I ride on all my tours, but I also understand not everyone wants to trek 2000 miles across country to ride, then do the same to get back home. At that, not everyone has the time to do that either. :/

 

TIME, it is all about the time. Give me the entire summer off with pay, I will do one of those 4 corners tours with my wife. TIME.

 

Here is what we did when we rented from Eaglerider in Las Vegas----Bike cost was $1650 [Sat-following week Tues] rode to Hoover Dam,stayed in Laughlin-wife and I like it better there than Vegas,Laughlin-Phoenix area for 2 days/ Phoenix -San Diego for 3 days/rode coast to LA /took rt 66 -Kingman area, ended up back in Las Vegas. Estimated hotel cost $1200-----Food and drink $800---flight $630[rt total for both] So estimated cost was $4200 for 2 people 1 bike hotels and food. I know some of you say you would never rent, but leaving from New England in late February and riding to San Diego aint happening---limited time off for the wife,it makes better sense to fly to destination and rent giving us more quality time on bike. We only rode the bike 8 out of the 11 days[spent time with friends in Phoenix area/non biker]and 1 day of sightseeing in San Diego. I understand the wife wants to stay in Vegas, so I would give her the couple days there without a bike rental[cover your hotel cost] Do either end of your trip without the bike ,probably the end of it ------I never felt like we needed a guide,going at your own pace and not following a strict itinerary is always more enjoyable. They will give you maps and places to see and stop if you ask---they want to please you[looking for repeat customers] Let us know how it goes

Rocker

 

Couldn't agree more with this statement ^^^^^^^^----------Ive been to 3 of the four----Madawaska Maine/ Key West/ San Diego only Washington left,it would be awesome to do a 2 or 3 month trip to all four Maybe when wife retires we,ll try it

 

 

the only reason i see for doing a tour like this is if you want to ride with other people and can't talk any of your friends into going . you can book all the hotels/motels online before you go and any GPS will get you from place to place easily . the roads in this area are all designed for the huge tourist season and are super easy , maybe even boring if it wasn't for the fabulous scenery !
ask at the hotel reception desk about interesting local restaurants and things to see , or there's almost always local maps and brochures in the lobby .
and skip the helicopter ride (unless that's something you've always wanted to do) and save extra time for a hike in Zion .

 

As the old saying goes = Getting there is half the fun. I'm 74 and still do a couple long distance trips each year. My company doesn't like me to take more than a week at a time. Doesn't bother me - I just plan a trip that lasts a week or two. I have many different direction to choose from. My dealer's Route 66 trip was a 2 weeker - one week there and I did a SS1000 on the way back. Once I retire and have money (?) - I will do even more longer trips, but I will never fly to the destination - as of right now. Maybe when I'm 85 - we'll have to see then.

Alaska is on my bucket list. That will require time AND money.....something I usually don't have at the same time.

 

I've rented from Eagle Rider, it's just like renting a car, no biggie.

I would submit that "National Lampoon Vacation" is inaccurate, it's not like that. They have paved roads, gas stations. Motel 6's. Knick-knack shops. Walmarts. Grocery stores. 7-11's. Just not *as many.* And not always closer than 200 miles apart.

I dunno, I hate being on a schedule, YMMV. What if you fall in love with some little town and decide to home-base it for a few days? What if you actually want to stop at Bryce? What if you just want to hang out at the pool one day? What if you want to take a nap or something? (Amazing how comfy a picnic table can be in a pinch.) What if you want to leave before dawn and watch the sun rise over the desert? (Which technically is one way not to have a heat stroke in the summer, not to mention heartbreakingly gorgeous, and your best shot at seeing desert bighorn, which move ghost-like over the hills in the grey light of dawn)

You know where to go, they already told you and they're right, that's a great loop. We can give you the specific route numbers if you want.

The west isn't *that* wild. Not like people are walking around with 6-guns. Deer rifles maybe. The Navajo people drive pickup trucks and go to PTA meetings and stuff. You cell phone will work. Well, most of the time. Some of the time at least.

LA? I'd skip that. Vegas baby, vegas. I might also skip that part of 66 that goes through Oatman, scared the bejeebus out of me on a VFR. I'd do 93 to Kingman and go from there. The scariest part of your trip will be getting out of Vegas. (But worth it, walking through the Bellagio lobby in leathers = priceless.)

Watch "Vacation" again in a state of mindfulness. The point is, it's not about making the "House of Mud" by 2 so you can make the "Worlds Largest Ball of String" by 4. It doesn't help for the guide to know where the best chicken-fried steak is, it's finding it for yourself in Two Mules Arizona and giggling about it ten years later. The road is not a device to get you to your destination, it is the thing in itself. When you pull over because you haven't seen a car in thirty minutes and stand in the middle of the road and hear literally nothing but your bike going tick-tick-tick and you can see a million miles and you have to wrap your head around the fact that here, right here on the open road is the only place you've ever felt at home, then you will see why we ride this country. Let the pack roar off over the horizon, for the desert is filled at times with tiny yellow flowers, and the task before you is to see -- really see-- a tiny flower against the backdrop of the vastness of creation.

You have daily opportunities in normal life to blow right through the most perfect moments. Not here, not on this road.

PS -- I'm kidding about Two Mules having the best chicken-fried steak.

 

LA? I'd skip that. Vegas baby, vegas. I might also skip that part of 66 that goes through Oatman, scared the bejeebus out of me on a VFR.


That part of rt 66 is one of the best---I,ve done it half dozen times--and Oatman is a great stop---You will enjoy the trip by not following some one elses schedule,but maybe you may enjoy others company

 

Loved Oatman - not so much the mules.
I'd like to have all those dollar bills.

What was so scary???