About Open Road Motorcycle Tours
Open Road Motorcycle Tours, a small family-run venture nestled in sunny Northland, was born from our passion for unforgettable riding experiences.
Meet the team
After having some fantastic riding experiences overseas, we decided to start Open Road Motorcycle Tours here in New Zealand.
Those trips allowed us to meet some great people, experience outstanding scenery and enjoy great adventures on amazing roads.
And they made us realise: we have all this and more to offer in New Zealand. So why not showcase it to the world? Once we understood this would involve riding all around this fabulous place, and buying more bikes, there was no stopping us!
Join us on tour, on the open roads of New Zealand. We know you’ll love it, and we’ll do everything we can to make it the experience of a lifetime. We hope to meet you soon. We might start out as strangers but by the end of a tour we’ve all become great friends.
Lance Mitchell
Bike Guru & Tour Guide
Motorbikes have been a huge part of Lance's life, from his first Honda CB250 to running a motorcycle courier company in London. One memorable journey involved transporting a human heart from London to Paris. Despite a few bumps along the road, Lance's passion for motorcycling remains strong. His tours focus on combining the thrill of riding with a strong emphasis on safety.
Sally Mitchell
Tour Management & Tour Guide
Sally's background includes running a London-based courier company and working in tourism, specializing in guided tours. She takes pride in arranging accommodation and logistics for Open Road tours with meticulous attention to detail, aiming for a flawless experience. Sally loves touring as the best way to experience a country, enjoying the scenery, sights, smells, and sounds along the way.
Chris Mitchell
Website Guru
When he’s not working on his own projects, Chris is our go to guy on all things web related. He designed and built our website and is constantly updating and improving it. Lance & Sally are immensely proud of him and extremely thankful for all his work, expertise and skills on their behalf. Chris currently rides a Yamaha MT07.
Cesar Mitchell
Family Dog
Cesar is the meeter and greeter at the Open Road base. He has the important role of keeping morale up and ensuring everyone gets adequate exercise every day. A laid back dude, Cesar is always on the lookout for a good scratch, or even better, a treat. Cesar is waiting for the day Lance buys a Ural with a sidecar so that he can join in on the adventures.
Aranui
Open Road Mascot
Aranui means "great path" in Māori, reflecting the journey through New Zealand's breathtaking landscapes. Meet the Kea, an intelligent and curious parrot found in the Southern Alps. Encounter these cheeky birds on our South Island Tours, but be cautious—they might try to inspect your bike!