One may not often get to motorcycle Europe, but when the opportunity arises, consider booking a rental or tour through a globally reputable company that’s locally run, such as Hertzride.eu.

One of the advantages of the pro team at Hertzride.eu it that they’re extremely knowledgeable of the local customs and most sought-after routes in Europe. You can either rent a motorcycle and gear or take one of their multi-day tours with an experienced ride leader. Due to time constraints, I opted for the latter, a tour that delivered a slice of Italy’s heavenly tarmacs with panoramas of quaint Roman towns nestled along the oceanside, not to mention backcountry twisties through the winding hillsides of Tuscany.

The globally known Hertz Car Rental Company now offers ADVenture bike rentals and guided tours? That’s right—you can fly into one of 18 locations worldwide, pick up a fresh BMW GS at the airport and immediately get onto your ride. After you’re done, simply return the bike just like you would a rental car. Most of the current available locations are around Europe, but Hertz does offer this service in three cities in the U.S., including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Miami.

Meanwhile, in Orbetello, Italy, the riders and staff hit it off instantly. Our ride leader, Carlo Canilli, had a good command of both English and Spanish and was tactful when dealing with our globally represented group. His assistant and support vehicle driver, Daniele De Lucia, took care of other duties including water, snacks, and even rain gear.

The first day out was into the agricultural area of Tuscany. The sights seemed never-ending as we traveled the backcountry hillside roads while enjoying the aroma of wood burning fireplaces.

A catalyst to our camaraderie were the comms provided by Cardo. Sagy Shlemovich, customer support leader of Cardo, came along to show us the ropes—providing not only important ride communications from our fearless leader, but plenty of cheerful crosstalk and shared observations amongst the riders.

Taking a break in Volterra for lunch, we couldn’t get enough of the sights and sounds of this hilltop town with an incredible history. And the meal was absolutely delicious! What else would you expect from a family-run restaurant in the middle of Tuscany? We stuffed our bellies with multi-course meals of freshly cut and locally-sourced thin meats, cheeses, breads and pasta. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, most Italian restaurants will accommodate your diet even if you’re traveling alone. After lunch, we had time to roam the cobblestone streets on foot, enjoying the splendor of this authentic Tuscany town.

Before heading to our last destination for the day, we topped off the fuel tanks and meandered on down to the charming seaside port of La Spezia. Just an amazing day!

On day two, we once again met in the hotel’s restaurant for a quick European breakfast, which usually consisted of numerous breads, cheeses, thinly sliced meats, cereal and of course, COFFEE. The Italians don’t mess around when it comes to a serious cup o’ Joe. In the morning, you enjoy a small but hearty cup of cappuccino. For lunch or mid-day, another equally small cup de espresso. Superb!

Fully caffeinated, we continued north along the coast to Cinque Terre, which loosely translates to “Five Earths”—five exceptional seaside towns that you have to descend a narrow twisty road to get to. Upon discovery that the route was closed due to a recent storm, Carlo rerouted us through Monterosso Al Mare, where we munched on, need I say it… yet another meal to die for at a seaside town deli.

Afterwards we ascended the coastal mountain road to catch the fast-moving toll road. I must add how impressed I was by the quality of every toll road we rode. Not once did I see a pothole or any other hazards. This highway, which took us to Genoa, passed through a mountainous region along the coast. It was one of my favorite routes due to the beautiful hilly and thickly-forested scenery. Another note on the toll roads: There are many long, well-lit tunnels that must have been an engineering feat to construct.

As we approached Genoa, we caught the road to our final destination, Milano. A few riders had flights to catch so we moved at a spirited pace towards the Hertzride.eu office near one of the airports in Milano. I was truly sad saying goodbye to my fellow ADV travelers. We exchanged contacts and look forward to perhaps seeing each other again in our global ADV community.

Hertzride.eu’s fleet of motorcycles, at the moment, utilizes three types of BMW motorcycles: the F750GS, R1200GS and the R1200RT. They all come with lockable panniers and top boxes as well as full-face helmets (for those who don’t bring their own). Cardo comm systems or a satnav GPS, are optional. All bikes are rotated out of the fleet at seven months or 15,000 kilometers. If you LOVE the bike you are on, guess what? You can buy it after the season ends for a sweet discount. There are 13 locations in four European countries—France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. 

Costs: For example: 13 days/12 nights Italian tour, with four-star hotels, tour leader, support vehicle, top case and panniers, breakfast and dinner. Cost ~$381/day and is considered a mid-level trip.

Hertzride.eu

Pablo Espinosa has enjoyed ADV traveling since 2006 and doesn’t plan on slowing down. When not working on moto stories, Pablo is an actor based out of Southern California.