New Zealand Motorcycle Tours with Open Road

The South Island

The South Island is why most riders come to New Zealand. Alpine passes climb out of beech forest into tussock country and drop back down to the coast in the space of an afternoon, and the traffic thins to nothing once you are past the main centres. Our South Island motorcycle tours link the mountain passes with the west coast, the lakes and the high country, and the riding days are built around the roads rather than the distance.

Because the weather moves quickly across the Southern Alps, guided South Island tours run with a guide who has ridden these roads in every season and can reshape a day when the pass is closed or the rain arrives early. Self-guided riders get the same route and the same accommodation, with the flexibility to sit out a bad morning and make it up later in the week.

The North Island

North Island riding is warmer, greener and more varied than most visitors expect. Volcanic plateau gives way to forest, thermal country and long stretches of coastline, and the road surface is generally kinder than in the south. It suits riders who want big days without big elevation, and it is the better half of the country for a first tour or for a pillion who is new to long distances.

North Island tours also work well as an extension: riders who have done the South Island and want to come back for something different usually end up here, and the twin-island tours cover both in a single trip.

Europe

Our European tours take the same approach to a different continent — routed for the riding, booked end to end, and run in small groups. The days are shaped around mountain roads and the places worth stopping for, not around covering ground. If you have ridden with us in New Zealand and want the next trip, this is where most riders go.

Guided tours

A guide rides with the group for the whole tour. The route, the accommodation and the meals are booked before you arrive, luggage is moved for you, and there is someone alongside who knows the roads, the weather and what to do if a bike needs attention. Group sizes stay small, so the pace stays comfortable and the group can stop where it wants to.

Guided tours suit riders who want the country opened up for them rather than researched in advance, and riders travelling from overseas who would rather not spend their holiday navigating.

Self-guided tours

You get the same routes and the same accommodation, ridden at your own pace. Each day is planned and booked, and you ride it when and how you like — long day, short day, a detour of your own. There is no guide with the group, but there is support on the end of a phone if something goes wrong.

Self-guided suits experienced riders, couples, and small groups of friends who want the logistics handled without the structure of a group tour.

The bikes

Every tour includes a motorcycle from our fleet, maintained and set up for touring: luggage fitted, wind protection sorted, and specifications published so you can check seat height and weight before you commit. Riders who need something specific should ask early, because there are only so many of each bike on any given departure.

When to come

New Zealand's seasons run opposite to the northern hemisphere, so the best riding weather here falls between roughly November and April — which is exactly when riders in Europe and North America have their bikes off the road. That is the main reason our departures cluster in the southern summer, and the reason the popular dates fill a long way out.

Shoulder-season riding has its own case: fewer vehicles on the road, cooler days for long stints in gear, and lower demand on accommodation. The trade-off is less settled weather, particularly around the alpine passes, so it suits riders who are comfortable adapting a plan rather than sticking to one.

Riding conditions

New Zealand rides on the left. Most visitors adapt within a day, and the first day of a tour is deliberately gentle for that reason. The roads themselves are narrower and more technical than the equivalent routes in North America or continental Europe: expect frequent corners, one-lane bridges, gravel on the shoulders after rain, and long stretches without fuel or a cafe.

Weather changes fast, especially near the Southern Alps, where a clear morning can turn into rain and a ten-degree drop by early afternoon. Wet-weather gear is not optional, and layering matters more than absolute warmth.

What to bring

Bring your own helmet and riding gear if you can — fit matters more on a two-week tour than on a weekend ride. Pack for four seasons in one day, in soft luggage where possible, and keep it light: what does not fit on the bike travels in the support vehicle on guided tours, and travels with you on self-guided ones.

Check your insurance before you leave. Travel insurance that explicitly covers motorcycling, and a policy that covers the bike itself, are worth confirming rather than assuming.

Do I need a special licence to ride in New Zealand?

A full motorcycle licence from your home country is generally sufficient for a visit, and an International Driving Permit is worth carrying alongside it if your licence is not in English. Tell us what you hold when you enquire and we will confirm it before you book.

How much riding is there in a day?

Riding days are built around the road rather than the odometer, so a day on twisty alpine roads covers far less ground than a day on the coast. There are rest days built into the longer tours, and the day-by-day itinerary for every tour is published so you can see the shape of the week before you commit.

Can a pillion come?

Yes. Pillion pricing is published per departure alongside the bike pricing, and the accommodation and meals are handled the same way as they are for the rider.

What if I want a room to myself?

Single-room supplements are published per departure. Say so when you enquire and it will be priced into your quote rather than arriving as a surprise.

When should I book?

Earlier than you think. Departures have a fixed number of each motorcycle, so the popular bikes on the popular dates go first, and peak-season tours can fill months ahead. The tour calendar shows what is still open.

Can you build a tour around what we want?

Yes — custom tours are a large part of what we do. Tell us how long you have, what you want to ride and how hard you want to ride it, and we will put a route and a quote together.