http://www.ridemfast.com/index.php?p=bikes
Got a brother who lives over in the States, I wouldn’t mind renting one of these for a week the next time I visit…
Makes a lovely change from all the Harley shite that usually seem to be the only bikes available to rent in the US…
The site looks all good but I had a thought, what if I put my deposit down on a rental, then get out to Chicago only to find that the company doesn’t exist? There’s no address for the firm listed on the website…
Hmmmm :ermm:
Yelp has them listed with address, not sure why they don’t put it on the website… http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/ride-m-fast-chicago-2
And their FB page with matching address… https://www.facebook.com/RideMFast
TBH anything long distance will have inherent risks. Would it be worth finding a US biking forum to ask around? I think they are talked about in this topic: http://kawasakiworld.com/general-discussion/46500-what-you-you-do.html doesn’t mention a lot and you never know if they are bogus.
Wow great detective work Serrisan! Thanks! 
Might ask my brother if he knows anyone in Chicago who could go check them out for me…
How long you going for?
Might be better to just buy a second hand bike looking at the price…$200 a day!! That is a grand for 5 days, $1200 for the week according to the website.
You could probably buy a bike for $2,000 use it for a week and sell it for $1,800.
Especially as you have family there so you don’t have to rush to buy or sell.
It’s a thousand dollars for a week with a 2010 S1000rr…
Buying a bike does sound much more attractive but it’s not an option unfortunately.
It has to be bought and registered to a resident. A plate has to be applied for. The it has to be taxed and added to a motor insurance policy.
Then once the week is over it will have to be sold, all the registrations, insurance, tax etc will have to be cancelled…
What even buying a second hand bike requires you to register it to a resident and have a plate applied for?
Surely it would just be a matter of insuring it and putting you as a named rider?
Can’t say I know US law, but would have guessed that it was the same as it was here?
Yup afaik the plate there is the owner’s property and not attached to the vehicle…
According to this Illinois website anyway: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/vehicles/title_and_registration/transferring.html
In Illinois, license plates belong to an owner, not the vehicle. Therefore, you cannot transfer ownership of license plates when you sell a car or transfer a title. You can only transfer license plates to another vehicle you own.
Yeah it is a pain buying a bike or car “temporarily” in the States. Add to that that insurance usually requires a US driving license and you’re pretty much screwed. Cars/bikes tend to hold their value more in the States also. Unless you have someone there that would buy the bike and set it up for you, rental is the way to go - but those rates do sound expensive.
