GARAGE FEATURE

MCM Moto Mecca: A Motorcycle Workshop in Portland, Oregon

In a mid-century garage tucked into the Pacific Northwest, a builder created a motorcycle workshop as exacting as the machines he crafts by hand.

Portland, OR | October 21, 2025

Photographer: Gregor Halenda

Garage with motorcycles inside, illuminated by exterior lights, surrounded by trees.

“The trouble with champagne tastes and a beer budget is that the only option is to homebrew.”

When Gregor transitioned from a larger New York City motorcycle shop to a 485-square-foot garage in Portland, Oregon, the task was to condense a comprehensive operation. Seven motorcycles, a mill, a lathe, a welding station, and the tools from a warehouse needed to fit. The space required a reimagining of its potential, a constant seen across our Garage Visits.

A Compact Vision Realized

To accommodate the demands of a high-performance workshop, Gregor installed 144 electrical outlets. Floating torsion-box benches were constructed, maximizing floor space and providing robust work surfaces. The entire home, a Saul Zaik mid-century modern structure, informed the garage's design, a relationship also seen in the A-Frame Workshop in Washington state, where the architecture of the home directly shapes the function and experience of the garage space alongside it. Every inch of the compact footprint serves a purpose, reflecting a deliberate approach to design and utility.

Precision in Every Dimension

Gregor's background includes a rapid ascent in motorcycle racing, achieving podium finishes at a national level. His work extends to stunt coordination for BMW and custom builds recognized for their design and performance. Today, he operates Saku-Moto in Portland, a venture combining motorcycle craftsmanship with guided adventure tours.

The garage is central to this enterprise, a place where concepts become tangible - a dynamic also seen in The Outpost, a garage workshop in New York's Hudson Valley that functions as both a creative studio and the operational base for its owner's entrepreneurial work. It is a space where the practical demands of fabrication meet an appreciation for form.

The Ethos of Saku-Moto

“Saku is Japanese for blossom,” Gregor explains. This name encapsulates his approach: creating objects of beauty that are also built for rigorous use. His builds are not meant to remain pristine; the experience of their use is paramount. This garage embodies that philosophy, functioning as both a precise workshop and a reflection of a life dedicated to motorcycles.