Once again, Judy and I were up in the mountains this past weekend, in her new Subaru Forester, checking out some dirt roads. A dual-sport bike is really high on my wish list but until that happens we’re using her high-clearance, all-wheel-drive vehicle to scout out some roads that might make for some good riding eventually.

We knew we were going to be coming from Aspen over Independence Pass, so looking at the map, Weston Pass presented itself as something to consider. This road runs over from a little south of Leadville to just a little south of Fairplay. It’s a short-cut that eliminates the drive down to Buena Vista and then back up over Antero Pass on U.S. 285. Of course, with roads like this one, the short-cut takes about twice as much time as the long way around, even though it’s probably one-quarter the distance.

So let me tell you now, Weston Pass would be great on a dual-sport bike. The ruts and potholes and rocks and all the rough stuff that held our speed down much of the time to around 5 mph would just be fun on a proper dirt bike or dual-sport. And in fact, we did see and talk with one guy going over the pass on his bike. That’s him in the picture. I didn’t get his name but it was good to talk with him because he reassured us our car would get over the pass OK. The eastern side of Weston Pass is easy but the western side, which is the side we went up, was very rough. We saw a sign down on the eastern side warning that the western side of the pass road was not maintained for low-clearance vehicles. They weren’t kidding about that.

In the meantime, if you do have a dual-sport, it’s a nice road, going through some terrific country. I have a strong feeling that the more we go out on these roads in this Subaru the more my “need” for a dual-sport is going to increase. And I know that a bike will go on roads that we wouldn’t dream of taking the Forester on, so that will open up even more possibilities. In the meantime, I’m going to have to depend on getting off in the dirt with my friends Ron Coleman, of Western Dual Sport Motorcycle Adventures, and Kevin Smith of Colorado Mountain Moto. They rent dual-sport bikes so if you’re like me and don’t have your own that is an option.

Judy and I figure the next dirt road we want to check out is Boreas Pass, from Como there in South Park over to Breckenridge. Again, I doubt it’s particularly challenging on a bike, but we’ve never been over it so we’re going to go. And some day I will get that bike.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Repeal of peculiar helmet law vetoed

Biker Quote for Today

Loud Pipes Kill Trails

Just a heads-up about a new motorcycle rental outfit here in Colorado. House of Motorrad has opened in Boulder and at this time rents three BMW models, the R1200GS Adventure, the F800GS, and the F650GS.

And let me interject right here the note that Ben Kriederman and his wife Lisa have taken ads on the MotorcycleColorado.com website, which is how I learned about them. So yes, I have financial interest here but it’s still the sort of news this blog has always presented.

Once they get it up and running, the company’s website will be www.HouseOfMotorrad.com, but for now if you click on the listing on the Rentals and Tours page of the site, or on any of the ads, you’ll be taken to their FaceBook page.

Note as of 5-11-11: The website is now up and running.

Here’s what Ben has to say about their business.

We started the business in the hopes of bringing motorcycle rentals to a broader audience. We are a small company trying to keep the overhead costs down so that we can offer top-of-the-line rentals at an affordable cost to the “average joe.” We offer discounts for tour companies and people who have completed a motorcycle safety training class as well as repeat customers. The more you rent, the cheaper things get. We also anticipate adding guided tours to the lineup if the business takes off. Triumph motorcycles might also be on the horizon, depending on how things go with the business.

Ben and Lisa will deliver bikes at no charge within the Denver metro area, including to DIA. The bikes come with luggage and you can rent gear, including GPS. Each motorcycle also comes with a SPOT satellite locater for roadside assistance when you are out of cell phone range as well as the ability for loved ones and friends to track your trip in realtime online.

So there you go. I have to say that it looks to me like the economy is coming back, judging from the news I’m seeing about the motorcycle business. The manufacturers are selling more, Rider magazine just put out a huge issue that is loaded with ads, and new businesses are starting up here in Colorado. Just recently I also added two new motorcycle tour outfits on the Rentals and Tours page. Good-bye recession, good riddance.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Bipartisan sponsors oppose safety agency lobbying on motorcycle helmets

Biker Quote for Today,

BMW makes motorcycles now?

I don’t travel for business a lot, but when I do I try to mix business with pleasure. If I can, I try to arrange it so I can be there over the weekend. Then I’ll arrange to rent a motorcycle. What better way to see a different part of the country than where you usually ride.

Here’s a tip I learned the hard way. I got sent to Nashville a few years ago, and it was only for a day, but I set it up for a Friday. I flew in Thursday night, went to work on Friday, and then, of course, I picked up the tab for my lodging on Friday and Saturday nights, rather than return to Denver.

Saturday morning I went to a nearby Harley dealership where I had reserved a bike and picked up my Road King. I had brought my leather jacket but they had told me when I made the reservation that they could provide me with a helmet and a rain suit. So I didn’t bring my own. Well, it turned out that the only helmets they had were open face. OK, no big deal, in fact, maybe nice. More open and airy, you know.

Well, not so nice. Unfortunately it was a rainy day. The open face helmet meant my face got very wet and my glasses were constantly covered with water droplets, making it hard to see. On top of that, when I pulled out the rain suit they had given me it turned out to be a one-size-big-enough-for-anyone unit. I could get into it, and it kept me dry, but you could have gotten two more of me in there as well.

Lesson learned: Take your own gear. It may be a bother on the airplane but you’ll be glad you did.

Biker Quote for Today

If you don’t ride in the rain, you don’t ride.

Another question I got from Steve in New Zealand, who is coming to Colorado to ride with some friends in 2009, was “Are there any other pure renters (as opposed to tour companies) of similar style bikes?” Steve and the group are planning to rent from www.tourbikes.com.

That was something I’d never really thought about so I did some research. First I checked to see what selection they have at tourbikes.com. It’s a pretty wide selection. They have a bunch of BMW touring bikes but they also have some Harleys, some Hondas, a Yamaha FJR 1300, and a mix of dual sport bikes. All in all, something that would probably suit anybody.

Then I started looking at the others. L2 Motorcycle Rentals has mostly Harleys, but they also have some Gold Wings. Mainly Harleys, though.

Not surprisingly, EagleRider of Denver has only Harleys. It also appears that Moturis also is exclusively Harley.

I list a number of other rental companies on the motorcycle rentals page but can’t check the rest of them out very easily because they don’t appear to have website. So in answer to Steve’s question, no it does not appear that there are other renters of similar style bikes in the area.

If I’m wrong, and someone tells me more than I know at this point I’ll be glad to post the info here and on the rentals page. Thanks in advance.