Renting the Ducati Scrambler Icon from EagleRider

Written by Leisure / General, Video

I rented a Ducati Scambler Icon from EagleRider in Belleville NJ. Since I just passed the MSF course about a few days ago I currently possessed the interim motorcycle license (paper version). The card is being mailed to me and should arrive between 1 to 2 weeks. For this reason I was unable to rent from EagleRider Queens Village. Also, EagleRider in Howard Beach was closed for this week. So they were out as well. The only other options were Harley Davidson and EagleRider in Belleveille. As we reached the Harley Davidson dealership on Northern Boulevard we were informed that all the rentals occur in the city. We headed towards the city to try and get our hands on either the Fourty Eight or 883. Both bikes seemed to be accommodating to the beginner rider. As we crossed over the 59th street bridge we received a call from EagleRider in Belleville informing us that the Interim License was satisfactory to rent a motorcycle. We crossed Harley out and headed for NJ.

We picked the bike up around 1pm, and I have to admit I was a bit nervous riding on the street. I did have a few hours prior to this rental, but nothing on the highway/freeway. All my experience was from the MSF Course. First off the Belleville location was located inside Motorcycle Mall, and the man who helped us out (Rich) was very very pleasant. Overall the rental experience was a 10/10.

Now on to the bike. The two bikes they had for rental at Belleville were the Ducati Scrambler (803cc, L-Twin, peaking at 75HP) or the Ducati Multistrada (1194CC, L-Twin, peaking at 160HP). We settled for the Scrambler. It was a very smooth ride. The scrambler has off-road like tires so the ride was very comfy. I rode for probably 5-6 hours on Tuesday and didn’t feel tired (Until after I got home).

I rode for most of Tuesday and taught Felix the ropes since this was his first time on a bike. He did really well. I felt he did get a whole lot more comfortable with the bike, especially on Wednesday (the next day). Felix’s friend, Ken, was nice enough to let me leave the bike in his garage overnight. We rode a bit more on Wednesday and then returned the bike around 12:45pm before I had to return to work on Wednesday.

I cant express how much fun it was (especially while not riding in traffic). It feels a whole lot more free than being stuck in a cage (car). Fuel efficiency is amazing. The Scrambler gets somewhere around 55mpg. The only two things I would fix for next time is making sure I have earplugs, and possibly something to protect my neck (since little rocks kept flying towards me). Maybe if I purchase a bike in the near future then it will be time to get a proper riding jacket.

But I definitely cannot wait to get on a bike again. Maybe a rental in the near future (fall) so that Tania and I can explore a bit.