Motorcycle Rentals coming soon to Burlington, Vermont

MonkeyboyVT · Jul 16, 2011

Our support rig:

MotoVermont will deliver and pick up your rental motorcycle if needed. We also offer free Airport pick up.

MonkeyboyVT · Jul 16, 2011

a1fa said: ↑

May I suggest that you put some kind of general idea map for your recommended destinations..
Click to expand...

Good idea.

drangzt · Jul 18, 2011

I had the distinct pleasure of being Eric's first customer. I was in Vermont on business and found that I had a day free. I remembered seeing something about being able to rent BMW's in Vermont on a posting and after a quick search I found MotoVermont. Eric was great to deal with and I was soon motoring down the beautiful hi-ways of Vermont on an R1200RT with all the gear I needed. It was a great experience and I highly recommend Eric and MotoVermont, great way to site see in beautiful Vermont!

MonkeyboyVT · Jul 31, 2011

Thanks for the Review. Glad you enjoyed the ride!

MonkeyboyVT · Aug 12, 2011

Thank you to the Kawasaki Concours Owners Group for recommending MotoVermont to the attendees of their 2011 National Rally in Mt. Snow Vermont!

Some attendees exploring the unique roads of Vermont and New Hampshire:

Mt. Washington

whitman · Sep 12, 2011

Eric thank you soo much for opening your shop in vermont! I'm sure you understand how much we need a guy like you out there making these dreams a reality. The kind of riding we did, and the experience we had just would not have been if it weren't for your shop (motovermont.) For the others reading this, my girlfriend and I took out the oh-so-sexy F800ST this month from the 7th to the 11th, revisiting vermont, massachusetts and new hampshire for the first time in ten years since I moved to seattle (and first time ever for anna.) As only riders know, there is no better way to experience your surroundings than to be on a bike.. simply put there is no better way to take it all in. Ten years ago, I think at the time I was just enamored by driving myself around in my pickup (I'm thirty now) and it just never really occurred to me that I was missing out on anything. I would drive myself from place to place, in a way I can only compare to looking only at the ground in front of your feet while walking through town. Route 30 / rt 7 / rt 9 in vermont, new hampshire, rt 202, 116, 47 boston, amherst, northampton, pelham, new salem, montague and all of the 'back roads' up into brattleboro through warwick and royalston were just incredible. Where else can you see real history, 200 year old stone walls, offset A-frame post and beam houses, apple orchards, maple-lined town commons and the familiar white church steeple of the upcoming town. The northeast is a GEM and though I felt I knew what I had when I lived there, it truly 'hit home' with me on this trip.

It was outstanding having Eric on the line through all of my flight delays on the way out there, holding down the fort and being extremely accommodating. I also appreciated the consult about road condition and weather before leaving seattle, the very kind and easy-going professionalism and of course I appreciate the immaculate condition of his bikes. This trip has opened my eyes on my old home in the NE, and we will be back again soon. Eric, thanks again and take care of yourself.

Eli and Anna

whitman · Sep 12, 2011

DoubleM said: ↑

Looking forward to renting from you when I visit my sister. Untiil now only Harleys availible.
Click to expand...

@DoubleM, for real isn't it just impossible to find anything other than harleys? I was looking in Mass, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and was just out of luck. I found one single Yamaha yzf1300 in CT and somebody rented it something like five minutes before I called back to rent it. Honestly I flew into Burlington specifically because of MotoVermont, and more than happy to have Burlington as a home-base.. the town itself is beautiful, easy to get in and out. I'm also more than happy everything happened as it did so we rented through Eric. There appears to be one big conglomerate that handles motorcycle rentals nationwide and it was driving me up a wall to see nothing but harleys in the NE.

MonkeyboyVT · Sep 12, 2011

whitman said: ↑

Eric thank you soo much for opening your shop in vermont! I'm sure you understand how much we need a guy like you out there making these dreams a reality. The kind of riding we did, and the experience we had just would not have been if it weren't for your shop (motovermont.) For the others reading this, my girlfriend and I took out the oh-so-sexy F800ST this month from the 7th to the 11th, revisiting vermont, massachusetts and new hampshire for the first time in ten years since I moved to seattle (and first time ever for anna.) As only riders know, there is no better way to experience your surroundings than to be on a bike.. simply put there is no better way to take it all in. Ten years ago, I think at the time I was just enamored by driving myself around in my pickup (I'm thirty now) and it just never really occurred to me that I was missing out on anything. I would drive myself from place to place, in a way I can only compare to looking only at the ground in front of your feet while walking through town. Route 30 / rt 7 / rt 9 in vermont, new hampshire, rt 202, 116, 47 boston, amherst, northampton, pelham, new salem, montague and all of the 'back roads' up into brattleboro through warwick and royalston were just incredible. Where else can you see real history, 200 year old stone walls, offset A-frame post and beam houses, apple orchards, maple-lined town commons and the familiar white church steeple of the upcoming town. The northeast is a GEM and though I felt I knew what I had when I lived there, it truly 'hit home' with me on this trip.

It was outstanding having Eric on the line through all of my flight delays on the way out there, holding down the fort and being extremely accommodating. I also appreciated the consult about road condition and weather before leaving seattle, the very kind and easy-going professionalism and of course I appreciate the immaculate condition of his bikes. This trip has opened my eyes on my old home in the NE, and we will be back again soon. Eric, thanks again and take care of yourself.

Eli and Anna
Click to expand...

Thank You, Thank You! I can't tell you how great it is to hear reviews like that!

It has been a pleasure and so much fun offering this service in New England. - Of course the ADV rider community has been instrumental in spreading the word and supporting this endeavor from the get-go, so to thank you all, MotoVermont is offering a 10% discount to ADV inmates for rentals of 2 days +

Also, check out our Facebook page for ride reports, reviews, specials and new bikes!

dsrydr · Sep 17, 2011

Eric, We met at the BMW dealer in Bentonville Ar. last October and rode together (I chased you) for the rest of the day. Congratulations on the new venture and best of luck. Hope I can make it out there one day, that would be an awesome trip for sure!

Tim

MonkeyboyVT · Sep 18, 2011

Yes, I remember that spirited ride through the foliage of Arkansas quite well, thanks for checking in. Keep posted to this thread, we have a lot more to come in the next year!

oldbronsonwannabe · Sep 18, 2011

Eric.....
Met you on the Ferry just after the MOA Rally this year....didn't realize you were one of the owners/originators of the Outfit!!!.....gonna try to get big Rick to get upthat way again and maybe take a tour with ya....great meeting you and Thanks for the tip on the Irish pub for lunch that day !!!

MonkeyboyVT · Oct 4, 2011

MonkeyboyVT · Jan 12, 2012

MotoVermont is excited to present the latest addition to our growing rental fleet!

The BMW K1600GTL has received rave reviews from the press and will soon be available for rent. The new K bike will be available from March 8-18 at Bike Week In Daytona Beach, Florida and all summer at our HQ in Vermont.

MonkeyboyVT · Mar 12, 2012

MotoVermont has landed in Daytona Beach for Bike Week 2012!!!!

Stop by our booth at BMW / Ducati / Triumph of Daytona. We'll have bikes for rent, Wolfman luggage for sale and we'll be promoting riding in Vermont.

MonkeyboyVT · Apr 9, 2012

MotoVermont and the Americade rally have teamed to bring you an incredible week of motorcycling paired with a BMW motorcycle rental.

Americade's Fly n' Ride
Dream Package

5 Day BMW bike Rental ~ Airport Pickup/Delivery to MotoVermont (BTV Airport) ~ 6 Days/5 Nights Premium Lodging in Beautiful Lake Gearge.

6 Day Americade Package ("Full Week Package") Includes:

All Week Pass to Demo Area Youll find more motorcycle & trike demos and displays at Americade than perhaps at any other event in the U.S.! This is your opportunity to test ride the bikes you dream about, and then talk to the experts who will have the answers you need.

All Week Pass to TourExpo Tradeshow (300,000 sq f of nearly every vendor) at Million Dollar Beach & the Lake George Forum. Americade's TourExpo is motorcycling heaven, with just about every motorcycling accessory, gadget and aftermarket product available for sale from hundreds and hundreds of vendors!

2 Hour Tour Master Dinner Cruise, with prizes, on Beautful Lake George The NEW Fiesta Cruise is one of Americades biggest and best party boats. This special cruise has a top notch Latin band, an elaborate and delicious menu, and hundreds of $$ of prizes from Tour Master. Sign up now, and bring your dancing shoes! Click here to read more about the cruise.

Access to Private Opening Celebraton Party by Rider Magazine with $5K in Prizes Meet 'n greet new friends at this gorgeous spot. There's simply no better way to start your Ameri-Week !

Access to Private Friday Night Spectacular by Tour Master ($40,000 in Prizes, Music, Fireworks) Enjoy free coffee & dessert, fireworks show w/ synchronized music, a water show, major awards and door prize drawings.

Access to Private Saturday Closing Celebraton by RoadBike ($5k in Prizes, Balloon Rides, Music & more) follow the Parade route just outside of town to the sensational party at Wild West Ranch. Live country music will set the tone for toe-tapping fun. Climb aboard tethered hot air balloons (limited availability) or opt to go for a fun hayride.

Drawing Ticket for 2012 Ultra Classic Electra Glide, 2012 Honda Gold Wing, or $20,000 in Cash Which would you
choose?

Register here

Haroon · May 24, 2012

After exploring parts of Europe, Africa & India, my wife & I were eager about touring North America, whose mere size was so intimidating that we didn’t know where to make a start especially finding a non-Harley rental in the North East. Thanks to a simple reference here on Advrider, which pointed us to MotoVermont. Few email exchanges with Eric, who I must admit is a fantastic guy (also lot younger than I thought!) and takes his business very seriously with a personal touch. So from there on things just fell into place from the bike rental, route suggestion & even a minor change in itinerary were all taken care of in the most professional manner. A special gratitude to Eric for the suggestion to upgrade to the K1600GTL, which I initially suspected may be more work on the backroads, but it was a fabulous choice of bike for our trip especially since he had set it up the way we wanted it and personally the GTL handled better than few other lighter sport tourers that I have ridden before.

My wife & I cannot thank Eric enough for his efforts and assistance in ensuring an unforgettable biking experience in New England (will post the ride report separately in a couple of weeks) and we hope we can come back for more in future. He definitely has our future business and I would highly recommend his services to other potential tourers looking to explore that part of USA.

Haroon & Farzana
www.rideforpassion.com
India

GBVT · Jul 6, 2012

Nice article Eric! Maybe it'll help get the state to promote motorcycle tourism as much as they do snowmobiles.

Eric Milano perches atop a gleaming BMW R 1200 GS. He accelerates as he leaves behind the gridlock of midday traffic in South Burlington, but within moments hes slowing down to navigate Governor Chittenden Road, a shady dirt path that meanders under lush foliage and past small dairy farms.

Its vistas like this that Milano hopes will convince dedicated motorcycle tourists to make Vermont their next destination. Banking on the states scenic appeal from the back of a motorbike, he launched MotoVermont the states first motorcycle touring company last year.

I love motorcycling, and I think its a really unique way to experience a place, says the avid rider.

His timing was perfect. Milanos business goes hand in glove with what are now the two fastest-growing segments of motorcycle culture: dual-sport riding (which combines riding on dirt and paved roads) and adventure touring. Data from the Motorcycle Industry Council show that sales spiked last year among touring bikes (up 13.5 percent since 2010), dual-sport bikes (up 14.2 percent) and traditional motorcycles (up 11.7 percent from the previous year).

But, even as motorcycle touring has grown in popularity across the United States, enthusiasts such as Milano say Vermont has been slow to capitalize on the trend, and that the state could, and should, be doing more to attract motorcycle tourists.

He hopes to fill the gap: MotoVermont is designed to be a one-stop shop for those visitors. Milanos company, tucked in a garage behind Enterprise Rent-A-Car in South Burlington, provides free pickup and drop-off for customers from the nearby airport. For between $99 a day for a lightweight Kawasaki and $179 a day for the most luxurious BMW, Milano will outfit a motorcyclist with all the essential gear and custom-tailored routes for exploring Vermonts roadways.

As Milano takes off in the direction of Underhill, Im balanced behind him on the passenger seat. This is my first time, ever, on a motorcycle. I figure the statute of limitations is well up on my mothers dear-God-never-get-on-the-back-of-a-motorcycle directive, and Ive put on a show of derring-do about the whole affair despite some jitters.

I shouldnt have worried. Though Im admittedly white-knuckling the handles on either side of my seat, sitting behind an experienced rider turns out to be more thrilling than terrifying. When we slow down to glide through village centers past kids eating creemees and farmers bringing in hay my line of thought isnt, I feel like a bobble head in this helmet or I could die at any moment. Its more like, I feel really rad right now.

Milano moved to Vermont 10 years ago, and by now knows its back roads well. He was working for an electronics recycling company based in Miami when he was offered the option to telecommute. Suddenly, Milano could work anywhere in the country. He picked Burlington in part because of its relative proximity to his native New York City but also because he loved Vermonts beauty.

It was around the same time that Milano took up motorcycle riding (after trying his gateway hobby, snowmobiling). I was actually always kind of scared of motorcycles, he reveals, but, like many riders, he got hooked after he gave riding a whirl. Milano admits it can be a dangerous hobby. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the rate of motorcycle deaths nationwide has been increasing in part because of the surge in ownership, especially among older riders. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2004, motorcyclists were about 34 times more likely than car passengers to die in a crash and eight times more likely to be injured.

Milano isnt foolhardy, but, in his estimation, I think the risk is worth it.

His customers have to confront that risk head-on when they sign a thick liability disclosure agreement before heading out to explore Vermonts winding roads. Renters must be at least 25 years old and have a valid motorcycle endorsement on their drivers license.

Milanos business is the first devoted primarily to motorcycle rentals in Vermont. Harley-Davidson dealerships, of which there are two in the state, have always rented out bikes but Bob LoCicero, who runs the website www.motorcycle-vermont.com, says, The people who would rent Erics bikes probably wouldnt rent a Harley, and vice versa. Harleys, he says, are more traditional, with fewer capabilities and a more limited market appeal better known for cruising on wide, open roads than for navigating backcountry lanes.

Milanos business is catching on. Last year, he says, was in many ways a trial run and hes already had renters from as far away as India, Denmark and Japan. Hes had plenty of domestic riders, too everyone from business travelers who want to get out and explore, to couples setting off on New England road trips.

Among the many reasons Milano likes riding in Vermont, he says, is that automobile drivers here are willing to share the road an important consideration, given that more than half of all motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle.

The drivers here are extremely respectful, Milano says. He speculates that its because Vermonters have [an] adventurous side.

Milano is not alone in his opinion that Vermont is a great place to ride a motorcycle; LoCicero asserts that its the best in New England. Riders can follow long stretches of road through rural landscapes without having to change speed too frequently. Even during peak seasons such as fall foliage, LoCicero says, plenty of roads remain lightly trafficked. All the factors that make Vermont attractive to tourists in general friendly people, scenic views, great food attract motorcyclists, too, he points out.

But, while other tourists may not worry about the quality of Vermonts roads, that means everything to motorcyclists: Good roads are to bikers as good snow is to skiers, LoCicero explains. He believes the state should recognize that maintaining its infrastructure is crucial to the tourism industry, as well as to its residents. He points to the Route 17 Appalachian Gap road as an example.

Its a motorcycle destination, LoCicero says. But the road quality has deteriorated so much, he notes, that he thinks its dangerous and wont recommend it to other riders anymore. That should be a treasured road, he laments.

Milano agrees, and points to the App Gap as a fantastic road for riding when its in better condition. Now, though, hes sending his riders on alternate routes.

Leaving aside its infrastructure issues, LoCicero says that Vermont is well positioned to take advantage of motorcycling trends. More than half of the states roads 8000 of 14,000 total miles are unpaved. (Some, he jokes, qualify as barely paved.) For dual-sport riders, thats a great mix.

But LoCicero isnt convinced that the state of Vermont recognizes what a boon motorcycling could be to the tourism industry. Snowmobiling, he says, gets far more attention, even though the winter recreation season is much shorter. The states official tourism website vermontvacation.com makes no mention of motorcycling in Vermont. LoCicero wants that to change.

Motorcycling is overlooked as this distinct thing that has its own attraction, he says. Outside the state, we are probably better understood as a motorcycle destination than inside the state.

Increasingly, however, innkeepers are realizing that motorcyclists can be a valuable source of business. Carina Thorsson owns the Gray Ghost Inn on Route 100 in West Dover. Located beside a ski resort, the inn gets most of its business during the winter months so when Thorsson noticed the motorcyclists traveling up and down Route 100, she decided to recruit them during the slower summer season.

She contacted Harley Owners Groups, or hog chapters, and began marketing her inn as motorcycle friendly. Word spread quickly, and soon chapters were planning destination rides up to the inn. They come for a weekend, take day trips from West Dover, and then head home on Sundays.

Its just a fantastic group of people, says Thorsson. She says the stigma sometimes attached to motorcycling doesnt belong on the riders she sees, most of whom come on Harley-Davidsons, BMWs or Honda Goldwings expensive bikes that tend to be favored by middle-aged riders. Her experience catering to motorcyclists has been nothing but positive.

Once people find out that some place or some state is motorcycle friendly, theyll come, without a doubt, Thorsson says.

Milano hopes so, too. Our half-day ride peaks in the hairpin turns of Smugglers Notch. High in the mountains above Jeffersonville and Stowe, the air is cool and fragrant, the road shaded by the dense forest and dramatic rock cliffs. From here, its downhill as we wend our way back to South Burlington and the heat of the city. When we pass a pick-your-own berry farm, were enveloped in the smell of fresh strawberries.

This is a motorcycle nirvana, Milano says. And, even on one of the hottest days of the summer, its hard to disagree.
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http://www.7dvt.com/2012hello-moto

MonkeyboyVT · Jul 8, 2012

Thanks for posting GBVT!

KingJeff · Sep 24, 2012

I ended up in VT on business and decided to rent a bike instead of a car. What a great choice, and both Eric and Spenser were responsive to all my questions. It was very easy to navigate the web-site, reserve my bike, and Eric even picked me up at the airport an hour after the shop closed.

I rented the BMW F650GS, and it was in great condition, clean, gassed, and ready to go. Eric helped me with a suggested route, stored my bag I wouldn't be needing, and sent me on my way. I couldn't have had a better experience, and would definitely recommend them to everyone. I'll be back next time I'm in VT.

Vermont is an awesome place to ride. Great roads, with few cars and few stop signs. I even saw a VT moose! I wish I had more time to explore.

MonkeyboyVT · Jan 31, 2013

Big thanks to all our customers in 2012!

We LOVE receiving photo's from your many unique trips and thought we might post a few here on ADVrider.

Hope you enjoy and please keep 'em coming!

Group from Mexico en route to the Maine Coast

Couple from India on a 7 day tour of New England

Overlooking the St. Lawrence seaway and Charlevoix, Quebec. En route to Gaspé peninsula.

Customers from Venezuela on their way to Boston, MA.

Group from Louisiana en route to Nova Scotia.

The Columbia bridge separating Vermont from New Hampshire.

Group from NYC on an adventure loop through the Green Mountain National Forest

Last of the foliage on a late October ride through Vermont.

One of our favorite local customers in the White Mountain range. Hi Vicky