User Guide

MOTOSHED HELP

The official Moto Shed help center and user guide for setup, maintenance tracking, service intervals, backups, exports, VIN recall monitoring, and troubleshooting.

Google Play App Store

How To Use Moto Shed

This Moto Shed user guide walks through the core parts of the motorcycle maintenance tracker, from adding your first bike to managing service records, exports, reminders, and troubleshooting. If you are looking for app downloads or feature details, visit the Moto Shed app page.

Quick Start

Moto Shed is built around your bike's service history — how you set it up at the start shapes how useful it becomes over time. The two most common scenarios are adding a brand-new bike you just purchased, or adding an older or used bike with a history you may or may not fully know.

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Brand-new bike

You know exactly where the clock starts — mileage is zero and the service slate is clean. Moto Shed sets up default intervals and you simply log services as you do them.

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Used or older bike

You're joining mid-story. Enter the current odometer reading you have, add any service records you know, and let Moto Shed start tracking from there — even with partial history.

Adding a brand-new bike

This is the simplest path. Your history is empty and you're starting fresh from delivery-day mileage.

01

Open the Shed tab and tap + Add Bike

Give it a name (e.g. "Honda CB650R"), set the purchase date, and enter the current odometer reading — typically 0 to a few hundred miles on a new bike.

02

Select your drive system

Choose chain & sprocket, belt, or driveshaft. This determines which maintenance categories appear on your dashboard.

03

Review the default service intervals

Moto Shed pre-loads sensible defaults. Open Shed → Service Intervals and dial them in to match your owner's manual — this is worth doing once, properly.

04

Log your first service when it happens

Tap any category on the dashboard and hit Service + when you complete work. Progress starts from the bike baseline you entered and becomes more accurate as you add real service history.

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Tip: Add your owner's manual PDF to the bike card right away. It's the fastest way to look up interval specs without leaving the app.

Adding an older or used bike

Don't worry if you don't have complete records — Moto Shed works with whatever you know. The goal is to establish a baseline so alerts and progress bars are meaningful going forward.

01

Enter the current odometer reading

Use the actual odometer reading on the bike today. Moto Shed uses that reading and the purchase date you enter as the starting baseline for maintenance tracking.

02

Backfill any service records you have

Oil changes, tire replacements, brake fluid flushes — add anything you know. Even rough dates and mileages are better than nothing. These records become more accurate anchors for your alerts and progress bars.

03

Don't know the last service date? Estimate

If you have no record of, say, the last valve check, leave it alone for now or add a reasonable estimate based on what you know. You can always edit it later. The goal is to improve accuracy over time, not make setup perfect on day one.

04

Review and customize your service intervals

Open Shed → Service Intervals and set them to match your owner's manual — don't rely on the defaults. This is worth doing once, properly, so your alerts and progress bars are actually meaningful.

05

Let the dashboard show you what's overdue

After setup, red panels on the dashboard indicate items needing attention. If earlier service history is missing, Moto Shed may look conservative at first — use the blue banner guidance and add older records as best you can.

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Partial history is fine. Moto Shed is designed to work with incomplete information. It starts tracking from the purchase date and odometer reading you enter, and becomes more accurate as you add service history over time.

Dashboard

Finding Your Way Around

Moto Shed has three main tabs at the bottom of the screen:

HOME

The dashboard for your active bike — progress bars, overdue alerts, fuel stats, and quick service logging.

SHED

Your garage — all your bike cards, photos, VIN status, cost totals, and access to settings and service intervals per bike.

LOGS

Your full service history — view, filter, and sort all records, and export to CSV or PDF Sales Report.

Maintenance Categories

The Home tab is your maintenance command center. Six categories cover your bike's key service areas: Oil Life, Engine, Brake System, Tires, Drive System, and Suspension — each with a progress bar and service history.

Progress Bar Legend
Green (55%+) — Good condition, no immediate service needed
Yellow (20–55%) — Service approaching, plan ahead
Red (0–20%) — Critical, service needed immediately

Progress is calculated based on both mileage and time intervals. The app uses whichever threshold is reached first. Some categories use weighted bars — a minor service moves the bar only a little.

Missing Earlier Service History

If you add a bike with existing mileage and no prior service records yet, some items may appear due soon or overdue. A blue banner on the dashboard explains that Moto Shed is currently tracking from the purchase date and odometer reading you entered, and encourages you to add previous maintenance records to improve accuracy.

Alerts on the Dashboard

Overdue maintenance, upcoming service warnings, registration and insurance expirations, and safety recall notices all surface directly on the Home dashboard — there's no separate alerts page. If you have device notifications enabled, Moto Shed will also send local push notifications for predictive and past-due alerts based on your riding pace.

Logging a Service from the Dashboard

1

Tap a Category (e.g. Oil Life)

Opens the detail view for that maintenance area.

2

Tap "Service +"

Opens the record entry form.

3

Save

Hit Save Record. Moto Shed recalculates the category progress bar immediately.

Fuel Log (Avg MPG)

Tap the Avg MPG card on the dashboard to open the fuel log. Enter your odometer reading, fuel added, and cost per fill. Moto Shed recalculates your running average MPG and cost-per-mile automatically.

Adding Notes

Tap Add Note from the dashboard to log modifications, adjustments, or issues you want to track in your history without it being tied to a formal service category.

Managing Your Bikes

Moto Shed supports multiple motorcycles — perfect for riders with more than one bike or anyone tracking a full garage.

1

Navigate to the Shed Tab

Tap "Shed" in the bottom navigation.

2

Tap + Add Bike

Opens the setup form for a new bike.

3

Enter Bike Details

Fill in the bike name, purchase date, current odometer reading, and drive system type. Moto Shed uses that date and odometer reading as the starting baseline for maintenance tracking.

4

Save and Select

The new bike is automatically selected and becomes your active bike for tracking.

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Warning: Deleting a bike permanently removes all associated maintenance records. This cannot be undone. To delete, tap the menu in the upper-right of the bike card.

Adding a Photo

Each bike card supports one photo, displayed on the right side of the card in the Shed. Tap the photo icon on the right side of the bike card to add a photo — you can either take one with your camera or choose one from your gallery. To remove or replace it, tap the red X on the photo and then add a new one.

Cost Tracking

Every service record can include an optional cost. Moto Shed aggregates these automatically — your total maintenance spend per bike is displayed on the bike card in the Shed. Cost data is also included in both the CSV export and the PDF Sales Report, giving buyers a full picture of what was spent keeping the bike maintained.

Updating Your Odometer

Your current mileage is updated automatically whenever you log a service record — just enter the odometer reading as part of the service entry. You don't need to update it separately between services.

The … Menu

The ellipsis button in the upper-right corner of each bike card is the control centre for that bike. From there you can edit bike details, manage the owner's manual, view service intervals, and delete the bike. If you're not sure where a setting lives, the … menu is always a good first tap.

VIN & Recall Monitoring

Moto Shed can monitor your bike's VIN for manufacturer safety recalls and notify you when action is required. Because recalls can affect safety directly, these alerts are treated with the same urgency as overdue maintenance.

Entering Your VIN

You can add your VIN in two places:

Your VIN is typically found stamped on the frame near the steering head, or on your registration document. It is always 17 characters.

Validation & Status

Once a VIN is entered, Moto Shed runs background checks to validate it and begin monitoring for safety recalls. The result is shown directly on the bike card in your Shed:

Green check mark — The VIN is valid and recall monitoring is active. No action needed.

Red error indicator — There was a problem, such as an invalid or unrecognized VIN. Double-check the number and re-enter it.

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Act promptly on recall notices. Safety recalls are issued by manufacturers when a defect could affect rider safety. Contact your dealer as soon as a recall alert appears — recall repairs are typically free of charge.

Owner's Manuals

Each bike in your Shed can have its owner's manual attached for quick reference. Upload a PDF from your device or link to one hosted online.

Adding a Manual

1

Go to the Shed Tab

Locate the bike's card.

2

Tap "+ Manual"

Opens the manual attachment option on that bike card.

3

Upload or link a PDF

Either select a .pdf file from your device, or paste a URL to a manual hosted online (many manufacturers publish these for free).

4

Save

The manual is now attached to that bike and accessible any time from its card.

To edit or remove a manual, tap the menu on the bike card and choose the desired action.

Maintenance Records

Track every service with detailed records that support warranty compliance and resale value. If you know earlier service history for a bike, add those older records as best you can so alerts and progress bars have a more accurate baseline.

1

Choose a Maintenance Type

Tap "Add Service" in any dashboard category, or use the specific type buttons for multi-item categories.

2

Fill Service Details

Enter the service date, current mileage, cost (optional), and notes about the work performed.

3

Save Record

The record saves and immediately updates your dashboard progress indicators.

History & Log

The Log tab shows all maintenance records across every category in chronological order. You can filter by maintenance type and edit any existing record by tapping it.

Exporting: CSV & PDF Sales Report

From the Log page, tap the Export button. A modal will appear with two options:

CSV Spreadsheet

Exports your full maintenance history as a CSV file you can open in any spreadsheet app. Useful for warranty documentation, insurance claims, or your own records.

PDF Sales Report

Generates a professional PDF document designed to share with a prospective buyer. The report includes:

  • A complete breakdown of every service recorded on the bike
  • An analysis section showing whether the prior owner serviced the bike on schedule relative to the recommended intervals — giving buyers an at-a-glance picture of how well the bike was maintained
  • A verification link at the bottom pointing to toddclement.net/verify.html, so buyers can confirm the report was generated by Moto Shed
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The more complete your service history, the more compelling the report. Backfilling records before generating a report for a sale is well worth the few minutes it takes.

Service Intervals

Customize maintenance schedules to match your riding style, manufacturer recommendations, and personal preferences. Intervals work from the most recent service record for each item. If no real service record exists yet, Moto Shed starts from the bike baseline created from the purchase date and odometer reading you entered.

1

Access Intervals

Tap the "Intervals" button on any bike card in the Shed tab.

2

Set Mileage / Time

Enter how often service should occur in miles and/or months. Setting either to "0" disables that threshold.

3

Apply and Close

Changes apply immediately to your active bike's dashboard and alerts.

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Pro Tip: Set shorter intervals for severe riding conditions (track use, dusty environments, extreme temperatures) and longer ones for highway cruising.

Disabling a Maintenance Item

If an item doesn't apply to your bike (e.g., oil changes on an electric motorcycle), open Shed → Service Intervals, find the item, and toggle it to Disabled. The item hides from the dashboard and no alerts are generated. Past history is preserved and you can re-enable it any time.

Registration & Licensing

Track non-mechanical reminders per bike — Registration Expiration, Vehicle Inspection, Insurance, and License Plate. Open Shed → Service Intervals, locate the Registration & Licensing section, and set your expiration dates. Moto Shed creates an automatic reminder 30 days before each date.

Backup & Export

Protect your maintenance history and move your data between devices easily.

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Your data stays on your device. Moto Shed has no server and no account. All your bikes, records, settings, and photos are stored locally. The only external call the app makes is to the NHTSA's free open-source recall database when you enter a VIN — your VIN is used for the lookup but is never stored remotely.

Creating a Backup

1

Open Settings

Navigate to the Settings tab and scroll to Data Management.

2

Export Data

Tap Export Data to create a JSON backup of all bikes, records, settings, and customizations. Note: photos must be restored manually.

3

Save the File

Store it in cloud storage or email it to yourself. Keep a copy somewhere safe.

Restoring from Backup

In Settings → Data Management, tap Import Data and select your JSON backup file. The app validates and shows what will be imported before you confirm. This replaces current data, so export first if needed.

CSV & PDF Export

To export your history as a CSV spreadsheet or generate a PDF Sales Report, see the Maintenance Records section. Exports are accessed from the Log page via the Export button.

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Always keep a backup in a secure location. Your data lives on-device — if you lose your phone without a backup, your history is gone.

Settings & Customization

App Themes

Choose from several professional color schemes: Classic Blue (Gulf Racing), Golden Shadow (vintage retro), Gulf Retro, Martini Race, Italian Red (Ducati-inspired), Racing Orange, and Energy Green.

Units & Currency

Switch between Miles and Kilometers — all mileage displays and intervals update automatically. Set your preferred currency symbol for cost tracking. The app attempts to auto-detect your location's preferences, but you can override in Shed → Settings.

Intelligent Predictive Alerts

Configure in Shed → Settings → Notification Alerts. Covers insurance, registration, and inspection renewals, plus predictive maintenance forecasting based on your real-world riding pace. Active alerts appear on the Home dashboard. With device notifications enabled, Moto Shed also sends local push notifications — no data leaves your device to make this happen.

Troubleshooting

Data Not Appearing

Ensure you have selected the correct bike from the Shed tab. Each bike has its own unique maintenance history.

Alerts Not Showing on the Dashboard

Check your service intervals. If an interval is set to "0", alerts for that threshold are disabled. For push notifications, make sure Moto Shed has notification permissions enabled in your device settings.

Import / Export Issues

Ensure backup files are valid JSON format. Re-export if the file appears corrupted. There is a 50 MB limit on imports.

Still Need Help?

Email clement.todd+moto-shed@gmail.com or join the community on Facebook where you can ask questions, share tips, and follow updates.

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Moto Shed is a one-time purchase. No subscriptions, no ads, no paywalls — ever. Once you buy it, it's yours.