2019 International Tour Company Guide

Have you ever read one of our international tour stories and thought, “Wow, I’d love to do that…but I don’t know where to start!” Well, we’ve got you covered! For our 2019 International Tour Company Guide, we’ve compiled this handy list of tour operators that will help you find your perfect two-wheeled trip abroad. All of the operators listed here offer multi-day, fully guided street and/or adventure bike tours on their own rental motorcycles, employ English-speaking guides, and include accommodations while on tour. What’s not included in this list? Single-day tours, self-guided tours, chartered group tours and tours that require you to use your own bike.

Keep in mind that prices may not be directly comparable. Some companies include things like the motorcycle rental, meals, tolls, fuel, excursions and even drinks with dinner, others don’t. There may be a surcharge for a single rider in his or her own hotel room (as opposed to sharing a room), and the charge for a passenger can vary from company to company. Also pay attention to the currency in which a tour is priced. Exchange rates can fluctuate, so your final cost can depend on when you pay for the tour.

Before you book, make sure you know how much insurance coverage you’re required to have or pay for. Some operators will put a multi-thousand dollar charge on your credit card to cover possible damage, which is refunded after the tour. Make sure your personal travel insurance covers motorcycle riding, and it’s a good idea to have supplemental insurance that covers repatriation, medical costs, trip cancellation and personal liability. Medjetassist.com, medexassist.com, travelguard.com and geobluetravelinsurance.com are great places to start.

Finally, make sure your passport has at least six months left on it–from the date of travel, not when you book! Check with the tour operator to see if you need a visa or an international driver’s license (available at your local AAA). Oh, one more thing–have fun!

ADRIATIC MOTO TOURS
Base: Slovenia
Tours Include: NEW Europe Royale, NEW Bonjour Provence, Romania to Istanbul Adventure, Greece Tour, Alps Adriatic Adventure, Czech Hungary Tour, and more
Accommodations: Comfortable hotels, usually 4-star
Length of Tours: 9-18 days
Rental Options: BMW, Ducati Multistrada, Suzuki V-Strom, Honda Africa Twin, Harley-Davidson Road King and Superlow
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: April-November
Typical Cost: 9-day Sardinia & Corsica, 3,340 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license, touring experience required
Tel: 011 386 30 465 555
Web: adriaticmototours.com
Adriatic Moto Tours has been in business for fifteen years in the heart of southeastern Europe, and from its base in Slovenia has tours that fan out over Europe and now Thailand and Laos, offering new experiences for even the most jaded moto-traveler.

Read about our experience on the Adriatic Riviera Tour with Adriatic Moto Tours here.

ASIA BIKE TOURS
Base: New Delhi, India, and Vienna, Austria
Tours Include: Bhutan, Myanmar, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam
Accommodations: Comfortable middle-class hotels, guesthouses, houseboats, tent camps
Length of Tours: 9-24 days
Rental Options: Royal Enfield Bullet, Yamaha YBR250 & XT600E, Honda CRF250
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 12-day Nepal Magic Mountains, 2,850 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Varies by tour
Tel: 011 91 93 12433859
Web: asiabiketours.com
Asia Bike Tours started in 1997, and has a team of locally based guides that provide plenty of local knowledge for its tours. Motorcycles available for rent vary based on location, and riding difficulty also varies with the tour.

 

AYRES ADVENTURES
Base: Plano, Texas
Tours Include: NEW Cape Town to Victoria Falls, NEW Berlin to Budapest, Japan, Russia, Iceland Adventure, Dramatic Dolomites, Australia, Empire of the Incas and more
Accommodations: Comfortable middle-class hotels on Club Class tours, 4- and 5-star hotels on Premium Class tours
Length of Tours: 7-69 days
Rental Options: BMW motorcycles
Equipment: Support vehicle and trailer
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 15-day Berlin to Budapest, $9,500
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license & touring experience required; for off-road adventures, off-road training or experience required
Tel: (877) 275-8238 or (972) 635-5210
Web: ayresadventures.com
Ayres Adventures offers tours on every continent, with something for every budget and imagination. From a weeklong Club tour to the 69-day, transcontinental Riga to Hong Kong Epic Journey, Ayres will take you on an unforgettable trip.

Read about our experience on Ayres Adventures’ Dramatic Dolomites Tour.

 

BEACH’S MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES
Base: Grand Island, New York
Tours Include: Maori Meander, South African Saunter, Alpine Adventure West, Adriatic Ambler, Island Interlude and more
Accommodations: 3-5 star quality hotels
Length of Tours: 8-15 days
Rental Options: BMW motorcycles
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: February-November
Typical Cost: 15-day Alpine Adventure West, $7,510
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required, minimum age on Alpine tours is 18.
Tel: (716) 773-4960
Web: bmca.com
The Beach team offers European, New Zealand and South African motorcycle and sports car tours. Beach’s slogan: We don’t go everywhere, but everywhere we go we travel in style.

Read about our experience on Beach’s Alpine Adventure West Tour here.

COMPASS EXPEDITIONS
Base: Victoria, Australia
Tours Include: Mongolian Magic, Wild Patagonia, Sydney to the Outback, Complete Cambodia, Tasmania and the High Country With Charley Boorman and more
Accommodations: Hotels when possible, some yurts and in-home stays in remote regions
Length of Tours: 5-108 days
Rental Options: BMW motorcycles, Suzuki DR650 (Australia)
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 14-day Mongolian Magic, $6,050
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required, 2 years’ riding experience recommended, some off-road experience helpful
Tel: 011 61 3 9747 2379
Web: compassexpeditions.com
The secret of enjoying yourself on tour, according to Compass Expeditions, is this: “A flexible attitude is required, as service may not be what you are accustomed to.” Stay flexible and have fun! Each tour is graded for degree of difficulty, from 1 to 5.

 

EAGLERIDER
Base: Los Angeles, California
Tours Include: South Africa Tour, Canada to Yellowstone, Baja California, The Italian Job
Accommodations: Motorcycle-friendly hotels
Length of Tours: 1-16 days
Rental Options: BMW, Harley-Davidson, Indian, Honda, Triumph, Can-Am
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 13-day South Africa Tour starting at $3,850
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required, minimum age of 21.
Tel: (888) 900-9901 or (310) 536-6777
Web: eaglerider.com
EagleRider is one of the biggest names in the bike rental business, and the company expanded into tours years ago. Its international tour list is growing, with new tours in Africa and Europe.

 

EDELWEISS BIKE TRAVEL
Base: Meiming, Austria
Tours Include: NEW Balkan Adventure, NEW Captivating Cuba, NEW Andalusia Unpaved, Mysterious Asia, Colorful Morocco and more
Accommodations: Varies by tour; usually carefully selected middle-class hotels
Length of Tours: 7-80 days
Rental Options: Varies with tour; may include BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Vespa or Honda
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 14-day Balkan Adventure, $5,300
Age/Experience Limits: Minimum of 5,000 miles of riding experience, minimum passenger age 12
Tel: 011 43 5264 5690
Web: edelweissbike.com
Thirty-eight years in business, 2,350 tours in over 180 destinations—no questioning those numbers. The most experienced motorcycle tour company on the planet offers tours all over the planet.

Read about our experience on Edelweiss Bike Tours’ Best of Europe Tour here.

ECUADOR FREEDOM BIKE RENTAL
Base: Quito, Ecuador
Tours Include: Off-Road Ecuador, Special Women’s Tour: Andean Roads, Inca Royal Roads, Cloudforest Coast and Craters and more
Accommodations: 3-4 star hotels, B&Bs, bungalows and cabins
Length of Tours: 4-12 days
Rental Options: A variety of modern ADV motorcycles
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 10-day Inca Royal Roads starting at $4,150
Age/Experience Limits: Riding experience required, varies with tour
Tel: (603) 617-2499
Web: freedombikerental.com
Ecuador Freedom would love to show you why some of the best riding is in Ecuador. From its base in Quito, at any time of year, Ecuador Freedom can show you newly paved roads, beautiful scenery and the diverse cultures and altitudes that make Ecuador a motorcyclists’ paradise.

Read about our experience on the Andes, Amazon and Pacific Coast Tour with Ecuador Freedom here.

 

HEAR THE ROAD MOTORCYCLE TOURS ITALY
Base: Nepi, Italy
Tours Include: Amalfi Coast & Southern Italy, Magical Italy (Ladies Only), Italian Motorcycle Dream, Tuscany, Corsica and Sardinia and more
Accommodations: 3-4 star family-run hotels
Length of Tours: 8-12 days
Rental Options: BMW, Ducati, Moto-Guzzi, Harley-Davidson
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: March-October
Typical Cost: 8-day Amalfi Coast & Southern Italy, 3,880 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Recommend experienced, “confident” riders with at 3,000 miles of riding experience.
Web: motorcycletoursitaly.com
Discover the lightly traveled roads of rural Italy or experience the rush of the racetrack, all in the company of Italian guides who know the best roads, the best places to stay and most important, the best places to eat!

 

HISPANIA TOURS
Base: Málaga, Spain
Tours Include: Morocco, Andalusia Touring Center, Pyrenees, Culture and Curves, BMW Motorrad Days, Portugal: Castles and History and more
Accommodations: 3-5 star hotels
Length of Tours: 6-15 days
Rental Options: BMW motorcycles
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 15-day Morocco tour on BMW F 700 GS, 4,095 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Varies based on tour
Tel: 011 34 952 172 172
Web: hispania-tours.com
Experience the wonderful roads, scenery and weather of Portugal, Spain and Morocco with Hispania Tours. Tour on marvelous roads, watching history unfold under your wheels.

 

IMTBIKE
Base: Madrid, Spain
Tours Include: Southern Spain & Andalucia, Central Spain, Northern Spain & the Pyrenees, Best of Portugal, Morocco, Italy, France & Alps and more
Accommodations: Hotels, converted castles and paradors
Length of Tours: 8-17 days
Rental Options: BMW motorcycles
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: February-December
Typical Cost: 12-Day Best of Portugal, 4,100 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: 25 years old, 2 years and 3,000 miles of experience
Tel: (412) 468-2453
Web: imtbike.com
IMTBike was established in 1997, and now has more than 100 late-model BMW motorcycles in its fleet, including R 1200 GS and GS Adventure models, in eight separate locations. IMTBike boasts an 80-percent repeat rider rate.

Read about our experience on IMTBike’s Portugal & Southern Spain Tour here.

LEOD MOTORCYCLE ESCAPES
Base: San Francisco, California
Tours Include: Italian Dream to Mugello, Sachsenring & Italian Alps, Australia Curves to Phillip Island, Spanish Pyrenees to Aragon and more
Accommodations: 3-4 star hotels
Length of Tours: 9-10 days
Rental Options: BMW, Ducati and Moto-Guzzi
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: June-December
Typical Cost: 10-day Sachsenring & Italian Alps, $6,300
Age/Experience Limits: Tours include track time; contact Leod for experience recommendations
Tel: (866) 562-6126
Web: leodescapes.com
Leod Motorcycle Escapes offers getaways that combine a week of twisty road riding with track time on some of the world’s best racetracks. Not for the faint of heart, Leod’s tours will provide a unique and unforgettable experience.

Read about our experience on Leod Motorcycle Escapes’ Mugello & Italian Back Roads Tour

 

MOTODISCOVERY
Base: Bulverde, Texas
Tours Include: Bhutan Thunder Dragon, Baja & Copper Canyon, Iran, In the Shadows of Mount Ararat and more
Accommodations: Varies according to tour; from luxurious to quaint
Length of Tours: 7-42 days
Rental Options: Suzuki V-Strom models, Harley-Davidson Touring models, Royal Enfield Bullet, BMW GS models, Honda Africa Twin
Equipment: Support van
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 14-day Baja & Copper Canyon, $7,638
Age/Experience Limits: Recommend “experienced motorcycle touring enthusiast.”
Tel: (830) 438-7744
Web: motodiscovery.com
MotoDiscovery offers motorcycle tours around the world, including such unexpected destinations as Cuba and Iran. Previously known as Pancho Villa Moto Tours, the company has been riding off the beaten path since 1981.

Read about our experience on the Tierra del Fuego Tour with MotoDiscovery here.

 

MOTOGREECE
Base: Athens, Greece
Tours Include: Tour of Peloponnese, Tour of Crete, Central-Northwest Greece Tour
Accommodations: Hand-picked hotels with local flair
Length of Tours: 12 days
Rental Options: Honda CB500X, BMW GS models
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: April-October
Typical Cost: 12-day Central-Northwest Greece Tour, $3,330
Age/Experience Limits: Minimum age of 26
Tel: 011 302107255040
Web: motogreece.gr
MotoGreece was founded in 2015 with one goal: to highlight Greece as a motorcycle destination and show riders what a fantastic time they’ll have while touring Greece. Come see what it’s all about!

 

MOTOQUEST
Base: Long Beach, California, and Anchorage, Alaska
Tours Include: Best of Baja, Peru Machu Picchu Adventure, Romaniacs Experience, India Touch the Sky, Japan Three Island and more
Accommodations: From rustic to elegant, depending on the tour
Length of Tours: 9-16 days
Rental Options: BMW, Suzuki, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 12-day Japan Three Island, $8,450
Age/Experience Limits: Not specified, contact MotoQuest for details
Tel: (800) 756-1990 or (562) 997-7368
Web: motoquest.com
From its base in Long Beach, California, MotoQuest conducts tours around the globe, offering something for everyone on two wheels, from the bucolic roads of Wales to the top of the world in India—and many more!

Read about our experience on MotoQuest’s Japan Three Island Tour here.

MOTOTOURING
Base: Milan, Italy
Tours Include: Dolomites Riding Center, Sardinia, Tuscany, Italian Factories, Benelli Vintage Tour and more
Accommodations: Comfortable hotels
Length of Tours: 6-18 days
Rental Options: BMW, Honda, Ducati and Suzuki Bandits
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 9-day Dolomites Riding Center, 2,950 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required, average experience
Tel: 011 39 02 2720 1556
Web: mototouring.com
Mototouring has been organizing tours since 1990, and is located in Milan, in the heart of Italy’s motorcycle production area. Hence the factories tour, which visits factories and private museums dedicated to Italian machinery.

 

PERU MOTORS
Base: Aerequipa, Peru
Tours Include: Classic Inca Peru, Maya Adventure, South Pan-American, Touch the Equator, Trans Andes and more
Accommodations: Tourist-class hotels
Length of Tours: 9-38 days
Rental Options: BMW GS models, Suzuki DR650, Honda Africa Twin
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 9-day Classic Inca Peru, $3,075
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required
Tel: 011 51 959 373 203 or 011 51 959 781 158
Web: perumotors.com
You’ll find a great diversity of roads, scenery and culture in Peru, and how better to experience it than on two wheels?

 

REUTHERS
Base: Germany, USA and New Zealand
Tours Include: New Zealand Paradise, Europe Berlin-Moscow, Europe Ireland, South Africa Wild Garden, South America Patagonia and more
Accommodations: Midrange to top-class hotels
Length of Tours: 7-22 days
Rental Options: Harley-Davidson, limited availability on BMW, Triumph, Indian and others
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 8-day Europe Ireland Tour, GBP 3,495
Age/Experience Limits: Minimum age 21, motorcycle license required
Tel: (800) 838-3162
Web: reuthers.com
Reuthers is a global entertainment, travel and leisure company, which began offering guided motorcycle tours in 1997. It partnered with Harley-Davidson in 2006, and now provides tours in North America, Africa and Europe.

 

RIDE ADVENTURES
Base: Bend, Oregon
Tours Include: Patagonia Experience, Essential Colombia Adventure, Thai-Laos Experience, Top 7 Highlights of Bolivia and more
Accommodations: Hotels and cabanas
Length of Tours: 9-20 days
Rental Options: A variety of appropriate ADV models
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 9-day Essential Colombia Adventure, $1,899
Age/Experience Limits: Varies by tour
Tel: (458) 202-0462
Web: rideadv.com
RIDE Adventures wants to make motorcycle travel in South America as easy and accessible as possible. Tours range in difficulty from Level 1 (all paved) to Level 5 (single track, extreme terrain).

 

RIDE HIGH
Base: Kathmandu, Nepal; Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Vershire, Vermont
Tours Include: Nepal to Bhutan, Mustang Nepal, High Roads of the Himalaya, Thailand to Laos, Northern Thailand and more
Accommodations: Hotels, guesthouses, lodges
Length of Tours: 11-16 days
Rental Options: Modern and classic Royal Enfield models
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 14-day Mustang Nepal, $4,895
Age/Experience Limits: International motorcycle license required, comfortable on 500cc and larger bikes, under age 21 requires accompanying parent or guardian
Tel: (802) 738-6500
Web: ridehigh.com
Ride High says it was the first registered touring company in the Kingdom of Nepal, and for 30 years has provided travelers the chance to experience some of the highest roads in the world on classic British motorcycles.

 

RIDERS OF THE SIERRA MADRE
Base: Jalisco, Mexico
Tours Include: Hub & Spoke, Mountains & Beaches, Coast-to-Coast, The Double Devil
Accommodations: Best available accommodations
Length of Tours: 5-13 days
Rental Options: BMW F 650 GS, F 700 GS and R 1200 GS
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: October-March
Typical Cost: 5-day Hub & Spoke, $2,297
Age/Experience Limits: Contact Riders of the Sierra Madre for details
Tel: 011 52 1 376 766 0160
Web: ridethesierra.com
This Mexican company was built and is run by Canadian and American riders who settled in Mexico (for the warm weather of course!). It will make riding in Mexico a friendly and approachable experience.

 

RIDDEN EARTH TOURS
Base: Tuscany, Italy
Tours Include: NEW 6-Country Alpine Tour, Turkey Sea to Sky, Rome to Prague and more
Accommodations: High quality, family or boutique 4-5 star hotels
Length of Tours: 9-21 days
Rental Options: Suzuki V-Strom, BMW, Ducati and KTM 1190 Adventure
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 9-day Rome to Prague, 4,080 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Minimum age 21, intermediate to advanced riding skills
Tel: 011 447973 315679
Web: riddenearth.com
Two legs move the body, two wheels move the soul. Tours cover much of Europe, Eastern Europe and Turkey; guides are qualified motorcycle safety instructors.

 

SOUTH PACIFIC MOTORCYCLE TOURS
Base: Christchurch, New Zealand
Tours Include: Southern Alps Spectacular, Burt Munro Challenge
Accommodations: Premier hand-picked hotels
Length of Tours: 12-16 days
Rental Options: Various BMW, Honda, Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Suzuki and Royal-Enfield models
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: December-April
Typical Cost: 16-day Southern Alps Spectacular, NZD$10,184
Age/Experience Limits: “Competent motorcyclist,” minimum age 21 with motorcycle license
Tel: 011 64 3 312 0066
Web: motorbiketours.co.nz
With a fleet of government-inspected rental bikes, and some of the best roads in the world to ride, South Pacific Motorcycle Tours prides itself on excellent customer service and professionalism.

 

TE WAIPOUNAMU MOTORCYCLE TOURS LTD.
Base: Christchurch, New Zealand
Tours Include: Golden Week, Tour of the Mountain Kings, Streetmasters
Accommodations: Pleasant hotels and lodges
Length of Tours: 1-2 weeks
Rental Options: Various BMW, Honda, Harley-Davidson, Suzuki and Triumph models
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: February-May
Typical Cost: 2-week Tour of the Mountain Kings, NZD$11,035
Age/Experience Limits: Minimum age 21, ages 21-25 restricted to 650cc or less
Tel: 011 64 3 372 3537
Web: motorcycle-hire.co.nz
Te Waipounamu Motorcycle Tours started in 1987, making them one of the most experienced companies around with many hundreds of satisfied tourists.

 

THE FRENCH RIDE MOTORCYCLE TOURS
Base: Aix-les-Bains, France
Tours Include: Alps & Jura: The Lakes, Northern Alps Wonders, French Riviera & Provence and more
Accommodations: Hand-picked hotels and B&Bs
Length of Tours: 6-16 days
Rental Options: Suzuki V-Strom 650 and 1000
Equipment: None
Dates: April-October
Typical Cost: 10-day French Riviera & Provence, 2,790 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required, minimum age 23
Tel: 011 33 6 77 77 54 28
Web: thefrenchride.com
Make your dream a reality by exploring the best scenic roads of France, Switzerland, Italy or Spain, all from Aix-les-Bains, located in the heart of the French Alps.

 

WORLD ON WHEELS
Base: New South Wales, Australia
Tours Include: Royal Rajasthan, Inspiring Iceland, Spectacular South Africa, Tacos ’n’ Tequila, Dalmatian Delights and more
Accommodations: Midrange or better, cheerful hotels
Length of Tours: 3 weeks
Rental Options: Varies by tour
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 3-week Moroccan Magic Tour, $7,500
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required
Tel: 011 61 2 9970 6370
Web: worldonwheels.tours
Mike and Denise Ferris have been running their motorcycle tour business out of Australia for 24 years now, and are proud to say that they still lead each and every tour themselves. In fact, they’ve never hired a guide to take their place.