Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum age for hiring one of your motorcycles?
The minimum age for hiring any of our motorcycles is 21 years old.
What sort of license do I need?
You will need a full motorbike license for all of our motorbikes. This can either be a class 6 full in New Zealand or equivalent from the country you come from. If your license is not in English, or clearly state your license type, you will have to obtain a translated license for us to read from the New Zealand Transport Agency.
What is the minimum hire period?
The minimum period off peak hire is 48 hours, so if you pick a bike up at 9.00am it’s yours till 9.00am two days later. During the peak season the minimum hire period is usually 2-5 days depending on the bike.
When and how do I pay for my rental?
A 10% deposit is required to secure your reservation. This is due at the time you make your booking and can be paid by credit card or bank transfer. At the time of pick up, full payment will have to be made prior to departing on your tour. This can also be done by credit card, bank transfer or cash on the day. If paying by credit card, a fee may apply.
Can I hire a helmet or clothing?
Of course you can. We have a selective range of gear that you can hire for your duration time in New Zealand. See our extras range HERE
How do I get to you?
Easy as. We are located approx. 10 minutes south of the Christchurch international airport in Rolleston. We can either pick you up and drop of if needed in our courtesy van or organise a shuttle/ taxi on behalf of you if required.
At the end of my tour can I leave the bike somewhere else, Queenstown for example?
Yes, you can drop the bike off at Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown, Wellington or Auckland. This service is only available for tours of 10 days or more in duration for the North Island drop off’s, or 5 days or more in the South Island and a relocation fee will be charged which will be shown as a separate item on your booking form. But please enquire with us prior to making your booking.
If I choose to drop of somewhere else how do I then get to the airport or my hotel?
This will depend on which location you go to, and the day and time of drop off. Each location is close to either a train or bus route so transport is not a problem – once you know your dates contact us and we’ll help you arrange the most suitable solution.
Can I pick my bike up from somewhere other than Rolleston?
Unfortunately, not, but if for some reason you have no other alternative or have a route that just cannot be changed contact us prior to making a booking, we’ll see if something can be arranged.
What do I do if I crash?
We would prefer it if you didn’t have any accidents while out riding but if you do here’s how to deal with it.
Get the address and phone number of all those involved plus any witnesses and remember that if anyone is injured you must report the injury to the Police immediately. Inform us as soon as possible so that the appropriate action can be taken (see General Terms & Conditions of Hire). Note that, unless you are not the one at fault, you are responsible for the cost of repairing the motorcycle up to the insurance excess of $2,500. You are also responsible for the cost to recover the vehicle if it can no longer be ridden. This can get pretty expensive for you so try not to let it happen. If the accident is not your fault you will still be charged the insurance excess until it has been recovered from the third party.
Do you offer guided tours?
Yes. If you want to book a guided tour you need to get in contact with us first. Each tour can be individually tailored to suit your particular interests/timescale/budget. If this sounds like your type of ride around our country, get in touch with us and we will do our best to make the tour that best suits your requirements happen.
When is the best time to tour in New Zealand?
Each part of the year has its own attractions. During the summer (Nov – Feb) you’ll get the longest days and highest temperatures but you will find accommodation tightens up, particularly in the best parts of the country. You will still get some fantastic riding in March April and May, the days are still long enough, although the days start to cool off but the roads have less traffic on them to worry about. Although the busy ski resorts (Queenstown, Wanaka, Methven) do start to get busy from June onwards, heading north has its advantages. If you’re a keen enthusiast, July until September can get quite cold, and close some main roads but it also makes for some epic pictures!
Are there plenty of fuel stations?
Of course, but be aware that most small-town stations will close early at night. The majority of them will have a 24/7 card service taking most major credit cards but there is the odd exception. Murchison for example closes 9pm to 6am and doesn’t have an afterhours service (unless you want to fill your bike with diesel!) so the nearest fuel is St Arnaud (60km) or Springs Junction (83km). You will rarely have to travel more than 150km between stations but if you’re un-sure, let us know so we can help plan your fuel stops.
How far will I travel each day and is there a limit?
Yes, there Is a limit of 300km per day on average over your hire, but 250 – 350km in a day is a pretty good effort. There is just so much to stop and look at it on the way as the landscape changes quickly. There is also a lot to do in most bigger towns but to find out more, get in touch with us and we will let you know what else you can do along the way.
We also base our hire charges on an average of 300km/day so for a 10 day hire your ‘allowance is’ 3,000km. In most cases this is enough but if you find you will exceed this you have the option of increasing this to 400km per day at an extra cost of $15 per day. See our General Terms and Conditions of Hire for more info.
Can I ride ‘off road’?
The simple answer is ‘No’. While New Zealand does have some fantastic off-road riding, you may not take your hire motorcycle off a sealed surface unless there is absolutely no other alternative route. Having said that we accept that not all roads are sealed and that it may be necessary to use an unsealed road at times. We also have a small range of ADV bikes, but please enquire first if you plan to go ‘off road’.
Where should I stay and how much will it cost?
New Zealand has a range of accommodation options ranging from camp grounds to 5 star hotels. If you’re camping then expect to pay around $20pp for a tent site, up to $110 for a powered cabin, many camp grounds also have units available which can be a good option if there are 5 or 6 of you. Motels range from $90 – $160 for a double room and will usually allow an extra guest or two at $10/20pp. Hotels will vary in price according to standard of accommodation and location, $300 would be the normal price in a major city or scenic area but of course the sky is the limit. AirBnb is also increasingly popular but the good ones do get booked early. If you need help with finding accommodation, let us know so we can help out.