BPL is more than a garage - it’s a space to fix, tinker, service and maintain your bike, and to plan your next adventure.

After living in Leith and spending over 2 years looking for a garage, I finally took the leap and created exactly what I was looking for, founding BPL in 2019.

Before Bike Park Leith I kept my bikes between my workplace in Livingston & a friends garage away up over the bridge in Fife. All I really wanted was somewhere close enough to my flat that I could take the bike for a quick spin, or spend a few hours working on it, without the additional commute to and from somewhere miles and miles away.

The dream was always a fully kitted out workshop with a couple of benches and all the tools, as well as some nice extras like a beer fridge / coffee machine & space to sit back, relax and enjoy the smells and the view of a fully stocked garage full of bikes.

Security is of course a huge issue for Motorbikers in Edinburgh, which is why it was the first thing I went to work on. CCTV Cameras inside and out, a monitored alarm as well as brand new doors and exterior bollards, we made the sure the unit was more secure than any of the others in the vicinity, and as secure as any other similar businesses in the area.

Facilities came next - there’s no point having the perfect place to store your bike, if it's a dark damp cave where you can’t spend any time or really enjoy working on your bike. I believe that it doesn’t matter if you’re just checking your oil or doing a full service, the space you have and the tools available have a huge effect on the quality of the work you do, as well as the amount of enjoyment you get out of the task at hand. Its amazing to have been able to spend the last 4 years building up the tool collection with some lovely Teng and Gear Wrench kit as well as fun stuff like the ultrasonic cleaner etc etc.

Community is also a huge element that you just don’t get anywhere - and especially for people who are new to the area (or to Scotland) Finding like minded motorbike enthusiasts can be almost impossible, after living here 7 years I know that all too well! Having a shared space where members can spend endless hours working on their machines, as well as start and finish their rides from, with the additional benefit of organised member rideouts, workshops and social evenings - there’s no better opportunity or better atmosphere to meet other members and plan your next adventures

This will be a real focus in our new space - opening in the Summer of 2024 !

Workshops - I’m personally pretty good at breaking things, but not quite as talented at putting them back together. The series of workshops we’ve come up with backed by local professionals is aimed at getting members up-skilled and to teach us the correct way of going about servicing, maintaining and fixing the kind of issues you’re most likely to encounter on a long trip or a weekend away. This is a service I’ve often looked for in various cities I’ve lived, but never found, and again I think its a great opportunity not only to learn more about the bike you ride and how to care for it, but other equally important things like what tools should you never leave home without, how to use them and what issues to look out.

We’ve got members from all over including Scotland, Ireland, Hungary, Australia, Spain, Italy, France, Poland & South Africa - the only thing more eclectic than our members is the bikes ! Huge thanks to all our new members - without you guys and gals I’d be writing this article from an empty shed, instead I’m surrounded by beautiful bikes and beautiful people.