[NavyDoc]

I'd like to ride my bike to New York City in May. Any words of wisdom from the members?
My daughter is graduating from Columbia University which is near Manhattan(?). Not sure where to stay or what driving conditions are like for motorcyclists.
One possibility is ride the bike to New York and rent a car for the time I am there. So help me out here, puh-leeze?
Thanks....

 

[Probono]

Congratulations to your daughter! Columbia is on the upper west side of Manhattan, roughly 116th Street and Broadway. Even though I grew up in Manhattan, riding there during the day is a little more than I would want to handle. Also, parking the bike in a safe location is another issue. If you do decide to ride into Manhattan, your best bet is a private garage in the basement of a private apartment building where you should be able to get a day rate of $20 - $30.

That being said, if it were me, I'd be looking for a hotel either in NJ or Westchester, and rent a car. Alternatively, you could hotel in NJ or Westchester and take the train. I would not be concerned about the bike at a suburban higher quality hotel.

Probono

 

[31261]

Congratulations to your daughter! Columbia is on the upper west side of Manhattan, roughly 116th Street and Broadway. Even though I grew up in Manhattan, riding there during the day is a little more than I would want to handle. Also, parking the bike in a safe location is another issue. If you do decide to ride into Manhattan, your best bet is a private garage in the basement of a private apartment building where you should be able to get a day rate of $20 - $30.

That being said, if it were me, I'd be looking for a hotel either in NJ or Westchester, and rent a car. Alternatively, you could hotel in NJ or Westchester and take the train. I would not be concerned about the bike at a suburban higher quality hotel.

Probono

+1 On The Train approach to getting into Manhattan.

 

[ATCguy]

My 2-cents: do exactly what you stated... store the bike for the few days you're there, and rent a car.

There's a place in NYC, in the area called the "East Village", that is a motorcycle only parking garage. It's called Rising Wolf Garage.

They do long & short term parking... have a small service center... has video surveilance... and provides 24-hour access to those storing their bikes there.

I've never had the opportunity to use them, but know people who have and they spoke highly of the place.

I'm not sure what their rates are, and they don't have a website. However, you can get in touch with them by any of the following:

• Phone: 212-475-5858
• Fax: 212-505-5205
• Email: [email protected]

 

[NavyDoc]

Congratulations to your daughter! Columbia is on the upper west side of Manhattan, roughly 116th Street and Broadway. Even though I grew up in Manhattan, riding there during the day is a little more than I would want to handle. Also, parking the bike in a safe location is another issue. If you do decide to ride into Manhattan, your best bet is a private garage in the basement of a private apartment building where you should be able to get a day rate of $20 - $30.

That being said, if it were me, I'd be looking for a hotel either in NJ or Westchester, and rent a car. Alternatively, you could hotel in NJ or Westchester and take the train. I would not be concerned about the bike at a suburban higher quality hotel.

Probono

I might be able to stay at the Navy Lodge in Staten Island. I am waiting more information from the daughter.
From the maps, I can see the Lodge about 18 miles south of the campus. I will look around for facilities closer to the campus if possible. Trying to get the itinerary together for reservation purposes.
Thanks for the congrats (last daughter! phew!) and first planned road trip by bike.

 

[new jersey lefty]

Rising Wolf is a good place to leave your bike. Also, there is no need for a car rental since you don't know where to go. You must be constantly looking for parking. Mass transit is the way to go. It is easy to get around and it is an adventure. When I go into the city during the day, it is best and least expensive to take trains, buses and subways. Taxis are also available. From Staten Island, you can take the ferry.

 

[Probono]

What type of doctor are you?

 

[Fluke189]

I've ridden around NYC on numerous occasions and found it no more difficult than any other city really. The only problem I had was going into the wrong lane in a toll bridge that called for exact change and I had none. NYC drivers are not real fond of sitting behind an iddiot at a toll bridge for 5 minutes :shrug:

 

[NavyDoc]

What type of doctor are you?

I am a Navy Corpsman. "Doc" is the time honored moniker for a Corpsman.

 

[ATCguy]

I might be able to stay at the Navy Lodge in Staten Island... I will look around for facilities closer to the campus if possible.

Doc...

Since you're looking at the Navy Lodge, another alternative to the more expenisive Manhattan hotels is the Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard and Airmen's Club, located in midtown on the east side.

http://www.ssmaclub.org/

While it's not posh, it is clean... and caters only to military (current, retired, vets).

Also for planning purposes... the address for Rising Wolf Garage is 336 E. 9th St, New York, NY 10003

 

[Bulldog]

Depending on when your graduation is, You could consider coming to Cats-Cade on the last week end of May.

Let us know your plans and perhaps we can help you out.

Bulldog & Meesh

 

[PARRMAN]

I commuted to Manhattan for 30 years, if you are unable to stay at the Naval Lodge on Staten Island, my advice would be to get a motel in Jersey City or Hoboken near the PATH train and take that into Manhattan. Riding into Manhattan on the weekends is not to bad but during the week it's a zoo.:22yikes:

 

[JCHall]

I'd agree with the rest. I've ridden in NYC in a group only.

I'm about 60 miles west of NYC - right off US 78. I could email you phone/address.....just in case.

JC

 

[soggybottom]

Getting into nyc is not like going down the interstate and getting off exit 3. You have to take a bridge or tunnel to get in. That means long traffic lines. Weekends are ok. look into park and ride buses, trains etc.

Next, getting to Pa, NJ or NY from St Louie is not pleasent either. lots of city traffic through Indiana and Ohio is a pain. Look for a route directly east to Va then north toward Harrisburg. I've done Az to NJ twice by MC and 4 times by P/u truck w/trailer. Did the Ohio/Indiana route west twice and will never do it again, just to much traffic. I81 through Va is the most pleasant ride in the country, IMO, try it.

 

[jbljon]

If I were coming to New York City, I would only want to commute in one time since getting into New York is the hardest part. Any one of these hotels:
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-191501980-new_york_city_hotels-i-nhood-upper+west+side
would put you close enough for a 30 minute or less bus ride up Broadway to Columbia University. The only problem I see you having is that a lot of garages don't allow motorcyles so I would call the hotels and see if you can get a recommendation on parking from them.
Like others have said, renting a car would be more trouble than using mass transit. Finding a space or worrying about putting $ in the meter (25 cents for 10 minutes) gets old quick.
If you do ride the bike around Manhattan don't do it in midtown or downtown since there are very few places to park on the street. When I go somewhere on the bike in the city, I park it in the closest legal distance from a fire hydrant so no car will be either in front or behind me. This has seemed to work since I've been doing it for 5 years with no ill effects. That being said, your best bet would be to just park the bike once in a garage since mass transit makes it so easy to get around.
Hope this helps.

 

[new jersey lefty]

Just got back from the N.Y. motorcycle show. Rising Wolf only has permanent parking spots or storage.

Try New York Motorcycle Parking at www.nymparking.com or call 877 399 7275.

 

[soggybottom]

Hey lefty, did honda unveil some kind of factory chopper at that show?

 

[lonestarr]

MC Show

NJ Lefty,
How was the show this year? I've not been there in the last 4-5 yrs since I nolonger live there and felt once you've been there 5X's it's pretty much the same.

 

[Digger]

If I lived in NYC, I'd ride there, carefully.

However, I'm not from there and, as such, am unfamiliar with the roads.

A few years back, I rode to a hotel in Queens. I parked the bike for three days, then rode it back out of town.

I'm an experienced rider, with over 300,000 miles on motorcycles.

However, that was the first and will be the last time I ever ride a motorcycle again within 20 miles of NYC.

The combination of fast, aggressive traffic; poor, potholed roads (especially on the freeways); and unfamiliarity with the area made it a real white knuckle experience.

Not fun.

BTW, I feel the same way about Chicago and Detroit. LA is not real fun, but is doable, at least. Houston is bad, but I'm familiar with the roads there, so I'll ride parts of it.