Did you know that you can go on a dirt bike tour in several places in New Zealand? Here are some options for both locals and travellers alike.
And we’re not talking about ATV/quad bike tours either! We’re talking the real thing on 2 wheels and a whole lotta fun. We’ll include both the North and South Islands here.
Best NZ Dirt Bike Tours
We’re total offroad motorcycle enthusiasts and as a brand, we do like to find who’s who in the world of offroad motorcycling. We did our research and read the reviews to see who’s bringing the fire to the table.
Here’s what we came up with.
1. Adventure Ride
One of the best places to go for an organized dirt bike tour is Adventure Trailrides. They have been operating on the South Island for years and provide you with one epic experience.
You can even do multi-day tours if you’re the adventure rider but missing the bike. They’ll supply camping equipment and you can experience everything this beautiful country has to offer without worrying about the logistics.
2. Ben Townsley’s NZ Dirt Bike Tours
For the individual who wants to not just see the tracks but also improve their skills, drop into Ben Townsley’s dirt bike tours which is in the North Island. In fact, he’s also offering rides fround around the world including single trail and open back country expeditions.
There are numerous packages on offer and it is geared more towards experienced riders. After all, you’ve got a world champion leading the pack and you wouldn’t want to waste such an opportunity!
3. Queenstown Dirt Bike Tours
Queenstown is one of the best places in New Zealand to ride a dirt bike. We should know! We’ve covered some of Queenstowns dirt bike tracks extensively so if you’re a local or a visiting adventure rider, you’ll have plenty of places to spin the back tyre.
But what if you don’t quite have the bike with you? Well – go for an organized tour where they supply the bikes. We’re not pin-pointing one specific company here as there are several available. Just check each tour company as some use dirt tractors such as Suzuki DRZ-400s (bleh) while others equp you with something more reasonable such as Yamaha, Honda or KTM.
You’re out there to have fun so it’s worth spending up to ensure you have a half-decent bike to explore the mountains with.
4. Pure Dirt Tours
Another great dirt bike tour company in the North Island is Pure Dirt Tours. They run Half-Day, Full-Day or even Multi-day rides. You won’t need a motorcycle licence such they choose to use offroad tracks and provide all the safety gear that you’ll need.
One of the best things is that kids are welcome on these dirt bike tours. This is rarity but yes, they have smaller bikes available and these suit women too who might want to go on a tour, but struggle to reach the ground. We have spotted some Yamaha 200’s in their mix.
Things to consider
Before you go and book a dirt bike adventure tour, consider a few things:
- Are you looking for an adventure bike tag-along tour with other ADV riders? These are different and there are organizers that bring together adventure bike riders who bring their own bike.
- What types of bikes are available to hire? You’ll want to be mindful that you aren’t getting a slow bike, nor a bike that’s too quick for your experience levels.
- Do they supply safety gear? You may want to bring your own but if you don’t have it yet, it’s good to know that it will be supplied.
- What are their reviews like? Some are great and others aren’t. Be mindful if they cancel or not during rainy weather too.
- Do they cater for beginners? Often people are choosing to do a dirt bike tours in NZ as a way to ease their way into offroad riding and to see if it’s really for them. If the expectation is that you already need experience yet you have none, then it would be wise to pass on that particular business.
- Consider the seat heights as some places aren’t catering so well to women riders which are increasing exponentially as a demographic who loves the dirt!
- Can you tag-along with your own dirt bike? Some places let you and might provide a discount as you’re bringing your own bike + gear + fuel for the trip.
Hopefully this has given you some foresight into what’s available when you’re reading to jump on the bike and twist the throttle with a bunch of likeminded folk!
