GENERAL QUESTIONS
Our riders tell us it’s because of our style. See: The Ayres Adventures Style.
Our guests are avid motorcyclists who enjoy touring by motorcycle, and who prefer premium level accommodations, a la carte dining at local restaurants and attention to personalized service. They are generally in their late 40s to late 60s with some a bit younger and a few a bit older. They are mostly either successful retired people or professional people who have the time to get away on such trips and have sufficient disposable income to be able to do so. About half of our riders are couples riding two-up and sometimes a spouse will ride in our comfortable support vehicle. The testimonials on our web site provide an excellent means to learn more about our customers.
It varies depending on road conditions and attractions along our route. Most days average 200 miles of riding, and it’s unusual for any day to exceed 300 miles. If so, be assured you’ll be on good roads for the duration of the long riding days. Our tours are designed to provide a good mix of sightseeing and riding. The schedule provides time for a nice breakfast, lunch, and sightseeing with arrival at the hotel in time for some local sightseeing and relaxation before dinner. The group will stop every hour or so to give the riders and co-riders a break from riding. We usually arrive at our destination by about 3:30 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon.
You must have a valid motorcycle operator’s license. You should also have experienced a trip of three to four day’s duration – the approximate number of days between rest days on the tours. If you’re comfortable averaging 200 miles per day, with an occasional longer day, you should do fine on trips that are specified as 100% pavement. For our off-road tours you should have some additional off-road riding experience, possibly including an off-road training program. If you have any doubt about whether your experience is adequate for the trip, please contact us.
TOUR OPERATIONS
No. We plan our tours to include a rest day every three to four days. The two-night or three-night stops are carefully planned to be in places of interest where there are special attractions. These may include historical landmarks, museums and other points of interest normally located within walking distance of the hotel. On our Africa tours we typically include safaris on most free days. If you wish to do more riding you are free to do so on your own or with one of the tour leaders.
We don’t have an arbitrary age limit, but riders must be sufficiently experienced and healthy to enjoy the tours. Some of our bike suppliers may require additional information about the rider if they are over the age of 70. Our office will assist with this while preparing your paperwork for the tour.
Women are definitely welcome – not only as co-riders or companions who may ride in the support vehicle, but also as riders.
You’re always welcome to do so, but it isn’t a requirement. You can select your own riding companions, or ride alone, if that’s more agreeable with your riding style. The maps and route materials we provide will enable you to find your way to the next destination. For alternate routes in remote areas, we suggest you ride with a companion. Our tour leaders will advise you in these cases.
Yes, either as a pillion on your bike or a passenger in the support vehicle. Our support vehicles are sufficiently roomy and comfortable to provide an enjoyable ride for up to three non-riding companions.
Co-riders are welcome to make use of the support vehicle any time throughout the tour on a space-available basis. To secure a spot solely as a passenger in the support vehicle, the passenger must pay the same price as a rider on the tour.
It isn’t necessary, but if you are accustomed to using a GPS or your mobile phone, bring it along. Be sure to bring a power cord, cradle, mounting arm and the handlebar ball mount. We provide detailed, printed route instructions and maps, so if you don’t have a GPS receiver, you’ll still be well-equipped.
Yes. A comfortable support vehicle accompanies each tour. The support vehicle is driven by one of our own tour leaders and follows the same route as the motorcycles thus ensuring that passengers get to enjoy the same scenery and stops as the motorcycle riders. On tours based in one location from which day rides are conducted, the support vehicle will not follow the group.
Each participant may place up to two medium-sized pieces of luggage in the support vehicle. We often have a trailer carrying a spare bike on our tours that include riding in more remote areas with limited access to a BMW dealership. The support vehicles are equipped with tools, spare parts and a basic medical kit.
BOOKING AND PAYMENT
The tour price includes lodging based on double occupancy. Riders wishing to reserve a private room may do so by paying a single room supplement.
All breakfasts and most dinners are included on a tour. The only dinners not included are on the free days. In some cases, such as African game lodges, lunches are also included. Consult the individual tour description on our website for the specific meals that will be covered. All meals include non-alcoholic beverages and you may purchase alcoholic beverages if desired.
Airport transfers are included, providing you arrive/depart on the published arrival/departure dates. Riders arriving early or departing late will be responsible for their own airport transfers.
Special activities are included such as game drives, admission to national parks, boat cruises, museums and other points of interest. Consult the individual tour description for specific inclusions.
The base price includes unlimited use of a rental motorcycle. A motorcycle larger than the base unit may be reserved at additional cost. Panniers (side cases), tank bag and top cases are available upon request during the booking process. A top case is provided when there is a co-rider. We deliver the motorcycles with a full tank of gas and ask that it be returned full.
Each tour includes our customized booklet, The Plan Ahead, which provides an overview of the activities and attractions for each day of the tour. Additionally, it includes route maps, directions, addresses and contact information for our hotels, and emergency contact numbers. The Plan Ahead is distributed after final payment for the trip has been received.
The tour price does not include airfare or other transportation costs to the starting city of the trip, lunch, alcoholic beverages, or fuel costs for the motorcycle. While the tour price includes many planned premium activities such as boat, trips, game drives, park and entertainment admissions, it may not include an activity of specific interest to you. The individual trip descriptions describe what is included with each tour.
The price also does not include medical, evacuation and/or trip insurance, all of which are strongly recommended. Please check our website for more information about medical, evacuation and trip protection and insurance.
Any items not mentioned as included are not included.
We suggest that you book the trip with the single room supplement. This way you will be required only to make one deposit payment and we will reserve a separate room for you. If you later decide to add a partner who will share the room with you, you may book them and we will apply the single room supplement to the cost of the additional booking.
Our objective is to provide upscale accommodations, including luxury hotels and game lodges, when available. Sometimes our route takes us to locales where we have to settle for “best available”. However, accommodations will always be clean, safe and pleasant.
Our tour base price is based on double occupancy. There is an additional charge if a rider requests a private room, or if we are not able to match the rider up with another tour participant that wishes to share a room.
In most cases, you’ll order whatever you want from a full restaurant menu. We avoid using limited or set menus. You can count on restaurant selections to be first class. Occasionally, dinners may be served buffet-style if no other options are available. Alcoholic beverages are not included, but our meals always include non-alcoholic beverages.
MOTORCYCLE RELATED
Yes. Information on the discount a rider will receive when using their own bike is shown in the Motorcycles Available tab on each tour description.
We are usually able to confirm that you will ride the model of motorcycle requested on your registration form. We will notify you immediately if your requested first or second choice of motorcycle is not available and provide a list of bikes that are available for your tour.
We can provide a lowered frame and/or low seat version of several of the bike models that we offer.
Our motorcycle suppliers provide insurance for the motorcycles. They have established a damage deposit for each motorcycle, which represents your maximum liability. The amount varies depending on region of travel and model. Our website shows the damage deposit for each motorcycle under the tab Motorcycles Available on each tour page. You will be asked to submit a credit card number to Ayres Adventures in advance of the tour with authorization to pay the damage deposit in the event of damage.
We’ll do our best to get it repaired quickly. In the meantime, if you’re riding one of our bikes, you’ll be provided a spare motorcycle if one is taken on that particular tour. We don’t have an obligation to replace a motorcycle that has been rendered inoperable due to an accident.
We ask that you follow the laws of the country we’re riding in, that you don’t conduct yourself in a manner that endangers other members of the group, and that you let us know if you will be late arriving at this evening’s stop.
We insist that you do not drink alcoholic beverages or take any form of mind-altering substances until after your motorcycle has been retired for the evening. Riding privileges will be suspended for anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If a rider operates the bike after drinking any alcoholic beverage or using a mind-altering drug, the damage waiver signed by the rider is considered null and void and the rider incurs unlimited liability for damages.
We suggest that you bring the same riding gear that you would use during a long trip at home: helmet, boots, gloves, and riding suit. A motorcycle helmet is required at all times while operating a motorcycle on any of our tours. You should also pack a rain suit if your riding suit isn’t waterproof. Other suggestions, such as especially warm or cold weather clothing requirements, depend upon the location and time of the trip. Information will be available in our planning document.
Our tour leaders are equipped with cellular phones and can accept calls in the support vehicle during the day, or in the hotels in the evening. We will provide information about options on making and receiving calls to and from home while on the tour.
Yes. For back-to-back trips with a gap of a few days, Ayres Adventures will pick up the cost of the lodging for the days between the tours. You’ll be responsible for your meals and other expenses for the days between the tours.
We strongly recommend that you obtain trip cancellation/interruption insurance from an insurance company rather than with us, as the protection is less expensive and can cover airline fares and lost baggage.
Our protection tends to be more expensive and only covers the price paid directly to Ayres Adventures for the tour, whereas standard cancellation insurance from a third party insurance company will cover additional expenses as mentioned above. Information about trip protection offered by Ayres Adventures can be found by following this link – Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection.
OTHER
Please send an email to [email protected] for a prompt response. Call us at toll-free +1 877-275-8238 or +1 972-635-5210.