Ayres Adventures is the world’s leading provider of premium motorcycle travel.
We offer motorcycle tours in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America (including Alaska and Canada), South America (with a cruise to Antarctica), Australia and New Zealand. As an official travel partner of BMW Motorrad, we feature the BMW line of motorcycles for all of our tours.
Ayres Adventures is, in the purest sense of the word, a global company. This characteristic distinguishes us from other motorcycle tour companies and is a key element of our business model. It enables us to ensure the same high-quality standards for our tours no matter where they are operated. Our tours are never subcontracted to another company – we operate all tours with our own staff of experienced tour leaders.
Ayres Adventures is chartered in Gibraltar. Our sales and back-office operations are located in Canada and the United States. Worldwide hotel and travel bookings are handled by our staff based in South Africa. Our tour leaders are located in Africa, Alaska, Canada, Germany, Latvia, New Zealand and Spain.
This global diversity ensures that you can enjoy the convenience, service and security afforded by a stable, professionally managed company, staffed with carefully selected personnel in all the markets we serve.
We invite you to join us on one of our exciting Adventures soon!
John Jesson
President and CEO
Ron Ayres
Founder and Chairman Emeritus, 1943-2015
When Ron Ayres started Ayres Adventures in 2002, he had a simple vision. He wanted to introduce riders to the special places he had discovered while riding in South America and Africa. He wanted them to travel in style, the way he liked to travel – not on the cheap – but staying in high-class, unique accommodations, sampling the finest local cuisine, and visiting interesting area attractions. Most of all, he simply wanted them to have a good time!
Ayres Adventures quickly surpassed Ron’s initial vision, becoming the leading premium motorcycle travel company in the world, and the only one to take riders to all seven continents. The growth of Ayres Adventures can be attributed to Ron’s creative strategies, determination and total dedication. The success of his vision is evidenced by innumerable customer testimonials citing unforgettable, once-in-a lifetime experiences in parts of the world they previously only imagined.
The company is committed to following Ron’s vision. His handpicked professional team understands that Ayres Adventures will always go the extra mile to create an extraordinary experience for its travelers. They are dedicated to leading customers to unique parts of the world, with every detail carefully planned and implemented, and accompanied by exceptional personal service. Ron called it, The Ayres Adventures Style.
Today, the memory of Ron’s infectious enthusiasm, unsurpassed personal integrity, and unbridled optimism is an inspiration to all of us who strive to carry on his legacy.
John Jesson
President and Chief Executive Officer
As President and CEO, John has overall responsibility for the company’s global operations, insuring that Ayres Adventures continues to earn the premium reputation for which it has become known.
Joining Ayres Adventures in its 2nd year of operation, John has been involved in every aspect of the company’s business. He began as a support vehicle driver and baggage handler for our African Adventures. He was soon promoted to assistant tour leader, then tour director, followed by Manager of Global Operations. After several years, he became a partner and was named Managing Director. He has spent the last few years as a protégé of founder Ron Ayres, being groomed for the position he now occupies.
John has been intimately involved in some of our more creative tour offerings. He recently developed an Ayres Adventures exclusive by combining a fascinating motorcycle journey through Russia, Norway and Sweden with a cruise aboard an ice-breaker to the North Pole. At the other end of the earth, John was the tour director for our Ushuaia to Antarctica trip when Ayres Adventures offered riders a chance to ride a motorcycle on the continent of Antarctica. And most recently, he scouted and led our 69-day Epic Journey: Moscow to Hong Kong.
When not travelling to exotic destinations, John lives in Calgary, Canada.
Contact John at [email protected]
Barbara Robinson
Financial Officer
Ron’s wife, Barbara Robinson, has been an enthusiastic supporter of Ron’s passion to build Ayres Adventures into the world’s most respected motorcycle travel company. With several advanced degrees in finance and economics, Barb is well-equipped to serve as the company’s financial manager. She retired from her position teaching college level economics in order to have more time to travel and to work with Ayres Adventures.
Bonny Stephens
Tour Coordinator
As Ayres Adventures Tour Coordinator, Bonny Stephens is responsible for assisting guests with all aspects of their tour, from the initial booking to the successful conclusion of their incredible Adventure.
In addition to her Tour Coordinator duties, Bonny also oversees development and production of support materials, including our travel booklet, The Plan Ahead.
Bonny has extensive experience in back-office management, having previously served as office manager for a fast-growing telecom company.
Bonny lives with her college-age son in Wylie, Texas, just outside of Dallas.
Zakiya Mayet-Vanker
Agent for Airline Travel
Zakiya Mayet-Vanker, from Cape Town, South Africa, has been involved with the travel industry since 2008. She began assisting Ayres Adventures with airline travel arrangements in June of 2022. She is also available to arrange airline travel for tour participants, if requested.
Zakiya takes pride in delivering a professional, efficient and high level of customer service. Passionate about travel, she has toured in Europe, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and extensively through Southern Africa.
When not assisting travelers, Zakiya loves outdoor activities, including hiking and spending days at the beach with her husband and two children.
Angelique Rowe
Hotel Reservationist
Angelique Rowe joined Ayres Adventures in the summer of 2025 as our Hotel Reservationist, bringing a unique blend of skills and experience to the company. A seasoned professional, she has a diverse background in sales, marketing and operations management.
Angelique lives in Cape Town, South Africa with her husband and teenage children. Outside of work, she enjoys a good laugh and likes to push her limits through running, riding motorcycles with her husband, or engaging in extreme adventure activities. She also considers herself a homebody who enjoys baking and spending quality time with her children. In any endeavor, she is always looking for new experiences and challenges.
Angelique is excited to bring her skills and enthusiasm to the Ayres Adventures team.