Nick from OK

You guys are a "class act" and you delivered 100%. I had a great time and the bike was perfect. I will definitely be calling you again the next time I'm in Phoenix and have time to ride. I would also definitely recommend your company to anyone looking to ride.

Nick Massey

Bros from Canada

Monica
We enjoyed our short holiday with the bike rented from AZride. Bikes were great and we all enjoyed trying a different bike than what we ride at home. We also learned a lot about Arizona geography and climate, as none of us realized there was so much elevation change between Scottsdale and the Grand Canyon, or that it can get really cold in Arizona! Temperature in Flagstaff fell to 17F overnight, warmed up to 23F when we rode up to the Grand Canyon, but the sun was shining and it added to the adventure of the ride.
We all had a good time and a good ride.

Ted

Jim from PA

Monica & Gabor,

I wanted to respond and thank you for the professional and courteous service you extended to me last week as I rented the Royal Enfield C-5. My stay in Phoenix was very brief, landing Tuesday and leaving on Thursday, so, besides the work I needed to get done, I was determined to see some of the state by motorcycle. Thank you for allowing me to do this last Wednesday afternoon.

As a relatively new rider I was somewhat apprehensive in venturing off in a different city on a motorcycle I’ve never ridden before. Gabor’s quick tutorial of the bike was essential to my riding safety and fun. Monica’s friendly and professional approach to renting bikes and all the business stuff that goes with it assured me that I was dealing with the right folks.

Arizona has much straighter roads than my home state of Pennsylvania and they seem to go on forever. On my excursion I was able to head north through Scottsdale and then into the Tonto National Forest. Of course I was not prepared with a camera, so I will have to relive my experience by memory, at least until I get back to Phoenix. I will not soon forget the sights of desert, rock formations, and cactus as I get back to business here on the east coast.

It was an awesome experience. Thanks for making this possible and I look forward to following your guestbook.

Jim Hayes

Tim and Michelle from PA

I just wanted to thank you again from Michelle and I. And apologize for leaving so abruptly when we dropped the bike off. We were in a big rush. I don't think we got to properly express just how amazing our trip was, and how thankful we were to your company, and to your specific handling of our needs. The bike was even better than my high hopes prepared for, and the advice you gave us was so spot on it really put our trip over the top! The trip to AZ is likely to become an anual thing, and I'm going to be sure to include your bikes in those trips.

Thanks again!!

Tim

Tucson & Kitt Peak

After a week on business in Phoenix, I picked up the BMW R1200RT. This was my second rental from AZRide and the experience was outstanding on both occassions. The bike was in excellent shape and the service was professional and friendly. They are motorcycle enthusiasts and it shows! I proceeded to the Phoenix airport to meet my wife who was flying in from PA. We then headed south to Tucson for the weekend.

Our lodging was a great B & B, (El Presidio Inn), in the historic district of down town Tucson. The innkeeper graciously allowed us to park the RT inside the historic, cobble stoned courtyard here we knew it would be secure. On Saturday after an awsome breakfast with other guests, we headed off to explore the Saguaro National Park, (East) and the Sonoran Desert Museum. On Saturday evening we went to Kitt Peak National Observatory for their Nightly Observing Program. We watched the sunset over the desert from the top of Kitt Peak, (about 6,500 ft), then spent several hours learning about and observing the stars & planets. This was a unique experience and we highly recommend it.

Sunday morning we took the long way back to Scottsdale, traveling Rt. 77 to Globe, then US 60 west. This was a great ride with mountain roads and scenic overlooks and minimal traffic. Another great experience, (just way too short).

Thanks Monica & Gabor! We hope to be back! ---Jay & Linda, Landisville, PA.

Brad & Billie from the UK

We rented the Yamaha FJR for 2 days, it was the first time I had got my wife, Billie on the back of a bike since I passed my test in March. It was the best 2 days of the 8 day stay in Phoenix.

We took Monica's advice the first day & followed her route to Tortilla Flats stopping for a drink at Saguaro Lake where this picture of Billie with the FJR was taken.

On the 2nd day we went to Sedona up the 87 to Payson & then the 260 to the I-17 on to Sedona.

The 87 is a must!!

You go from cotton fields after the 101 to desert, cactus forest and, as you gain altitude, alpine forests before you get to Payson. Fantastic road, breath taking views & the odd speed trap!!

Sedona is beautiful, but don't go for the shopping go for the stunning scenery (though there is a factory outlet just outside Sedona). The 2nd picture is Billie & I in Sedona.

We are already talking about coming back next year & renting a bike for longer next time!!

Ride Safe.

Arizona on the BMW

We rented 2 BMW's at AZRide. Monica and Gabor are very serious and professional, yet very friendly people. They run there business en motorbikes well. For every ride the bikes look like new!

We drove 1150 miles through Arizona, a great trip and a lot of fun!

For more great pictures of Arizona, see http://www.lamboo.com/

Herman Lamboo

Jens from Germany

Thanks for entertaining a great 24 hrs bike ride. It was a great weekend
experience for a business traveller and definitely worth it. Great landscape
and great bike. Easy riding, even for somebody who hasn't hit the road for
more than 16 years. I enjoyed your support and even the 200 blocks back to
the hotel by public transportation......

Jens

Bill from CA

I recently rented a Royal Enfield from AZride. The whole process was very nice, including the people, the store and the bikes.

There are 2 very good reasons to ride the Royal Enfield.

First it is a Thumper so going is wonderful. If is light and agile, the way motorcycles should be. If also has the sound and vibration of a real Motorcycle from my past.

Second is it's classic look, so stopping is a social event. Guys came up to me to find out where and when it was manufactured. They also marveled at the cost of "Primping" it out to such a pristine condition. From the admiring looks and comments, I may have sold a few bikes for the nice folks at AZride.

Bill

Long Way UP

I just wanted to post you a picture to show where that RT you sold me has been. It was a great summer in Alaska. I got back last week, and am starting to settle down again. Hope alls well with you and your business.
Neil

Julie and Sam from Virginia

Thanks so much for the friendly and professional service! We had a great
weekend but especially liked visiting Jerome and the Apache Trail.
Julie Grey

Greg and Louise from Georgia

Thank you for arranging a fantastic experience for us in Arizona. We always look forward to our vacations as an opportunity to try something out of the ordinary and AZride exceeded our expectations. This was our first time in your beautiful state as well as on a rental bike (a BMW no less) and it was absolutely amazing. Your preparations for our trip were thorough and professional and you answered all our questions with courtesy and patience. The arrangements you made for our stay in Scottsdale and at the B&B in Sedona were better than anything we could have arranged and at a much better price. You went out of your way to make sure we enjoyed every minute of our vacation. As tired as we were when we got home, we immediately began making plans for our next Arizona ride. We'll be seeing you soon.

Thanks again for providing us with such a rewarding experience.

John & Anne from the UK

Well here we are back in the UK. Autumn has arrived whilst we have been away and the leaves are falling from the trees.
Your 104 degrees has changed to half that now.

Once again we must thank you for providing an excellent service, both in the presentation of the BMW 1200GS and your professional and friendly hand over.

Our trip took us to 8 National Parks during the 2 weeks of hire, namely:
Grand Canyon; Monument Valley; Arches; Capitol Reef; Bryce Canyon; Zion; Yosemite and Death Valley.

We also took in Las Vegas,Bisbee and Tombstone and Four Corners.

We were overwhelmed by the outstanding scenery which was ever changing. Weather was excellent although very hot at the lower altitudes.
All the roads were brilliant including the gravel road over the mountain to Escalante. The extra terrestrial highway was awesome - riding with our friends from San Francisco, I just remember the sun going down and everyone being silhouetted ahead of me as we headed for Tonopah.
Another amazing road, was on the way to Lee Vining in California. It was like riding a roller coaster with all the undulations.
Death Valley was awesome although the temperature rose to 113 degrees - which is pretty hot for us British!

On the way to Death Valley

Looking over Badwater Basin at Death Valley from Dante's View

At Monument Valley with our American friends

Another town we really enjoyed was Wickenburg. We had a wonderful Mexican meal at Anita's Cocina and the whole feel of the town was as if you had just stepped out of a Western!

Once again many thanks for making the trip a pleasant and exciting experience!
best regards
John & Anne

Never Give Up !!!!

Dave from WI

I've returned home safe and sound. I want to thank you again for providing me with a great experience in Arizona! I've rented motorcycles from various agencies before and can say without hesitation that your's is the most professional, organized and friendly that I've dealt with. Nobody else offered the maps and suggestions for roads and sights the way you did. I would, and will, recommend your agency to friends and acquaintances who ride and will certainly do business with you again if I get back that way.

Unfortunately, I took no pictures as I didn't have a camera with me but will have to rely on memory to relive the experience.

Sport Touring (ST) experience

Living in the middle class has its rewards, but also has its limitations. It’s nice to be able to afford a good bike, but there are so many good bikes to want! As the captain of an 850-pound Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide, my wife Lisa and I enjoy miles and hours together sightseeing beautiful Arizona when time allows, and with cavernous storage capacity, shopping can always be part of the journey. That is our one bike, and it’s what we can afford for now.

As a young man, I would go canyon carving in Southern California riding Bonnevilles and Sportsters and various Hondas long before the term “sportbike” was coined. I think and talk of those days often and how I would like to ride a high performance bike again. Then one day Lisa told me to go rent one.

O.K. You don’t have to tell me twice!

After a brief search of the local rental bike scene on the internet, I discovered AZRide.com by MCTOURS LLC, and that is how this started.

I spoke with Monica by telephone to verify some details. Those details were very clear on their excellent website, but I was in disbelief. But sure enough, they had the best rates and the coolest bikes! I was giddy!

Reserving a BMW F800ST on the website was a “piece of cake”. Monica called me the next day with the good news, and I was off on the Harley to pick up my “adventure partner”.

Their shop was clean and bright and I remember commenting: “This is part garage and part living room”. Evidence to me that enthusiasts work here. Gabor was busy preparing an RT in the “garage”, and Monica called me to a nicely arranged pair of tables so as to finalize the paperwork. She is very professional and courteous, and cares deeply about her customer’s well being, offering several options for insurance. She had me signed up and ready in mere moments.

Gabor had staged up the F800ST and was waiting for me to perform a “pre-flight” inspection. His demeanor is polite and unassuming, and is a wealth of information, both on motorcycling and life in general. I believe I could talk with both of them for hours; they presented themselves as friends.

There was a special place in a warehouse building next door for me to store my Harley, and Gabor didn’t seem to mind that I had forgotten my gloves there, as we had to walk back and get them.

3, 2, 1, Blast-off

I wasn’t sure that I would be able to tolerate the Scorpion EXO helmet that was provided, so I packed my open-face helmet into the expandable pannier that the F800ST came equipped with. It fit with room to spare.

I saddled up and said a prayer that I would not damage this very very nice motorcycle.

I tested the brake action twice before leaving the parking lot. I listened to the sounds and took in the “feel” of the engine and chassis as I cruised slowly down the street. I became familiar with the power curve as the RPMs changed under load. This was not an Electra Glide.

The freeway on-ramp offered me a glimpse of the straight-line acceleration. Wow! …And I wasn’t even really getting on it!

A motorcyclist on a crowded freeway at rush hour must seem a strange thing to most people. Yet I felt confident in that environment knowing that my BMW had the torque and flickability to “dodge the bullets”. I was home in no time and I sat and stared at the ST, parked in my garage.

I took Lisa around town on it later, and while it is much smaller than what she is accustomed to, she appreciated the smoothness and excitement of higher performance as we zipped around the curves by the shopping mall.

Tortilla Flat And Back

Tuesday morning was a perfect “Arizona day”; cool and windless. I knew that somewhere someone was shoveling snow. But we don’t shovel sunlight; we ride!

I decided that the Scorpion EXO helmet was the better way to go, and was very glad I chose it. Not only is it smart for crash protection, but the bugs hit hard and could have disfigured my otherwise grandfatherly good looks. I thought about Gabor’s foresight and wisdom as I stopped to clean the face-shield several times with spray cleaner and a cloth that he put in the pannier. Thanks, Gabor!

The ST felt solid and stable as I rode up to the Lost Dutchman State Park area, but I’ll admit to feeling just a little intimidated, as I knew that the first several hair-pin turns ahead were sharp and high-banked and I would really rather sit in a dentist’s chair than return the bike with scratches and broken parts. I had test-ridden plenty of performance motorcycles in town, but hadn’t ridden one on twisty mountain roads in twenty-five years.

This is where I thought I would “take up where I left off twenty five years ago”, but I already knew that this bike had more quality, power and cornering ability than anything I had ridden in my life. (Straight-line launches on V-rod’s and ZX14’s notwithstanding)

The Sonoran springtime topography is hard to ignore, even while relearning how to negotiate sharp turns on a rented motorcycle. Arizona has, without a doubt, the most beautiful desert. There are flowers and plants and birds as well as rock formations and a beautiful blue sky that demands to be admired!

The first several turns now behind me, a confidence factor took hold right away, that allowed me to relax and get to the real pleasure of riding. Tipping into turns this way and that, feeling the geometry, studying the change of trail as the brakes are applied, learning the response of inputs like acceleration from the apex, or standing the bike up quickly to avoid a pot-hole. Even abrupt maneuvers (responding to gravel in the road) never unsettled the ST’s chassis. It is a “bike-on-a-rail”.

Whether for numbness of my wrist (a personal problem), or catching up to sightseers, I stopped several times at turnouts and was never dissatisfied with the view. The smell of sage and other desert flora was heavenly! At one stop, a brilliantly red cardinal fluttered up and landed on a branch, not twenty feet away. I marveled at the beauty and thought about how it fits perfectly with motorcycling.

Redundancy is boring, and I could just about describe every turn, every straightaway, every hill, and every stop-and-stare at every turnout. Enough to say that this was without a doubt my most enjoyable motorcycling experience. That’s pretty tough to say with a failing memory like mine, but for one, the BMW F800ST is the finest performing motorcycle I have ever ridden. Secondly, Arizona is the perfect place to ride in the springtime. Suffice it to say that my confidence level with the bike was established, and before I left the” twisties”, I became the bike… or it became me. BMW engineers must have ray-gun-sensor-mind-reader thingies that spy on me in my sleep.

At the bottom of the hill I felt more than just a little sad that the experience was over, and I began to calculate in my mind the cost per mile overage… What the heck, when will I be able to do this again? I turned around and went back up; at least to the lookout over the lake. I’m really glad I did, too. Just the extra icing on the cake to make it satisfying. Yup, that’s more like it, a “do over” of my favorite thing!

I did feel a sadness though, as I traveled back home. This was truly an excellent and memorable adventure.

Not mentioning Tortilla Flat was an oversight. While I did not stop this trip, my focus was the BMW and the ride, I highly recommend going to the restaurant and milling around the area. Quite a bit of history there and it’s entertaining looking at the old time artifacts and buildings. The menu is burgers, dogs, chili, Mexican food… cowboy fare.

Back at AZRide headquarters, I reluctantly returned the Beemer to Gabor and Monica. I remember admonishing them to be sure to take care of my new bike. We conversed about my experience, and they were eager and interested. They even asked about Lisa’s opinion, and before long Gabor had me sitting on the BMW R1200RT. I stroked my beardless chin and cogitated. There’s no way I can afford a Harley, an F800ST and an R1200RT…

I guess I don’t have to. AZRide has my motorcycles. They keep them maintained, clean and shiny, insured, and ready for me to take them on more adventures. Next trip, the RT will accommodate Lisa comfortably. Oh, boy! Now I am excited!

As I pulled out of the AZRide driveway, all of those wonderful thoughts still spinning around in my head, I figured it best if I didn’t mention any of it to the Harley. Jealousy, you know.

(Posing with open-face helmet, showing my grandfatherly good looks)

Dennis Simpson, Gilbert, AZ

Great Ride, Great Bike, Great Service

Monica and Gabor, the bike was great, performed flawlessly and I had a blast.... What I thought was going to be a two day ride, Phoenix - Payson - Flagstaff - Sedona - Prescott - Phoenix turned into a one day ride.. Didn't want to get off the bike....

You all made renting an enjoyable experience. Will recommend you to all my friends!

Motorcycle Amusement Park

Arizona Is like a motorcycle amusement park! Most fun motorcycle trip I have ever taken. We found a wonderful B&B in Alpine (Alpine Inn) With beautiful rooms & a fantastic breakfast. The owner drives a vintage Porsche & is a lover of BMW motorcycles. Alpine is located on route 191 (Devils hi-way). You dont want to miss this road , trust me!The K1200 LT we rented was polished to perfection & ran perfect, my wife was able to ride passenger 7 to10 hours a day in total comfort. Looks like a new K1200LT is in my future. Thanks Monica & Gabor for making everything go so smoothly.Darryl & Kathy, New Hudson Mi

Japanese Police Motorcycle Riding Competition

Don't try to do the same. Just admire them from a distance.

Another flawless rental from you guys. The BMW 800ST was a lot of fun and in perfect condition; it was the ideal ride for the twisty stretch of road on HWY 89 between Yarnell and Prescott.
Thanks again and I look forward to seeing you next year.
---David, From Toronto

I had a BLAST on the F800st - and I enjoyed meeting you and Gabor - thanks for an exceptional experience - one thing that was important to me as a solo woman rider was that I have a safe machine to ride - I left your shop w confidence and was not disappointed. Thanks, you guys. MM

It was a great day and a badly needed break for me...long overdue!
Definitely will see you again in the future!!!

Richard from Tennessee

Monica, we had an excellent time and highly recommend your service. Bikes were well maintained and the whole process was smooth and trouble-free. A picture of one of our stops on the mountain passes in Eastern AZ:Thanks, Tom

Pete from New York

Thanks for the great ride and service. Gary and I took a nice loop through Payson, Cottonwood, Presscott and Wicksburg. It was a real work-out for me, just getting back from a bout with pneumonia. The bike performed very well, more vibration than I'm used to on my "K", but still very enjoyable.
When I'm back in town, I will look you up again.

Thanks, Pete

Incredible 4 Day Ride

I just returned from a 4 day riding trip with 2 friends. Not much went as planned but I wouldn't have changed anything.

Day 1 - Phx to Patagonia........stayed at Stage Coach Motel.....Hit the saloon for some karyoke.
Day 2 - Patagonia to Somwhere near Safford.......Camped at riverview campsites.....if you can find it you should camp there.
Day 3 - Somewhere off Sanchez Rd to Show Low....Camped at Fool Hollow Lake....it's a popular "not rugged" campsite and very nice.

Highlights.....191...191...191.....RIDE IT!! Tombstone is fun also.

This is my second time renting from Monica and Gabor.... Their advice is unrivaled and I don't think anyone maintains their bikes like Gabor (almost bought one that was on sale from them).

spring break for Dave 2009

Thanks for such an easy time from first contact, to end of ride. Thanks for a wonderfully maintained LT, help with routes, invaluable help with hints for maintenance, cleaning, and for talking with someone who loves to ride. I am a happy customer. I came needing a break, and the experience was more than I had hoped for. Thanks. Dave

AZRide, Scottsdale, AZ

Just rented a BMW 1200 LT over the weekend for a ride to Karchner Caverns. The bike was great, obviously well maintained, and performed in excess of my expectations.

AZRide "folks" are just the best; so nice, so competent, really know what they are doing and make the whole rental process easy so you can focus on the ride and not the rental. Again, they're the best!!!!

Is this a blog or an endorsement?

Thanks!!!!

Pepe Corazon

Great winter break.

Jen and I spent a week in Arizona visiting her family and riding a GS around the state. The service and the bike from AZride were great.

We got up to the radar dome:

Greasewood Flats for lunch

Four Peaks

Sedona

And the Apache Trail:

We both had a great time riding in such beautiful country. We'll be back to AZride again when we're back in town! :~)

All photos of our trip are HERE.