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Great Falls, Fly & Ride

adamchandler

adamchandler

YouTube Mechanic
Just bought my rally ticket (this will be my 3rd) and it's a 2400 mile ride each way. I'm getting married this year and still work a bit more than full time so I don't have the extra week to do the trip there & back but I still want to ride.

Can anyone recommend a Montana rental for bikes? OR is there an MOA member in MT that would accept my money to rent me their bike for a few days? It's a long-shot but thought I'd check. Heck, if you're going to the rally and live in MT and happen to have a side-car, I'll pile into that and ride in with you.
 
adamchandler said:
Heck, if you're going to the rally and live in MT and happen to have a side-car, I'll pile into that and ride in with you.
Click to expand...

I’ll be there (from Vermont) with my sidecar rig. Not sure how Glenlivet would feel about sharing his rig, though. And you’d have to wear a leash and collar...

Pete
 
Adam, I do not know of anyone who has bikes to rent; there may be someone doing rentals but I've never heard about it. I suggest you put something in the Montana BMW Riders Newsletter asking for a bike to rent or loan. If you will PM me the text of what you would like to be placed in the newsletter i will see if I can get it inserted in the next edition on 1 February. Sorry Rosie Red won't be making the trip, but if nothing else works you have a sweetheart offer from Pete.
 
Adam; If your 2,000+ miles away with time constraints you have multiple issues facing you.

1. Air service for Great Falls takes a bite out of the wallet. And connection times eat into the air travel days, especially returning East with the time zone changes.

2. A plan to be considered. Use either Denver, Salt Lake or Seattle, rent from those locations as there are way better options. You then "get to ride some".
If you were able to rent in Great Falls, by riding a lot during the Rally (Thur-Sat)... you literally defeat the purpose of attendance.

3. A big problem for many is using a few days of two different work weeks for a Rally that end's on Sunday morning. Looked at the air service schedule for that yet?
Along with the issue of "can you return a rental" on Sunday?
Even some HD Fly & Ride locations don't allow that.
Check out Eagle Rider (BMW's available in Denver)... but they are also closed Sunday/Monday.
However, a Tuesday through Tuesday Rental from there fit's the Rally Schedule, the distance involved, and gives you some riding/route choices.
Plus, the savings on airfare pays for two days of the rental... a couple of your riding days.
 
bigjohnsd said:
RT in Denver Thurs to Wed - $1,500 or $1,150 if you join "Eagle Rider"
Click to expand...

The Thursday pickup... misses the rally by about a day and half. 775 Miles between DEN & GTF.

However, the Tuesday noon pickup and following Tuesday by noon drop-off... 7 days is the same rate you have quoted.

Never be late to THE rally, beer selection sometimes diminishes quickly!
 
My buddy is renting a RT in Las Vegas and riding up through some pretty country. He too is working and has limited time.
 
gsinnc said:
My buddy is renting a RT in Las Vegas and riding up through some pretty country. He too is working and has limited time.
Click to expand...

Do you know what route(s) he's planning on taking? There is nothing but desert in most of Nevada and Utah between Las Vegas and Salt Lake, which would be the most direct route from LV to Great Falls. However, maybe he has the time to go through the Utah canyon lands and into the Rockies and go around the east side of Salt Lake?
 
GREGFEELER said:
Do you know what route(s) he's planning on taking? There is nothing but desert in most of Nevada and Utah between Las Vegas and Salt Lake, which would be the most direct route from LV to Great Falls. However, maybe he has the time to go through the Utah canyon lands and into the Rockies and go around the east side of Salt Lake?
Click to expand...

Not 100% sure but believe he was hoping to ride through some of Utah. Let me see if I can find the route he was looking at last year.
 
gsinnc said:
Not 100% sure but believe he was hoping to ride through some of Utah. Let me see if I can find the route he was looking at last year.
Click to expand...

There are southern and eastern parts of Utah which are wonderful. Utah publishes a motorcycle road map which highlights all the best roads.
 
GREGFEELER said:
Do you know what route(s) he's planning on taking? There is nothing but desert in most of Nevada and Utah between Las Vegas and Salt Lake, which would be the most direct route from LV to Great Falls. However, maybe he has the time to go through the Utah canyon lands and into the Rockies and go around the east side of Salt Lake?
Click to expand...

From SW Utah he can run up 89, south of Provo cut over to 191 on 31 or 6 and go north out of Vernal through the Flaming Gorge area.
 
glenfiddich said:
I’ll be there (from Vermont) with my sidecar rig. Not sure how Glenlivet would feel about sharing his rig, though. And you’d have to wear a leash and collar...

Pete
Click to expand...



Hah. That gave me a good laugh. I’d be covered in lovely slobber :) Would be quite the memories. I do look forward to seeing you there.
 
Thank you everyone. I think I’ll look at bike rentals within a 500 mile area....an RT with my 40L Wolfman bag strapped to the back would fit the bill nicely.
 
GREGFEELER said:
Do you know what route(s) he's planning on taking? There is nothing but desert in most of Nevada and Utah between Las Vegas and Salt Lake, which would be the most direct route from LV to Great Falls. However, maybe he has the time to go through the Utah canyon lands and into the Rockies and go around the east side of Salt Lake?
Click to expand...

OK ... here is what he was thinking last year from Vegas. Not the most direct but very scenic!

Screen Shot 2021-01-08 at 10.45.08 PM.png
 
did a wee bit of research with the misses.

there are riders-share bike rentals in Boise, Manhattan and Spokane all around $150 a day, Flights are $400-$600 and hotels are affordable. She’d want to come if she can rent a bike too so we’ll take a breather knowing we can do do a fly and ride for about $1000 each and have a great rally experience and be on a bike. Probably won’t camp since flying in with our amenities & riding gear will be challenging.


Looking forward to breathing that fresh Montana air!
 
adamchandler said:
did a wee bit of research with the misses.

there are riders-share bike rentals in Boise, Manhattan and Spokane all around $150 a day, Flights are $400-$600 and hotels are affordable. She’d want to come if she can rent a bike too so we’ll take a breather knowing we can do do a fly and ride for about $1000 each and have a great rally experience and be on a bike. Probably won’t camp since flying in with our amenities & riding gear will be challenging.


Looking forward to breathing that fresh Montana air!
Click to expand...

Personally I would not be comfortable riding another person's bike even if I were paying them for the opportunity to do so. I would be more comfortable renting from a dealer or rental agency and cost is close to the same. Actually for the 5 or so years I rented a Harley it was only about $100 a day plus $15 a day for damage waiver. Pretty sure my buddy was going to pay about $150 a day renting from the BMW Dealer in Vegas. Before I rented from an individual I would probably ship my bike for about $700 each way. Fortunately I am retired and can enjoy the ride from NC to Great Falls and beyond.
 
You should consider flying into Salt Lake City. You would have several good options of riding from there up to Montana.
 
adamchandler said:
did a wee bit of research with the misses.

Probably won’t camp since flying in with our amenities & riding gear will be challenging.
Click to expand...

Unless things have changed the Rally will give you the ability to ship your camping gear to the rally site, pick it up when you get there and then ship it home just before you leave.

You can also use this to ship your old riding gear home so you can wear the new stuff bought from the many vendors.

Wayne Koppa
Grayling, MI
#71,449
 
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