Author Topic: Motorcycle Rental/tour business (Read 3018 times)

Rocking-M · « **on:** November 03, 2009, 04:43:21 PM »

Okay, the saga with Sam's bike got me thinking. Perhaps a motorcycle rental/tour business for European riders to
come over and experience the Appalachian mountains/Southern States. I'm sort of adamant on not crossing the Mason
Dixon line again. (someone else can do this up north

)
Anyway, I've contacted my insurance agent and the underwriter is suppose to get back to him on
what it would run for say, 4 bikes to start. This could tie in with my Chateau le Shack for rental for those who
would like to stay in the area and tour day trips from here. So now, the really hard question I'm going to ask y'all
is were can I get the money to undertake this idea with. Yes, we're playing the loto.

andy750 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 03, 2009, 04:46:22 PM »

Great idea and good luck to you! Let us know how it turns out.

cheers
Andy

Rocking-M · « **Reply #2 on:** November 03, 2009, 04:54:13 PM »

Thanks Andy, btw, I just noticed, I'm an old timer now. How'd that happen.

vanillagorilla · « **Reply #3 on:** November 03, 2009, 04:58:53 PM »

i was actually working on something similar when I was out in AZ. Unfortunately the money man ended up being a crook. He didnt get me, but he has gotten a whole bunch of other people. Anyways, if you got any questions, I have had to answer many of them myself. I will even offer my biz name. Open Road Arizona was my name... How bout... Open Road Appalachia? Hope it goes well. Still cant think of a much better job. Maybe... Stuntman in a porno...

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #4 on:** November 03, 2009, 05:15:48 PM »

Quote from: Rocking-M on November 03, 2009, 04:54:13 PM

Thanks Andy, btw, I just noticed, I'm an old timer now. How'd that happen.

You passed 2,500 posts old man.

and like the idea.

Sam.

BobbyR · « **Reply #5 on:** November 03, 2009, 05:30:10 PM »

Intriguing, let us know what the Insurance guy says. BTW I believe the Mason Dixon line passes through NJ.

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #6 on:** November 03, 2009, 05:58:46 PM »

My washing line passes through me garden.

Sam.

333 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 03, 2009, 06:13:04 PM »

Lines occur across my forehead thinking about this. So I looked it up.

seaweb11 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 03, 2009, 06:37:29 PM »

Does this company not already supply such a service in your area?
http://www.eagleriderdc.com/

Not that there can't be more than a few companies in the same market.

BobbyR · « **Reply #9 on:** November 03, 2009, 07:17:38 PM »

Quote from: 333 on November 03, 2009, 06:13:04 PM

Lines occur across my forehead thinking about this. So I looked it up.

As you can see if the cheap Bastids paid the bridge toll it would have gone through NJ.

74cb750 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 03, 2009, 07:56:02 PM »

What motorcycles are you planning on renting out?

Spanner 1 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 03, 2009, 08:30:06 PM »

Ya don't want to rent bikes IMO, ya want to sell organised rides with a route, escorted with hotels booked etc.....much better for Euro riders
My neighbor just came back from escorting 18 Brits on rented bikes on a ride from Chicago to Santa Monica, all of route 66, 14 days and a blast for all who went.....Southern version would be great...North Georgia Mtns. etc, wow !!

seaweb11 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 03, 2009, 10:12:22 PM »

Quote from: Spanner 1 on November 03, 2009, 08:30:06 PM

Ya don't want to rent bikes IMO, ya want to sell organised rides with a route, escorted with hotels booked etc.....much better for Euro riders
My neighbor just came back from escorting 18 Brits on rented bikes on a ride from Chicago to Santa Monica, all of route 66, 14 days and a blast for all who went.....Southern version would be great...North Georgia Mtns. etc, wow !!

Did a bit of reading online about a bike rental trip in Greece.
They had the fully escorted tours or another scenario .......Bike, Road map, GPS, with hotels booked at the end of every day including dinner with your seat partner or other riders you are traveling with. Would give you the stop when you feel like it program

The CDN dollar against the Euro made it a dream......

Head · « **Reply #13 on:** November 03, 2009, 11:19:33 PM »

I would talk to a lawyer then with a insurance person to protect yourself and belongings from liability issues. Head

Rocking-M · « **Reply #14 on:** November 04, 2009, 03:17:44 AM »

Quote from: seaweb11 on November 03, 2009, 06:37:29 PM

Does this company not already supply such a service in your area?
http://www.eagleriderdc.com/

Not that there can't be more than a few companies in the same market.

probably do but who the hell wants to go to Washington, DC.
DC is 6 hours of interstate from me.
Do you know what hell a rider has to go through just to get out or DC?
Once you head east of Fredericksburg VA you've left civilization.

I think people would enjoy it a
whole lot more if they came out to the real country for tour.

The Southern Tour would be my plan. Might make it a Battlefields tour with a Southern
Tour guide not hampered with political correctness it might even be interesting.
Not only are mountains nice but all the Spanish moss down near the coast makes
for beautiful rides. Tallahassee Florida comes to mind, Charleston SC, ect...

demon78 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 04, 2009, 03:53:33 AM »

Go RM, sounds like good idea if you can work out infra structure details like coin, reliability, liability and promotion.
Used to get "Classic Bike Guide" and saw several articles as well as companies doing same thing, interesting. Luck.
Bill the demon.

azuredesign · « **Reply #16 on:** November 04, 2009, 04:37:48 AM »

How much do you think it would cost to capitalize your venture? Would you buy used or new bikes, who would service them?
What other expenditures would there be? How would folks get from the airport to where they'd pick up the bikes? What other factors are there in setting this up?

BobbyR · « **Reply #17 on:** November 04, 2009, 05:39:49 AM »

Quote from: Rocking-M on November 04, 2009, 03:17:44 AM

Quote from: seaweb11 on November 03, 2009, 06:37:29 PM
Does this company not already supply such a service in your area?
http://www.eagleriderdc.com/

Not that there can't be more than a few companies in the same market.

probably do but who the hell wants to go to Washington, DC.
DC is 6 hours of interstate from me.
Do you know what hell a rider has to go through just to get out or DC?
Once you head east of Fredericksburg VA you've left civilization.
I think people would enjoy it a
whole lot more if they came out to the real country for tour.

The Southern Tour would be my plan. Might make it a Battlefields tour with a Southern
Tour guide not hampered with political correctness it might even be interesting.
Not only are mountains nice but all the Spanish moss down near the coast makes
for beautiful rides. Tallahassee Florida comes to mind, Charleston SC, ect...

Now that is a good tour idea. Give them a flavor of the old South, nice flavorful food, small towns, a bit of Corn Whiskey with or without a label

, maybe a nice Saturday nite at a short track with boiled peanuts and beer. Hey, I am freakin Yankee from NY, how do I know all this.

chips1953 · « **Reply #18 on:** November 04, 2009, 05:45:09 AM »

Sounds good to me...
I'm going to follow this thread as I'm already interested in doing a trip to the US.

Tretnine · « **Reply #19 on:** November 04, 2009, 05:47:44 AM »

Hey there, Rocking-M - This seems like a pretty neat idea and it sounds like you could have a whole lot of options for people who would want to come out to Virginia. (I'm in Charlottesville.) You could offer different tours at different price points. If you're going to run the parkway/skyline you could do camping/hiking tours, hotel/tourist tours and hard riding distance tours. I think a battlefield specific tour would be a pretty niche market, there are lots of other places to take a motorcycle trip in the world - the alps, New Zealand, Mexico - if you want to make a trip that will make money, you need to design a trip that will pull people in. There is a lot to see and a lot of places to ride in the area.

Sounds like most tours like this have an option to buy somewhere in there, would you be about that? Also, if you need a stack of new bikes on the cheap you could always pick up a stack of the now defunct Buells, which should be going cheap... I love motorcycling in VA and it's a wonderful state for it. I'm interested to see where this goes. Actually, very interested.

Brady

Deceptibong · « **Reply #20 on:** November 04, 2009, 08:11:59 AM »

Anyone willing to rent out a 70s honda cb750 out in portland/seattle area? I had this lady friend I wanted to go see. We got to be really close riding around on my 72 honda 750 over the summer, but unfortunately I live in Neb. Id like to rent one out while I visit up there for a week or so. I think she would get a kick out of it. Anyone intrested?

Spanner 1 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 04, 2009, 08:45:06 AM »

I'm planning a mini tour for Fall 2010. My old friend Dave and his Mrs. are coming over from England and we plan to ride Nth. Ga. Mtns. and end-up at the Barber Vintage Weekend.....so, I'm re-building the '78 750 ( motor's apart now ) to have a 3rd. bike in the stable......... anyone else wanna' go ?

chips1953 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 04, 2009, 08:53:10 AM »

Quote from: Spanner 1 on November 04, 2009, 08:45:06 AM

I'm planning a mini tour for Fall 2010. My old friend Dave and his Mrs. are coming over from England and we plan to ride Nth. Ga. Mtns. and end-up at the Barber Vintage Weekend.....so, I'm re-building the '78 750 ( motor's apart now ) to have a 3rd. bike in the stable......... anyone else wanna' go ?

Where are the Nth. Ga. Mtns. ?
I guess it's North Ga? Mountains.
I'll check with Google.

chips1953 · « **Reply #23 on:** November 04, 2009, 08:55:51 AM »

Quote from: chips1953 on November 04, 2009, 08:53:10 AM

Quote from: Spanner 1 on November 04, 2009, 08:45:06 AM
I'm planning a mini tour for Fall 2010. My old friend Dave and his Mrs. are coming over from England and we plan to ride Nth. Ga. Mtns. and end-up at the Barber Vintage Weekend.....so, I'm re-building the '78 750 ( motor's apart now ) to have a 3rd. bike in the stable......... anyone else wanna' go ?

Where are the Nth. Ga. Mtns. ?
I guess it's North Ga? Mountains.
I'll check with Google.

OK got that, looks special.

JBMorse · « **Reply #24 on:** November 04, 2009, 09:46:37 AM »

Sounds like a great business idea. I know there are companies that do this in other parts of the country. What bikes would you have available? I read an article in a motorcycle mag (can't remember which one) about a tour company in northern Spain that did the mountain roads. They used Royal Enfields! People enjoyed them on those roads and apparently they were cost effective.
So maybe you'd want some kind of interesting bike that would be fun in the twisties. I recommend a fleet of CB500s!

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Author Topic: Motorcycle Rental/tour business (Read 3018 times)

Rocking-M

Rocking-M

Rocking-M