Moto Michigan: Motorcycles, Community, Coffee

On June 29, 2025, I attended a small event showcasing the new Slate truck.  The event took place in Ferndale, Michigan. It was cool to see the Slate truck up close. It is bigger and “beefier” than the pictures and videos I found online, which made it even more impressive.  As fun as it was to see the truck, the venue they used for the event was even more interesting. 

Related:  Slate Auto: Blank Slate Approach to EV Trucks

Moto Michigan

The Slate event was held at Moto Michigan, located in an industrial part of Ferndale, Michigan. It opened in May 2025 as a place primarily for motorcycle enthusiasts, however, I can see it growing to include other vehicles.

I really liked the vibe of the Moto garage.  It used to be a small manufacturing shop, so it has a gritty feel.  It was so cool that I reached out to the company founder, Hunter Erdman, for more information.

Hunter Erdman, Moto Michigan Founder

When I connected with Hunter, he was kind enough to indulge my many questions about the business.  I think it is best to share his words directly so that you can get a feel for the passion he has for this community.

How did the idea of Moto surface, and were you part of something like it in the past?

“I helped start an electric truck company called Bollinger Motors, and learned a lot about business and community through that. I had seen other similar businesses (also known as a Third Place) but for cars. 

I thought that would be great here in the Motor City, but quickly realized the space requirements would be significantly larger than the equivalent motorcycle space. Plus, motorcycles are criminally underrepresented in Michigan. I grew up on motorcycles and rode them all the time, so I knew the community was strong, but lacking a central hub.”

When did Moto open and have you met your membership goals yet?

“We just opened after a year of renovations, on May 17th 2025. And we’re still only half open. The membership model was really just the first step. We’re working with the city of Ferndale to finalize our public Cafe space downstairs. 

The member growth has really taken us by surprise. I was hoping for 10 people to sign up at the launch party, but we ended the night with nearly 30. And we’re up to 44 members as of writing this. I’m eternally grateful for the support of these early members, they truly put their money and time behind the vision and took a big risk on me and an unproven idea. 

The old saying is true I guess, ‘build it and they will come’. “

What was in the building before you took it over?

“The building is a big part of what we’re doing here. Up until a month before we opened, the lovely folks at Precision Standard Inc. operated an aerospace machine shop here for 45 years. They made components for government planes. The Presidential helicopter, C130 planes, and F-16 parts, to name a few. 

They just retired and closed the business as we were coming in, so we were able to ask a lot of questions and absorb as much of the history and knowledge as we could. Most of our member base are artists, engineers, designers, architects etc, so finding a space in the Detroit area that made things was pretty important to us. We’re always inspired by Place.”

What interesting things have you learned from your members, and has any of that influenced your plans?

“Members are always giving direct feedback about the space, and watching them use it and learn that it’s really their home away from home, is incredibly satisfying. I had hoped that the place would be a safe space for ANYONE to enjoy motorcycles, cars, and anything mechanical. 

The wide range of individuals that have arrived at our door has proven without a doubt that the community we’re building is diverse, inclusive, accepting, and stronger than ever. COVID proved that people have a deeply human need to have real life connection with other people. And this new AI-fueled Internet is going to drive more people to seek real-world face to face interaction, and these early members indicate that too.”

Take A Tour 

Hunter was more than gracious sharing his story and vision for Moto Michigan.  While I was there for the Slate event, I recorded a short video and took pictures of many parts of the place.  Check them out below:

Membership

Access to the Moto facility is through a monthly membership. I think this is a smart way to encourage interaction between the members and supports Hunter’s goal to provide unique offerings.

The membership menu below provides a nice description of the features and services offered.  The Fabrication Suite intrigues me, so I will be watching that come together with interest!

Final Thoughts & Questions

When I retired from corporate life in late 2019, I explored opening a small shop that would be a meeting place for car enthusiasts, with a place to store and tinker with cars.  This was the beginning of Vehicle Nanny.  Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic sidelined that dream…for now.  Moto Michigan has reignited that idea.  Stay tuned!

Please let me know if you have any questions for me in the comments below.  More information about Moto Michigan can be found on their website.