Problems from a bike rental in California.

My partner and I recently went on a 2 week motor cycle holiday, renting 2 BMWs (an F650GS for me and an R1200RT for him) from Eagle Rider at Long Beach BMW, which we booked via 2 Wheel Travel. The riding was great (we plan on going back) but we've had difficulties after the F650GS broke down due to radiator problems.

Things would have been fine if the bike hadn't had mechanical problems (everyone was polite and helpful face-to face), so most rentals with these companies probably go smoothly. However it's when one has problems one really wants help - I'll describe the situation so anybody considering a similar holiday can make an informed decision on whether or not to book with these 2 companies.

We used 2 Wheel Travel rather than booking with Eagle Rider directly because 2WT quoted us about $200 less for the 2 week rental for both bikes. I could have gone to ERLB and asked them to match the 2WT price but didn't because I thought 2WT deserved the business for arranging the better price. 2WT were very helpful until we paid them, they then sent us the booking confirmations and essentially left us to our own devices - when I wanted some details about bike pick up I was told to email ER directly. 2WT gave me an email address for Eagle Riders Long Beach that 'bounced'; it turned out 2WT had picked it off the Long Beach BMW web site more or less at random. I had to go to ER's Los Angeles central office to get the appropriate email address.

After the bike breakdown, which lost me 4 days riding and my partner one Eagle Riders Long Beach rep (Greg Gilday) said we were owed a refund but that since we'd booked through 2 Wheel Travel we'd have to go through them. I've been through several rounds of emails with both companies, it's been 6 weeks since our return, there's no sign of a refund and I doubt we'll get one. Eagle Riders haven't replied to my emails for 3 weeks. Two Wheel Travel have said all along that's it's not their business to handle this - as far as 2WT is concerned once they put me in touch with Eagle Riders that was supposed to be the end of their involvement, thereafter I was to deal with Eagle Riders directly. Eagle Riders disagree, that's not a dispute that I can sort out.

With Eagle Riders the problems have been more complex, caused more hassle and are more expensive, as well as leading to the loss of some items we can't replace such as the liners of my partner's riding gear.

The F650 broke down due to radiator and thermostat problems, in Hayfork CA (population about 300), 2 hours drive from the nearest tow truck and 3 1/2 hours from a BMW dealership in Chico. BMW emergency roadside assist came to remove the bike in a timely and efficient manner but we were left with the problem of moving me and the belongings I was carrying in the panniers on the F650. I could and did ride pillion on the RT but it's panniers were already full. We did't have a back pack and there was no where in Hayfork to buy one. Our original intention was to post the items to our home address in Australia from Hayfork, however Mr Greg Gilday, who appears to be the senior consultant for Eagle Riders Long Beach, told us that was unecessary. He said that we could leave things in the panniers on the F650 and he'd arrange to have them transported to Long Beach for us to pick up when we returned the RT.

1 1/2 days later the BMW dealer in Chico thought he'd fixed the F650, I rode for it one day and it seemed OK. The following day was much hotter, after an hour of riding the temperature light came on again: the radiator was leaking and the bike was unrideable. At this stage we were in the forecourt of a service station in Petaluma, it was 2 days until we flew out of LA and Eagle Rider was unable to find a replacement bike small enough for me to ride. So after discussion with Mr Gilday I rode pillion on the RT again and Greg arranged for the F650 to be picked up - he decided to get Eagle Riders San Franscisco to do it this time instead of BMW emergency road side assist; we went along with that as we had no local connections and it was Eagle Riders' bike so it seemed appropriate to let them decide who was to retrieve it. As it was going to take Eagle Riders San Franscisco several hours at least to get there Mr Gilday said we could lock the bike, leave the keys with the service station attendant (actually the 7/11 next door in the end) and leave. About an hour later we rode off, again leaving our cold weather gear and some clothing in the panniers on the F650, with the understanding that the contents of the panniers were to be conveyed to Long Beach.

That turns out to have been a bad decision. For a couple of weeks after we returned from California, after several rounds of emails, we found out the bike had been left at Petaluma until the following week before being collected. The driver who picked it up said the panniers were empty - I believe him, the only thing that suprises me is that the bike was still there.

At this stage Eagle Riders Long Beach were still saying we could have a refund, but had to apply to 2WT for it. 2WT said they needed confirmation of the breakdown and hadn't received it, ERLB said they'd sent it, 2WT said they'd not received it. I've sent them copies of each other's emails, no reply to that manoevre. Last I heard from ERLB they said they'd not yet had the original rental money passed to them by 2WT whilst 2WT said they'd still not had confirmation of the breakdown and moreover not they'd yet received their commission from ER. Clearly one or both of them is lying. In my opinion most of the problem arises from ER but I can't be sure of that.

Whatever the source of the problem I think they've decided that a customer in Australia is in no position to take any legal action and decided to keep the money. They're right - it's a few $100, not worth trying anything official for. I don't expect to get the money back and have even given up trying to get one of them to admit they decided to keep it.

As I said at the beginning - if the mechanical problems had not developed we would have been happy enough with Eagle Riders Long Beach, considering them friendly although a little disorganised. As things stand I'd recommend you don't depend on them if you can avoid it. I googled both ER and 2WT before I made the booking - I found few reports, all positive. If I'd found a story like ours from someone else I'd have made a booking elsewhere, I hope to help someone else avoid similar problems.

We wouldn't use any Eagle Riders franchise again. Going through Two Wheel Travel has made dealing with Eagle Riders harder as it gave ER someone to hide behind. For which reason I wouldn't use Two Wheel Travel again either.