Bike for trip to England wanted?

1258 Views 17 Replies 8 Participants Last post by unionjk, Feb 3, 2013

unionjk

Discussion Starter · Jan 29, 2013

I am taking my 14 year old son to England from May 13 to June 19 this year so that he can see where his old man came from and meet some of his 'other' relatives. We are arriving and departing Heathrow but staying mostly in Southampton with a trip down to Devon.
My question is, is there a good option for obtaining a cheap motorcycle for us to use while we are there? Maybe even a motorcycle and sidecar for some camping gear, like the Ural? I still have a British motorcycle license until my 70th birthday, although it has been misplaced for many years now.

Last time I went there we purchased a car and sold it again through friends, it ended up only costing us the insurance and gas/petrol. This time I was thinking some small cheap scoot would be a good idea for local running about with just the two of us.
Anybody have any ideas?

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UbarW

· #2 · Jan 29, 2013

contact silverfox. See what he recommends.

wpgfire

· #3 · Jan 30, 2013

Is Pistol Pete's ST still floating around in the UK? Just a thought.

wexy

· #4 · Jan 30, 2013

You need to send a pm to silverfox ,he got some kind of a deal on the insurance on motorcycle petes(rip) st1100 .

Silverfox

· #5 · Jan 31, 2013

Received a PM from Unionjk and have just shot a PM back to him.

mrefudd

· #6 · Jan 31, 2013

make sure your "british license" is up to date mate. we have to change them every 10yrs now because of new laws. some folk over here are riding/driving ilegally because it wasnt advertised properly. DAZ.

Silverfox

· #7 · Jan 31, 2013

mrefudd said:
make sure your "british license" is up to date mate. we have to change them every 10yrs now because of new laws. some folk over here are riding/driving ilegally because it wasnt advertised properly. DAZ.

I have explained the licence issue to Unionjk but I am trying to sort something out for him to ride on his US licence which is now possible with the company that I insure my Goldwing with. This has always been an issue in the past, but now it has been overcome and only costs the visitor £75 per week to be insured fully comprehensively. ( hundreds if not thousands of pounds less than hiring a bike in the UK)
I am going to get the Pan European moved over, as a second bike on my Goldwing insurance eventually, but as yet I still have some 10 months to run on a policy with another company that does not allow US or Canadian riders to be added.

96aspencade

· #8 · Jan 31, 2013

Yer a good man Pete.......... how's Helen doing :waving:

Silverfox

· #9 · Jan 31, 2013

She is not bad thanks Bob, hope Barb and you are well too. :waving:

When are you coming back over to see us again. :?:claps:

96aspencade

· #10 · Jan 31, 2013

Thanks Pete, we are waiting for the Spring eagerly, Barb is retiring next month, good thing, she's developing a bad attitude like me

raying:

Silverfox

· #11 · Jan 31, 2013

Here is a typical example of hire charges for a Honda motorcycle in the UK.

you will see that the Goldwings are available, but not cheap!!!.....

http://www.motorcyclehireuk.com/Motorcycle-Hire/Prices.html

Silverfox

· #12 · Jan 31, 2013

96aspencade said:
Thanks Pete, we are waiting for the Spring eagerly, Barb is retiring next month, good thing, she's developing a bad attitude like me raying:

Didn't know that women could retire at 40 in Canada!!!! :?

brewmaster

· #13 · Feb 2, 2013

Hi there Unionjk, Don't know how long you have been away from the UK but Bike shops have severely declined in the last few years. Have had a look at Hire companies in the soton area and here are the two links.

http://www.westsussexmotorcyclehire.co.uk/our-bikes/

http://www.motorcycle-hire.co.uk/

Charges are fairly high but that's the UK for you.
If your looking to buy and then re-sell at the end of your stay, then these are the sites to look at.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/bikes

http://www.ebay.co.uk/motors#Motorcycles

This would be my choice of option and you never know you might make a few bob in the process, have a great time on holiday over here and hopefully by the end of may things might have dried up.

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Silverfox

· #14 · Feb 2, 2013

The problem with the idea of buying a bike here and then selling it on at the end of the trip is the insurance for the bike whilst riding in the UK.
There are no companies that I know of that will just insure an American or Canadian rider ( or driver of a car for that matter) on their licences.
All British insurance companies ask the question, "does the rider/ driver hold a full current UK licence" and most now want photocopy proof of that.

Any British Goldwing owners who insure their bike through Towergate, (formerly Ayre Valley) can now have an American or Canadian rider added as a visitor, to their policy at a cost of £75 per week. This will suit anyone with a second bike on their policy and wishing to lend that bike to the visitor.
This is something some other riders and I helped Nathan at Towergate set up and he worked hard to get this as an option on the Goldwing policy that Towrgate offer.
Teh visiting rider from the USA or Canada needs to hold a full valid motorcycle endorsement on their licence, and that is pretty much it.

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unionjk

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 3, 2013

I guess times have changed. I do have a full British bike license, but it has been misplaced for nearly 30 years now, Should still be good until I turn 70 though. However back in 84 my bike insurance in Plymouth Devon was only 37 pounds a year.
I currently have a full US bike and car license ect.

At this time I can rent a car at the airport for 100 pounds a week with unlimited mileage on my US car license, I just figured that a bike would be less expensive, never mind a whole lot more fun.

Silverfox

· #16 · Feb 3, 2013

£37 will just about fill a Goldwing's fuel tank up here these days, I am afraid, Or pay the road tax on a 50cc moped. :sadguy:

The sad fact is that, as you said, a car can be rented at a small fraction of the cost of a motorcycle.
One of the factors that may have contributed to the extortionate hire rates, may be that most hired motorcycles are being done so to satisfy the insurance details in the case of an accident. A loan bike is usually something a rider can expect if they have an accident on their own bike. More often than not, the other party's insurance will be stumping up for this hire, as the accident is often their driver's fault.
Relatively high risk, low residual values on used bikes and maintenance costs, may also contribute to the high rates. :?

And you wonder why we have dubbed ourselves "Rip off Britain" :sadguy:

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brewmaster

· #17 · Feb 3, 2013

Rip off Britain sums things up quite nicely

Best to go for the Hire Car from the airport then, but if you want that wind in the hair feeling go for a convertible lol.... Mind you cant guarantee you will get the top down without getting wet

The weather over here really needs to pick up some what, have forgotten what a warm sunny day is like ....

unionjk

Discussion Starter · #18 · Feb 3, 2013

Hi there Brewmaster. I see that you are in Southampton. That is where my Sister lives and I shall be staying for four or five weeks. (Incidentally I was born in Crawley, but raised in Devon)

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