A prestige hire car for $5 a day? The Secret of Vehicle Relocations.

For a long time, the relocation of hire vehicles was something of a secret society. Once upon a time, if you kept in touch with the hire car companies, you could be lucky and find a vehicle that needed relocating and get it for a few dollars a day.

These one-way return rides used to take some finesse, but nowadays, several websites exist to help you actually plan such a trip, with listings of available vehicles and their intended destinations.

These are mostly campers and motorhomes, but you can also find sedans, SUVs and light commercial vehicles. 

A new player in the market is U R Drive, a prestige vehicle hire company that frequently shifts new and near-new vehicles all across the country. These vehicles are mostly German luxury SUVs and sedans, such as Audi A3s and A5s and their SUV stablemates, Q3s and Q5s, as well as equivalent BMWs, KIAs and Mercedes-Benz.

The best time to avail yourself of a relocation is during peak season when airfares are sky high (so to speak) and you have two or three companions with luggage. Driving an empty vehicle on your own is of little benefit unless you have time to kill.

There is the added benefit of the simple pleasure of a road trip and this effort can be lightened when a fuel subsidy is offered. A fuel subsidy, you say? Yes, depending on the distance and urgency, the hire car company may provide you with a fuel rebate. It doesn’t hurt to ask even if the rebate is not advertised.

If you like the idea of a fancy luxury German vehicle, contact U R Drive directly and ask about current relocations. Their website lists current fleet vehicles (of which there are almost 300) but not relocations, so you’ll need to call. 

And if you just need a nice car for a few days while you’re in town on business, you’ll find their daily rates surprisingly affordable. 

Phone: Amy 0450 233 070

Email: bookings@urdrive.net

WIN a Harley-Davidson Street Bob 114

SAPE is giving away a 2024 STREET BOB 114 Harley Davidson worth $25,500 to customers buying 3M product.

SAPE director Paul McMartin said: “The SAPE Group is excited to team up with 3M Australia for this amazing giveaway. One lucky customer will have the chance to enjoy summer on a brand-new Harley Davidson Street Bob 114. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

To enter, SAPE Group Trade Customers must make a minimum purchase of $500 on 3M products within a single invoice during the months of September, October, and November 2024. Each qualifying purchase will grant one entry into the draw. Multiple entries can be obtained through additional purchases. Draw will take place on 29th November, 2024.

Download the T&Cs flier and good luck.

Editorial: The Prosecution Rests

 You know what's really hard to write? Something that tries to honour a friend, but that you know he would have hated you to do. 

John "The Ghost" Miller has joined the Choir Invisible, and he didn't acquire that sobriquet for nothing. As editor of the Ulysses motorcycle club journal, Riding On, for decades, his most obvious characteristic was always that, like Macavity, he was not there - not when anyone was looking for him with praise or approval, anyway. John kept his own standards, and it was a good thing indeed for the Club that they were high; extraordinarily so. 

Celebrating the 100-year Anniversary of Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing in Goulburn

Media Release

 The stage is set for the 100th Anniversary of the First Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix to be held in Goulburn which will be celebrated from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 June 2024, marking exactly 100 years since the inaugural race. 

With a variety of events taking place throughout the weekend, the 100th Anniversary of the  First Australian Grand Prix will be primarily held at the Goulburn Recreation Area. 

The Bear in Oman

 

"Why Oman?"

That's what I hear from practically everyone to whom I mention my most recent bike trip with Edelweiss Bike Tours. When I ask "why not?" I get a range of answers involving remoteness, strict Muslim laws, lack of tourist facilities and... just why?

Royal Enfield Himalayan 2.0 - Budget Adventure Enhanced

When Royal Enfield announced their all-new, clean-sheet Himalayan, they weren’t kidding.

A fellow member, eager to learn my impressions of this revitalised machine, was told “the only resemblance the new Himalayan has to the old is the name.”

CF Moto 800NK Advanced: China to the fore

Chinese brand, CF Moto, has been shutting down detrators for the last few years. Is Terry McCarthy another convert to the Hangzhou-based giant?

Let's start with the price: An introductory $12490.00 on road with 12 months registration. The bike has a 3-year warranty which is much better than many of its competitors.

New Royal Enfield Himlayan 450 vs. CF Moto 450MT

 CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN

One of the most popular motorcycles in the lightweight adventure segment is the Royal Enfield Himalayan. Loved for its simplicity and reliability, the stalwart adventurer is about to get a major upgrade and will be arriving in dealerships in the next few weeks. 

You’re probably already up to date with all the specs, but for those who may have missed out, the key features are:

• RE's first liquid-cooled engine the Sherpa 450, 
• Ride-by-wire with 4 riding modes, 
• Switchable ABS, 
• Upside down forks, 
• LED Headlamp, 
• Integrated LED turn and tail lamps, 
• USB type C charging point, 
• 4″ TFT display with phone connectivity, media controls and full Google map navigation.

Look for a full and comprehensive review in the next issue of Riding On, but you’ll probably have bought one by then.  www.royalenfield.com.au/model/himalayan-450/

Read our more fulsome report here

If Royal Enfield thought they were going to have everything their own way in the lightweight adventure motorcycle segment, CFMoto had other plans.

Almost identical in features, specs and pricing, the Chinese giant’s contender will also be on sale about the same time, giving potential buyers a distinct choice in the sub $10k price segment.

According to press reports, the CFMoto seems to be missing ride modes (Himalayan has four), while the Chinese have squeezed an extra 10 per cent power and torque for the same capacity and kept the machine 20kg lighter.

Our advice would be to research and test both thoroughly unless you have an overriding loyalty to one or the other.   www.cfmoto.com.au/range/motorcycle

Win a Trip for 2 to the San Marino MotoGP with Michelin

 

You can register for this competition online here or at your Michelin Tyre retailer.

See you at the Bathurst Bike Show

 

Has Harley-Davidson created the ultimate touring motorcycle?

#harleydavidson

Will the newest incarnation of Harley’s iconic Road Glide raise the stakes in the most expensive motorcycle category? We ride the brand-new 121ci monster. 

Yes, I know that is a deliberately inflammatory assertion made in full knowledge of the several excellent contenders in the category of big bore tarmac tourers. 

Forcite MK1S helmet. High Tech Head Gear

First introduced in the early 1900s, motorcycle helmets were made of leather and were designed to protect the rider’s head from impacts. They weren’t very effective, and didn’t offer much protection. Technology has improved in leaps and bounds, and today, we have such things as ‘Smart Helmets’.

Bimmer About Town: BMW C400X

BMWs new 350cc urban scooter is a lively and stable steed for getting around town.  Terry McCarthy stepped through for a whip around Hobart.

One of my beasts went in for a major service, so I was given the choice of any demo bike. There are 9 of them at Hobart BMW Motorrad.