Your opnion about motorcycle rental / tour

[ricmachado]

I worked for a Harley Rentals in Florida for over 4 years in the past and always wondered why there are no more rentals available.

Is motorcycle rental / tour something you would consider doing during a vacation?

Would you prefer a daily ride where you get the bike and some maps and are free, or a guided tour with a local showing you the best places to ride?

If yes, what kind of bike you would like to rent, Dual-Sport, Cruiser, Dirty, Sport, Sport Touring...

[Two Wheeled 'Tard]

I think it's a problem of cost, and practicality. I've rarely seen bike rentals for less than $100 per day, and even then it's usually something hopelessly boring and bland like a Honda Shadow 750 or a V-Star 650.

Another problem is that while Harley rentals abound, it's often really hard to find someplace that will rent anything that ISN'T a big, heavy, low-slung cruiser. Even the non-Harley rental places are often Vulcans or Road Stars or some other similar 700-lb dreadnaught of a motorcycle. If you don't want a cruiser, most of your options are either high-dollar sport bikes, massive tourers, or farkled up dual-sports and you're paying at least $200/day. Either that or it's 80cc scooters.

I personally would LOVE it if there were more places that would rent cheap, practical motorcycles at reasonable daily rates. We're talking Ninja 250, GS500, that sort of thing.

[abnslr]

Actually I'm planning to do this later in the year in Romania -- rent a bike with luggage and a pre-programmed GPS, and off I go...

[Two Wheeled 'Tard]

I should say that I travel pretty frequently for work and am usually renting a car from Hertz or Avis for about $25/day. If there was a motorcycle rental place that offered a practical machine and airport pickup for $50/day, I'd be all over that. But I can't justify the $200/day rates for anything that isn't a cruiser.

[ricmachado]

When I worked it as an authorized HD rental but not inside a dealer, the main difference I saw when I left is that we were really focused on the rental as the "experience" (i know it sounds cliche) but we were about the ride.

When I left, I worked a few different places and back at rental at a dealer and noticed how much different it was, they were not interested as rental as a touristic option but as a paid road test.

I would like to open a bike rental, but focused more on the rental as a touristic "attraction", maybe offering mid size dual sports (v-storm for example).

I'm still looking for how much it would cost, etc... but I don's see why not.

I agree that the rental should not be too much, but if you think, just as an example, you take the family to Disney, after a few days at the parks, one parent goes to the Disney again with the kids, the other rents a bike, even if the bike isn't as cheap as a 25 dollar car,. it could be around the same price range of a Disney entrance.

Feedback please??

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by ricmachado

I would like to open a bike rental, but focused more on the rental as a touristic "attraction", maybe offering mid size dual sports (v-storm for example).

Feedback please??

Great idea!

Price insurance first.

[Robear]

Worked out incredibly well for us. Flew into Vegas and rented a RT1200 for a week. Made a big loop up into southern Utah, then back down into Arizona, catching a lot of the national parks along the way. We live in Ohio, so riding mine out with the amount of time I had was out of the question. It wasn't cheap, but, it was so worth it.

[Clydascope]

I rented once in South America, we brought my own maps and wandered for two weeks.

Had one of the best adventures of my life.

[duck]

What is this "map" of which you speak?

When I was in Nepal and wanted to tour the Kathmandu Valley I just rented a 250, put my trekking guide on the back and had him direct me to all of the good stuff. The chicken sacrifice was the highlight of the day. (I would've sacrificed a goat but that's not really practical to carry home for dinner on a 250.)

[ricmachado]

I just meant you go on your own.
When I worked, in Florida, most of the customers would ride to the Keys, so I had a route avoiding highways, etc... for the locals was a natural ride, but for someone out of town, was a nice suggestion on how to get there on nicer secondary roads.

It would also swho suggestion of places to stop for food, sightseen etc...

would you like to rent a bike??

also what kind of bikes, I was looking into something like V-Storm, Versys, maybe a BMW 650GS, bikes that can be on and off road, but mostly On Road.

Originally Posted by duck

What is this "map" of which you speak?

When I was in Nepal and wanted to tour the Kathmandu Valley I just rented a 250, put my trekking guide on the back and had him direct me to all of the good stuff. The chicken sacrifice was the highlight of the day. (I would've sacrificed a goat but that's not really practical to carry home for dinner on a 250.)

[Kommando]

I've only seen 2 motorcycle rental places in this country that I didn't think were ridiculously expensive. One is here in Orlando, and rents Triumph modern classics for around $50/day. The other place was out by Los Angeles, and they had a wide selection of bikes, like Ninja 250s, DR-Z400Ss, Monster 696s, RT1200s, GS1200s, GL1800s, and several others. Their rates started at around $75/day, IIRC.

I can rent a car for way less than a Ninja 250, and a car is way more expensive to purchase. $150-$250/day to rent a Harley? No thanks.

[windmill]

For me, cost rules it out which is too bad, some of the most fun I ever had on 2 wheels was in Spain on a rented scooter.

[ricmachado]

Originally Posted by windmill

For me, cost rules it out which is too bad, some of the most fun I ever had on 2 wheels was in Spain on a rented scooter.

I agree that cvost is a big deal, but we cannot really base the price comparing to rental cars, the demand will never be the same.

I do agree that 200/day for a Harley is way too much, and to be honest, I still working on the price point for it. So at this moment I cannot say that a 25/day will be possible.

I think that one of the issues is that very few people look at motorcycle rental as a tourist atraction and not a transportation.

How many of us ride for the fun of it and how many ride just to be a cheapper transport.

I have not had a car since 2002 and motorcycle is my nly transportation, Ihad many different ones, form a Buells to Harleys, to Kawasaki, Honda, etc..

I do like to ride to work everyday, but I enjoy much more my rides on my days off, when I just go explore the area.

That is the person I'm looking for, not the daily commute, but the tourist looking for something different to do, and taking home some pictures of rides he did on the other part of the country.

Now, please don't forget to name the type of bike you would like to see available for rental if ytou voted YES.

[fritzthecat]

Originally Posted by ricmachado

I think that one of the issues is that very few people look at motorcycle rental as a tourist atraction and not a transportation.

I don't think that is correct. At least I would never consider renting a motorcycle just for transportation. I consider a MC rental to be a vacation or special occasion event much like renting a boat/jetski on a lake or a helicopter tour in Hawaii. If I wanted transportation, I'd get a car which has room and storage for my luggage and the occasional dead hooker.

Anyway, the bike rental price isn't usually the biggest expense. It's the insurance. I know my car insurance does not cover rental motorcycles. My creditcard may or may not. It will be a significant chunk on the rental expense.

The bikes you rent will determine the price of both rental and ins. Go with the BMWs and your expenses will be higher than with WeeStroms.
You also need an assortment of bikes. Big 1200+ for the two up crowd, smaller/lowered 650s for shorter people, something comfy for old guys, something sporty for the squids.

Fritz

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by ricmachado

we cannot really base the price comparing to rental cars,

Why not?

I fly into Orlando or LA and need to rent something.

If cost is an object and I can rent a cool car for $50 or a motorcycle for $150, what do you think is going to happen?

If the cost came down, rental agencies could/would rent more motorcycles.