Bike hires in Ireland...

[katrider]

I am looking at renting a motorcycle for a trip around Ireland and am not finding much besides BMWs, which are expensive! So...does anyone have a hidden source or little known place to hire a motorcycle for a couple of weeks??

I rented a bike in Manchester last rip to Scotland/England for cheap though it was an older non-VTEC VFR, but it was perfect for me. Looking for something like that...older bikes in good shape.

[Papa Lazarou]

http://www.2wheeltravel.com/Motorcycle%20Hire/irelandhire.htm

http://www.irishbike.com/Motorcycles_and_Rental_Rates.html

http://www.motorcycletoursireland.com/

http://www.motorcycleviews.co.uk/

http://www.discoverireland.ie/activities-adventure/motorcycle-rental-ireland-ltd/71379

http://www.bikeireland-ie.com/travel_.htm

Hmm-you're right, not much there. But you can hire other stuff apart from Beemers

[notarian]

Rent again in Manchester and take the ferry from Liverpool to Dublin.

[katrider]

Rent again in Manchester and take the ferry from Liverpool to Dublin.

The company that I had rented from made the same suggestion...might be worth looking into if I strike out in Ireland.

[jbs80106]

I fly through Manchester most often on trips to UK, please share the link for where you rented from!  Be interested in that option.

Thanks!

[Orson]

If you fly into Birmingham, the British National Motorcycle Museum is 5 minutes from the airport  

[katrider]

Hre's the link to the m/c hire company I used in Manchester...and I recommend you looking into it.

http://www.newhorizonsbikehire.co.uk/

[katrider]

If you fly into Birmingham, the British National Motorcycle Museum is 5 minutes from the airport  

All for another trip...I could live in the isles and spend two full years riding around to all the great sites and museums.

[Smurfslayer]

Late to the game here but Phillip McCallen also rents - or 'hires' motos that are not BMW
http://www.phillipmccallen.co.uk/bike-hire

I've 'hired' from them, and have all good feedback.

[katrider]

Late to the game here but Phillip McCallen also rents - or 'hires' motos that are not BMW
http://www.phillipmccallen.co.uk/bike-hire

I've 'hired' from them, and have all good feedback.

Good site..thanks!!

Trip might be on hold in lieu of our son's wedding the month of my planned journey...maybe can talk them into an Irish honeymoon???

[Orson]

I rode in parts of Donegal last May.

Holy crap those roads were in awful shape   Just about the worst roads I've ridden.

Maybe they're better down south?

You might want to get a dual sport if for the suspension alone  

[katrider]

My initial plans were to pub crawl Dublin for 10 days, make sure I see most of what I want there, then rent a bike and venture south to the country for another 10 days. There were originally plans to make it around to the Irish 200 road race, but after reading about the traffic and crowds and all, I nixed that idea. Then I hear that it rained so hard they cancelled part of the race???

If I rent a bike a Tiger 800 or similar would be my only choice...I rented a VFR in Scotland and it was great, but there were roads I hesitated to go down because they looked too adventure oriented. Happened to me once on a trip to the redwoods: was offered a tour (by a fellow astradle a dual sport) thru a valley of beautiful huge redwoods well off the tourist path but couldn't do it 'cause my Sprint reared it's head and said "ney!!" to the dirt road. Wouldn't want that to happen on a trip to Ireland.

[Smurfslayer]

I have not yet been surprised by a dirt road in either RoI or N.I.   I did take a long ride on a pea gravel driveway riding up to our B&B at Blackwater castle ( near Cork, -very- moto friendly ).

I also spent some time on gravel getting to Kilkea castle, but not too long.  

Also, one time at band camp...  I mean on the Isle of Man my GPS decided to take me on some goat path bisecting some farms complete with gates, grates all manner of debris.  I could see Douglas off in the distance and figured - Bah!  Jill's never really gotten us lost... more than a few times... ( Jill is my Zumo ).  It was a bit of a harrowing ride, I had the wife with me and was keen to impress with my Bike-Fu  

I'm not sure I'd do a full 10 days in Dublin town.  My wife & I made our first overseas jaunt together to Dublin and for us, 4-6 days seemed about right to give everything a fair look.  The temple bar is a neat area worth a couple visits along with some other places but there's good pubs to be had all across Ireland.  I've found the roads to be ... generously posted for speed on some of the A & B roads, and although a few places the pavement wasn't race track quality, I've seen far worse in the USA.  Detroit & suburbs comes to mind, along with DC and Suburbs and a few others.  The thing about Ireland, you could round a turn and find a farm combine, herd of sheep, cows, or just regular traffic.  That's part of the fun.  

I'll probably put a few more days in next year after the TT.

Dave

[FJR-UK]

Good luck in Dublin! Take your aqualung.

[Papa Lazarou]

Good luck in Dublin! Take your aqualung.

 

[katrider]

Part of my reasoning for the 10 day Dublin itinerary...

http://www.amazon.com/Pint-Sized-Ireland-Search-Perfect-Guinness/dp/0312363664

Yeah, 10 days are probably too long for Dublin, but can always play it by ear with that much time to barter with.