Harley holiday in the USA - with non biker GF

[Tiggsy]

Later this year I'm looking to a couple of weeks in Africa on a hire bike.

Then next year, fancy doing similar in the USA (on roads though!) on a Harley (i've done years of the track day stuff and no interest in going back to fast road bike stuff)

GF - who doesnt ride, is coming to the USA one so could just ride pillion....but is it an insane idea that she could take and past her test then ride her own? DO those hire companies look at experience before handing over bikes?? Is it even possible nowadays to do that? (i took my bike "test" in the early 90's when it was a bit of a joke and you could ride your 125 on the orad without any sort of test at all.

[shoestring7]

What does the GF think? You're not going to get her riding a Harley across the US for days unless she's pretty keen on the idea.

SS7

[BuzzBravado]

Is she actually interested in becoming a biker? I had grand ideas similar to you but its easy to forget that she might not be as excited by the idea.

On the technicalities side i've no idea sorry. You don't even need a bike license in America anyway.

[anonymous-user]

BuzzBravado said:

You don't even need a bike license in America anyway.

Eh?

We did 3500 miles on a Harley around Nevada, Utah, Arizona and California a couple of years ago. Mrs CK was quite happy as pillion on an Electra Glide. The rear seat is massive and very comfy, plus she got to see the scenery while I concentrated on riding.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 3rd May 10:37

[the_lone_wolf]

Tiggsy said:

Later this year I'm looking to a couple of weeks in Africa on a hire bike

....

is it an insane idea that she could take and past her test then ride her own? DO those hire companies look at experience before handing over bikes??

Yes, or at least they did a few years back when I was looking at doing the same thing...

And I believe in the US the correct term is to be riding "b1tch" rather than pillion...

[tezzer]

Take a look at www.eaglerider.com (other rental companies available), we use them every couple of years or so, and the bikes are always well prepared, and cheap (ish).

[jays16]

Sounds awesome - good luck and will love to hear how it goes, been thinking about this for a while too now that I'm moving to the states!

[anonymous-user]

tezzer said:

Take a look at www.eaglerider.com (other rental companies available), we use them every couple of years or so, and the bikes are always well prepared, and cheap (ish).

Hmm, we found them to among the more costly options. Also meant following their itinerary, not our own.

[Moulder]

shoestring7 said:

What does the GF think? You're not going to get her riding a Harley across the US for days unless she's pretty keen on the idea.

SS7

When did we stop becoming the men of the house?

I initially thought sidecar, which might be a bit more fun/sociable than a normal bike but looking at hire places they don't seem to do them, possibly for insurance reasons.

You could look at the rules for something like http://www.eaglerider.com/trike to see if she can ride one on a car licence. If she did not want to ride the whole way you could pick it up and drop it off along the way, this would then count as a more of a together thing.

Moulder


NB: None of the above are necessarily great ideas, more an extension of the options...

[The Moose]

My old man did a 10 day tour in the US recently and went for the Indian which he enjoyed a lot more than some of the bigger Harleys he's had in the past.

Oh and in the US, they refer to it as "riding bh"...

[Tiggsy]

She's very up for it - just unsure on whether to get the licence or ride bh

[mgv8]

Just to let you know once my other 1/2 passed she did not want to be a pilion ever again.

[obscene]

Be warned it's ridiculously expensive. I was quoted something around £1100 for a ninja 300 for 12 days and that's on the cheaper side of things.

[anonymous-user]

It's not expensive. We got a HD Electra Glide for $900 for two weeks, no restrictions.

[tezzer]

Crossflow Kid said:

Hmm, we found them to among the more costly options. Also meant following their itinerary, not our own.

No,m you don't have to just hire the bike and do your own thing, you aren't tied to their organized rides.

[obscene]

Crossflow Kid said:

It's not expensive. We got a HD Electra Glide for $900 for two weeks, no restrictions.

Damn! Who is that with? Might rethink my holiday if I can get on a bike for that much.

[The Moose]

obscene said:

Be warned it's ridiculously expensive. I was quoted something around £1100 for a ninja 300 for 12 days and that's on the cheaper side of things.

Dunno who you went for that, but that's obscene!!

[obscene]

The Moose said:

Dunno who you went for that, but that's obscene!!

Eagle rider, turns out location makes a bit of different but still expensive!

[jhoneyball]

Or you can hire bmw -- had NineT couple of weeks ago out of BMW Las Vegas (which is Eagle Rider). Would rather have K1600GTL rather than a harley, but you takes your pick...

EagleRider very good.

Note however: eaglerider at BMW las vegas will lend you lid and jacket and gloves etc free of charge. HD Las Vegas will only lend you a lid, but no jacket or gloves. So be sure you know what you need. This might vary site to site, but I tell you what I've found having rented many times out of Vegas

[Tiggsy]

OK...eaglerider got back to me - she just needs a license, they dont care how long she had it....plan will be - pass test, do a couple of UK based "harley taster days" then hit the US of A