Review: Asgard Motorcycle Gladiator Shed

IF YOU CAN tell the measure of a (wo)man from the state of their shed, then I dread to know what you’d think of me.

As I mentioned in my first impressions of Asgard’s Gladiator shed, once built I intended to truly test its capacity, and see just how much I could fit inside.

You see, I take ‘space optimisation’ very seriously. Previously, I’ve turned a Kriega R30 into the Tardis, and managed to fit a GS and two KTM 250s inside a standard wheelbase T4.

But a shed measuring 8ft11 by 7ft4 provided even greater a challenge. Did I even own enough to fill 65.4 square foot (6 square metres)?

Silly question. Two dirt bikes, one GS, one roof tent and the capacious unit still wasn’t full. Two chest tool boxes, four jerry cans, five pairs of boots, three sets of tyres and a selection of helmets later, and it was beginning to resemble a hoarders paradise.

Bearing in mind that I had been advised the unit would fit ‘one large motorcycle with space to spare’, I was seriously impressed. However, getting in and out isn’t so easy anymore, and involves sideways shuffling the length of the shed.

As advised, when putting the steel panels together we left plenty of space for ventilation. Before putting the bikes inside, I cleaned and dried them thoroughly to avoid any moisture building up.

Nonetheless, after our recent snowy spell, I was concerned about damp inside the unit. So venturing out into the artic wilderness that is my garden, I took a look. While Asgard has incorporated holes for extension cables and lighting, we’ve found that a magnetic battery-powered workshop light is more than adequate to illuminate the space.

Picking the helmets and boots off the shelves one by one, I inspected them for damp. Not a drop of moisture was present, although they all felt like they’d been in a fridge for weeks.

The bikes were still there, too, and looking dejected after two weeks of solitary confinement. A frying pan sat under the GS, preventing a congealed mix of oil and coolant from seeping into the wooden floor.

Now, as any motoring enthusiast will tell you, the floor of a garage needs to be one of its toughest aspects – aside from the doors, that is. The floor is the regular victim of dropped tools, spilt fluids and, if you’re that way inclined, the occasional burnout.

While the Gladiator Unit does have a metal panel flooring, it’s the ply panels that slot ontop that I’m concerned about. With the bikes likely to be moving in and out a lot more frequently in the coming months, the floor will likely see a lot of rain, mud and rubber.

Although something that won’t be an issue anymore is wheel slip on the shed entrance ramp. As I mentioned in my first impressions piece, the first time I rode my long term GS in, the rear wheel lost traction on the bare metal and the knobbly tyres caught the lip of the shed, bending it outwards.

Luckily, the good guys at Asgard read about my plight and just days later a perfectly sized roll of grip tape arrived. It used to be included with the shed, but because so few people actually used it, was ditched to cut costs. Now, it’s a £12 accessory, incredibly easy to fit and totally worthwhile.

Shed repacked, I’m prematurely looking forward to spring, when the Asgard unit will be seeing a whole lot more action. But if first impressions are anything to go by, it will more than stand up to the challenge…

Specs:

Asgard Gladiator Unit

Price: £1,435

Size: 8ft11 by 7ft4 (65.4 square foot)

Construction: Galvanised weatherproof steel

Security level: Insurance and police approved