Frequently Asked Questions

I always organize my own tours, why would I want to do a guided tour? Our guided tours have several advantages but three aspects stand out in particular. The first is that we know the area well and will lead you on roads, and to places, that you might not discover on your own. You'll enjoy experiences that other visitors to the region often miss. The second is that, by carefully selecting and arranging exceptional lodging and dining locations throughout the tour, we free up more of your valuable vacation time for riding and having fun. Last, but certainly not least, our tours give you the chance to enjoy the company of riders from many parts of the world. In addition to enjoying a great motorcycling vacation you'll have an opportunity to gain new friendships that could last a lifetime.

I like to explore on my own when I tour; do I need to stay with the group? On our tours you are always free to travel on your own and at your own pace. The group ride leaves together each morning and you may join it for all day, part of the day or not at all. In any case, you'll benefit from our knowledge of the area, custom ride maps, route sheets and ride suggestions. Dinner and excellent accommodations will be waiting for you at the end of the day so you won't use valuable riding time searching for places to eat and stay. There is a maximum of ten motorcycles allowed on any tour.

What will I need to pay for while on tour? Lunch meals are not included in the tour prices because riders may end up in several different places at lunch time, depending on whether they decide to ride with the group or explore on their own. Alcoholic beverages are also not included in the tour price. Other than that, gas, incidentals and spending money should be the only other general costs. Rental contracts, which are separate from the tour package, will always include insurance and unlimited mileage while on tour.

How much riding experience should I have before I take a tour? While our only formal requirement is a valid motorcycle license, we strongly recommend that riders have several thousand miles riding experience and, preferably, have participated in a formal rider education program such as the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's basic and/or experienced rider courses before coming on tour.  The roads we use are paved and generally in very good condition but they include some challenging mountain curves. Our group riding pace is relaxed and several stops are built into each day's schedule. We average about 200 miles of daily riding so riders and passengers should have experience with riding that distance comfortably. If you are relatively new to motorcycle touring, we suggest you start with one of our shorter five-day tours.  We strongly recommend that all riders call us at 802-463-9853 if they have any questions about the match between their riding experience and our tours.

My co-rider is not as enthusiastic about riding as I am - any solutions? Our support vehicle follows the group during most tours. If your partner prefers, he or she is free to join our driver in our custom chase van for all or part of the tour. There is no charge for this service. Up to five passengers can be accommodated at any given time. This option is as enjoyable as touring by car and allows both the rider and his or her partner to enjoy the tour and absorb the scenery in comfort. In addition to the great riding on these tours, there are many things to do and places to enjoy. Hiking, rafting, shopping and all sorts of options are possible.

I'd prefer to ride my own motorcycle on tour, do I need to rent a bike to tour with NMT? Many of our riders come on their own motorcycles, feel free to go with whatever option works best for you. You can ride to the tour base, trailer your bike, ship it or rent a BMW, Harley or Honda.

I'd like to do a full tour, but I can't fit it all into my schedule. Any options? Our tours range from three to fourteen days in length, so there are many options to choose from. Although we highly recommend doing the full tour whenever possible, we can, under some circumstances, make special arrangements for you to do part of a tour.

Are custom tours available? We can create and lead custom group tours by request. Contact us for further details. 

Who takes your tours? Riders on our tours come from all walks of life and many parts of the world. Our youngest riders so far, have been in their early twenties and the oldest was seventy-two. (And he's an excellent rider whose done two tours with us already!) All of our riders  welcome a chance to relax and let someone else deal with the hassles and details. They enjoy meeting people and making new friends while on tour. They ride all sorts of motorcycles, with the most popular being touring and sport touring models from BMW, Harley-Davidson and Honda. We don't believe in "brand snobbery" or "motorcycle cliques" and our riders seem to feel the same way.  They are motorcyclists first and foremost and they enjoy the variety of motorcycles our tours always include.  We've even had a rare eight-valve Moto-Guzzi, a BSA Lightning and a Honda Helix among the more unusual bikes on tour.  Above all, we're proud that our riders always seem to enjoy each other's company; they are different ages and ride different bikes but all seem to have genuine passion for enjoying life. Any reliable, safe and comfortable motorcycle is welcome on tour so long as its exhaust has not been modified to be louder than legal limits. One way to get an idea of who rides with us is by looking over the  "Rider Feedback" page.

I'm thinking about touring with you, could I talk to some of your past participants? Our past tour participants have offered to talk with riders who are seriously considering doing an NMT tour. You can speak with participants from several parts of the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom. We are proud of the quality of our tours and we're happy to help you "put us to the test". In order to protect our participants' privacy, we do not list contact information in our tour packets or on this web site. Instead, please contact us for reference contact information. Quotes from participants are also spread throughout the site.