After riding guided motorcycle tours overseas, we wanted to share New Zealand's riding with fellow motorcyclists from around the world.
Those trips showed us what expert local guides, quality motorcycles and carefully planned routes add to a holiday. We saw great scenery, made lifelong friends, and found how much we enjoy exploring a new country on two wheels.
That's when we realised how good New Zealand is for motorcycle touring, from the North Island's volcanic landscapes to the South Island's alpine passes. Our mission became clear: show these roads, and warm Kiwi hospitality, to riders from all over the world.
Join us for a guided or self-guided motorcycle tour across New Zealand's most scenic routes. We're a family-run business based in Northland, and we care about getting your trip right. We might start as strangers, but by tour's end, we're all great mates!
A small family business, based in sunny Northland.
Ride with us as your guides, or take one of our routes on your own.
From the North Island's volcanic landscapes to the South Island's alpine passes.
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.
Tour Management & Tour Guide
Sally's background includes running a London-based courier company and working in tourism, specialising 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.
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.
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.
Open Road Mascot
Aranui means "great path" in Māori, reflecting the journey through New Zealand's 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!
Seat heights, pillions, which island in February. Write to us, call, or send a WhatsApp and we'll get back to you.
Thanks,
Lance & Sally
Open Road Motorcycle Tours