Touring the South Island by bike, Christchurch - Canterbury
If you were born to be wild, and prefer a little more grunt than pedal power, rent a motorcycle and cruise New Zealand’s famously scenic roads.
Imagine sweeping along the graceful, rainforested curves of the West Coast highway to Haast, or blasting along the Desert Road past the huge volcanoes of Tongariro National Park. With well-engineered and maintained roads, New Zealand is beautifully suited to two-wheel travel.
Motorcycle rental companies can tempt you with favourite marques such as Harley Davidson, BMW, Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki. One-way hire may be available, depending on the rental company you choose.
If you don’t want to go it alone, touring companies operate guided or semi-guided adventures in both the main islands. You can even organise a dirt bike tour or an elegant cruise in a side-car. Some companies also offer pillion tours for non-riders.
You can legally ride in New Zealand for up to 12 months if you have either a current motorcycle licence from your home country or an International Driving Permit (IDP).
