The post-apocalyptic survival sandbox of Once Human is brutal, but once you unlock your first vehicle, traveling through the chaos gets a lot easier. This MMO blends base-building, cosmic threats, and mutated wildlife across vast open-world environments, and with the right vehicle, you can traverse it all with speed and safety. From getting your first motorcycle to unlocking four-wheelers and maintaining your garage, this guide breaks down everything you need to know to dominate the roads of Once Human.

If you’re still getting your bearings, you might also want to check out the Once Human Base Building Guide to understand how vehicle crafting ties into your settlement setup.

How to Get Your First Motorcycle

Your first taste of freedom on wheels comes fairly early in the game. By following the main story under the “Follow the Stardust” tab in your Journey menu, you’ll eventually reach Deadsville. After meeting some key characters like Claire and Lowe, Mary will reward you with a motorcycle for completing the task. This is a major turning point in gameplay, giving you quicker access to new biomes and loot zones.

That said, your new bike isn’t just plug-and-play forever. It needs proper care and occasional repairs—otherwise, it’ll start sparking and eventually burn out.

Building a Garage for Maintenance and Upgrades

Before you can truly master vehicles in Once Human, you’ll need to build a Garage. This unlocks from the Building branch of your Memetics tech tree. Once available, you can construct it using Copper Ingots and Rusted Parts. Copper is refined in a Furnace, while Rusted Parts are gathered from lootable junk and processed using a Disassembly Bench.

Once you’ve got your Garage up and running, you gain access to two vital features—repairs and modifications. From here, you’ll be able to maintain your bike and later craft more powerful vehicles like the ATV and Coup.

How to Repair and Modify Vehicles

Vehicles in Once Human degrade over time. Crashing into walls or simply riding for long durations will slowly damage their components. You can’t fix this in the field; instead, head to your Garage and press G at the control panel to open the repair menu. It’s a bit hidden, but essential to keeping your ride functional. The interface shows each vehicle component and the materials needed for repairs.

Modifying your motorcycle becomes available once you unlock the related Memetic node. From the Garage, switch to the Modification tab. Each part, like your engine or wheels, can be upgraded using Bronze Ingots and other scavenged materials. These upgrades improve durability, fuel economy, and speed—making them essential for late-game exploration.

Crafting Four-Wheelers for Team Travel

Once you’re ready to expand beyond the basic bike, you can craft four-wheel vehicles like the All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and the Retro Coup. Unlock the Four-Wheeler node from Tier 3 of the Building tech tree. The ATV fits four players and is incredibly durable, while the Coup offers better speed but fewer seats.

To build either, go to your Garage and press X to open the Vehicle List. Select the car you want and start crafting its four core components. Each piece shows the required resources. After assembling all parts, your vehicle becomes available in the spawn menu, letting you swap between your rides on demand.

Fueling Your Ride: Portable vs. Premium

Every vehicle in Once Human runs on fuel, and there are two main types—Portable Mixed Fuel and Barreled Premium Fuel. The Portable kind provides 100 units, while Premium gives 1,000. A fully fueled motorcycle requires about 3,000 units (or more with gas tank upgrades).

To keep your fuel supplies topped up, build a Refining Facility using the Fuel Refinery Memetic node under the Infrastructure tree. The facility slowly converts Acid into Portable Fuel. You can later upgrade it to a Super Refining Facility, which also allows you to turn Portable into Premium Fuel.

If you’re short on materials like Acid, don’t miss our dedicated Once Human Farming Guide for the best ways to gather and refine resources efficiently.

Master the Roads, Own the Wasteland

Vehicles are more than just flashy toys in Once Human—they’re survival tools. From the free motorcycle you earn in early missions to rugged ATVs that carry entire squads, every upgrade you invest into your Garage pays off in exploration, safety, and style. Keep your machines in top shape, mod them smartly, and always have fuel in reserve. For more power-oriented progression, check out our Once Human Weapon Tier List to pair the right tools with your mobility. For the best gaming experience, try playing Once Human on BlueStacks, which offers a bigger screen and smoother gameplay.