(Photo by Brent Van Auken)
Custom Built, Vintage Motorcycles, Hand-Roasted Coffee, Craft Beer & Select Retail Goods
Spoken Moto is a gathering place created around custom built, vintage motorcycles, hand-roasted coffee, craft beer and select retail goods. The new space near the Old Mill District in Bend is both a step back to a simpler time and a reflection of Central Oregon’s increasing identity as a home for folks who see the world through a slightly different set of goggles.
The frame of Spoken Moto began to take shape through reclaiming and restoring 1960’s and ’70’s vintage motorcycles. Founders Brian Gingerich and Steve Buettner recognized the impact these once-forgotten bikes had on everyone who saw them and decided to build an experience that not only celebrates the simple beauty of the past but invites collectors and owners to imagine what can be.
Photographer, social media guru and moto enthusiast Brent Van Auken joined the cause last fall, adding his creativity to the team, helping build what has become Spoken Moto.
Spoken is now located on the “Pine Shed” property, which once served as an integral part of the timber industry that drove Central Oregon’s economy. By 2015, the Pine Shed was a long-unoccupied and forgotten industrial building. Not unlike the 70-or-so overlooked or abandoned bikes they had acquired, the Pine Shed “spoke” and a year later, it is a thoughtfully renovated social and retail space located squarely between downtown and the Old Mill District.
Wheel on over, and the feel of Spoken Moto grabs you before you even make it through the front door. Park your ride next to a shining selection of restored custom, vintage motorcycles. Outside, there is a large patio to enjoy your favorite brew along with a diverse and changing selection from local food carts.
“The Pine Shed has been reclaimed to highlight the stark beauty of 20th-century industrial construction that once populated the Bend cityscape,” explains Buettner also the owner and founder of SunWest Builders.
The sound of wrenches clattering in the toolbox and throaty purr of a long-dormant engine greet you as you walk toward the bar past hand-built tables from Stuart Breidenstein (of Stuart’s of Bend on Scott Street) and gorgeous emerald leather sofa via Furnish.
House-roasted espresso drinks created by Pete West (formerly of Backporch Coffee Roasters) pick you right up. Have you had a citrus ginger-mint seasonal cold brew? And these beverages pair well with fresh local pastries. Once it’s day-drinking time, enjoy a well-poured pint from local and regional craft breweries and cideries. While you’re enjoying the fare, peruse the merchandise: a selection of clothing and gear to fit any lifestyle.
There is a lot to experience at Spoken Moto, but at no point will you forget that the hub of Spoken Moto is vintage motorbikes,” offers Gingerich. “Custom paint, hand-tooled leather seats, and all the parts that fit in between, practically anything can be done to a bike already in the collection or wheeled in by the owner.”
Whether you’re looking for some caffeine and wifi to get work done in the morning, a place to meet up for a good-old-fashioned hang, a spot to enjoy a beer while your kids have a hotdog or even a non-traditional event space for a fiesta of your choosing, Spoken Moto is the spot. Put your helmet on and get down there.
Spoken Moto Grand Opening is set for August 27 with live music starting early evening.
Spoken Moto | 310 SW Industrial Way, Bend | Tuesday-Saturday | 8am-10pm
