Asheville – Phil Cann, owner of Asheville Motorcycle Rentals at 899 Riverside Drive in Woodfin, says Polaris Slingshots are “nothing like” motorcycles. He said they’re more of a cross between a bike and a car.
Asked why anybody would want to ride around in one, he explained, “They sit very low; they’re open and sporty. They handle well. You’re not going to see one outside a grocery store.” Like a poet, he strives to capture the essence in words. “It sticks to the ground in curves. You can smell the air and feel the wind.”
He’s not the only one. Brandon Lim, writing for MotorTrend, referred to another reviewer’s bewilderment and said, “We didn’t review one when it first came out in 2015 because we didn’t know what to make of it, either.”
Asked about specs, Cann said they have a 4-cylinder, 2-liter engine rated at 178 horsepower. Cann couldn’t say off the top of his head what their maximum speed or nought-to-sixty were, and that is as it should be. The vehicles are street-legal, they get at least 33 mpg, and they can keep up with traffic.
Polaris has an amazing lobbying arm that was able to redefine Slingshots in a class of their own and thereby circumvent restrictions for both motorcycles and automobiles in several states. For example, in North Carolina, helmets, emissions testing, and motorcycle endorsements are not required. But that does nothing to soften the harsh aerodynamics one endures on the freeway, getting passed by semis in a lightweight vehicle with an open roof and open sides.
So, if one sees a Slingshot doing the stop-and-go on Hendersonville Road, it’s just en route to the scenic motorways. Cann said the most popular destination for his customers is the Blue Ridge Parkway; many drive up to the Pisgah Inn. With its endless greenery and mountain vistas, the parkway was literally made for “Sunday driving.”
Another popular road is the Tail of the Dragon. Cann said it always seems to make the top three on lists of the best driving roads in America. Fully forested, the road has an intersection-free stretch of eleven miles, boasting 318 curves. “People like to go there and get their T-shirt and sticker,” he said.
Cann gets customers from all over the world. Motorcycles and autocycles are a great way to tool around on famous roads in tourist destinations, but there are many reasons why people can’t or don’t want to load their luggage and drive for hundreds of miles on one.
Locals often want to rent the Slingshots because they’re a novelty. Cruising in the two-seater can make for a delightful birthday or anniversary present.
Cann came to the United States from Devon, England, where he drove semis for a living. He has owned and enjoyed motorcycles since he was a teenager. One time, he was vacationing in Asheville and just assumed he’d be able to rent one during his visit, but found, “There was no one here.” So, after moving to Asheville, he thought he’d fill the niche.
He kept his day job for the first year or two, but since then, AMR has been “very full-time.” He works seven days and has hired part-time help, but he’s on-call all the time.
He enjoys being in this beautiful part of the world, working with motorcycles, and talking with customers. “I know it sounds cheesy or cliché, but I love meeting with people.”
More than once, somebody has traveled all the way to Asheville to ride their motorcycle; it broke down, and Cann was able to provide a rental. “They’re very grateful. It feels nice.”
He said the only downside of the business is that he doesn’t get to ride his motorcycle as much as he would like. Like his customers, his favorite season to ride is in the fall.
He said anybody wanting to reserve a vehicle for a specific date should do so as early as possible, but if somebody suddenly needs a vehicle immediately, he will do what he can to arrange it.
His inventory consists of two Slingshots, both automatic but one with a paddle shifter option, and 10 motorcycles. Each motorcycle is a different model. Most are Harleys, which excel for cruising, or BMWs, celebrated for their all-terrain performance.
The Slingshots rent for $289/day, and the motorcycles run from $149/day to $199/day. Customers are required to purchase insurance at $35/day, and a $2,000 hold will be placed on their credit cards. More information about the vehicles and the terms of the rental agreement is available at ashevillemotorcyclerentals.com.