My husband is an experienced motorcyclist. He rented a motorcycle last time he was in Bologna and we were wanting to take a scenic tour out of Florence (into the countryside) when we are there in September. We are just looking for a half day trip so we don't want to travel too far and I'd like to avoid crowded streets if possible. Any recommendations?
Most of the centre of Florence is a ZTL - no traffic.
On the assumption that the same rules apply to motorbikes, see here
https://www.visitflorence.com/moving-around-florence/by-car.html
when you question "where in Florence", do you actually mean "where near Florence, in the Tuscan countryside"?
Yes, we'd like to see the country side!
How many hours do you have and, above all, what kind of motorbike? My suggestions will differ depending on whether you are renting a Vespa 125cc, or a Ducati Multistrada V4S 1160cc. (or similar high horsepower monster).