New Zealand has gained a reputation among travelers as a trip of a lifetime. The landscape is one that is often described as “you have to see it for yourself” and MotoQuest now offers its motorcycle soulmates that very opportunity.

As you can expect, when we add a destination to the MotoQuest roster we plan an itinerary that is more unique than the current offerings on the market in the same location. One feature that sets out New Zealand’s adventure apart is the opportunity to experience the Burt Munro Challenge– the largest motorcycle rally in the Southern Hemisphere. Young or old, you’ve likely heard of Burt and this competition and rally carries with it the zeal for motorcycling that Burt was so well known for. You’re rubbing elbows with like-minded people, always hungry to see competition on two wheels or to share adventure stories of their own.

We’ve done scouting trips that have helped us fine tune this itinerary scheduled for February 5 – 18, 2020, around the Burt Munro Challenge, but to get some first-person perspective it was time to track down our New Zealand Adventure guide Dominic Bauer and hear about why he thinks MotoQuest’s New Zealand Adventure is so unique.

First off, since we’re talking about the unique itinerary, how was that developed and fine-tuned?

When I went there to help put it together, I was there for two months scouting. We worked with a company from New Zealand that has been planning routes for several decades and I rode with a guy that has given over 50 tours himself. They helped us develop a route that is a “rider’s route.” It has roads that even locals don’t know about – world class roads. You would have never known to take them and we’re lucky to have been able to incorporate them into our itinerary. 

A lot of thought has been put into this and like any new adventure, we continue to revise every year because a tour can always be better. Building a trip with locals really makes a trip stand out and that’s what we do with all of our adventures.

The fact that this adventure is built around the Burt Munro Challenge is an extra highlight that helps differentiate MotoQuest. There is so much to see there and the town has several cool museums that are truly unique. It’s a highlight of the itinerary.

Can you describe a little about what riders might expect to see?

I like to describe New Zealand as a temperate Alaska. It’s beautiful and rugged. It features lots of mountains, rivers and is very, very green. It’s a beautiful landscape that has to be experienced first-hand. I think one thing that makes it so special is when you’re riding the landscape, the roads twist and turn in such a way that you genuinely feel like a part of it all. It really is a land best-explored on two wheels.

What stands out about this adventure?

The landscape is obviously incredible and is coupled with some of the best paved riding in the world. The winding roads help accentuate the experience and make the beautiful scenery that much more enjoyable. Above all that, when you get outside the big cities into the countryside, the people are as friendly as you could ever imagine. They might even give you the shirt off their back, that’s how generous and genuinely concerned they are about you, and they don’t even know you. That intimate personal connection and friendliness are what stands out to me about New Zealand.

Do you have a favorite part of the trip that stands out?

I really can’t pick out one single thing because it was all so magnificent. Each day felt like it was better than the previous, if that was possible. The west coast is pretty remote and has some absolutely stunning riding along the coastline. The coastal riding is great but then the glaciers aren’t too far away and provide their own sense of beauty. The topography is what New Zealand is known for – the coastline, the glaciers, the vast lakes mixed with the peaks of huge mountains –  and you get to enjoy it all by motorcycle. Add the Burt Munro Challenge to the mix and it’s a motorcyclist dream. This trip has it all and I can’t encourage riders enough to come experience it for themselves.

If exploring New Zealand is something you’ve ever considered, reach out to us – we can answer any questions you may have and help you get set to experience this one of a kind locale. 

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MotoQuest at the BMW MOA Rally

The MotoQuest team will be joining our fellow riders at one of the most popular rallies of year when the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Rally kicks off near Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday, June 13th. 

We will be exhibiting and talking with riders about our guided motorcycle tours and self-guided rentals in the indoor exhibit hall.

We also have two presentations about riding to and throughout Alaska:

• Friday, June 14th – 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. in Room 3
• Saturday, June 15th 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Room 3

The rally runs from June 13th – 15th so be sure to come say hello and mention you are a newsletter subscriber for a gift from MotoQuest. 

See you there!