Motorcycle Tour FAQ - Your Questions Answered

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.

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.

Yes. 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.

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.

We design and test ride all our tours, & guide them ourselves so you get the personal touch from the people who own the business. We're small enough to care about the little details and prepared to go the extra mile to ensure you have the holiday of a lifetime.

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.

If you would rather ride on your own than with a group but like the security of having your accommodation pre-booked and your route planned then a self guided tour is for you. We'll provide you with a pre-programmed route right to your accommodation. We'll also highlight stops and sights along the route for your convenience. We'll plan everything for you so that you see and do everything you wish to. No hassles, no worries. We'll also provide 24 hour support and check in with you along the way to make sure you're absolutely happy.

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.

Yes, on tours of 7 or more days we will stay a couple of nights in places where there is a lot to see & do. This will allow you to take a break, enjoy some exciting activities, explore the local sights, do a little shopping or take a solo ride - we'll be happy to make suggestions or book activities for you.

No - we prefer not to cancel but we do need a minimum of 4 motorcycles on a guided tour in order to have a support vehicle. For smaller guided groups you will just need to be intrepid and take your gear in the luggage provided with your bike. We would only cancel a tour due to circumstances beyond our control. Tour participants would then be offered an alternative tour date.

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.

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. It is a common saying here that we can have '4 seasons in one day', so wet-weather gear is not optional, and layering matters more than absolute warmth. Both islands have warm summers; the South Island can get warmer in summer (30°C+ isn't unheard of) but also colder in winter, with snow and sub-zero temperatures.

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.

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.

Yes - this is a no brainer really. New Zealand does have free accident and emergency care but this will not get you flown home if you have been unlucky enough to have a serious accident, or fall ill whilst on tour or need to claim for lost baggage or personal emergencies.

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

Many visitors need an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority), requested via the official mobile app or website. Approval can take up to 72 hours, so get yours before you go.

Visit immigration.govt.nz/nzeta to find out if you need one.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We process all our credit card payments through Stripe, which is a secure credit card payment portal. We do not charge a Credit Card handling fee. We will email an invoice with the link to Stripe. This is the preferred choice for overseas clients. Saves on bank fees. If you do wish to pay by bank transfer our a/c details will also be on the invoice.

On tours of 7 days or less we simply place a hold on your credit card to cover the insurance excess. On tours longer than 7 days our insurance requires us to make a charge on your credit card, this is held by our card processors & fully refundable with no fees to pay if unused. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions.

Yes - we have a minimum 3 day hire period.

Yes - the one way fee is NZ$450 and only on prior arrangement as we currently only have a North Island base.

You need a full and valid motorcycle licence from your home country. If your licence is not in English, carry an International Driving Permit or an accurate certified translation alongside it. Tell us what you hold when you enquire and we will confirm it before you book.

You will need to be over 25 to hire one of our motorbikes.

We would like you to have a couple of years of riding experience on the size of bike you're hiring. This way you are comfortable and confident and will enjoy your trip all the more.

Our fleet consists of low mileage modern motorbikes all less than two years old, well maintained & checked every six months with a full safety inspection by VTNZ. We have personally selected all our bikes to give you an exciting ride offering something different from the normal fleet hire. We like to think our fleet is ideal for the often twisty roads found in New Zealand.

All our bikes come with top boxes and panniers/saddle bags as well as a basic first aid kit & Puncture Repair Kit.

Currently the answer to this is a No. We think the majority of riders prefer to use their own gear and that you will bring it with you. We do have limited gear available to borrow in an emergency and have arrangements with Motorcycle Accessory stores in Auckland who will kit you out if your luggage has gone missing or breaks.

No - they must only be ridden on legal paved roads. Please do not ride our bikes off road or on unauthorised roads which include: 90 Mile Beach, Ball Hutt Rd and Skippers Canyon.

We have AA Fleet Cover for all our vehicles and have included in your hireage/tour pack a list of important numbers. During office hours, please call either Lance or Sally on their mobiles (we are available on Viber or Whatsapp) and we will get help on the way. Or, if you are calling outside of business hours, please call the AA for 24 hour roadside assistance on 0800 734 543

Yes. An airport shuttle is included in your Guided or Self Guided Tour price. The shuttle fee for Bike rentals only is an add on extra.

You can collect your bike from 8am on the day of hireage and we would request that you return no later than 3pm on the last day of rental. If for any reason you need to collect or return outside these times please contact us to make the necessary arrangements. This may result in a small fee.

Best to allow yourself an hour to collect your bike and 30 mins at drop off.

Yes, we have space to securely store your bags whilst on tour.

Yes - we can book any additional activity for you - subject to availability.