Find and book motorcycle tours to New Zealand

Motorcycle Tours in New Zealand

A magnificent and remote island country situated in the South Pacific Ocean just southeast of Australia, New Zealand is the world’s adventure capital and a prime motorcycling destination. Known for its spectacular scenery of snow-capped mountain peaks, paradise beaches, tropical forests, glacial lakes, and pristine lands, New Zealand attracts two-wheeled travelers from around the world. Motorcycle tours in New Zealand offer countless mountain twisties, scenic coastline roads, and awe-inspiring views of volcanoes, mountains, and the Pacific Ocean, but beautiful landscapes aren’t all that New Zealand has on the menu.

One of the last places on Earth to be inhabited by humans, New Zealand was only settled around the 13th century by Polynesian tribes later developing into a distinct Maori culture. After continuous clashes with Dutch and British explorers, New Zealand became a British colony until 1947 yet retained a lot of its extraordinary Maori culture and heritage you can explore while riding bikes here. There are plenty of Maori museums, cultural centers, and sites to visit if you want to immerse yourself in the South Pacific ways of life.

Nature and history aside, New Zealand is also one of the world’s most popular action sports destinations. If motorcycle tours in New Zealand don’t fill your thirst for adrenaline, there’s always skydiving, bungee jumping, and caving, and if you simply want to spend some time appreciating New Zealand’s nature in peace and quiet, hiking is the best way to do so here.

New Zealanders refer to themselves as kiwis, a name resulting from a curious, tiny flightless bird native to the islands and used to represent New Zealand as a country in the early 20th century. During the First World War, Australian soldiers began calling New Zealanders “kiwis”, and the name stuck – however, it’s considered a term of endearment rather than offense, so feel free to use the word freely when you travel here.

Motorcycle tours in New Zealand are as varied as the country’s stunning landscapes. South Pacific motorcycle tours offer both guided and self-guided tour options and if you’re hoping to explore the country on your own, shipping motorcycles to New Zealand is also a possibility.

The country of the Lord of the Rings movies, unique nature, culture, and history, and some of the world’s best motorcycling roads, New Zealand is a bucket list destination for any two-wheeled adventurer.

Motorcycle Tours in New Zealand: Highlights

Whether you’re going on a guided or self-guided tour, some of the routes and destinations in New Zealand are a must. Here is a list of our favorite roads and places to see along the way:

North Island
Divided into North and South Islands, New Zealand has plenty to offer on both sides. If you’re starting with North Island, be sure to hang out in the capital Wellington known for its great architecture and an artsy, colorful atmosphere with great nightlife and plenty of cultural activities. While exploring the city, try out some local cuisine and don’t forget to sample local wines: New Zealand produces some of the world’s best wine with Marlborough Sauvingon Blanc and Pinot Noir being the most popular.

However, most motorcycle tours in New Zealand choose Auckland as the starting point: here, the adventure begins with exploring rural Auckland and riding the scenic roads along the Waikato River or traversing the famous Pacific Coast Highway. This road is considered among the most beautiful routes in all of New Zealand, if not the entire world. Stretching for over 600 mind-blowingly curvy kilometers from Auckland to Napier, the Pacific Coast Highway meanders along the coastline revealing phenomenal views and some of the country’s most treasured gems such as the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, and Hawke’s Bay. Coromandel is especially beloved by local riders because of its mountains, forests, and over four hundred kilometers of paradise beaches with perfect white sand and turquoise blue water, and a myriad of coves and bays resembling the Caribbean island scenery.

The Pacific Coast Highway is a must on your motorcycle tour of New Zealand, and if you have the time, be sure to allocate at least three or four days to fully experience it all with plenty of stops along the way.

South Island
While the North Island is famous for its fantastic coastal routes, South Island is where the mountain twisties lie. The Southern Alps, a mountain range stretching along the entire length of the island, offer plenty of mountain passes and breathtaking views of the iconic snow-capped peak of Mount Cook. Sweeping bends, tight turns, and out-of-this world scenery is why most motorcycle tours in New Zealand include plenty of South Island routes on the itineraries; if you‘re going for the self-guided option, be sure to ride the Arthur‘s Pass, Mount Cook Road, and Milford Sound on the way.

Practical Information for Touring New Zealand

Because it lies in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons in New Zealand are reversed making it the perfect winter motorcycling destination. The best months to ride here are between December and March when the temperatures are warm and pleasant, and you can expect sunny days for most of your tour.

New Zealand dollar is the official currency in the country, and when planning your budget, expect to spend somewhere between $130-$150 for your food, fuel, and accommodation. You can pay by card mostly everywhere in New Zealand, but as always, it’s good to carry a little bit of cash when venturing into the more remote, rural areas.

New Zealand is one of the safest countries to travel in the world, but do watch out for petty theft in big cities and crowded places and always make sure to park your motorcycle safely.

Whether you and your riding buddies are shipping motorcycles to New Zealand or renting locally and going on a tour, this country is famous for its well-engineered, silky-smooth tarmac roads, so any motorcycle will be capable for adventure here. Road bikes, adventure motorcycles, or comfy cruisers are all excellent choices for motorcycle tours in New Zealand.