Motorcycle hire in London ?

[Mooch]

The wife and I haven't had a ride in sometime now and are iching to get on it again (Since Feb / March) .

Has anyone hired motorcycles out of London ?. Can anyone recommend a bike hire place in London ?. After something like a couple of Supersports , 600's , maybe newer model Triumphs, might stoop to a Suzuki etc. Opinions welcome.
Cheers
mooch

[Sniper]

Do a google search, I believe there my be some good ones on there

[Hammer]

Can't help on where to hire but make sure you get down to Chelsea Bridge on a Friday night (after 8 - 9 pm) as there is a heap of like minded folk who gather there. Even some nice antics from time to time - was at least when I was there.

[James Deuce]

These guys are supposed to be pretty good.

http://www.superbikehire.co.uk/

These guys have a better range of bikes

http://www.abouttownbikehire.co.uk/home.htm

[Mooch]

Thanks for the reply's guys , now , which bike should I hire ?.

http://www.superbikehire.co.uk/page2/prices.htm

[James Deuce]

Gilera X9!!

Bandit 600 I reckon. It'll do everything you need it to, with out rupturing a credit card.

[Mooch]

Gilera X9!!

Bandit 600 I reckon. It'll do everything you need it to, with out rupturing a credit card.

I could probably take the luggage for a change and leave Ang to an light R6.
like the scooter idea

[Lias]

I really wish bikes wernt so pricey to hire

I'm getting my full in december and I had a cunning plan to hire a bike and tour the north island a bit during summer. Then I looked at the price of hiring bikes and damn near had a heart attack.

I can go hire a cage for $50-80 a day, whilst a bike is 5-6 times that price.. Its just fucking criminal.

[Wolf]

I really wish bikes wernt so pricey to hire

I'm getting my full in december and I had a cunning plan to hire a bike and tour the north island a bit during summer. Then I looked at the price of hiring bikes and damn near had a heart attack.

I can go hire a cage for $50-80 a day, whilst a bike is 5-6 times that price.. Its just fucking criminal.

Save up what you'd need to hire the bike for the period you want and use it as a deposit on an identical bike - so you'd have to make monthly payments for 2 years, at least the bike'd be yours at the end of it...

[Mooch]

Gilera X9!!

Bandit 600 I reckon. It'll do everything you need it to, with out rupturing a credit card.

Ended up hiring two R6's for the long weekend at the end of August . What sort of range does yours do to reserve ?.

[James Deuce]

Ended up hiring two R6's for the long weekend at the end of August . What sort of range does yours do to reserve ?.

Depends on Timmy Throttle Hand.

I think I once hit 210kms

Worst was 170kms, but that was during run-in. If you do lots of steady high speed on motorways than you should get 240-250. BAckroads blasting will be about 180-200. Ange will probably get 260-270 out of a tank no matter what

[Mooch]

Got back last night after 3 1/2 great days of motorcycling around the southwest of England.
Started off ok at around 10:30, went to to http://www.raceways.net/ to pick up our hire bikes in ondon. Two 2004 model matching Blue R6's ready on arrival. Do the usual take details , licence , 20 questions etc. Guy takes us to go over the bikes. Ask me what I ride , reply Ducati 748R , he proceed to tell me that I should sell it , unreable bla bla bla (I switch off for a while) and he finishs with , The R6 is a real powerful bike not like the 748R and is a real hand full etc (I switch off again) and says something like don't try and get knee down / wheelies. That' fine , cause it's not my riding style. He sorts out Ang's R6 , and some hire gear such as panniers and a jacket for the wife.

We head off , trying to find a quick way out of London South (big place). First impression of the R6 is good , nice light feel , revy motor , nibble with a short wheel base kind of feel , and low first gearing. About 20 -30 minutes of wrong turns and dead ends the bikes starting to get hot and the temp warning light comes on. Manage to get so air through the bike and temperture drops slightly. Then a bit further on , same issue , temp light comes on and bike proceeds to dump 50 - 100 mills of antifreeze. I stop the bike , ring the bike shop, explain what has happened , bike shop suggest as bike has just received service and may have been over filled. Says should carry on. About another 15 minutes and we find our way to the M25 London ring highway at the oppiste end to where we need to leave London. Get underway and sit on the legal 70 mph , bikes temp drops to around 80 and all is fine with the world.
Start to get use to the feel of the R6 and experement with the gears and throtle a bit.
Notice it likes plenty of revs before the power band starts and torque is higher in the rev range. Tried a bit of engine braking , but didn't seem to have much compared to the Vtwin. Brakes are progressive , but don't have the bite or feel of the 748R, but remembering this is a hire bike the brakes mantianed as well.

We start to get into heavy traffic due to road works , temp light comes on again , poor bikes reaches 126 degrees, and the overflow is steaming badly. Pull to the side of the motorway and decided what to do. Ang's R6 had only reached 100 degrees so somethings not right with this one. I let it cool down for about 30 minutes and rode it to the next exit (Heathrow Airport) . It overheats again. I call bike rental shop , saying not happy , want another bike delivered to break down destination. He wasn't able to do so , but suggested I ride it to the other bike shop somewhere within 35 mins of where we are. To cut a long story short , after getting lost a few times , stopping the bike servral times and getting caught in long weekend traffic jams we arrive at second bike shop some five hours after picking the bikes up.The second shop had closed , but did wait for us. The R6 is checked and the fan or electrics found to be faulty. (I'm thinking about the ironic Ducati lectuer earlier) They have a couple of bikes still outside , a 636 and a GSXR1000. I'm thinking , probably 636 , but they handed me the keys to the GSXR1000.

End of part one , more tomorrow night.

[Wolf]

Hah! That'll learn 'em to slag off your bike and claim theirs is "more reliable". Hope you get a chance to rub the original salesman's nose in it.