With more incredible dual sport motorcycle route opportunities than anyone could cover in weeks of riding, there are certain events you might want to arrange your motorcycle rental around this or next year.

Just this past weekend, you might have missed the 2013 FIM Trials World Championship, held in Sequatchie, Tennessee.  The best trials riders from around the world were all there, bouncing from rock to rock, tree stump to log, and inspiring motorcycle riders of all types with nimbleness and creativity.  Don't expect to use your rental bike for the same thing, (we don't have trials bikes for rent....yet!) but just being there around such athleticism is a site for any motorcycle enthusiast.

The adventure riding world will be converging on Flagstaff, Arizona next week as the 2013 Overland Expo once again hosts travel enthusiasts from across the planet.  Loaded with a long list of sponsors & exhibitors, instructors, adventure travel experts, authors, and videographers from around the world, this is absolutely the place to be if those words caught your attention!

POST UPDATE: As of 2020, we no longer offer the the motorcycle rentals mentioned below in the Southeast, but instead, riders can choose from our Oregon-based adventure motorcycle rentals for access to the Cascade & Rocky Mountains, the entire Pacific Northwest, California's Pacific Coast Highway, and many of the Backcountry Discovery Routes. The Tail of the Dragon is also accessible with our Oregon-based rental fleet, but only if you have multi-week rental plans to ride from Bend, Oregon, all the way to North Carolina before returning to Oregon.

Those who have reserved their Patagonia motorcycle rentals for the 2013/14 season are fortunate in that, you won't be stuck begging for motorcycles at the last minute like some people will!  As we share more of Mark's comments from their February/March motorcycle trip below, it's obvious why Patagonia bike reservations sell out so far in advance:

A bit belated, time to share below some of what our self-guided Patagonia tour customers emailed about during their trip in March.  This coming from Mark Larson of Arizona, while he and his riding pal Joe made their way from Osorno to Ushuaia in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, entirely self-guided!

If you enjoy surprises as much as I do, then a “thanks” goes out to BMW Motorrad for what they’ve done with the new liquid cooled 2013 R1200GS.

With so many motorcycle tour companies and potential tour packages to choose from, how are you going to choose which one is right for you, and right for your money?  This article is meant to help you think through the shopping process and make sure you pick the best provider for your long-awaited riding vacation.

The Cost/Value Question: Of course, cost is a factor for everyone.  Even those who can afford the most expensive motorcycle tour would rather not overpay, and those who are "stretching it" a bit to make these trips happen financially…well…obviously, they're looking for the best value as well.  Consider some points about the cost of each tour package you see:

We've taken a moment to do a few Q&A's with some of the well-known personalities in the motorcycle world. First up, we have Rachael of the famed FuzzyGalore.com - Girlie Motorcycle Blog who constantly amazes us with stories about quirky things she encounters on the road. She’s a busy lady but we’re glad she finds the time to share moto photos and news of her adventures on her blog and Facebook page. Because, as Fuzzy says, "sharing is sexy."

(Above, a postcard from Jan and Remi from Canada, who spent 1 month on BMW motorcycle rentals we provided about a year ago.  Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia, all in 1 amazing trip!  Shown here in the Uyuni Salt Flats of Bolivia. -  Below, Emily and Johann from Michigan, overlooking the Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate, Argentina.)