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Hertz Introduces a New Way to Rent BMW Motorcycles

When it comes to renting motorcycles, you typically don’t have that much freedom. There aren’t that many motorcycle rental services available and America, and those that exist either have a limited selection or rely on peer-to-peer rentals — which may be off-putting to some. A new service from Hertz, however, shows this may be starting to change.

Hertz Brings Hertz Ride to the U.S.

Last year, the Hertz Ride program finally arrived in the United States. The program — which allows customers to rent motorcycles at certain Hertz locations — was initially available in Riverside, California and Las Vegas. Over the past few months, Hertz expanded the program to two new locations in Long Beach, near Los Angeles, and New Jersey.

The Hertz Ride fleet is made up entirely of BMW bikes. There are six to choose from. The F 750 GS and R 1250 GS will work best for adventure rides and any tour that features on- and off-road riding. The K 1600 B, R 1250 RT and K 1600 Grand America will be most suitable for long-distance touring and road trips.

The R nineT Scrambler will be serviceable if you need to go off-road — but, despite its name, it is a better fit for city streets. It will be the best option of the six if you just need to get around town in Miami, Los Angeles or Vegas.

The program also allows customers to rent top-level riding gear — right now, riding apparel from Rev’It and helmets from NEXX, two top-of-the-line motorcycle apparel companies. If you like your gear, you can buy it once your rental period is over, and Hertz will ship it to you.

Hertz Ride also offers tours, although its American tour list is much more limited than European offerings. There’s only one U.S. tour right now — a 14-day, 2,100 mile round-trip tour of California. The tour package includes your bike, accommodations, meals and guidance from a tour leader. 

If the European tour options are anything to go by, your options are likely to expand in the near future.

Why the Hertz Ride Program Has Motorcyclists Intrigued

One of the reasons the service has drawn attention is how few motorcycle rental options there are across America.

Car drivers outnumber motorcycle riders by a significant margin and motorcyclists tend to be more vulnerable than other motorists — so while it’s easy to rent a car just about anywhere in America, motorcycle riders are typically limited to a handful of services or their local dealer.

This is typically a Harley-Davidson dealer that will feature a limited selection of bikes. Often, these dealers and rental services will only have motorcycles from big-name American brands like Harley-Davidson, and maybe the addition of a few Toyota or Honda motorcycles.

If you’ve ever wanted to rent a BMW bike, you’ve probably been out of luck. Now, there’s a service that’s effectively dedicated to letting customers rent BMW motorcycles.

While peer-to-peer rental services like Twisted Road exist and typically feature a much wider range of bikes to choose from, your options are limited if you want to rent from a business. Hertz Ride is a sign that this may be changing.

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How to Put a Bike Rack on Your BMW

Riding a bicycle can be a great way to get some low-impact exercise, which is perfect if you want to get active but your knees or ankles just won’t let you start running. Unfortunately, if you don’t live in an area that is surrounded by trails, you might find yourself leaving the bike in the garage if it doesn’t fit into your car. The best solution is to put a bike rack on your vehicle — a task you can do yourself, even if you drive something like a BMW. 

If you want to get more out of your bike, here are a few tips and tricks to help you install a bike rack on your car.

Types of Bike Racks

The first thing you need to decide is what style of bike rack you want. This will depend on a lot of different variables, from the type of bicycle you own to the kind of BMW you drive. 

You may find more specific options depending on the make and model of your BMW, but in general, you’re going to have four options to choose from: 

  • Roof-mount racks that attach to crossbars on top of your vehicle
  • Hitch-mount racks that attach to an existing trailer hitch
  • Trunk-mount racks that don’t need a lot of extra equipment to install
  • Interior or truckbed-mounted racks that allow you to transport your bike securely inside your vehicle or in the bed of your truck

Now that you know what types of racks are out there, let’s look at how to install each of them. 

Installing a Roof Rack

If your BMW already has a roof rack or crossbar, you won’t have to do a lot of work. Most bike racks that attach to the roof are designed to work with existing equipment. 

If you drive a sedan or another BMW that doesn’t come equipped with a roof rack, you can opt to have one installed by the dealership or you can attach one yourself. The only difference between the two is that factory-installed bike racks are screwed into the car’s frame, while aftermarket ones tend to just be pinched down. Both are capable of safely transporting your bike. The only time a factory-installed rack might be more convenient is if you’re purchasing a new BMW and you’ve got the option to add it on.

Installing a Hitch Rack

If you want the easiest installation possible and you have a BMW with a trailer hitch, then look no further than a hitch rack. The hardest part of installing this type of bike rack is figuring out which model will fit your bicycles. Once you bring it home, all you have to do is assemble it and hook it into your trailer hitch.  

Installing an Interior Rack

If you drive a larger vehicle, like an SUV or a minivan, you might want to opt for an interior rack. These versions bolt to the cargo area of your car or in the bed of a pickup. These racks work by securing the bicycle via a bolt through the front fork. This means you have to take the front tire off to attach the bike to these racks.  

If you drive an older BMW X3, it comes with an interior bike rack as standard equipment. BMW premiered this in 2003, and it’s just as handy today as it was then.

Installing a Strap-on Trunk Rack

If you don’t want to drill holes into your BMW, you can still hook a bike rack up to your car. These attach by wrapping straps around the top and sides of your trunk. Once you tighten these down, they support the bike rack and any bicycles you hook to it.  

If you’re looking for something a little more secure, opt for a model that uses straps that all meet together inside your trunk. They’re harder to remove, but that means it’s less likely that someone is going to walk off with your bike. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help

If you don’t trust your mechanical skills or are worried you might mess something up, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Getting a bike rack installed is an inexpensive and easy way to take your bicycle with you everywhere, no matter what you’re driving.

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The History of BMW in America

BMW is one of the most well known German automotive manufacturers in the world. The brand has been around since the early 1900s, tracing its lineage back to 1916, though it didn’t release its first motorcycle until 1923 and its first car until 1928. While most recognize the logo when they see it, when did this iconic brand make its way across the pond to America? 

Let’s take a look at the history of BMW in the United States and where it might go in the future. 

1956 — Introducing BMW to the U.S.

BMW first started selling its cars in the United States in 1956. At the time, however, if you wanted to bring home a piece of this German engineering, you had to have it shipped from overseas. Still, that didn’t stop dedicated BMW fans from seeking out models like the Isetta 300 Motocoupe from Europe.

An Austrian-born car dealer named Max Hoffman bought the rights to sell BMWs and other imported cars in the U.S. in 1954, though it didn’t do him much good until 1962 when the 02 Series started to become popular. BMWs have been a significant part of American automotive history since then, but that was where the story started, not where it ended. 

1975 — The First U.S.-Based Dealership

1975 was one of the most significant years for BMW in the U.S., as it marked the opening of the brand’s first dealership on this side of the pond after buying back the distribution rights from Hoffman. While its first entrants into the automotive market weren’t well-received — especially when overshadowed by the oil crisis of the early 1970s — once the brand started getting its foot in the door, it took off with a vengeance. 

The 1982 E30 was one of the brand’s biggest successes to date, and that growth led them to make another massive decision a decade later.

1994 — Manufactured in the U.S.

In 1994, BMW opened a manufacturing plant in Greer, South Carolina, making it the brand’s first factory in the United States. In 2016, BMW was the 12th highest-selling vehicle in the States, primarily due to the number of cars it was capable of assembling domestically. Today, the Spartanburg plant produces half a dozen models, including the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 SUVs, and is capable of completing more than 1,500 vehicles every single day.

The Future of BMW in America

BMW is one stalwart brand that is always changing and evolving with the times. 

While it might be too early to tell where the future of this company lies, one thing is certain — the U.S. automotive market would be a vastly different place if a single car salesman named Max Hoffman hadn’t purchased BMW’s distribution rights back in the 1950s. He was the man who showed us what BMW was and what it could be. While people may not have flocked to earlier models in decades past, these cars might not have made it to America otherwise.