Great Rides Motorcycle Rental uk

“I’ve always wanted to go around the TT circuit, but to get the best out of it you really have to go outside of the June race weeks” says Steven Yon. Coming all the way from San Diego in California, Steve’s wife Lisa took up the challenge and put together a specially tailored package to give her husband a real birthday treat!

First contacting the Isle of Man tourist board, Lisa got the name of specialist motorcycle tour operator McAcademy of Lancashire, which runs a five day IOM touring event on the island. But what was of real interest to Steve and Lisa was that advanced level rider training was also included as part of the tour package. This way, Steve could not only have a full week on the island, going everywhere he wanted, but also fine tune his riding skills as well. But where could he source the right bike?

McAcademy owner Mike Addison solved the problem by choosing a Great Rides BMW F650 GS. “This is a perfect general user motorcycle” says Mike, adding that “when you are meeting a new customer for the first time, you obviously have no first hand appreciation of their skill levels. With a large collection of bikes back home, Steve is obviously an experienced rider, but the 650 (yet actually with a 798cc engine) is nonetheless ideal for short distance touring and training thanks to its safe, predictable handling, agility and all round versatility.”

So how exactly did Steve’s week pan out?
Having had the bike delivered to his Liverpool hotel on the Sunday evening, Monday morning saw Steve and Mike catching the ferry (and in perfect sunshine, too)! Unpacked at their hotel, the afternoon’s adventure was a tour of the full 37 mile TT circuit, followed by an extremely enjoyable wind-down in the evening!

“The first day really sets the scene” says Mike; “it gets everyone fully in tune and nicely at ease. It has to, because after that Tuesday morning is schooltime!”

Here, Mike took Steve through a whole range of issues, from fundamental skills to advanced riding techniques. Having served almost 20 years with the Merseyside Police (including roles a Class 1 Response Driver and VIP / Emergency escort), Mike has an enormous level of motorcycle experience, being not only a qualified DAS instructor but also an accredited DIAmond Advanced Motorcycle Instructor / Examiner and a RoSPA ‘gold’ Advanced Motorcycle Rider too.

“The schooltime session is both light-hearted and serious” says Mike. “Invariably, it’s treated very positively, simply because our riders genuinely want to learn something new. It also increases people’s confidence in what they are doing, making it the ideal foundation for everyone to get even more out of the rest of the week ahead.”

After a full presentation that evening on just about everything TT by the Marshal’s Association, Steve and Mike were out on the course again over the following two days, with the added attraction of some optional night riding events, including going over the mountain in complete darkness.

On Friday morning, before catching the ferry back to Liverpool, riders have the option of taking the RoSPA Advanced Riding Test, or else just having a final blast around the island.

However, all the fun wasn’t just for Steve alone, because Lisa and their son Jason came along for their own IOM holiday too. In this instance, Steve’s motorcycling course was arranged as part of a wider family vacation, so everybody benefited and nobody was left at home!

“The whole point of what we do is to give each and every customer exactly what they want” says Mike. “ We can tailor a trip to an individual, a family, or a group. It’s their holiday, their motorcycling experience. We’ve been doing these tours for over 7 years, and with our range of contacts there’s next to nothing we cannot do.”

“Altogether, this was a truly great package” confirms Steve. “It was much more than a tour - I’ve gone home with improved riding skills and understanding too. The family loved it all as well. I think bringing together what McAcademy and Great Rides offer is just the ideal solution. California to England is a very long way, so everything had to be just right. For example, my bike was essentially brand new, in perfect condition, and delivered right to my hotel. The service was terrific. There are people in the US who still want to crate up their own bike to bring to Europe, but why bother? It takes ages, costs a lot of dollars, and you have all the paperwork to sort out too. Hiring a top quality Great Rides machine just renders all that hassle pointless.

This is definitely the way for American riders to come to the UK - and Europe, too. Yes, I’d say you guys are really onto a winner!”

Mike Addison and McAcademy are based in Ormskirk, Lancashire, and can be contacted by telephone 07753 842 689, or email info@mcacademy.co.uk

Among his other activities, Mike also works with Ducati Manchester as the dealership’s officially appointed Riding Coach, helping customers and sportsbike riders enhance their skills and realise the fullest potential of their motorcycles.