Has anyone hired a bike in the USA?

[Damantis]

Am getting married and honeymooning in the USA at the beginning of October.. Wondering if anyone has hired a bike there before. Want to ride the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Then, we'll hire a car and drive right across to New York! Plenty of websites to look at, but would rather have some recommendations...

[Hitcher]

Harley Davidson dealers in the USA have a rental scheme. Uplift a Harley at one dealer, in this case San Francisco, and drop it off at another, in this case LA.

[Nonbeliever]

Am getting married and honeymooning in the USA at the beginning of October.. Wondering if anyone has hired a bike there before. Want to ride the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Then, we'll hire a car and drive right across to New York! Plenty of websites to look at, but would rather have some recommendations...

sounds like an awesome plan...apart from the getting married part.

[scracha]

Am getting married and honeymooning in the USA at the beginning of October.. Wondering if anyone has hired a bike there before. Want to ride the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Then, we'll hire a car and drive right across to New York! Plenty of websites to look at, but would rather have some recommendations...

In 2009 Simon (Limbtwin) bought a GSXR600 on the west coast, rode it across the states and sold it to another of their franchises on the east coast. Worked out a lot cheaper.

http://picasaweb.google.com/simonsApathy/

[Damantis]

sounds like an awesome plan...apart from the getting married part.

Circle of life n all that... :scooter:

[scumdog]

In 2009 Simon (Limbtwin) bought a GSXR600 on the west coast, rode it across the states and sold it to another of their franchises on the east coast. Worked out a lot cheaper.

http://picasaweb.google.com/simonsApathy/


Might not be the best for a two-up tour though...


I rented an Ultraglide, ideal for lng trips and can carry heaps of gear.

And good on gas.

Not cheap - but worth it.:yes:

[Metastable]

http://www.dubbelju.com/

I rented from them back in 2001.... and had a great experience. Things may have changed..... but the following was my experience.

They even have some gear you can take if you have a hard time packing your own. In my situation I was meeting a young lady I had met at a friends wedding. She lived in Calgary and I lived in Toronto.... flights were cheap because this was October and just after 911.

I brought two helmets, two pairs of gloves and my gear and we outfitted her with a riding jacket when we got to dubbleju. I put her on the back and we went touring.... hit up the PCH 1 north of San Fran and Napa Valley one day and did Mount Hamilton and PCH1 south of San Fran the next day. It was our first date.... now we're married. :D

Anyhoo - it was a very easy place to deal with and they were very well organized. I would rent from them again!

[Damantis]

http://www.dubbelju.com/

I rented from them back in 2001.... and had a great experience. Things may have changed..... but the following was my experience.

They even have some gear you can take if you have a hard time packing your own. In my situation I was meeting a young lady I had met at a friends wedding. She lived in Calgary and I lived in Toronto.... flights were cheap because this was October and just after 911.

I brought two helmets, two pairs of gloves and my gear and we outfitted her with a riding jacket when we got to dubbleju. I put her on the back and we went touring.... hit up the PCH 1 north of San Fran and Napa Valley one day and did Mount Hamilton and PCH1 south of San Fran the next day. It was our first date.... now we're married. :D

Anyhoo - it was a very easy place to deal with and they were very well organized. I would rent from them again!

Yeah, doubleju.com looks like one of the better sites I've looked at. The missus isn't so keen on more than one day on the back of a bike so pacific coast highway is too far. We will just do a day trip instead, possibly to Yosimite National Park or somewhere scenic like that.

[Metastable]

There are so many nice rides in California. I'd suggest getting there with an open mind and let the guys at dubbleju (if you go with them) give you guys some suggestions. Then from a time perspective, you guys can figure out what is best.

If I were to do your trip, I'd rent a bike and ride around for a couple of days, then rent a car in San Fran and do PCH1 south to LA or even a little further ie San Diego... then across the US.

PCH1 is a very cool road, but with the exception of a section south of Monterey, it isn't a great riding road. The scenery is cool, the atmosphere is cool, but there are lots of lights in certain sections and it can be slow going at times. You'll get just as much enjoyment out of it by car (or almost the same). Plus one added advantage would be that you would have room for all of your luggage.

So - you can rent a bike for 1 or 2 days in San Fran and just do day trips. Like that you don't have any time constraints and there is no set destination to get to. You don't have to be on the bike for 9-10 full hours (which is what PCH1 will take with stops). Instead you can do 2 days of 4-5 hours of riding.... on roads that are MUCH better for riding. Plus, if you are using San Fran as "home base" for a couple of days, then you don't have to worry about bringing all the luggage with you on a bike.... just save that for the rental car.

If you do the car thing.... you can even take it down to San DIEGO. That section south of LA is kinda cool (again - not in a riding way.... just as an experience) going through Huntington Beach (good surf spot), Newport Beach, San Clemente etc...

Please do one thing in San Fran on a bike -> the Golden Gate bridge. Don't ask me why, but it was one of the coolest things I have done on a bike. Sounds dumb, I know... straight line... and I'm a track guy... but for whatever reason it just felt RIGHT!

Anyway, the bit above was just a suggestion.

Plus - if you could stop for a couple of days in Colorado and rent a bike there..... YOU'D LOVE IT!!!! Riding in Colorado is TITS!!! :D Seriously - think about it. If you decide to, let me know and I'll fill you in on some great riding in Colorado.

[longwayfromhome]

The missus isn't so keen on more than one day on the back of a bike so pacific coast highway is too far. We will just do a day trip instead, possibly to Yosimite National Park or somewhere scenic like that.

Renting a convertible is good. They have Chrysler and Toyota converts and they are acceptable. Go to one of the big locations (airport) and you will have some choice They won't pre-allocate a conv. for you but you can be sure to get one on site, or take something else for a day and come back the next and change). After lots of miles in a car and bike in the US, I think a convertable is the way to go.

Yosemite is a long day, particularly on a bike and you will be sure to cut out Glacier Point if trying to do it in one day, thereby missing a wonderful experience.

There is some wonderful sightseeing around SF - Muir Woods, the coast north, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, let alone south on the Big Sur coast which is what you are talking about. I think the advice to take a couple of days off in the middle in Denver and do Rocky Mountains Nat Park and surrounding areas (14 out of Ft Collins etc) on a bike is top advice.

You cannot take too long on this trip, 1 week, 1 month or 1 year... every day will be marvellous. America is a beautiful place,

[scumdog]

Renting a convertible is good. They have Chrysler and Toyota converts and they are acceptable.
There is some wonderful sightseeing around SF - Muir Woods, the coast north, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, let alone south on the Big Sur coast which is what you are talking about. I think the advice to take a couple of days off in the middle in Denver and do Rocky Mountains Nat Park and surrounding areas (14 out of Ft Collins etc) on a bike is top advice.

You cannot take too long on this trip, 1 week, 1 month or 1 year... every day will be marvellous. America is a beautiful place,

We also rented a Volvo C70 - yes a Volvo!

Best of bothe worlds, when the top was down you had a convertible, when the top was up a hard top.

It was a retractible rather than a convertible. (Google it to see what I'm talking about).

And we went via Lake Tahoe to Reno for Hot August Nights...

[wogget]

I ended a work trip with a 3 day ride on a Harley, never ridden a cruiser before this, and really enjoyed it.

I hired from eaglerider just because they had a convenient 3 day plan on there web site and I was by myself. I ended up buying a mad map from the rental shop and found it to be excellent. It is designed for riders and had loops and attractions etc for the area (San Francisco, they have maps that cover different areas). If I got the option to do it again I'd just pay for the bike hire and get a mad map for the area and hit the road.

The rental company look after my luggage and I just took my small backpack with me that fit into the Harley saddle bags. Ridding the Harley was a breeze, all day with no sore arse or wrists, excellent for stopping at the top of hills to take in the view.

[Metastable]

Just a few things you might want to know about car rentals.

Renting from the Airport gives you the biggest selection, they have everything from a Mustang to a Corvette to a Hybrid. There is also the bigger 1-way rental selection.

However, if you rent from an airport you usually pay an airport fee, that you don't get at other locations.

Rent the car before you arrive in the USA, that will give you the cheaper rates. If you do have to rent a car in the USA, then call their 1800 number instead of going to the counter. IF you just go to the counter the prices are usually higher.

The convertible is a good idea for California. You might want to get something cool like a Corvette for 1 day and then something fuel efficient for the rest of the trip.

FYI - very hard to find a manual transmission car rental.

[Stormdragon]

Get yourself logged into BARF (http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/), (yes I said BARF :laugh: ) and ask the same question. They'll have the hot tip on local rentals, and routes. I suspect if the soon-to-be wife only wants a day trip, that Yosemite is out, as that's going to be one long ride. Most likely the guys on BARF will suggest heading north, past Point Reyes and around the Lost Coast. (If you can talk her into two days, you can stay in Napa and drink wine!)

[Damantis]

:yes: Will definitely sort the car rental from this end, via the travel agent.

[Metastable]

FYI -> I EDITED my post.... I said go down to San Jose by car, which would make no sense at all. I meant to say San Diego. (aka Sandy Eggo :D )

I probably had San Jose in my head because I was thinking of telling how to get to Mount Hamilton... there is a route from Livermore heading towards San Jose via Mines Road, which is a great riding road.... but that's kinda getting too detailed. The guys at BARF can give you a good idea, so can the folks who you are renting from, especially if they are use to doing tours too.

[imdying]

:yes: Will definitely sort the car rental from this end, via the travel agent.I dunno mate, plenty of savings to be had on the web. You have to remember, it's not like NZ. If you book a shuttle at the airport, it will arrive. If you book a hotel, it will be ready... rent a car, it'll be ready and waiting. It's not the sort of Mickey Mouse circus one expects from New Zealanders, these guys actually know the meaning and value of service. You have to tip over there but you know what, with the way they treat you, you feel happy to.