Rent The Right Motorcycle On Your Vacation

Tip #25 from the pages of The Total Motorcycling Manual

Renting a motorcycle can be an excellent way to revive a bland vacation or to make a great holiday even better. It’s also a good way to experience new bikes. If you’re traveling in most places, the Internet should be your first stop. And the closer you are to a major vacation destination, the more luck you’re going to have. The farther you get from civilization, though, the more you’ll have to improvise.

Airports are a good place to start your search, since they’re geared toward automobile rentals already. Local bike shops may rent you a ride informally, especially 
in developing countries. Some clubs, organizations and owners’ groups offer rental deals in other cities. (Or they offer lower rental rates. Always ask.) Automobile associations may have helpful information on who rents bikes 
and where. It may pay to join up, even if you’re only going to be in the country for a short time.

The most effortless way is to book a package deal, which may include a bike, a guide, and accommodations. Be prepared to pay as much in insurance/security deposit as you do for the rental. You may get some of it back if you and the bike return in one piece.

Rent a bike appropriate for the venue: Big Harleys make sense in America, Royal Enfields in the Hindu Kush, Vespas in Rome, Honda Cubs in Saigon, mopeds in the Peloponnese. Don’t rent some enormous touring bike if you’ve never ridden anything bigger than a scooter, unless your idea of a great vacation is sampling foreign hospital cuisine. Wherever you are, familiarize yourself with local road signs and laws.

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