Triumphrat

FelixLeiter · 04-11-2007

Caught a cheap flight to Vegas last Tuesday night and stayed thru Sunday. Weather was awesome (especially in comparison to Edmonton) and I had a blast. Despite being diehard trump, I rented a Fatboy from EagleRider (just down from the Orleans hotel) for 24hrs ($121 + insurance) and went for a boot thru Death Valley. We entered from the south and once we dropped into the valley it was too hot for the leathers--even in a tank top at 70mph it was brutally hot (and extremely dry--I couldn't sweat at 40+ deg celcius). Well worth the trip as the valley is beautiful. I would have loved to have spent a couple of days there to explore, but the missus didn't like riding pillion and the poker tables at the aladin were calling. On the way home I got pulled over by the state troopers just outside of Indian Creek doing 70 in a 45! The officer was very nice and let me go with a warning. Thanks Nevada.

We were staying at the Aladin, which is turning into Planet Hollywood-- they had only gotten as far as hanging the letters "Planet Ho" up for a few days... kinda comical. The wife wouldn't concede that this was a sign and that I should be out "cruising the town"... ohh well, gotta give me points for trying (she sure didn't). Overall the aladin/planet ho was very good to us--room was comped for our entire stay!

Now that I've had a taste of motorcycling this year I have to wait impatiently for good weather in E-town.

:evil:

rs_tt · 04-12-2007

FelixLeiter
sounds like you had alot of fun.My wife and I have been talking about doing the very same thing. did you take riding gear down or is it supplied with the rental? and do they rent sportsters as she would rather ride her own bike,well may be a v-rod (she really likes v-rods for some reason).
thanks
Jake

FelixLeiter · 04-12-2007

I'm pretty sure that they have the 1200 sporty, not sure about the 883.

Try their website: Eagle Rider Las Vegas

For riding gear I took down leather jackets and gloves, the rental place supplies helmets (open face 1/2 helmets). As with the last time I had full intentions of having the windshield put on the bike, but at the last minute the romantic notion of riding through the desert on a harley with the wind in my face won out--not so fun on a 600km ride. After the first hour my Oakleys weren't cutting it and my eyes had been watering for the full hour. I switched to the clear "goggle" type biker sunglasses I had bought at the rental place for $15. They totally kept the wind out of my eyes, but of course were clear as I had bought them incase we ended up riding back in the dark--so I ended up squinting a bit till my eyes accustomized themselves to the bright day. Bring good goggles with interchangeable lenses-- or a full face (which might be a bit iffy packing your $500 helmet on a plane). The other downside to a full face is the heat.

Take lots of water, as it is extremely dry in Death Valley.

Have fun

TheToeCutter · 05-17-2007

I had the opportunity last year to do the same ride last May. Rented from a place called Moturis, who focus on RV's, but they also had a BMW R1200GS as well which I got. A coworker who I went with got a 2006 GSXR600 from another place near the strip.

Great ride...... some of the backroads make you feel like you're on Mars or something. I managed to make it the whole day in full leathers and full-face helmet, (but I'm pretty tolerant to high temps for some reason).

Me doing a "My Little Teapot" impersonation....

jpattigr · 06-07-2007

Hi

I go Vegas every January for a trade show and a group of us do a ride. last year we rented from Mototrends and the owner is Royce White. This shop was hands down first class and even has a Triumph in the fleet to rent!!
www.123letsride.com is the link to his site.
Try the "Valley of Fire" ride some time also as it is a great ride!!