View Full Version : Hiring a sports bike in USA
missrubberduckofdeath
26-03-08, 02:32 PM
Hoping to do a trip to Florida this year if we're lucky and Mr RDoD fancies the idea of hiring a bike for a few days which sounds so cool. So far though all the hire companies only have Harley's and low riders etc and not sports bikes.
Has anyone done a USA bike trip before and can anyone recommend a hire company for sports bikes in Florida.
Thanks! Cat :cat:
SoulKiss
26-03-08, 02:40 PM
Dont discount a Harley styled bike for the US.
I rode a Honda CB750 out there - and it was perfect for the conditions.
The roads are perfectly flat (no cambers) straight and well maintained.
They are also restricted to 55mph in most places.
A Sportsbike would be wasted out there.
Also consider buying one - 2 weeks hire may cost more than buying a second hand bike and then selling it on.
What's wrong with hiring a Harley?
apart from the obvious
slark01
26-03-08, 02:56 PM
Dunno if this will help
http://www.sportbikerental.com/
missrubberduckofdeath
26-03-08, 03:00 PM
What's wrong with hiring a Harley?
apart from the obvious
Well i'm not fussed, i'm just the pillion, but i can't see Lee riding a Harley!
missrubberduckofdeath
26-03-08, 03:02 PM
Dunno if this will help
http://www.sportbikerental.com/
There's a cool selection there but looks like they only have hire shops on the west coast. We might just get a car for the whole time but it would be nice to have a bike for a couple of days.
STRAMASHER
26-03-08, 03:54 PM
+1 for what SK said.
If its a Fly/drive ,hire a convertible, drive down to the Keys for a few days(favourite bit) and hire a scooter each. A lot of fun and you don't need to get all the gear on and boil!!:D
If you plan on doing distance its got to be a Harley or similar. Wear what ever you want. They are made for that kind of road (long and straight but slow speed).
Lucky you.:thumright:
Hoping to do a trip to Florida ....
Its a big place :rolleyes:
Has anyone done a USA bike trip before ....
Yes, not sure I can recommend one but give me an idea where and I may be able to come up with something :)
missrubberduckofdeath
26-03-08, 05:21 PM
Its a big place :rolleyes:
Yes, not sure I can recommend one but give me an idea where and I may be able to come up with something :)
We'll be going to Orlando, staying in the Kissimmee area
Google is a wonderful thing:p
http://www.orlandoharley.com/miscpage_007.asp
and whilst they don't do sportsbikes I bet they'd know who does.
BanannaMan
27-03-08, 04:41 AM
As mentioned above....
Florida is flat...no hills....no curves (worth mentioning) ...no cambers.
Orlando is super crowded tourist area.
Boring on a sportbike.
Oh and... Unless you're taking "small" children...
Skip Disney and go to Universal.:smt045
cloister
27-03-08, 07:41 AM
Another one for hiring a Harley. Three of us did it last year in New Mexico, half day hire but enjoyed it so much we managed to squeeze in another day.
Full safety gear turned out to be waterproofs that your only going to wear if it rains unless you want to boil and a helmet. An expert complainer, my brother brought up our pasty Scottish skin and how we're going to get our uncovered arms burnt "Pick a sweatshirt, just don't go mad".
Long wide roads and warm sunshine, we even got CD's for the stereos.
missrubberduckofdeath
27-03-08, 10:55 AM
As mentioned above....
Florida is flat...no hills....no curves (worth mentioning) ...no cambers.
Orlando is super crowded tourist area.
Boring on a sportbike.
Oh and... Unless you're taking "small" children...
Skip Disney and go to Universal.:smt045
We want to stay in Orlando but use the bike to see Miami and Tampa etc. Can still do it in a car but would be more fun on a bike.
I've been to Orlando 4 times before with my family and i love it there. I also don't watch horror films, only romantic comedies and disney films so I will definately be dragging my man around disney! Hehe! There's nothing like walking up Main Street USA at the Magic Kingdom and seeing the Cinderella castle in front of you. Wow! So many happy memories.
I've only been to Miami once for a day before so it would be good to spend a bit more time there. I'd like to spend some time vistiting Clearwater beach again too and then go to Busch Gardens which is always fab! Having a bike will make the travelling so much easier, but i guess it's not essential.
I'm so excited now! Hope we can afford it all! Eeek!
Have a look here www.svrider.com (http://www.svrider.com) Im going over myself later in the year and joined this forum for some info, asked the question you did and most replied get a cruiser, slows you down and lets you see whats around you, instead of ar$e in the air head down stuff, pretty friendly site as well with a few of us on there too.
good luck with it
http://forum.svrider.com/showthread.php?t=62123 hope it helps
missrubberduckofdeath
27-03-08, 11:12 AM
Have a look here www.svrider.com (http://www.svrider.com) Im going over myself later in the year and joined this forum for some info, asked the question you did and most replied get a cruiser, slows you down and lets you see whats around you, instead of ar$e in the air head down stuff, pretty friendly site as well with a few of us on there too.
good luck with it
Cheers Stewie :thumbsup:
Marc was in the GM, don't know if it was when Lee was not about , but See http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=96544
Not that I've any experience but if you're on holiday, wouldn't you want to do something different from what you do at home? so Harley I reckon.
We'll be going to Orlando,....
Ok been in touch with my normal suspects over there, 99% of the hire places in the area are only HDs, large BMWs or Wings, you may be lucky to find something local but then you have to take what you see. As others have said take a cruiser and enjoy the scenery cause a sports bike will be wasted on flat straight roads
BanannaMan
28-03-08, 01:50 AM
We want to stay in Orlando but use the bike to see Miami and Tampa etc. Can still do it in a car but would be more fun on a bike.
I've been to Orlando 4 times before with my family and i love it there. I also don't watch horror films, only romantic comedies and disney films so I will definately be dragging my man around disney! Hehe! There's nothing like walking up Main Street USA at the Magic Kingdom and seeing the Cinderella castle in front of you. Wow! So many happy memories.
I've only been to Miami once for a day before so it would be good to spend a bit more time there. I'd like to spend some time vistiting Clearwater beach again too and then go to Busch Gardens which is always fab! Having a bike will make the travelling so much easier, but i guess it's not essential.
I'm so excited now! Hope we can afford it all! Eeek!
Didn't realise you'd be traveling....
Sounds like a great plan!!! :cool:
And you already know your way around.. so hiring a bike would be super.
Yes ..Main Street USA still has it's charm even for us "older kids". ;)
Best of luck..
Hope you find a bike..
And have great time in "the Sunshine State". :D
missrubberduckofdeath
28-03-08, 10:24 AM
Ok been in touch with my normal suspects over there, 99% of the hire places in the area are only HDs, large BMWs or Wings, you may be lucky to find something local but then you have to take what you see. As others have said take a cruiser and enjoy the scenery cause a sports bike will be wasted on flat straight roads
Cool thanks :) To be honest I don't mind what bike it is, it would just be nice to be out on the open road and not stuck in a car the whole time. I'll speak to the blokie and see what he thinks. Cheers for looking for me.
missrubberduckofdeath
28-03-08, 10:26 AM
Didn't realise you'd be traveling....
Sounds like a great plan!!! :cool:
And you already know your way around.. so hiring a bike would be super.
Yes ..Main Street USA still has it's charm even for us "older kids". ;)
Best of luck..
Hope you find a bike..
And have great time in "the Sunshine State". :D
Thanks BanannaMan! Going to do some serious planning this weekend! How exciting. Oh and passed my bike theory test this morning, so in a really good mood today!! :riding: Bikes rock!
Thanks BanannaMan! Going to do some serious planning this weekend! How exciting. Oh and passed my bike theory test this morning, so in a really good mood today!! :riding: Bikes rock!
Well done passing your theory, good luck with the rest of it
Ceri JC
28-03-08, 05:24 PM
It's not just Harleys, adventure bikes are popular as hire bikes out there. You also might want to consider a Pan (or even Goldwing) for 2 up riding over there, they are ideal for most of the roads and eating the miles if you are going to be riding long distance and both are commonly available hire bikes. I wouldn't mind doing the Tenesse and Carolinas' twistys again on a middleweight adventure bike, I fancy that more than doing it on a sportsbike. That said, most of the sportsbikes-riding yanks ride more sedately than their equivalents over here, so I'd be less worried about a hire sportsbike with 30K on the clock being shot to bits than I would be here.
As an aside, most cruiser riders (aside from the weekend warrior 1%er fantasists and real outlaw club members) are typically a lot more friendly than over here and there is a lot more mingling between riders of different types of bikes at meets than here.
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