If you’ve ever booked a motorcycle from a peer-to-peer (P2P) rental service, you know that all owners aren’t created equally. While long-established rental and touring services like Eagle Rider manage their own fleet of bikes, P2P alternatives such as Riders Share and Twisted Road outsource that responsibility to individual motorcycle owners.
Unfortunately, not all owners maintain their rental units to the same standards. That patchwork protocol can leave customers not only dissatisfied but can also put them at risk on the road. Whether you’re rolling on knackered tires or squeezing shot brakes, that lack of consistency also leads to sub-optimal experiences.
Twisted Road understands that poorly-maintained rentals can result in breakdowns, poor customer reviews, or in the worst case, injuries. To better regulate rental running orders, the P2P service is rolling out a new 20-point inspection program.
“Because most of our rental motorcycles are owned by individuals, we had to find an innovative and scalable way to inspect bikes to reduce on-road issues,” summarized Twisted Road found and CEO Austin Rothbard.
With more than 3,000 privately-owned, U.S.-based motorcycles in the Twisted Road catalog, there’s no shortage of rental options. However, that vast inventory also poses compliance hurdles, and the company’s comprehensive new standards should improve uniformity and dependability.
“By having the owner show us the tires, electrical system, and other key areas virtually, we can identify the bikes that are in good working order and encourage owners to inspect and maintain their motorcycles regularly,” added Rothbard. “However, we also require the rider and the owner to review the bike just prior to riding to verify that it’s safe to ride.”
From one-day joy rides on a Ducati to week-long adventures aboard a Harley-Davidson, Twisted Road presents an accessible and cost-effective alternative to corporate rental services. With the new 20-point inspection, the P2P option only draws closer to its competitors. No, not all owners are created equally, but Twisted Road is taking the necessary steps to ensure those inconsistencies don’t impact the renter’s experience.
