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HOT BIKE Tech Review December 2003
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SCOOTER RIDER MAGAZINE Product Review Fall 2003
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Motorcycle Tour & Cruiser
Product Review
By Laura Brengelman

Bike Barn

Wandering around the annual Powersports trade show in Indianapolis this year, I saw a lot of great products. But I didn't find all that much that I'd call truly innovative. That is until I turned a corner and saw my first Bike Barn.

In some ways, a Bike Barn is similar to a temporary tent erected for a special event. Its metal skeleton is made of round, galvanized steel poles, which insert into each other. The poles run through sleeves in the sturdy, synthetic canvas cover, which also attaches with Velcro. Treated for water resistance, the cover has two vents.

The ingenious difference is that the ends of the U-shaped supports bolt to a central area in the rectangular base on either side. From there, they rotate up, opening the shelter like an old-fashioned, roll-top desk and revealing the perfect-sized storage enclosure for a motorcycle.

Bike Barns come in three sizes: a Sport model ($279, plus shipping and handling) suitable for small sport and dirt bikes, a Standard size ($349) that will fit most cruisers, and a Tourer that's big enough for a full-sized dresser. Billed as a Y?non-contact motorcycle enclosure,? the beauty of it is that you pull your bike in, park it, and close the Bike Barn over it. And nothing comes in contact with your bike's paint, plastic, or chrome.

Since my BMW has a tall windshield and Givi back case (and I bring home various test bikes), I ordered the larger Tourer Bike Barn model. Given a choice, I would have asked for a green cover (to blend into the shrubbery), but this size only comes in a rich burgundy.

I'd like to be able to tell you that the eight pages of directions and diagrams provided were flawless and that I put my Bike Barn together in under an hour. In fact, I struggled determinedly in my driveway for a good, long time, until my husband arrived home and came to my rescue. This is a job for two people.

My dad taught me to unpack a kit carefully and check the packing slip to ensure that all the parts are there (A). The Bike Barn Hardware Description List clearly showed a selection of 20 bolts and four rubber feet. After counting my bounty, I came up with only 16 bolts and no feet (B).

Off I went in search of a metric ruler to determine what was what and what was missing, also grabbing our box of metric hardware to see if we had the right-sized spares. After all this, I discovered that some kind soul in British Columbia had simply saved me a step, using the four 'missing' bolts to attach the four 'missing' rubber feet to the base pieces. (The directions have since been revised to include this change.)

According to the diagram, I first laid out the sturdier, back part of the base frame and the two side pieces. Next, I tried to figure out which upright mounted in which hole. It took me awhile to figure this out, and later measuring revealed that the diagrams are not proportionate. (Happily, the company now stamps numbers on the bigger parts.)

Working from the back, the trick is to connect the shortest support in the first hole, then the longer support with the extra hole, and then two plain, long supports. On the second plain support, reverse the bolt, don't use a plastic washer on the outside, and leave it loose for the time being. In the last hole, bolt on the sides of the front frame with the two rubber feet towards the ground.

Each bolt (with the exception of the one you reversed) gets two plastic washers (on either side of the hole in the base pole) and a locknut (at the other side of the upright pole). I started by fitting the pieces together by hand (C). To tighten each bolt, I used 13mm sockets on a 3/8" ratchet, along with a crescent wrench (D). When my husband came along, I was less than halfway done. He showed me the neat trick of using a battery-operated drill, fitted with a 3/8" socket driver (E).

After all the uprights are attached (F), use a 10mm socket to attach the short support pieces (the ones with holes at both ends) from the extra holes in the side of the base to the holes in the second upright. Next, put the cover in position; 'The Bike Barn' logo goes in the front. Use the large Velcro strip at the back bottom edge of the cover to secure it to the base.

Working your way up to the front, insert each of the straight crosspieces in the sleeves inside the tent. (This is where that second pair of hands comes in handy.) Use a mallet or hammer to attach each end of the crosspiece to an elbow, and connect each elbow to the corresponding upright. Note that the elbows have an oval and a round end and will only fit one way. Be careful not to catch the fabric cover in the joints.

When the structure is complete, use the small Velcro strips inside to secure the rest of the bottom edges. On the outside, fasten the grommet at each side of the cover to the fourth bottom bolt (the one you inserted in reverse) and tighten it down.

While a Bike Barn isn't as secure as storing your bike indoors, it does provide protection from straying eyes - passersby are less likely to peek inside this pseudo-shed than under a fitted cover. For added security, locking hardware and a plate for securing the frame to the ground is provided. And once this thing's locked up, it wouldn't be easy to get a motorcycle out unobtrusively.

Most of all, I like it for the convenience. For someone who rides every day, getting a bike into our shed is a major production involving crossing the yard, negotiating uneven flagstones, unlocking the arsenal, and lowering a heavy ramp. Now, I just ride up to the top of the driveway, open my Bike Barn, and put the bike away. And it's right where I want it the next morning. I think these Canadians are onto a good thing. (MT&C)

This article to appear in the October 2000 issue. All text copyright Motorcycle Tour & Cruiser.

HOT BIKE Product Review January 2001
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The BikeBarn by P.T.I. Products: For those riders that do not have a closed garage to keep their bikes in, this is a great solution.

It is a semi-permanent structure. There are three (3) sizes available so that you don't have to buy more than you need. The smallest is called the Y?Sport Model? and the size is 92? long, 38? wide and 53? tall and comes only in the color gray for $299.00. The Y?Standard Model? is 108? long x 42? wide and 67? Tall and comes in black for $369.00. The Y?Tourer Model? comes in burgundy color as in the photo and is 136? long x 54? wide and 75? tall which is plenty of room for my GL1500 with the tall Tulsa windshield. All prices include shipping. You will find the Canadian prices on their website.

The assembly of BikeBarn is rather straight forward, but should you need help, you can call collect for additional help from a real person. I went to their website for pictures of what it should look like without the cover on and that really helped me out. The only complaint I had was that the galvanized steel tube ends that slide into each other still had burrs on them. A file took care of this problem. The tubing is completely rust resistant and rigid. The material is a high quality Nylon fabric that is 100% polyester with a urethane coating, which makes it 100% waterproof material. The poles run through sleeves in the cover, which also attaches with Velcro.

The BikeBarn has a vent on each side towards the top and located near where the windshield is located. An anchor Plate is provided to secure the structure and it can even be bolted permanently if desired. It is even lockable when closed. There is a base plate for your front wheel to sit on. It only took one extra try to put it in the proper place when using the center stand. When open, the cover does not collapse completely but is open about 2/3rds so that when you stop, you are not under the cover making it easy to get on and off your bike. It is not heavy, so it is easy to open or close.

I received mine during the winter and had the opportunity to test it in heavy snow conditions. It did not leak but I imagine that if you left the wet snow on it long enough it could stretch the material. In light snows, I just ignored it. I haven't anchored mine yet, but it is recommended that you do to protect it from the wind, although I have not had any problems with the wind.

As I plan on permanently storing it on dirt, I intend to buy a sheet of ?? exterior plywood to attach it to. As you can see in the photo, you do not ride over any of the tubing when riding your bike in or out of it. I found it large enough to store my garden tractor with the front snow blower attached to it and still able to completely close it.

Contact them by calling (604) 521-6444, E-mail sales@thebikebarn.net and check out their website at www.thebikebarn.net. The BikeBarn has a two-year warranty.

Mark & Carm Hornstein
Gold Wing Touring Association
Touring News Magazine
(719) 495-4079 voice
(253) 663-7184 fax
www.GoldWingProductReviews.com
www.GWTA.org

PRODUCT REVIEWS ? BIKE BARN
Prying, curious hands and airborne Y?schmutz? are the bane of motorcyclists everywhere. Park your Harley outside and it's vulnerable to all kinds of perils, including rain, snow, hail, sun fading, aerial assault by our feathered friends and unauthorized Y?paws?.

Bike Barn to the rescue. Bike Barns are little portable canvas Y?garages? that come in three sizes. The Sport model, designed for smaller machines like Sportsters; the Standard size that we tried out, which will fit most Harley cruisers comfortably, and the Tourer that's large enough even for an Ultra Classic with all the luggage in place.

Bike Barns can be installed on patios, in carports, or out in the open at home or office. Unlike garden-variety motorcycle covers, Bike Barn is a Y?non-contact motorcycle enclosure,? so it won't rub against your bike's paint, abrading its finish. Just tilt the front up and it stays in place. Park your bike insides, step out and pull the cover down. There's even a small latch setup that allows a padlock to be installed. The sturdy cover is waterproofed and has two screened openings with flaps that provide ventilation.

Bike Barn's upper metal frame is made of galvanized-steel tubing, which is formed so that it can be assembled into U-shaped bows. The bows fit into sleeves in the canvas cover and then bolt to the lower perimeter frame.

Assembly was fairly easy. With about 20 nuts and bolts, plus a handful of washers, it took a little over an hour. There's a metal plate that goes across the bottom near the front that's designed to be anchored to the ground or pavement to hold the Bike Barn down when it's windy (or needed to keep wanna-be thieves from carrying it away). Everything that's needed for assembly is included, except for anchor hardware.

Since we've had the Bike Barn, the wind hasn't really kicked up. However, the canvas and framework appear to be quite sturdy. According to PTI, they've tested a Bike Barn in a wind tunnel at 75mph from both ends with no damage or adverse effects.

Obviously, the Bike Barn isn't as secure as storing your Harley in a real garage, but it does provide protection from the elements. All Bike Barns come with a two-year warranty and prices include shipping anywhere in North America. We found it to be a nicely made product that will help protect your bike.
Ken Freund
American Rider Magazine

Reviewed in Motorcycle News - 6th Jan 1999 by Bill Spurdens
"This is a great idea if you haven't got a garage to park your bike in. You just ride your bike in and then pull the canopy over the top and lock it a ring set in the ground. The Bike Barn is made from rust resistant galvanized steel tubes, covered with tough nylon. It's 275cm (9ft) long, 160cm (5ft 3in) tall and 106cm (3ft 6in) wide - easily big enough for most tourers and sports bikes. There are no problems with condensation because flaps let the air circulate - keeping the bike dry. As a result my Suzuki GSX-R750 didn't show any signs of corrosion, even when it was parked soaking wet. I've used it for months and the Bike Barn is showing no signs of wear and tear. You'd have to drop something heavy and sharp on the fabric to tear it. But be careful lifting the cover after rain because you can end up with water all over your boots! With a ground anchor fixed inside the cover, your bike would be really secure. It's worth paying the money to keep your pride and joy in top condition - and it's cheaper than building a garage!"