[Tushar]

In India, motorcycle rental services aren’t available far and wide, but the idea is gaining popularity. From locations like Goa and Ladakh, such services have been made available in cities like Pune and Bangalore as well. Chennai too has just got a new bike rental service, through dateabike.com.

Labelled Chennai’s rental service for Harley Davidson / Triumph & all Royal Enfield bikes, dateabike offers premium motorcycles on a 5 hour / 10 hour and 24 hour basis. Motorcycles listed on the website include the Royal Enfield Continental GT, Royal Enfield Desert Storm 500, Harley-Davidson Street 750 and the Triumph Bonneville. Other bikes from the Royal Enfield stable will also be available.

Base prices (for the minimum 5 hour period) start at Rs. 1,500 for the Desert Storm 500 and go up to Rs. 4,400 for the Triumph Bonneville. Details on the rates across the range can be found in the image. Additionally, dateabike offers accessories and customers can rent a Go Pro camera for Rs. 750 and a biker’s protective gear set (helmet+jacket+gloves) for Rs. 1250.



Motorcycle tours include a two day Chennai to Pondicherry ride which includes one stop at Mahabalipuram. They also have a Chennai to Goa ride spread over 5 days and 4 nights.

It is important to note that the rates do not include fuel. The renter will be provided with tank full of fuel at the start of the trip and is expected to return the bike with a full tank of fuel as well. Interested riders will have to submit their original passport or any other government validated ID proof, along with a security deposit of Rs. 15,000 – from which the rental rate, fuel refilling costs (if the renter hasn't tanked up already) and damage charges (if any) will be deducted. The bikes come with a complete comprehensive insurance package, that includes personal accident as well as third party liability. In case you need baggage theft coverage, that can be arranged as well.

At an added charge of Rs. 250, the company will bring the bike to your location and complete all the requisite formalities where you are.

Contact details:

- Call Girish @ +91 735 800 8035

- Shop address: 4/80A BPCL Petrol Bunk, East Coast Road, Neelangarai, near the police station, Chennai - 600041

- Email: Girish@dateabike.com or dateabike@gmail.com

- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dateabikechennai

Related Threads:

- Motorcycle Rental Bangalore

- Motorcycle Rental Pune

[hothatchaway]

I wonder how the insurance will operate, given that these are white board and not black boards, the latter being the norm for self drive/ride vehicles. Wickedride, the Bangalore based outfit which rents out motorcycles on a self drive basis does not offer insurance cover and on a related note, Enfield riders, a Mumbai based outfit which organizes bike holidays to Ladakh, among other places, also does not provide insurance cover for any damages caused by riders.

I wonder why these bikes cannot be registered as self drive ones, after all, you dont want to ride in constant fear of something happening to your ride and you having to cough up a sizeable amount as damages

[GTO]

Expensive, considering you can rent a BMW 3-Series for lesser money from ZoomCar....with fuel included! I guess the risk factor is higher here. Plus, a company like ZoomCar or Myles (Carzonrent) would see more repeat business than motorcycle companies where customers just come once or twice 'for the fun of it'.

Still, I greatly welcome such initiatives. I know there's a ton of people out there (like me ) who love big bikes, but haven't come around to owning one. Heck, I know some big bike owners who start their rides maybe once or twice a month. For me, it makes a lot more sense to rent a big bike than buy one.

Hope to see bike rental companies include the liter class Superbikes .

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

I wonder how the insurance will operate

I've asked them for a response on this. Will update once received.

[kadanaJ]

It seems way too overpriced. I know I would not pay around ~Rs.8,000 to get a bike for a day, even if it is a Harley or Triumph.

The maximum I would consider acceptable would be Rs. 1,500 max for the Royal Enfields (for the entire day) and maybe Rs. 3,000-4,000 for the bigger bikes.

[Poloprasad]

Thanks BHPian for the post. The prices are little expensive as mentioned by others. But for enthusiastic riders like me who cannot afford a Harley or Triumph can go for their one time desire. Maintaining these luxury bikes is never a joke and it could be the reason for higher pricing. Good Initiative & I would definitely go for a ride on ECR at least once. Thanks

[Fullrevs]

Thats quite expensive. Had I known I could charge 1500 for 5 hours for the DS 500 I wouldve never sold mine. :-)

Nice initiative but prices need to be much lower. I think one can rent a decent hatchback from Zoomcar for a whole day for the prices mentioned for the Bonneville and Street 750 (5 hour trip). What does it cost to get a Classic 500 in Goa for a whole day?

[MHG]

Originally Posted by Fullrevs

Thats quite expensive. Had I known I could charge 1500 for 5 hours for the DS 500 I wouldve never sold mine. :-)

Nice initiative but prices need to be much lower. I think one can rent a decent hatchback from Zoomcar for a whole day for the prices mentioned for the Bonneville and Street 750 (5 hour trip). What does it cost to get a Classic 500 in Goa for a whole day?

Agreed. I too was appalled when I compared the prices with those offered by CarzOnRent and Zoom Cars.

I don't remember the prices for a Classic 500 in Goa, but I think it was around Rs. 1000, negotiable. We rented an old beat down horrible 1st generation Santro with a dysfunctional airconditioner and a worn out clutch for the same amount.

how much did your DS 500 sell for ? I hear them Royal Enfields depreciate really slow.

[vinit.merchant]

Originally Posted by MHG

I hear them Royal Enfields depreciate really slow.

The one's with CI engine depreciate at a snails pace. I own a 2009 CI Electra 5 speed. If I want to sell it today, the total hit would be just around 10% of my cost of buying new in 2009. This is also because the prices of them have increased by roughly 20% in last 4-5 years. Plus the CI engine has a lot of scope for any mods, whereas the Unit Construction has quite a few limitations when it comes to modifications.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

I wonder how the insurance will operate

Girish from Date a Bike responds to your insurance query:

We have taken the first step in getting the insurance coverage for hired bikes. We gave a written statement to our insurance providers stating our business of hiring out these bikes. Upon such a declaration, they have given coverage to these bikes even for rented out durations.

We are now taking steps to get the RTO to give us yellow board. But that story is yet to see the light of the day. With fingers crossed till then, we continue to serve all our customers.

For Date a Bike
Girish

[aravind.anand]

I think this makes a lot of sense, considering the only other famous agency that rents out bikes is fleecing people and making hay! I hired a Royal Enfield Classic 500 on May 19th & 20th ( weekdays ) and ended up shelling 8k !

I took the bike from Chennai to Tanjore ( 380 kms one way ) to attend a friend's wedding. Upon return, i was shocked to hear that I had exceeded the 100 km a day limit - hence each additional km was charged at 5 Rs per km ( 585 kms ! ) and hence ended up paying A LOT !

I am not blaming them, as I din't ask all this clearly before taking the bike from them - but they did not have this policy mentioned very clearly.

This is the break-up of the cost incurred -

- Rental - 3400 ( 1700 for 2 days )
- Fuel - 1700
- Additonal charges for exceeding 100 kms a day - 2925
- pick up of bike after the trip - 150

Total damages - 8175

Had I taken the bike from Date a Bike, I would have paid 4000 + 1700 for fuel for those 2 days - much cheaper and definitely recommended !

Lesson to self- Please read offer documents carefully before investing

[mail4ajo]

A friend and I hired a Bonneville and street 750 yesterday. Very professional service and well organized. Had a great time on the Bonneville. Mon-Thur, they have 30% off on the rates. We took the bikes for 5 hrs. Did about 140kms. Riding gear was nice and well maintained. I use my own helmet as the ones they had were large. Just ensure you check on gear availability before hand. Weekends are full booked.

Will definitely recommend and return for more again.

[Visaster]

Hi guys,

Me and a friend of mine are planning a road trip and hoping to rent a bike for this weekend. I ride a N650 and hoping to rent a Harley so we both can alternate and I can according to the experience I can plan my next buy into the Harley family.
Coming to this, do you guys know of any other bike rentals in Chennai?
Its for a 2 day ride about 800km. dateabike works out expensive IMHO.
Thanks