18 September 2024 | See disclaimer
From the East coast to the West coast, motorcycle touring routes can cover a lot of ground. With motorcycle ownership increasing in Australia over the last 10 years [1] it's no surprise that motorcycle touring has risen in popularity too.
Touring can take riders on exhilarating adventures, down back roads and lead to parts of the world that they may have never seen before. These tours can take you anywhere from Asia, Europe and Africa to the Americas, Oceania and even Antarctica.
To help you get started, here's our guide to the best motorcycle tours in the world.
What to Expect From a Motorcycle Tour
Before riding to your next overseas destination there are a few things you should consider first.
While the following points apply to all riders, new riders should remember to:
Choose a tour that's not too challenging, try to go on some shorter tours first before you attempt a more challenging tour.
Plan for extreme weather conditions and the outdoor climate of the tour's location
Pack suitable clothing and protective gear including a motorcycle helmet, motorcycle jacket, gloves, riding pants and boots.
On top of this, all riders should make sure to:
Choose a motorcycle tour bike that meets your needs.
Acting Editor of Chasing Cars Curt Dupriez recommends using a BMW touring bike.Choose between riding with a group or on your own
Choose between a short-distance or long-distance tour
Bring motorcycle touring gear
Bring a motorcycle tour map and GPS navigation
Bring a motorcycle tyre repair kit and touring toolkit
For first-time riders, Acting Editor of Chasing Cars, Curt Dupriez, recommends:
For European Alps, the basic groundwork (planning) includes sourcing the bike and gear (rental), planning the route logically for distances in sympathy of low average speed (you won't get more than 20km/h point to point even without stopping for pics, meals and fuel etc.), and, of course, checking what seasons the Alpine high passes are actually closed (half the year as they get snowed in).
Best Motorcycle Rides Around the World
The best motorcycle adventures can take you on a ride through several destinations in each country, through beautiful scenery, and allow you to explore the winding trails of each region.
To prepare for your next motorcycle tour trip, we've put together a list of some of the best motorcycle rides around the world.
The Great Ocean Road
Australia's most famous motorcycle ride is in fact not in South Australia or New South Wales but in Victoria. The Great Ocean Road is 243 km in length starting from Torquay (100 km from Melbourne) and ending in Allansford.
You can ride the Great Ocean Road and see the sites over five days, but if you want to ride with fewer stops then the trip can take two to three days instead.
Here’s an example of your itinerary:
- Day 1 - Melbourne to Lorne
- Day 2 - Lorne to Apollo Bay
- Day 3 - Apollo Bay to Port Campbell
- Day 4 - Port Campbell to Port Fairy
- Day 5 - Port Fairy to Portland
Grossglockner High Alpine Road
This route is known as one of the three most visited destinations in Austria. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is 48 km in length and takes you right into the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park.
According to Acting Editor of Chasing Cars, Curt Dupriez, this is the best motorcycle tour in the world:
My favourite road for cars or bikes, full stop. In terms of touring, you'd link any number of European Alp high passes in with this road, probably starting with Stelvio Pass to the east and filling in whichever passes you prefer in between (Timmelsjock, Gavia, there are loads of them)
The Amalfi Coast Road
The Amalfi Coast spans 68.5 km in length from the Sorrentine Peninsula in Sorrento to Vietri sul Mare, a town in Salerno. This state road is very narrow and busy with vehicles and drivers, which is why riding a motorcycle is ideal for this coastal stretch.
If you want to break the route into two legs, stopping in Positano is the middle point of the tour where you can rest, recuperate and stay somewhere overnight.
The American Pacific Coast Highway
This motorcycle route along the Pacific Coast Highway, on the West Coast of the United States is about 1055 km in length.
If you’re travelling northbound you’ll start in San Francisco, California and ride to Leggett, California (in Montecito). And if you’re travelling southbound you’ll start in Dana, California and ride to Half Moon Bay near San Francisco.
When riding northbound you can stop at:
The Golden Gate Bridge
Point Reyes National Seashore (nature preserve)
Glass Beach
And when you’re riding southbound you can stop at:
Hearst Castle
Bixby Creek Bridge, Big Sur
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
The Swartberg Pass
The Swartberg Pass is on the R328 regional route, in the Swartberg Mountain Range, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The route runs east-to-west along an area called Little Karoo and connects Mossel Bay in the south to Prince Albert in the north.
The Swartberg Mountains are also home to Gamkaskloof, a narrow isolated valley about 20 kilometres long. Due to the remote location of Gamkaskloof, it has become a popular area for motorcycle adventure riders who are looking for a challenging ride.
The Ho Chi Minh Trail
The Ho Chi Minh Trail, also known as the Annamite Range Trail, is a 750 km network of roads that run from North to South Vietnam via Laos and Cambodia.
During the Vietnam War, Vietnamese soldiers, militias and civilians used this route to transport troops, food and weapons to South Vietnam.
Depending on your tour the Ho Chi Minh trail can take 7-14 days to complete.
