Wanting to rent a motorcycle in San Francisco, any recommendations?

[Bob Wegman]

I will be visiting San Francisco in a few weeks and would like to take my daughter for a ride north of the city along the coast.  Anybody have a recommendation of a motorcycle rental company in the area?  I am not too particular about brand but would want something like a standard bike with a decent passenger seat.  Maybe a Triumph Bonneville, a Guzzi EV would be great but I doubt there are many available as rentals.

[Tobit]

Harley rents.  Don't know about others.  Sounds like a good trip.

[szasz]

My wife and I rented 2 Triumphs from http://www.dubbelju.com
last year for a 5 days. All went well. They have many brands to choose from.
Photo of the bikes we rented: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hhi0bid97nzxg37/sf%20bikes%202013.jpg

Nick

[Bob Wegman]

Thanks Nick,  I'll contact them. I stumbled across their website and thought it looked good.  A confirmation that you had a good experience should seal the deal. 

[ohiorider]

My wife and I rented 2 Triumphs from http://www.dubbelju.com
last year for a 5 days. All went well. They have many brands to choose from.
Photo of the bikes we rented: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hhi0bid97nzxg37/sf%20bikes%202013.jpg

Nick

Dubbelju was good to me .  I rented a BMW R100R Mystic with bags, tankbag and aftermarket rear rack.  That was a nice little airhead!  Wolfgang Taft was the owner at that time, and took ample time to propose riding roads that he thought I'd enjoy.  I believe they are one of the oldest motorcycle rental companies in the Bay Area.  At that time, they rented two brands, HD and BMW.  I believe they've expanded that to include various models of Triumph.

Here's a pic of my rental R100R Mystic from Dubbelju:


Loading the Mystic in the shop


In the California mountains

EDIT:  Failed to mention these pics were taken in 1995.



Bob

[pehayes]

I work intermittently for Eagle Rider, the largest moto renter in the US.  95% of their business is Harley, but they do have a few other Honda, BMW options.  They have a San Francisco Franchise.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Lannis]

I will be visiting San Francisco in a few weeks and would like to take my daughter for a ride north of the city along the coast.  Anybody have a recommendation of a motorcycle rental company in the area?  I am not too particular about brand but would want something like a standard bike with a decent passenger seat.  Maybe a Triumph Bonneville, a Guzzi EV would be great but I doubt there are many available as rentals.

I was just out there for a week this May with the BSA club, riding the coastline north of San Francisco, and up into the mountains to see the big trees.   

It was a great time, beautiful ride (I was on my BSA A10, but it would nice on ANY bike), and I'm considering using frequent flyer miles to fly Fay and me out there and rent a bike and do it again.   I'll be interested in hearing what works out for you ... !

Lannis

[Bob Wegman]

Lannis,  Will let you know how the rental works out.  I visit my daughter a few times a year in San Francisco.  She lives in the Pacific Heights neighborhood which is really nice and about 2 miles from the Golden Gate bridge.  This visit she said she would like me to rent a bike and we could travel up north a bit. She is quite familiar with the area we will ride through.  I did manage to visit the Guzzi rally last fall at Bodega Bay north of San Francisco on the coast.  However, I was driving her car instead of riding there.  She has told me I should relocate a bike to her location so I have something at the ready when I visit.  Not a bad idea.

[Kent in Upstate NY]

Lannis,  Will let you know how the rental works out.  I visit my daughter a few times a year in San Francisco.  She lives in the Pacific Heights neighborhood which is really nice and about 2 miles from the Golden Gate bridge.  This visit she said she would like me to rent a bike and we could travel up north a bit. She is quite familiar with the area we will ride through.  I did manage to visit the Guzzi rally last fall at Bodega Bay north of San Francisco on the coast.  However, I was driving her car instead of riding there.  She has told me I should relocate a bike to her location so I have something at the ready when I visit.  Not a bad idea.

Make sure it is one you both can ride. ;)

[PJPR01]

Hey No. Cal guys,

I'm headed out to Palo Alto again for work in a couple weeks, planning on renting a bike for the weekend again.  Last time I rented a BMW K1600GT from California Motorcycle Adventures in Mountain View, this time looking to rent a bike up in S.F.  or even in San Rafael.  Does Munroe or anyone else rent Guzzis by any chance or my only choices these days are Dubbelju and Eagle Rider?

[DARKHORSE]

Hey Bob,  Give Dan Cretin a call at Racy Rentals, 323-709-7229. We used Dan for the last three times we were in Cali. We met him  for the first bike, a beemer gs in San Fransisco. The second time we met him at the Sacremento Airport for a honda goldwing. The third time he dropped off a k1300 beeemer at my sons apartment for us. You couldnt meet a nicer guy, Just be sure to call ahead of time to set something up with him.Enjoy!

[PJPR01]

Thanks for the suggestion, his website says Los Angeles....but I'll check what he has in terms of models available.  Much appreciated.

[oldbike54]

 Just visit the Zeitgeist in SF and borrow a bike 

 Dusty

[PJPR01]

Good idea Dusty!!

Still trying to find a place that might rent a Guzzi, zippo on that so far, I might be forced to try out a Bonneville or a Scrambler this time just for kicks.

Planning a fun weekend route on my old stomping grounds down Hwy 1 to San Simeon, possibly thru SLO and Paso Robles, and then back up a twisty way thru Carmel and Laguna Seca and on up to Palo Alto or SF.

[canuguzzi]

I can't vouch for them but Motoquest in SF rents bikes.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Good idea Dusty!!

Still trying to find a place that might rent a Guzzi, zippo on that so far, I might be forced to try out a Bonneville or a Scrambler this time just for kicks.

Planning a fun weekend route on my old stomping grounds down Hwy 1 to San Simeon, possibly thru SLO and Paso Robles, and then back up a twisty way thru Carmel and Laguna Seca and on up to Palo Alto or SF.

Todd at Guzzitech in Malibu rents Guzzis. As far as I know, he's your only option.

[PJPR01]

Thanks Chuck...that rings a bell now...he's in SoCal, so I'll have to see if he has any contacts for a rental in the Bay Area...I'll keep him in mind for the next trip south.

Much appreciated.

[PJPR01]

Well no Guzzi rentals available in the Bay Area, so I'll be renting a BMW R1200RT Saturday in Palo Alto for 2 days to enjoy a nice loop down the coast thru Monterrey and Carmel, down to Big Sur, San Simeon, Morro Bay and Santa Barbara, looping back thru Paso Robles and maybe back up the coast criss-crossing some of the smaller connecting routes between the coast and 101.   

Fun to be back in my home state again and riding some of the iconic roads I used to drive years ago...Weather forecast is perfect.

Maybe I'll see a couple of Guzzi riders along the way - just know I may be riding a BMW again, but my heart is still with my Norge... 

9 days and counting till heading out for John Day - woo hoo!!

[pehayes]

Fun to be back in my home state again and riding some of the iconic roads I used to drive years ago.

Won't be so much fun if you try to drive the freeways between 3pm and 7pm.  Hope your lane-filtering skills are up.

Regina and I just did 800 miles back and forth across the top of the Sierras.  Came home yesterday and almost got whacked three times in the two blocks between my house and the freeway off-ramp!

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[PJPR01]

No worries Patrick...I'm in no rush, it's a fun weekend...no deadlines. 

Personally not a big fan of lane filtering while folks are moving, I'm not a magician to predict the behavior of the cars changing lanes w/o seeing me...just not worth it to me to gain a few minutes of time...plus I'll check the map application to look ahead for any traffic jams.

Sounds like you had a fun ride...come on over to the coast for a weekend ride if you are free!

[pehayes]

No worries Patrick...I'm in no rush, it's a fun weekend...no deadlines. 

Personally not a big fan of lane filtering while folks are moving, I'm not a magician to predict the behavior of the cars changing lanes w/o seeing me...just not worth it to me to gain a few minutes of time...plus I'll check the map application to look ahead for any traffic jams.

Sounds like you had a fun ride...come on over to the coast for a weekend ride if you are free!

Actually, I'd love to ride the coast with you and would be happy to guide you on the many back roads we have used for the Giro d'California.  Unfortunately, I'm leaving Monday to tour another coast.  My Falcone Club from Italy is doing 13 days of the memorials and battle sites of Normandy.  Hard choice.  Ride with you or tour Normandy; ride with you or tour Normandy.  Hmmmm.  You lose.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[PJPR01]

Tres bien...pas de probleme!  A worthwhile tour indeed!!