Advice on Moto Tours in UK from US

Hey all,

I am taking the BMW Off-Road two day course (basic) in Wales during March 08 and I have three days before and after to rent a bike and tour:
Any suggestions on a good tour operator or moto hire company?
Plus any must-see sights along the way? I am flying into Heathrow and taking a train Cardiff for the training.

I want to see the sights but stay away from London. Since I am GSer, a kind expat directed me to your forum.

- curt

Hi Curt! I'm a newbie here as well and haven't got myself a GS yet. I can't help on the hire front I'm afraid but can highly recommend Wales for riding. I used to live in Snowdonia and the roads around there are fantastic. Betws-y-coed isn't a bad place to base yourself. Have fun!

johnnystorm said:

Hi Curt! I'm a newbie here as well and haven't got myself a GS yet. I can't help on the hire front I'm afraid but can highly recommend Wales for riding. I used to live in Snowdonia and the roads around there are fantastic. Betws-y-coed isn't a bad place to base yourself. Have fun!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip.

And what is this I hear about the clutch on the right and brake on the left?

uncutshirt said:

Thanks for the tip.

And what is this I hear about the clutch on the right and brake on the left?

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's true, you'll also find they don't work too well in this configuration either...

Hi there - the course is great but its a long way to come for it!! With 3 days either side to "do the tourist thing" are you planning on a rental bike for the whole time or just part of the trip - there aren't alot of bike hire places so I think you need to decide... Basically there are great roads all over Wales, but also some good Off-Road routes as well - but bear in mind that you will NOT cover the same sort of distances in the UK in the times that you do them in the US ( I lived in VA for 3 yrs!). Oh, and have you got dates of the course booked - when I asked for them I was told they wouldnt be released until the NEC bike show in late Nov / early Dec.....?

pinkytiff said:

Hi there - the course is great but its a long way to come for it!! With 3 days either side to "do the tourist thing" are you planning on a rental bike for the whole time or just part of the trip - there aren't alot of bike hire places so I think you need to decide... Basically there are great roads all over Wales, but also some good Off-Road routes as well - but bear in mind that you will NOT cover the same sort of distances in the UK in the times that you do them in the US ( I lived in VA for 3 yrs!). Oh, and have you got dates of the course booked - when I asked for them I was told they wouldnt be released until the NEC bike show in late Nov / early Dec.....?

Click to expand...

I plan on taking a day off to recover from jet lag- not sure where yet but I do want to rent a bike for the whole time. Mostly, I plan on road tours and see historical and cultural sites. Bike Hire - I am not sure what I am getting into there but I have some time to do some research. May'be a package deal or independent...

Regarrding the course dates - They are not posted on the yet site but I had requested to be emailed as soon as possible. Here are the dates - prices for off-road have gone up @50 pounds

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 17:23:52 +0100
From: "Ka-Wai Poon" <Ka-Wai.Poon@jardine-international.com> Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
New 2008 dates announced for World of BMW



2008 will be upon us before we know it and planning for the exciting new World of BMW Activity Programme is now complete. A record number of customers enjoyed a World of BMW experience in 2007 and, as a valued World of BMW customer, we are delighted to provide you with this advance information about the 2008 programme before it is released to the general public.

2008 is set to be another exciting year for World of BMW with new courses on offer, more BMW Motorrad motorcycles to ride and a wide choice of dates to choose from. The information in this email will shortly be made available to the general public, so this is a fantastic opportunity for you, our valued customers, to cherry pick the dates for your next activity with BMW Tours, BMW Off Road Skills and BMW Rider Training.

Call 08000 131 282 for further information, or to book your place on a World of BMW activity.

BMW Tours

For 2008 there is an extensive range of BMW Tours for both on and off-road riders, to many locations from Northern France to New Zealand and South Africa . Each tour is carefully designed to provide a two-wheeled trip of a lifetime, varying in length, mileage and terrain.

BMW Tours for 2008 include:

New Zealand 01 - 16 March
Battlefields of the Somme and Verdun 15 - 19 May
South Africa 13 - 26 Apr
Roads to Morocco 27 Apr - 13 May
Tatra Mountains 01 - 14 Jun
Western Balkans 28 Aug - 12 Sept
Fjords and mountains of Norway 10 - 20 June
Wine tasting in Spain & Portugal 25 May - 03 Jun
Austria & the Black Forest 20 - 30 Aug
BMW Motorrad Days 02 - 09 Jul
Tour Director’s Luxury Selection 10 - 20 Jul
Tour Director’s Chateaux Selection 03 - 07 Aug
Mountains all the way 06 - 14 Sep
Spanish Mountains 09 - 20 May
Easy Riding to Ardeche 17 - 26 Aug
Trail Riding in Portugal 14 - 23 Sep
Southern Ireland 15 - 21 Sep
Route des Grande Alpes 26 Jun - 06Jul
Smallest Countries in Europe 09 - 22 Jun
South Africa 12 - 24 Oct
Moroccan Desert Adventure 28 Sep - 14 Oct

Prices for BMW Tours vary. Please call 08000 131 282 for further information.

BMW Rider Training

BMW Rider Training is managed by Double Guinness World Record Holders, Kevin & Julia Sanders, and is located on the edge of the beautiful Brecon Beacons. You can either learn new skills or learn from scratch from some of the highest qualified instructors in the UK , riding some of the best biking roads in Britain on the latest models from BMW Motorrad. BMW Rider Training boasts a higher than average national motorcycle license pass rate.

Now’s the time

2008 is also a key year for anyone considering taking their bike test. With a new, more complex, motorcycle test being introduced in October, we expect demand for Direct Access courses to be higher than ever. To avoid disappointment we strongly recommend booking as early as possible to secure your place on a course.

BMW Rider Training courses for 2008 include:

Direct Access and CBT training
Dates confirmed at time of booking*

Level 1 - Refresher
April 4-5; 25-26
May 2-3; 23-24
June 6-7; 20-21
July 25-26
August 22-23
September 5-6; 26-27

Level 2 - Skill Enhancement
April 7-9; 28-30
May 5-7
June 9-11; 23-25
July 28-30
August 25-27
September 29-1 October

Level 3 - Experienced / Advanced Riding
May 26-28
September 8-10

Premium Individual Training
Dates confirmed at time of booking

*Courses run in conjunction with DSA test dates

Prices for BMW Rider Training courses vary, depending on rider experience and levels of training required. Please call 08000 131 282 for further information.

BMW Off Road Skills

Facilities at the 4,000 acre Walters Arena Enduro Park come off-road playground in Wales are second to none, with an experienced team of skilled BMW instructors headed by six times Dakar Rally competitor Simon Pavey. This year’s range of experiences has been extended to ensure there is something for everyone - from beginners to experienced off-roaders.

Next year also sees two new activities for 2008: a ‘Day in the Dirt’ and the all new ‘Brecon Beacons Discovery’.

BMW Off Road Skills courses for 2008 include:

Off Road Skills Level 1:
March 26-27; 28-29
April 06-07; 11-12; 13-14; 23-24; 25-26
May 09-10; 11-12; 19-20; 21-22
June 06-07; 08-09; 22-23; 27-28; 29-30
July 11-12; 13-14; 22-23; 24-25
August 01-02; 03-04; 26-27; 28-29
September 05-06; 07-08; 12-13; 14-15; 24-25; 26-27
October 10-11; 12-13

Off Road Skills Level 2:
13-14 April
11-12 May
08-09 June
24-25 July
28-29 August
14-15 September
12-13 October

A Day In The Dirt:
15 April
13 May
10 June
26 July
30 August
16 September
14 October

Brecon Beacons Discovery:
02-03 May
30-31 May
15-16 June
04-05 July
03-04 October

Dates on the BMW G 650 Xcountry, G 650 Xchallenge and R 1200 GS models are currently available for booking.

Please call 08000 131 282 for further information and new 2008 prices.

We look forward to welcoming you on your next World of BMW adventure soon.

Yours truly,
Your World of BMW Team
08000 131 282

Ka-Wai Poon
World of BMW Account Manager
Tel: +44 (0)8000 131 282
Direct: +44 (0)20 8607 3917
Fax: +44 (0)20 8607 3901
Email: bmw@worldofbmw.com
Web: www.worldofbmw.com

World of BMW
Upper Deck
Phoenix Wharf
Eel Pie Island
Twickenham
Middlesex
TW1 3DY

Curt

You may want to contact the nearest BMW dealer to your destination about renting a Beemer. My local dealer, Clarkes of Birmingham, rent bikes so I`m guessing other dealers do as well. I think you can rent just about anything from the range.

Don`t expect a cheap deal though and with the dollar being so weak, it may hurt the wallet.....

Let me know if you need any help and I`ll gladly see what`s available.

Sgt Bilco said:

Curt

You may want to contact the nearest BMW dealer to your destination about renting a Beemer. My local dealer, Clarkes of Birmingham, rent bikes so I`m guessing other dealers do as well. I think you can rent just about anything from the range.

Don`t expect a cheap deal though and with the dollar being so weak, it may hurt the wallet.....

Let me know if you need any help and I`ll gladly see what`s available.

Click to expand...

It never even occured to me to ask a dealer - but great idea!
In the US you're lucky if they will offer a test ride before you buy ...

The exchange rate - man... its a killer; I only hope it improves soon but some reports have it weaking further against the pound and euro. Its bad for both sides of the Atlantic.

This is a company some of my American friends have rented bikes from and they've been full of praise for their service. It's based in Wandsworth in SW London and there's a Youngs pub a few yards away where you can get B&B.

www.abouttownbikehire.co.uk

Even more logical, why not ask if you can rent a bike from World of BMW

Mid Wales is lovely, some suggestions where to go: http://www.pointandsquirt.co.uk/roads.html, especially Llyn Brianne & Devil's Staircase, then Elan Valley. I'm sure Simon and team will have other suggestions.

Tim

bike hire

Shame your not heading north to Scotland mate i have a bike hire company on the Isle of Skye and have an 1150 gs Maybe next time.
skyemotorcyclehire.co.uk

Picked up a brochure from these guys if you want to go to Scotlandshire.

But it'll take you a day to get there from the Brecons. As someone else mentioned, try WoBMW

uncutshirt said:

Hey all,

I am taking the BMW Off-Road two day course (basic) in Wales during March 08 and I have three days before and after to rent a bike and tour:
Any suggestions on a good tour operator or moto hire company?
Plus any must-see sights along the way? I am flying into Heathrow and taking a train Cardiff for the training.

I want to see the sights but stay away from London. Since I am GSer, a kind expat directed me to your forum.

- curt

Click to expand...

Hi Curt,

I might be able to help with the bike hire in the UK !

We hire the R1200GS and from april 2008 the F800GS

Terry, came over from Colorado recently and hired a bike for 3 days.

Mick


11-08-2007, 04:15 PM #22
Tabasco
Hook-it




Joined: Oct 2003
Location: U.S. Rockies, Colorado
Oddometer: 185 Quote:
Originally Posted by Possu
Give these a go with the bike rental:

http://www.rideoutrentals.co.uk

An AdvRider (Terry Miller from Denver) recently hired a bike from them. Terry popped in to see me yesterday & was singing their praises, give them a go. Not sure is Terry's planning a Ride Report?



I'm definitely doing a ride report as soon as dig out of the pile of work waiting for me when I got back.

I had a great three days riding through Wales and my experience with Rideout rentals was excellent. Roger and Mick did a great job, provided a great bike (2007 R1200GS) with full bags, tank bag and waterproof map set with route suggestions at a great price with no surprises. I would definitely use them again if renting in the UK and likely even rent from them again in the UK and take the bike on a trip to France this spring as well.

I only had three days this trip and opted to see as much of Wales as I could in that time and did not regret it; a wonderful trip. One thing that got my attention in the UK is that even riding non-stop, I did not put on the miles that I thought I would or could. I made every effort to avoid the motorways so roads, speeds and sights lead me to quality instead of quantity. I think I was able to knock out between 900 to a 1,000 miles in that time on the A and B roads. I really wish I had more time on that trip but I was combining pleasure with business and....well used every minute I had to spare.

After unsuccessfully trying to get from point A to point B to hit specific time schedule goals I just said screw it and essentially ended up wherever the road went and found a place to sleep when I got there. I don't think you can go wrong with Wales but then I have never been to Scotland and anticipate that would be the same just different and remains on my to do list. It is most certainly a beautiful country and I recommend taking us much time as you can afford to enjoy it.

Just have fun, the English and Welsh people are a wonderful friendly sort and I never had a worry anywhere or anytime. Not even when I was at the bottom of a tank in the middle Wales in the dark. A very nice gentleman came out of his house and opened his petrol pump for me; even filled the tank without spilling a drop. I'm sure the people of Scotland would be just as friendly.

Have fun!

Terry
__________________
P.F.M

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Last edited by Tabasco : 11-08-2007 at 04:37 PM.
Blame John™

Hi

The only dealer I have known rent BM's is Sawbridgeworth North London:

http://www.sbwmotorrad-bmw.com/rentals.asp

It's about £700 per week but that includes insurance. A friend has rented several times and had no issues. It would at least save you the cost of the train to Wales.

The nearest dealer to South Wales is now Bath road motorcycles, Bristol. They are good chaps, but don't rent AFAIK.

3 days would be a good time to see South & mid Wales. Concentrate on the A40 and the A470 and you won't go far wrong (once north of Merthyr that is ) Take in Elan Valley, Devil's staircase, Llandovery, St Davids, etc



lovely lovely lovely! But usually wet in March

cheers