Bike Rentals

[DakRatFink]

So I went on a cross country trip without my max. Now I am in gorgeous Wisconsin fall weather with no bike.
A place right up the road from my Mom, where I am staying rents H-D's. The only one the guy has in stock right now is an Ultra Classic. Rate is $100/day for Weekdays. I'm not thrilled about a full dress bagger being my only choice.

Has anyone else rented a bike before? What were your experiences like?

 

[DMAN999]

I rented a HD Dyna-Glide for a few days in Hawaii years ago (1994 or 1995) and I had a great time.
IMO, Any bike is better than NO Bike.
If I remember correctly it was almost $100 per day even back then, luckily my brother was stationed there in the Army and I paid less than 1/2 price.

 

[Bill Kratzenberg]

I rented a sportster on the island of grand caymen. cant remember the price but i wasnt very impressed , but like DMAN says : {any bike is better than no bike]
It was crazy riding on the left side of the road with my wife on back, especially going around a bend with a truck coming at you on the right :th_scared:

other than that i'm really glad i did it...

 

[The Beekeeper]

Too bad you're on the wrong side of the lake Rat..........I'd hook ya up with the Honda and go riding with you................unk:

 

[KJShover]

Get the dresser :biglaugh:, They're a nice riding bike. way comfortable once you get used to it.

 

[Rollie]

Rent the best one they have . Chances are you'll have no problems with it and will treat you the best . Make it a special day as you probably won't do it often.

 

[DakRatFink]

I rented a HD Dyna-Glide for a few days in Hawaii years ago (1994 or 1995) and I had a great time.
IMO, Any bike is better than NO Bike.
If I remember correctly it was almost $100 per day even back then, luckily my brother was stationed there in the Army and I paid less than 1/2 price.
__________________
I didn't even THINK to ask him about military discount!!

Too bad you're on the wrong side of the lake Rat..........I'd hook ya up with the Honda and go riding with you................

I would SO take you up on that offer. I wouldn't mind tooling around on a Magna at all.

 

[RaWarrior]

Even a road couch like a HD bagger is better than nothing I suppose, but I know what you mean about bad rental choices. Last year we were up in the U.P, prime snowmobile territory and I couldn't bring my sled. I went to rent one, and all they had were these absolutely beat-to-shit 550 fans. It was prime season and they wanted like $150/day to rent one of these heaps. It was the equivalent of getting off an airplane and finding your "compact" rental is a rusty Pinto. You weren't expecting a Lexus, but you figured it would at least be new-ish and in decent-ish repair. I wasn't exactly thrilled with it, but I ended up doing it anyway. The trails were great but the sled was a total pile....everything was wrong with it. Motor was whooped, track bare, no carbides, loads of play in the steering, wouldn't idle, gauge cluster(incl gas gauge) was dead, windshield literally fell off on the trail, and I had to pull a spark plug and burn it with a lighter twice since it kept fouling it.


The HD bagger will only further your appreciation for your Vmax when you get back on it.

 

[DakRatFink]

Even a road couch like a HD bagger is better than nothing I suppose, but I know what you mean about bad rental choices. Last year we were up in the U.P, prime snowmobile territory and I couldn't bring my sled. I went to rent one, and all they had were these absolutely beat-to-shit 550 fans. It was prime season and they wanted like $150/day to rent one of these heaps. It was the equivalent of getting off an airplane and finding your "compact" rental is a rusty Pinto. You weren't expecting a Lexus, but you figured it would at least be new-ish and in decent-ish repair. I wasn't exactly thrilled with it, but I ended up doing it anyway. The trails were great but the sled was a total pile....everything was wrong with it. Motor was whooped, track bare, no carbides, loads of play in the steering, wouldn't idle, gauge cluster(incl gas gauge) was dead, windshield literally fell off on the trail, and I had to pull a spark plug and burn it with a lighter twice since it kept fouling it.


The HD bagger will only further your appreciation for your Vmax when you get back on it.

Actually I had NO issues with the rental whatsoever. I got a 2010 or 11 Street Glide. The more stripped down of the baggers, with no trunk, only low cut areo looking hard bags. It had ABS and, security system all those bells and whilstes. I was happy with the fuel injection since I had to contend with cold wet Wisconsin air in the morning when I started out.

The day and the ride were gorgeous. I had been to Door Co. Wisconsin hundreds of times as a kid but never on a bike. I saw things I had never seen before and things I had seen before in a new light.

My high school friend on her sportster was thrilled to have someone to ride with and showed me a couple of roads I would probably have missed had I not had a "local" guide.

I did def miss my Max and am already looking forward to coming out here next year, hopefully my wife and I can both ride out in the summer next year.