Terms and Conditions

Open Road Motorcycle Tours is our operational name (referred to as “Open Road” below). We are licensed as a transport service and authorised to operate a rental service. We are governed by the New Zealand Land Transport Safety Authority.

All tour and rental bookings should be made using our online system. Simply choose your tour and/or preferred bike, check availability, confirm your booking and pay your deposit. It's that easy.

We offer flexible payment options for deposits and tour payments in a range of currencies through our Wise banking platform. You can pay by domestic bank transfer (including ACH transfers where available), allowing you to pay in your own currency without incurring international transfer fees. Wise is a secure payment platform that makes it easy to transfer funds.

If you prefer to pay by credit card, this can also be arranged. Please note that a service fee will apply to help cover the associated bank and payment processing fees. Please contact us to arrange credit card payment and confirm the applicable fee.

A deposit of 20% of the tour or rental fee is required to confirm and secure your booking. Once we receive your deposit, we will send you a booking confirmation. The confirmation will outline details of when and how to make your final payment.

IMPORTANT: Please note that tour bookings will not be confirmed until you have made the deposit payment. If you don't make the deposit payment, we can't confirm your booking request.

Final payment of the remaining tour fee and any charges for additional activities is due 60 days prior to the start date of your tour. Upon final payment, we will send you a detailed itinerary and description of your tour.

Final payment for motorcycle-only rental bookings is due 30 days prior to the start date of the rental.

If you wish to join a tour or rent a motorcycle and it is less than 60 days before the published tour date, contact us directly for availability, and we'll see what we can sort out.

As the hirer, you must adhere to the collection and return dates, locations and times stated on the rental agreement. If you need to make changes to an existing booking — for example, to extend your rental — this will be subject to availability and must be approved by Open Road. Any associated charges will be advised and charged accordingly.

Open Road will make every effort to supply the motorcycle requested. However, if due to circumstances beyond our control, your first choice is not available, we reserve the right to offer an alternative motorcycle.

The following charges will apply if you have to cancel your Motorcycle Rental, Guided or Self Guided Tour:

A $250 NZD administration fee applies to all cancellations.

Once your hire or tour has commenced, we are unable to offer any refund or partial refund under any circumstances. To protect yourself, we strongly advise that you purchase your own travel insurance at the time of booking your tour or rental.

Refunds

Once your tour or rental has commenced, Open Road is not required to refund any charges if you cancel or miss meals, activities or accommodation bookings.

Open Road reserves the right to cancel a guided tour up to 30 days prior to the start of the tour. In this unlikely event, we will refund your payment in full, offer you a guided tour on another date, or arrange an independent tour with your consent and refund the difference in cost.

Late collection or early return of the motorcycle does not entitle the hirer to a refund for any unused portion of the rental.

The following applies to ALL riders — not pillions — of our motorcycles.

All riders must be 25 years or older and hold a current licence appropriate for the size (cc and power) of the motorcycle requested for hire. If your licence is not in English, we recommend that you obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP).

You should always carry your original physical home-country driver's licence and IDP, if required, while riding our motorcycles.

No licence = No Ride!

We would like you to have a couple of years of riding experience on a motorcycle of a similar size to the one you're hiring. This is not a legal requirement; however, we would remind you that the insurance excess is currently $3,500 NZD. Even minor spills can easily result in repair costs exceeding this amount.

All our motorcycles are purchased new and come with breakdown cover. They all have a regular full government safety check, regardless of mileage. We also give the motorcycles the best care and attention between hires.

Look after the motorcycle and it will look after you. A quick check in the morning will go a long way towards ensuring your enjoyment. If something needs attention, please mention it — prevention is better than cure.

As the hirer, you shall pay for all petrol and oil used in the motorcycle during the period of hire.

In the unfortunate event of a breakdown or accident, call us first on 027 682 5265 or 027 422 0879. We can then advise on the best course of action. Regardless of how the incident was caused, never admit liability. As motorcyclists, we can be quick to have the finger pointed at us. The rider, if able, should obtain the names and addresses of anyone involved in or witnessing the accident, as well as photographic evidence of all vehicles and/or road conditions.

If the motorcycle requires repair, please call us first, before any repairs are undertaken, so that we can authorise them. Keep any receipts to show us on your return. If there is a mechanical issue that is not the rider's fault — that is, an issue outside the rider's control — we will endeavour to get you going as soon as possible. If the damage or breakdown is your fault, repair or replacement is at our discretion. This is not always an easy call to make, but sometimes it needs to be made. By the very nature of our tours and the remote places we get to, this is not always going to be straightforward. If you've ridden motorcycles for long enough, you'll know to expect the unexpected!

You will be liable for any costs associated with the incorrect use of fuel or contamination of the fuel tank.

Punctures are the responsibility of the hirer. The cost of repair and/or replacement of a tyre, if necessary, is also the hirer's responsibility. Our motorcycles do come with a puncture repair kit; however, this is designed as a temporary repair to get you moving. If used, you must get the tyre checked by a suitably qualified mechanic at the first opportunity. If the puncture repair kit is used, RIDE WITH CAUTION and let us know so we can replace it for the next customer. Thanks!

All fines for traffic offences are the responsibility of the hirer, and the costs will be charged to your credit card. If a fine arrives after you have returned the bike — for example, from a speed camera or another traffic offence — we will also charge a $100 NZD administration fee.

You must return the motorcycle in a reasonably clean condition and with a full tank of petrol.

You are responsible for ensuring that you have valid documentation to enter New Zealand, including a current passport and a visa if needed. Visit New Zealand Immigration | Immigration New Zealand for more information.

Our motorcycles are covered by comprehensive insurance, which is included in your guided tour, self-guided tour or motorcycle rental fee. Please note that the insurance covers the motorcycle, not the rider.

The standard insurance excess is $3,500 NZD per claim. This means you may be liable for costs up to this amount for each separate claim, subject to the terms and conditions of the insurance policy. For example, if you drop the motorcycle twice in separate incidents during the same tour or rental, each incident may be treated as a separate claim, with a separate excess applying.

As outlined in our Security Bond section, we place a hold of $3,500 NZD on your credit card before your tour or rental begins. If damage or loss occurs, the cost of necessary repairs or replacements will be assessed, and the applicable amount will be charged against the security bond. Any unused portion of the bond will be released once the costs have been finalised. This may take some time to be processed while we wait for quotes.

You remain responsible for any damage or costs not covered by the insurance policy, such as lost keys or damage resulting from the use of incorrect fuel or damage to tyres, etc. Please refer to the exclusions and conditions below for further details.

Puncture repairs and tyre replacements are the responsibility of the hirer.

Insurance cover will be voided and the hirer will be held fully liable for all costs if:

1. Any of the terms of the rental agreement are breached.
2. Damage to property is caused by careless, wilful or reckless riding, including riding while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
3. Damage to the motorcycle or property is caused by submersion in water, such as during a river crossing, including salt water, as a result of the rider's negligence. If in doubt, don't attempt it.
4. Damage to the motorcycle or property is caused by riding on unauthorised roads, tracks, beaches or cross-country routes.
5. The rider's licence is invalid, not current or not appropriately rated for the motorcycle on hire.
6. The motorcycle is being ridden unlawfully, such as on the right-hand side of the road without good reason. Overtaking is permitted where lawful.

Rental motorcycles must only be ridden on legal roads. They may not be ridden off-road and/or on unauthorised roads. Unauthorised roads include 90 Mile Beach, Ball Hutt Road and Skippers Canyon Road. These are legal roads, just not suitable for motorbikes — well, not ours anyway!

A security bond of $3,500 NZD applies to all motorcycle bookings, including guided tours, self-guided tours and motorcycle rentals.

We will place a hold on your supplied credit card for $3,500 NZD before your tour or rental begins. This amount is not charged to your card upfront; it is held as security against any damage or loss involving the motorcycle, its accessories or third-party property during your booking.

If damage or loss occurs, we will assess the cost of any necessary repairs or replacements and advise you of the amount to be deducted from the security bond. Any unused portion of the bond will be released back to you once the costs have been finalised.

Please note that the release of the hold may take additional time to appear on your credit card, depending on your card provider.

In New Zealand, we have something called ACC — it stands for Accident Compensation Corporation. Basically, it will cover you if you have an accident (not an illness) and injure yourself. As the name says, it's for accidents. It will get you picked up in an ambulance, if needed, patched up and treated as best as possible. However, it's no replacement for avoiding a spill in the first place.

This cover is provided through New Zealand's public accident compensation system while you are in New Zealand. It doesn't cover anything else: no possessions, disrupted travel plans or any other costs incurred by you or others due to your misfortune. Replacement of a damaged motorcycle is at the discretion of Open Road Motorcycle Tours.

We strongly advise that you take out personal and travel insurance, as the consequences of a disruption can be costly. Make sure the insurer understands that you are riding motorcycles. You don't want them declining a claim, so confirm your motorcycle riding activities with them in writing, preferably by email. Your policy should also cover you for loss of deposit if you have to cancel your tour.

Our guided tours include a guide riding alongside the group. A support van to carry luggage and accommodate up to two passengers is also included, provided the tour has a minimum of four motorcycles or six participants.

If numbers fall below this minimum, we’ll discuss the available options with you. These may include proceeding with a guide on a motorcycle without the support van, or switching to a self-guided tour at our current self-guided tour prices.

If neither option suits you, we’ll refund all deposits and payments made to Open Road for the tour.

While we’ll always do our best to find a solution that works for everyone, Open Road cannot cover additional costs or losses you may incur as a result of a tour proceeding without a support van or being cancelled due to insufficient numbers. This includes, but is not limited to, pre-paid airline tickets, hotel reservations and vehicle rentals. We strongly recommend that you arrange suitable travel insurance to protect yourself against these unexpected costs.

We plan our tours carefully to make the most of New Zealand’s fantastic roads and scenery. However, sometimes things don’t go according to plan!

Open Road reserves the right to amend itineraries, routes, accommodation or activities, or to make changes to motorcycle rental arrangements where necessary. This may be due to road closures, roadworks, weather conditions, unforeseen circumstances or safety concerns.

Our guides, instructors and contractors may also alter, curtail or, where necessary, cancel part or all of a tour or rental arrangement if they consider that safety may be compromised.

We’ll always do our best to keep any changes to a minimum and, where possible, discuss alternative arrangements with you. Our priority is to keep everyone safe while making sure you still enjoy your time on the road.

If a change to your itinerary affects accommodation or planned activities, we'll endeavour to arrange a suitable alternative of equal value. Where this isn't possible, or an activity or service cannot be replaced, we'll provide a refund for the relevant amount paid. For example, if an activity has to be cancelled due to weather restrictions and no suitable alternative can be arranged, we'll refund the amount charged for that activity. We'll always aim to be fair and reasonable when dealing with any changes that affect your booking.

Any photos and videos produced by Open Road Motorcycle Tours remain the property of Open Road Motorcycle Tours and are protected by copyright. This material may be used for advertising and marketing purposes. You are not entitled to any remuneration for appearing in any photo or video. If you submit photos to Open Road Motorcycle Tours, you agree to allow us to use them for advertising and marketing purposes.

The undersigned understands the requirements and conditions and is aware that the tour or rental and its activities involve the risk of personal injury and damage to or loss of property. In consideration of the benefits to be derived from participation in the tour or rental, the undersigned voluntarily accepts all risks of personal injury and property damage arising from participation in the tour or rental.

The clients of Open Road Motorcycle Tours hereby agree that they, and their dependants, heirs, executors and assigns, release and hold harmless Open Road, its employees, directors and representatives from any and all claims relating to illness, bodily injury, death or property damage or loss, however caused, arising from or related to this motorcycle tour or rental in New Zealand.

This exclusion is subject to any rights or remedies you may have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.