RIDERS SHARE, a motorcycle peer-to-peer rental service in the USA has launched a subscription model, which will provide a 35% discount on rentals booked for a $24 monthly fee, or $264 ($22/month) if set up as a prepaid annual subscription.
Initially set up in 2018 by avid motorcyclist Guillermo Cornejo, who identified that there are twenty-million ex-riders in the United States who are bikeless, Riders Share links up bikers and unused motorcycles for bookable rentals.
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In order to use the subscription service, riders must be over 25 and have a ‘FICO’ credit score of over 700 - with subscribers also receiving free delivery of their chosen rental (up to $50 value) as well as free cancellations.
The service will also provide insurance and breakdown cover in the rental price, which is set by the motorcycle owner at an average of around $100 a day all-in.
Riders Share now has over 100,000 users and growing, 13,000 “successful rides”, and is nationwide across the States - the subscription service aims to provide a cheaper option for vetted riders who may seek an affordable way to get back into motorcycling (amongst other uses).
It’s hoped that the new subscription model will get more riders interested in using the facility on a longer-term basis. It’s perfect for those who may want to try out a certain model before investing in it long term, also.
We had a quick look on-site, and you could rent a sparkling blue BMW S1000RR in San Diego for $128 a day - it seems you can even rent riding gear from the owner to ride the sportsbike if you need to!
Not a bad price to rent a frankly outrageous motorcycle for the day, giving you the chance to take it away for a weekend in the Californian canyons... sounds good to me. Almost as good as renting a Husqvarna to go on the International Six Days Enduro event...
Guillermo Cornejo has said in Business Wire:
“We believe subscriptions are key to continued growth in peer-to-peer rentals. There’s an entire market of twenty million plus ex-riders who are bikeless; our goal with subscription services is to provide an economic re-entry point to stimulate responsible ridership across the country.”
“We felt the time was right to further diversify our pricing model and help people create new mobility habits as our cities start moving again.”
Would this Riders Share setup work in the UK?
The question has to be asked, would this model be successful in the UK? Would motorcyclists trust their steed to be ridden by an unknown stranger in return for a fee?
Instinct tells me perhaps not, particularly for older and/or valuable machines - but there’s definitely going to be a market for someone renting out their winter hack for a bit of side income (that’s if there is someone out there who wants to rent a rusted SV for a day).
Reference: RideApart
