Garage/Workspace London

[Raf]

After being away from the UK for the past four years and pretty much off bikes I have returned and done what I said I would not do again and bought a motorbike. Its a BMW K1100 and needs a fair amount of TLC to get back up to its former glory.

I've bought all the bits I need, Plugs, Oil, Filters, Pads and have all the tools but I'm now living in Soho and its pretty much impossible to work on in the street without being hassled by drug addicts begging for change or being rained on everytime I bring the tools down.

Just wondering if any kind BCF people in London might have access to a garage or closed area where I could work on it for a weekend? I would be happy to make a contribution
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CBR1100xx - BMW K1100 - BMW K100 - Triumph Sprint ST 955i - Suzuki GSX-R 600 - Suzuki DR 350 - Yamaha XV 750 - Honda CBR 600 FM - Yamaha XT 600 - Yamaha Rs 200 - Honda NSR 125

[Undinist]

I'm also trying to fix up a tatty K1100 in the gutter, in Brixton, so plenty of addicts and people wanting to nick my tools if I go indoors for a minute. Maybe we should start a club. Gutter Monkeys?
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Current bike: K1100RS. Previous: CD200, GSX250, GT550, VFR750, K100LT, K1100LT, R1100GS, R1150GS, ZZR1100, Hayabusa, RSV Mille, MV F4 750S, R1, ZX-10, KTM Adventure 950S

[Raf]

[J.M.]

London has that too, but more expensive: https://www.ovalmotorcyclecentre.co.uk/prices-and-facilities/
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Pol Anorl]

[Rogerborg]

[Raf]

[Rogerborg]

[Raf]

[WimbleHJR]

I've used Oval a few times. Mostly as I'm a mechanical Noob so it's good to have someone who knows that they're talking about to help. Matt (the mechanic there) knows what he's on about and is willing to help out when things get tricky. I guess it depends on your experience though, sounds like you know a fair bit more than me so would only really be using the bench, rather than Matt's knowledge. Just my

They do some offers so you can get bulk discount when buying your hours, not sure how much cheaper it makes it but worth looking (apologies if it's obvious on the site).

Can't think of anything else in London that offers a similar thing unless a kind BCF'er can help?
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YBR125, FZS600, FZ6 S2 F800ST

[hellkat]

There's a (reasonably sized) place I know of in East London but it's just garage space: warm, dry, with toilet and electricity, rather than "the facilities", at the moment. I expect you'd have to bring your own tools. Might be some there, dunno.

Let me ask what's going on over there at the moment, and I'll let you know, hopefully shortly.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[.Bishbash.]

[hellkat]

I should be able to pick the key up if anybody wants to use that East London workshop (somewhere in E17, about 10 mins off the North Circ) - and there are plenty of shops around there, even a Tesco metro.

I think he only wants his rent covered (about 40 quid a day, I think), but it's all very ad hoc at the moment, as he is in the process of setting up as a ?workshop himself, so it's fairly empty, spacious; looks like it's been used for car repairs in the past, too.

He might be amenable to storing a bike there temporarily, might have to enquire further on that front about storage costs, say if you didn't finish fixing it and had to come back; its prolly gonna be cheaper to store it than £40 a day, obvs. It certainly seems secure.

So if a few of you wanted to club together it would be cheaper than just one of you paying him £40 for each day (or paying me and I can give him the money if he's not around) (your money is safe with me, mwahahahahahaha).

Although there is electric, I think it's a pound-in-the-meter sort of arrangement anyway.

If I picked up the key from him and let you in and locked up again later, I could bring tea, coffee, sugar, milk and a kettle, cups, etc. for you guys to make use of. Maybe bickies if I was feeling nice, LOL.

As there is a communal loo (other lock-ups in the vicinity), I am presuming there is running water somewhere on the premises!

Anybody interested, let me know by PM, I'll talk to him a bit more.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Amber Phoenix]

[Undinist]

[Raf]

[Shaft]

[Major Doss]

HK, look's good to me if a couple of other BCF'ers could make use of the gaff together! I might even do a service on my tank/bike! Not sure about storage, but as a day use, it seems pretty ideal.

[Major Doss]

[Rogerborg]

[chickenstrip]

[hellkat]

A good question, indeed.

Does anybody want me to collect the key for this weekend, then?
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[gorillaonabik...]

Another +1 for Oval. Go there, do a basic service. An oil / filter change (they provide the oil), pads, chain adjust, air filter in an hour. Adjust everything, can also lube the bike up and properly inspect it.

I like to spend a little more time as don't like to be rushed and more importantly, to do a good job. I'd prefer to do it myself than a backstreet garage which won't even change the oil.

It's also quicker than taking it to a garage.

And for anything major, there's a mechanic on hand who can help out.
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FZR400 (blown engine), ZXR750 (blown engine), ZX6R (accident), CBR600 which had engine issues after which I learned to change gear..., CBR900, CBR924 (stolen), CB600, CB1300 (everything blew up), BMW K1300GT (written off, hit from rear while stationary), Bandit 1250 for a couple of months, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 (nicked) and somewhere in there, I wrote off a Ducati 748 at Cadwell.

[hellkat]

Amazing how things can change in a day, with a couple of conversations and a roughing out on the back of a fag packet (not really, as I don't smoke)

Website's a bit rough and ready, as is the workshop space, till I get it up and running properly for him (if I can manage to do so) - upshot is that it's a tenner an hour, other rates are being considered, don't hold the website to ransom, it could change by the day at the moment

Life's suddenly all gone a bit "sink or swim" on me
LINKY
I could be in the poor house by the end of October

Tell your friends and like my FB page, ta.

hellkat
space cadet
shit shit shit shit shit

Apols for the spam
Sue me
Off to watch the rugger.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Rogerborg]