What happens if I breakdown
We do insist that all riders on European tours have breakdown cover for their motorcycles but you would be surprised at how few breakdowns occur on modern motorcycles. Also our tour guides are on hand to assist as required and as you are riding with a group there are always other people about to help out. No matter what we don’t leave anyone stranded at the side of the road
What documents do I need
All riders will need their passport, driving licence, bike documents, personal and travel insurance documentation, breakdown cover documents and any crossings tickets.
Which meals are included
Breakfast is included on all tours as standard and evening meals are on a tour by tour basis and is shown in the tour details pages.
What do I do if I have special dietary requirements
Just let us know at time of booking and we will make sure all the hotels along the route are made aware.
What type of hotels do we stay in
We visit all the hotels on our tours personally to make sure they come up to scratch, we don’t use cheap or budget hotels and we try to use family-run boutique hotels wherever possible. Top of our priority list when picking hotels for our tours is friendly and comfortable accommodation with some having extra facilities such as swimming pools and spas. Where possible we also try and pick hotels that have other amenities close by such as bars, restaurants and cash machines.
Is there secure parking at all hotels on tours
Most of our hotels have private parking, but we would always suggest customers bring extra security such as a heavy duty lock just in case.
What should I pack
Probably less than you think. We have a suggested packing list you can download to give you some tips and suggestions on what you would need and we also include this suggested list in your tour pack.
I would like to extend my holiday is this possible?
If you would like to have earlier or later ferry or Eurotunnel crossings, just let us know so we can arrange this for you. If you are based in Europe and would like to meet us at our first nights hotel just let us know and we can adjust the tour cost accordingly.
Can I split the payments of my tour over a few months
No problem, just leave us a message on your booking form and we will get in touch to arrange an interest free payment plan for you to spread the cost up to the final payment due date.
Are there any rest days on tours.
Most of our tours have at least one rest day. So you can explore the local area, relax by the pool and generally take it easy. We always have ride out options on these rest days to allow those who want maximum saddle additional routes to enjoy.
Can I ride on my own rather than with the group
Yes of course you can, as part of your tour packs you will receive full GPS co-ordinates for each days route including suggested fuel, coffee and lunch stops. You can load this into your Sat Nav and ride at your own pace stopping wherever you like on the route.
I’m worried about holding the group up do I need previous touring experience to come on one of your tours and
Absolutely not, it’s not a race. We gear our tours to suit novices through to experienced riders and tourers. The days are structured so you can go at your own pace. You will need to be comfortable with daily mileage and be happy spending around 6 hours in the saddle a day. This is the average with some days slightly longer and others shorter depending on the specific tour you are on. We incorporate plenty of coffee and fuel stops to allow you to stretch your legs during the day and suggested lunch stops are also included in your tour packs and as you have the route GPS co-ordinates in your sat nav you can go at a pace that suits you.
Will I receive a tour pack before departure
Yes you will be sent a full tour pack with hotel addresses and contact numbers, GPS waypoints, route details, petrol stops, suggested coffee and lunch stops. We also send out a list of documents you need to bring with you and also include a suggested packing list for you and your bike.
Do you have many solo riders on your tours
Yes we do, we get a mix of couples, singles and groups of friends on our tours so it’s a great way to meet like-minded people from all walks of life who love biking.
Do I have a choice of who I share with if I book a shared room
If you make a single booking of a shared room, you may request someone by name if you know others on the tour. Otherwise you will have a sharer assigned which can be swapped by mutual consent during the tour.
Is the guide always available
Yes, your guide will be contactable by phone at all times during the day.
Have you cancelled any of your tours due to lack of bookings
No we never have never cancelled a trip due to lack of bookings.
Why book a tour with Columbus Motorcycle Tours
Columbus Motorcycle Tours is an independent motorcycle tour operator based in the UK set up to offer our customers a hassle free option to motorcycle touring around Europe. We have personally tested all the routes and hotels we offer to take the hassle out of your tour. Leaving you free to enjoy the ride and camaraderie with your fellow tourers and ensuring you ride all the best roads on any given tour.
Our tour guides are picked for their friendly and approachable nature and are on hand 24/7 to offer support if required. Our ethos is to be there if we are needed but customers are free to do their own thing and ride at a pace they are comfortable with rather than worrying about having to “keep up with the group”
We believe this allows everyone to experience their touring holiday on their own terms and at their own pace but with the benefit of all the small details already being arranged and the opportunity to meet up with everyone each evening to share the days experiences.
Our mission is to offer a relaxed style of touring which is fun, easy, safe and enjoyable.
Do you have an evening dress code
You can leave the DJ at home! All the places we stay and eat out in are relaxed so while sleeveless is a bit too relaxed, t shirts and shorts/trousers is just fine.
Do you have many ladies on the tours
Yes and as we are not a “Lads on tour” type of company we attract a range of all ages and sexes as riders and pillions on tour and make sure everyone feels included and comfortable as part of the group.
What’s the minimum age to come on tour
While there is no upper age limit on our tours, all riders and pillion passengers must be 18 or over to take part.
What sort of bike do I need to come on tour.
We would recommend a bike of 500cc or more and it should be able to cover 125miles between fill ups. As for bike type, we welcome everything from sports bikes to tourers and everything in between. You just need to make sure it is mechanically sound and capable of covering the daily miles involved on your tour.
Is our money safe
100%! Before parting with money for a holiday of any kind its very important to ensure that your money will be safe. Travel companies come and go and motorcycle tour operators more than most. Here at Columbus our client’s peace of mind comes first and as such we are proud to say that we are a fully covered travel company with the correct financial failure insurance in place. As required under the The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018. Therefore you can have total confidence in us to deliver the holiday of a lifetime safe in the knowledge you are properly covered.
You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2018/9780111168479/contents.
How do I secure my place on a tour
Once you have selected your chosen tour complete the booking form and we be in touch with details on how to pay your deposit. Once your deposit is received a booking confirmation will be sent out by email confirming the balance due and its due date. Once your final balance is received we will send out your tour pack so you have plenty of time to upload your GPS routes to your sat nav and check through all the relevant documents we will send you.
What insurance do I need to come on the tour
All riders are required to have valid insurance to cover their motorbike for the countries we will visit covering both rider and pillion, along with travel, medical and breakdown cover for your motorbike which must include repatriation cover for rider, pillion and the motorbike
Can we still ride on rest days
Yes of course, on rest days you are free to do as you wish. We always have a least one ride out option available on rest day or you may prefer to explore on your own. Alternatively relax and enjoy the local area or the hotels facilities.
What sort of mileage do we cover each day.
The distance covered each day varies dependant on the type of roads we are using on a given day, if it’s a day where we need to cover more distance then it could be 200 miles or slightly more, whereas a day in the mountains on the twisties could be more like 125. All our routes have been checked to make sure they are manageable within a day. Generally we would set off between 9 and 10 am with arrival at your hotel between 5 and 6pm
How many people are on the tours
The maximum number of bikes on tour is 12 bikes as we prefer to keep the tours smaller and therefore more personal
What do your guided motorbike tour offer
Our mission to offer our riders a hassle free tour along some of the best roads in Europe, your guide will be with you all along the route, normally riding towards the back of the various groups that normally form as the tour goes on. So is there to help with any problems that crop up during the day and not shooting off in front putting riders under pressure to keep up. We don’t use a drop off/marker system with the leader at the front and everyone trying to keep up. We supply all the suggested coffee, fuel and lunch stops within your tour pack and also as part of the GPS route we supply, which allows you to stop as often as you wish and enjoy the scenery at your own pace, at the end of the day this is your holiday not a race to get to every evenings destination.
Do you run support vehicles on these tours
There is little need to run support vehicles on our European tours as you will have breakdown cover as part of the requirement to come on tour and this breakdown network is very extensive and efficient across Europe.