BMW rentals in California

[52677]

I am looking for a reliable/reputable rental company for BMW bikes.
Suggestions?

[20774]

Welcome to the forum! I'm sure someone will be along to help out. After some bit of time, one of the moderators may move this to the Regional West forum area. That way, members from the region might see your question and offer some ideas.

There are a couple of threads in the Similar Threads pane below that are related, but they seem to be quite old.

[lkraus]

I used EagleRider about five years ago, bike was in good condition and the transaction was easy. Google tells me that Hertz also has BMWs for rent.
Availability and model selection varies by location.

[Lee]

Welcome to the site.
What part of California are you interested in?

[52677]

Welcome to the site.
What part of California are you interested in?

Leaving from San Francisco, going south. EagleRiders was suggested but
there are mixed reviews about them. MotoQuest was also suggested.

[PGlaves]

Leaving from San Francisco, going south. EagleRiders was suggested but
there are mixed reviews about them. MotoQuest was also suggested.

I have no specific knowledge of Eagle Riders, but I am highly skeptical about reviews in general. I would need to read the particulars, but I have in the past seem many negative reviews of businesses for the most ridiculous, petty reasons.

[AlanColes]

I have no specific knowledge of Eagle Riders, but I am highly skeptical about reviews in general. I would need to read the particulars, but I have in the past seem many negative reviews of businesses for the most ridiculous, petty reasons.

+1. Reading internet reviews is like scrapping the bottom of the barrel, the medium attracts those that are looking for something to complain about, and often they actually know very little about what they are going on about. I've found that even the big review sites like TripAdvisor, Expedia, etc., are full of worthless reviews when I've compared their ratings on things compared to my personal experiences. It is extremely frustrating, but unfortunately, we live in an era of indignation where far, far, too many people are looking for something to complain about. On the other side of the coin, there have also been many reports of people padding positive reviews on most of these sites which only further diminishes any semblance of value they might have had left. If the majority are bad, that would definitely be a red flag, but, like you, I'd want to look deeper than that and ask others what their actual experiences have been.

As for EagleRiders, I have used them several times without any issues (British Columbia, California, Nevada, Colorado). Rented an R1200GSW, and several H-D products over the years. All were in good running order and no problems with them at all. As with any vehicle rental, but especially with bikes (no matter the company), the incidental and additional charges can be significant compared to the "base" daily rate. So, pay attention to what you want. Some insurance companies (not many) will extend your personal motorcycle insurance to cover your rental bike but even then, there may be reduced coverage amounts and other limits/restrictions so there is a lot to review.

Hertz is one company many don't think of or even know about, but they do have BMWs and their pricing is good. The only issue is they have very few locations in North America (none in SF area), so that's no help for what you want currently.

Good luck and enjoy.