Would you be interested in Organized Motorcycle Tours

[Q800GS]

Forum Sponsor

Several years back I took part in an organized motorcycle tour of Indonesia and loved it. More recent, I undertook my own trip across 30 countries for 14 months, and loved that even more.

The reason my first big trip was with an organized one was because of my inexperience as a mechanic... I thought I wouldn't know what to do when a breakdown would occur, and add to that that you're in a group, a follow-us car would carry all our luggage, and we didn't have to think about the route or where we would sleep that night. -> all made for a very memorable trip! (pics are here: http://goo.gl/fDYfF)

Now I think the idea of the organized tours is an excellent one, and am contemplating offering that service here from Toronto (the previous company I did the tour with is based in The Netherlands catering to a Dutch audience), and I was wondering if you, people of GTAM, would be interested in such tours? Examples of tours would be: South America (for instance Bolivia), Central America (Costa Rica), Asia (Vietnam or India), Africa (Morocco).

I'd like to hear why you chose what you chose, and what you would be looking for in such a tour!

Thanks for all the feedback

 

[MacDoc]

Insurance likely to kill you and traffic is no fun - it's half day to decent places.

 

[Q800GS]

Insurance likely to kill you and traffic is no fun - it's half day to decent places.

Vehicle & accident insurance would be included. Actually, in most countries insurance is way cheaper than in the Western world. During my world trip, we got insurance on-the-fly and was usually pennies. Only when driving in Europe, USA and Canada did the premiums go up! (for example, insurance in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile came in at $11/month!

 

[Phelan]

Already companies that do this. Check out Edelweiss.

Was part of their tour last summer and it was awesome...surreal experience to say the least riding through the swiss alps.

 

[wonderings]

There are a few companies doing this, this is the company I am looking at for a few years from now. They do a 100 day from London to Magadan trip :sleepy3:

Looking at a S. American one.

 

[Kokla]

There were a few people like this on the forum before. Always seemed a bit fishy to me when they start private messaging asking for funds and what not...

Not trying to be mean though mate, I can only hope you have good in your heart

 

[Vlad]

Mmmmm, Bolivia.

Salar de Uyuni has been at the top of my bucket list ever since I first heard about it.

 

[Marcfolch]

It would really depend on a few things which affect how much value you bring.

1- Is the destination interesting? I think you'd find more people interested in going to the dragon than say, a circle of Lake Ontario. Although I'm sure there's a market for that too.
2- Can you effectively remove most of the hassles of doing a long tour?
- Route planning so that they see the most interesting stuff and the twistiest roads
- Buying/packing gear: Not everyone in a big group needs emergency fuel, toolkit, gps, tire patch kit, etc... If you have them, your clients can just throw their clothes in a tail bag with minimal gear and head off.
- Over time, if you build up a bunch of gear that people can rent, it will again lower the barriers to them coming with you. (tail/tank bags, rain gear, communications gear, etc...)
3- Can you save people money to offset the costs of paying you? Like getting group discounts in motels and restaurants and a corporate fuel rate? You can also build relationships with a good service shop in the US at the trip's destination because service and parts are really cheap down there? Your customers could get a tire change done near the dragon for quite a bit less than here for example.
4- Can you make the trip more interesting by pointing out the cool stuff that they'd probably miss if they didn't know about it?

The value's all in the details. You get the idea...

 

[Q800GS]

Thanks for that suggestion. I do know them and encountered them last year on their round-the-world trip.
I find Edelweiss offers trips at the higher end of the scale with brand-new motorcycles. The trips I would most likely offer are more 'local', where we would use motorcycles that the locals also use (think Minsk in Vietnam, etc). I feel this makes trips more tangible, and you're more connected with local life, as opposed to zipping by in your state-of-the-art vehicle. (not that there is anything wrong with that, I believe there is a market for both!)

Already companies that do this. Check out Edelweiss.

Was part of their tour last summer and it was awesome...surreal experience to say the least riding through the swiss alps.

 

[Q800GS]

Don't worry, I will provide my own funds! No stalking of people on the forum, just very much interested in each of your opinions!

The only time you bring funding is when you decide to take part in a trip!

There were a few people like this on the forum before. Always seemed a bit fishy to me when they start private messaging asking for funds and what not...

Not trying to be mean though mate, I can only hope you have good in your heart

 

[Q800GS]

Salar de Uyuni is amazing!

Check out the gallery here.

Mmmmm, Bolivia.

Salar de Uyuni has been at the top of my bucket list ever since I first heard about it.

 

[Q800GS]

Thanks for your input!

1 - definitely! We strive to make the destinations more than worthwhile. Mountain villages in North Vietnam, for instance, and Kashmir in India. To name but a few. Strong preference for places which are not yet overrun with tourists and prove to be memorable destinations!
2 - hell yes! route planning has already been done. we know where the best routes are, the windiest roads, the best sights, etc! you just come and drive and enjoy!
gear: that's why there is a follow truck. It carries luggage so you don't have to, it carries all the spare parts needed, it's driven by a mechanic so he can fix the bike for you when there is a breakdown
renting gear: the amount of gear you need is mostly riding gear, since the follow truck carries your luggage, no need for waterproofing bags etc. but if the need exists to do that, that's definitely an option.
3 - hotels are included, and that discount for booking 8-12 rooms will be reflected in the price as well. Fuel would be your own expense, but most countries we'd go to have lower (by a long shot) fuel prices than here or US. You'd struggle to pay more than $10-15 per day!
Tire changes would be done by the mechanic, so included in the price too
4 - yup. since the idea is that you either have a guide to show you the cool spots, or at least a road book to tell you the same, your trip would consists of highlights instead of searching for where to go and what to see. We want to make the trip memorable for you with little effort on your part (well, you do the driving!)

Details you get!
And once I do believe this is a viable idea, I'll build the website and point peopl ein that direction. The website would contain a lot of the information that people are looking for, including photographs from previous trips!

It would really depend on a few things which affect how much value you bring.

1- Is the destination interesting? I think you'd find more people interested in going to the dragon than say, a circle of Lake Ontario. Although I'm sure there's a market for that too.
2- Can you effectively remove most of the hassles of doing a long tour?
- Route planning so that they see the most interesting stuff and the twistiest roads
- Buying/packing gear: Not everyone in a big group needs emergency fuel, toolkit, gps, tire patch kit, etc... If you have them, your clients can just throw their clothes in a tail bag with minimal gear and head off.
- Over time, if you build up a bunch of gear that people can rent, it will again lower the barriers to them coming with you. (tail/tank bags, rain gear, communications gear, etc...)
3- Can you save people money to offset the costs of paying you? Like getting group discounts in motels and restaurants and a corporate fuel rate? You can also build relationships with a good service shop in the US at the trip's destination because service and parts are really cheap down there? Your customers could get a tire change done near the dragon for quite a bit less than here for example.
4- Can you make the trip more interesting by pointing out the cool stuff that they'd probably miss if they didn't know about it?

The value's all in the details. You get the idea...

 

[wonderings]

Thanks for that suggestion. I do know them and encountered them last year on their round-the-world trip.
I find Edelweiss offers trips at the higher end of the scale with brand-new motorcycles. The trips I would most likely offer are more 'local', where we would use motorcycles that the locals also use (think Minsk in Vietnam, etc). I feel this makes trips more tangible, and you're more connected with local life, as opposed to zipping by in your state-of-the-art vehicle. (not that there is anything wrong with that, I believe there is a market for both!)

I think the prices would have to be significantly lower then the other companies if your using low end bikes. One thing that comes with new bikes is perceived notion of trust in the machine. If your hoping on a bike that looks like it was bought from some guy down the street, it can be off putting. And really, some of the bikes that are used are state of the art, but also considered some of the best bikes for those types of trips. I ride a GSA, and love to tour on it, I would not really be interested in stepping down to something else, unless it better suited the conditions of the tours, trails, really soft sand, etc.

This is the tour company I am looking at for the future:
http://www.compassexpeditions.com/ I forgot to paste it in my last post

I think all their tours look amazing, they have the bikes, locations, routes, everything is well prepared for a good adventure in the safety of an organized event.

 

[Gryphon]

Brother Q800GS,
You're kinda missing the point... aren't you?
We need to bring motorcylists from all over the world HERE - to Ontario!
We need to buy an old Shady Rest motel somewhere, on the outskirts of the city, and run tours out of there.
Fleet of bikes! Lotsa fun...
Run them up through Forks of the Credit, Belfountain, up Airport Road, Loretto House...
Run an 'overnight' up to Orillia, Midland, Penetanguishine etc.
Run them even up to Muskoka for lunch on the Steamship tour of the lakes (Segwin I think it's called).
Organize some downtown Toronto events too; Live Theatre etc. followed by live music on Queen Street West!
Reciprocal arrangements with other motorcycle tours in other countries...
It's gold.
I'm gonna do it. PM me, anyone who wants to help!
It's gotta be done.

 

[MacDoc]

Misread your post OP but basing it out of Toronto seems odd.

Even with some of the best mcycle roads in the world the road touring company out of Cairns Aus where I ride in the winter struggles.
http://www.bikingaustralia.com/

I do know BMW and I think HD has organized groups in interesting countries like South Africa ( for sure the Western Cape is stunning to do ).

But many of the most interesting stuff is dual sport or off road entirely. These guys do quite well

http://www.fairdinkumbiketours.com.au/

We have a 6 Day Cape York to Cairns special for August. The cost is $4600 per rider all inclusive of flight from Cairns to Cape York, hire bike, riding gear, meals, fuel, guides, camp fees and bedding.

and with only $2100 air fare one stop return from Toronto it's a lifetime level experience and riders can combine road and off road on their own as I did in addition to the organized tours ( I did not bother as I stay there ).

A tour company based maybe out of Kingston Ontario puts a lot of interesting roads in US and Canada in range but insurance is so much lower in the US that basing out of there instead of Ontario would seem to make more sense. Get a setup just across the border and then Upper NY, PA, Vermont, BRP, Ontario Quebec and East coast rides are all accessible.

 

[Q800GS]

I think the prices would have to be significantly lower then the other companies if your using low end bikes.

They will be significantly lower. The bikes are well taken care of, plus there is support vehicle with a technician to help with any problems that might arise. Mind you, BMW's are wonderful bikes to drive, but trying to get spare parts and/or it fixed in the middle of the bush is not an easy feat! On the other hand, local bikes are abundant and the mechanics and spare parts even more. Also, I wouldn't want to be in the middle of India with a big Beemer, it's complete overkill, like driving through downtown Toronto with a Indianapolis race car! (actually, the website you refer to, compassexpeditions, for their Cambodia trip does exactly the same -> they offer a smaller bike for that trip.

Thanks for the feedback!

On a related note: come more than a month further, and we're taking steps getting this into production. The more I am working with this, the more I feel that there is a market for these kinds of travels. And I think it's good for the Canadian customer to be able to deal with someone in their own country, speaking their own language. We, as a company, will take of arranging all the details of the trip; we have contacts in the countries we organise our trips to and make sure all necessary arrangements are made.

I will keep people posted on the developments as we go along. We hope to have a website with destinations and information online soon!

 

[Q800GS]

Misread your post OP but basing it out of Toronto seems odd.
http://www.fairdinkumbiketours.com.au/

A tour company based maybe out of Kingston Ontario puts a lot of interesting roads in US and Canada in range but insurance is so much lower in the US that basing out of there instead of Ontario would seem to make more sense. Get a setup just across the border and then Upper NY, PA, Vermont, BRP, Ontario Quebec and East coast rides are all accessible.

Thanks for the feedback. And interesting to see more companies offering similar, yet distinctly different trips as well. The initial thought is not to set up trips in North America due to the proximity, but if demand has it, I will gladly help in organising motorcycle trips in this neck of the woods!

Forum Sponsor