Jonathan wrote:
professor8 wrote:
The wife and I rented a Harley while in Saint Martin last year and I recall there was a $350 deposit there along with required insurance. Your quote does seem a little out of line but then again it is Hawaii! Just get a credit card to put it on temporarily and enjoy - how many times are you going to get the opportunity to ride around Hawaii!!! Is it bragging if I say we go every year, or am I just answering the question?

Uh, yeah.

I would not hesitate to put that charge on my credit card on Kauai'i IF it is a reputable HD dealer or rental agent like 'Eagle Riders'...they are very reputable. I would be hesitant if it was some fly-by-night Mom-and-Pop business. Don't be surprised if the bike is beat to s**t though. I rented a 1200 cc. HD Sportie on Oahu a couple of years ago. It was a Mom-and-Pop operation in Waikiki, and the guy who owned it was from Ohio. When he found out I was from Ohio he belayed the deposit and gave me an additional day for free. It was some of the most memorable riding I've ever done, and I rode the crap out of that bike day and night.... trouble is, so does everyone else. The bike, only a couple of years old, was so beat up (only 6K miles on it) that I decided against buying an HD and bought my Roadstar instead! Be very careful to lock it up tight wherever you go, even if you only walk down to the beach. The locals know all rental vehicles immediately. I'm heading to the Riviera Maya south of Cancun next week, and I inquired about renting an HD there.... they wanted a $3000.00 deposit on my credit card to hold the bike. I didn't do it...I just thought it was too risky in Mexico.
John Scribner

OBMF wrote:
I would not hesitate to put that charge on my credit card on Kauai'i IF it is a reputable HD dealer or rental agent like 'Eagle Riders'...they are very reputable. I would be hesitant if it was some fly-by-night Mom-and-Pop business. Don't be surprised if the bike is beat to s**t though. I rented a 1200 cc. HD Sportie on Oahu a couple of years ago. It was a Mom-and-Pop operation in Waikiki, and the guy who owned it was from Ohio. When he found out I was from Ohio he belayed the deposit and gave me an additional day for free. It was some of the most memorable riding I've ever done, and I rode the crap out of that bike day and night.... trouble is, so does everyone else. The bike, only a couple of years old, was so beat up (only 6K miles on it) that I decided against buying an HD and bought my Roadstar instead! Be very careful to lock it up tight wherever you go, even if you only walk down to the beach. The locals know all rental vehicles immediately. I'm heading to the Riviera Maya south of Cancun next week, and I inquired about renting an HD there.... they wanted a $3000.00 deposit on my credit card to hold the bike. I didn't do it...I just thought it was too risky in Mexico.
John ScribnerI've heard that many times about rental vehicles in HI, but never once when we've left the car have I ever thought it unsafe... I guess picking up a bike and chucking it in a truck bed might be a little more tempting. Also, Kauai is a lot different than Oahu. When we landed there last year to view Pearl Harbor, I thought i was landing in NYC. Crazy city life!

Jonathan wrote:
OBMF wrote:
I would not hesitate to put that charge on my credit card on Kauai'i IF it is a reputable HD dealer or rental agent like 'Eagle Riders'...they are very reputable. I would be hesitant if it was some fly-by-night Mom-and-Pop business. Don't be surprised if the bike is beat to s**t though. I rented a 1200 cc. HD Sportie on Oahu a couple of years ago. It was a Mom-and-Pop operation in Waikiki, and the guy who owned it was from Ohio. When he found out I was from Ohio he belayed the deposit and gave me an additional day for free. It was some of the most memorable riding I've ever done, and I rode the crap out of that bike day and night.... trouble is, so does everyone else. The bike, only a couple of years old, was so beat up (only 6K miles on it) that I decided against buying an HD and bought my Roadstar instead! Be very careful to lock it up tight wherever you go, even if you only walk down to the beach. The locals know all rental vehicles immediately. I'm heading to the Riviera Maya south of Cancun next week, and I inquired about renting an HD there.... they wanted a $3000.00 deposit on my credit card to hold the bike. I didn't do it...I just thought it was too risky in Mexico.
John ScribnerI've heard that many times about rental vehicles in HI, but never once when we've left the car have I ever thought it unsafe... I guess picking up a bike and chucking it in a truck bed might be a little more tempting. Also, Kauai is a lot different than Oahu. When we landed there last year to view Pearl Harbor, I thought i was landing in NYC. Crazy city life! A lot of rentals have little stickers on them "tagging" them as rental vehicles. As soon as I leave the rental joint, I peel those suckers off!

Jonathan- lived there for 4+ years from 1987-1991. It's even worse on Oahu now with so many homeless. But Kauai'i is a very different place than Oahu (muy rico!), and yes, it's more laid-back. Just don't let your guard down. When we were back several years ago, we pulled our rental car over at a popular scenic overlook on the ocean. My wife wanted a picture, so I walked across the road and down about 75 yards to take a shot. I heard my wife yelling, turned around, and there was a bearded, raggedy-arsed scarecrow in nothing but shorts running out of the bush across the road towards my wife and daughter in the car. They were just paralyzed...I started running towards him and yelled. He just veered off, jumped into the bushes and vanished. Later I rode the Sportie up to the North Shore on Oahu after dark, and it was just plain spooky.... people wandering on and off the road from the tent cities hidden in the bush. Just be careful in paradise, amigo...
John scribner

Every year? And this is the first time you've rented a bike there?

I weas going to rent a HD in South Carolina once and they wanted $7000 deposit......no way, On the other hand I rented a scooter in Comdulin, Goa, India for $6 (USD) per day....no deposit. that was quite the experience!