Today I rented a Yamaha FJR 1300 from AZ Ride/MC Tours and rode out to Winkleman via Jakes Corner, Roosevelt Lake and Globe. It was fantastic. My 5 tips and highlights are:

1. The AZ Ride/MC Tours shop is clean, well kept and organised. I felt very confident when renting the bike that it would be safe, reliable and in top notch running order.

2. The bike (see above) is an impressive piece of performing art. It is a totally beautiful bike and it runs like a dream. On the road, you feel and are invincible. If someone passes you, it is because you let them. If you slow down through the twists and weaves, it is because you felt like it. In neither case do you have to.

3. The scenery is spectacular. I was planning a quick lunch stop as I wanted to spend as much time on the bike as possible. Gabor suggested pulling over by the Roosevelt Bridge. It was a great idea. You can see the view above with the spectacular hills in the background.

4. The roads are amazing. If you take the route out 87 to Jakes Corner and then south on 188 to Globe, you must take in the Hwy 77 to Winkleman and Hwy 177 back to Superior loop. I have driven stock cars at the Atlanta Raceway, driven dune buggies in the Nevada desert and flown in dog fights off the coast of Laguna Beach and I have never felt more thrilled then powering the FJR1300 through the twists and loops offered up by this route.

5. Once you get back you must spend at least half an hour talking motorcycles with Gabor. He is intelligent and knowledgeable and you will definitely find it interesting and learn something useful that you didn't know. And, he also has good taste in women (that's a plug for you Monica).

Thank you Gabor and Monica for a memorable and totally awesome day.

Jeff from Boston

Arcosanti


outside the SMOCA



at the Village Coffee Roastery, Hayden and Via de Ventura on McCormick Ranch, where there are usually a few BMW riders, especially on weekend mornings. Great! coffee...

Thank you for another great weekend!
See you again in December

Had a great time. I'll be back next time I visit Trevor.
Loren from MI

5 days in the sun

Being in the US in summer for the first time I decided to have a motorbike-trip. Since I am not fixed on driving a cruiser, I quickly came to the conclusion that AZride would be the best option.
We did the paperwork the day before and on Sunday, June 20, both the FZ6R and I were ready to start.

Gabor and Monica had a tour worked out for me that should take me from Phoenix via Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon, then over to the east to the Apache reservation, a loop down to New Mexico and then back to Phoenix.
The Bike was in perfect condition and extremely fun to ride. When forest fires spread up around Flagstaff and I called them, my renters quickly checked out whether the road I was to take was still open or not - thanks a lot!

While planning the trip, definitely take into account their opinion on scenic roads - the only time I had to take a different road than the one they suggested was on my way from Flagstaff to Show Low. Because of roadwork (including oil on the asphalt, as I was told by one of the workers) at Lake Mary I had to turn around and take the Interstate 40 - horribly boring!!
The only good point about this unexpected change in plans was that I came to see the Petrified Forest. A guy named Ray that I met on the road to Flagstaff told me about "worlds oldest dealer of petrified woods". He lived at the petrified wood already before it became a national park.
I tried to find him but only found a house that could have been his, on the south side near the entrance to the park. An interesting place.

Unfortunately, on my 5th day in Arizona a thunderstorm made me stay around Show Low, which is definitely one of the most boring places I have ever been to. I was reimbursed on my 6th day, when I rode "home", again under an all blue and sunny sky.

All in all, I had 6 extraordinary days on a wonderful bike for a good price, all beautiful landscapes and very friendly and experienced renters.
BIG RECOMMENDATION.