simple....

19 years (yesterday)ago I kicked her out as I had an issue with her choice of boyfriends.

******** that was funny!

 

[rsanter]

what is the decor of the room
if its wood then make a wood floor panel from hardwood flooring that will match the room and sit it on the floor and then the bike on that. you can make a backdrop or mount something to the wall like a big poster or the company logo sign and just make it like a display so it appears to belong. sell the idea as a form of art.

if you want to simpler you can just buy a sheet of diamond plate or you can also fab a display out of metal and powdercoat it

if the bike does not leak then put it in as it is. if it leaks then drain it.

a guy knew living in the LA area would store his mustang conv in the living room. the car was a high end restoration (the kind you really cant drive) and he would just run it in the double french doors he installed there to get it in

if you want to leave it in the garage...
build a crate for it with hinged sides so you can get it in easy and out easy but yet it will be protected

bob

 

[johnzcarz]

Always easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

Once it 's in the house I'm sure your "bad back" will act up, so moving it back out of the house will have to wait a while...a long while.

 

[oldtractors]

Motorcycles are easy compared to this:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4182/is_20011226/ai_n10149399/

Pictures are in this thread:

http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56134

 

[Worldpowerlabs]

1.) How did you convince your better half to allow it?


Just bring it in the house 1 piece at a time
she'll never notice.....

Or tell her it was always there -- she just never noticed it.

 

[4BT]

love those old airhead boxers! I'm currently looking for a late 70's/80's r100 to DD

 

[rsa]

More "parked" than "displayed", my 1981 Luminous Ruby Red KZ1000J1:

 

[Furious D]

More "parked" than "displayed", my 1981 Luminous Ruby Red KZ1000J1:

Cool old KZ, I owned a couple of them in my younger days. Nothing sounds as good as a KZ with a 4 into 1 exhaust and no baffle.


Whats that written on the pipes? Eddie Lawsons autograph?

 

[fflintstone]

Tell your wife it is an incentive for you to eat your meat and vegetables.
For 2 years we have been telling him to eat his meat and vegetables and he can ride it when he can ride a bicycle down a trail without hitting a tree.
He gets to try it this week.

 

[rsa]

Cool old KZ, I owned a couple of them in my younger days. Nothing sounds as good as a KZ with a 4 into 1 exhaust and no baffle. Whats that written on the pipes? Eddie Lawsons autograph?

LOL, they're markings from the salvage yard. I took off the 4-into-1 exhaust with no baffle and put a stock 4-into-2 exhaust back on.

This one replaced a Moondust Silver J1 I had in Monterey, California from 1981-1987. I should never have sold it. I saw Lawson and Rainey ride theirs at Laguna Seca several times.

 

[bgarrett]

Heres one of mine in the living room. The 'box' it sits on is the A/C return air and is 8 feet tall. The motorsickle is a 1934 Indian Chief

 

[Brad54]

Just take a nice piece of wood and build a "coaster" for under the two wheels, and a smaller one for under the kick stand. Nothing big... just big enough to cover the tire's foot print, and the third big enough to distribute the weight of the kick-stand.
Wherever you're worried about fluids leaking from, fabricate a small catch-tray to hang directly on the bike, under any area you think might leak. It doesn't have to be a BIG tray... something small and un-obtrusive. get creative and make some sort of clamp bracket for it that you can hide, or attack it from the wall-side of the bike.

If you've got motorcycle stuff in the room already, just tell your wife it goes with the motif, and explain that she has to get past the mental block of parking a motor vehicle in the house.

If that doesn't work, buy her something sparkly.

-Brad