Terms & Conditions
When booking a tour with Columbus Motorcycle Tours you accept and agree to the terms and conditions herewith. On completion of your booking, you agree to these conditions by ticking the box “I agree to the Terms & Conditions”.
1. Deposit
A deposit is required to secure your place on the tour once you have submitted your booking form we will contact you by email and provided with an invoice which will detail deposit payment required to secure your tour place. Deposit payments are required by return to secure your place on the tour. Tours booked within 60 days of departure will require payment in full at the time of booking. We accept payment by bank transfer or cheque only
2. Balance of Payment
Balance payment for all tours is due 60 days prior to departure. If the balance of your tour payment is not received within 7 days of the due date, we reserve the right to cancel your place on the tour and retain your deposit in full. We accept payments by bank transfer or cheque.
3. Surcharges and currency changes
Circumstances beyond our control may dictate an increase in the cost of your tour. Any increase less than 2% of the published price will be absorbed within the original price – any increase over 2%, will mean we may need to add to the final cost of your tour, this may include; fluctuations in currency rates against the pound. In such instances you will receive an email and an updated invoice from Columbus Motorcycle Tours detailing the additional costs. Failure to pay the additional costs may result in your place being cancelled on the tour and loss of your deposit.
4. Cancellations
If You Cancel
In the event of you having to cancel your tour the following will be incurred;
Full loss of all deposit/s and one of the following:
60 days or more prior to departure, loss of 50% of all monies paid (And Deposit/s)
0 – 60 days prior to departure, loss of 100% of all monies paid (And Deposit/s)
A no-show always incurs 100% of all monies paid (And Deposit/s)
It is for this reason that we strongly recommend you take out travel insurance that covers cancellations.
Should you have to cancel your tour for any reason you may transfer the booking to another person providing a minimum of 2 weeks notice is given, this will incur a £30.00 administration charge plus any additional direct costs we may incur.
5. If We Cancel
We reserve the right to cancel any tour, however would only do so in extreme circumstances. In the extremely rare event that Columbus Motorcycle Tours cancels a tour due to illlness or under subscription of the tour you will be given an option to move to another tour of your choice (subject to availability) or a full refund of all monies paid including deposit/s.
Should Columbus Motorcycle Tours need to cancel as a result of situations beyond our control we will not be held responsible or offer a refund/compensation. This could include but is not limited to the following; war, riots, civil unrest, terrorism, natural disaster or any unforeseen cancellations due to industrial disputes, and/or weather – acts of god.
Columbus Motorcycle Tours will not be held responsible for any of your other out of pocket costs or expenses incurred as a result of the tour not going ahead.
Our tours are schedules months in advance, and due to this under some circumstances the scheduled routes and overnight stops may change slightly from those advertised to allow for road closures, hotel adjustment, operational circumstance and unforeseen events. You will be informed of any changes to the itinerary in the tour pack provided before the commencement of any tours. You agree to accept these unavoidable amendments should they be required.
6. Driving and Bike Responsibilities
All riders must be in possession of a full and valid license for the class of machine they are using for the country they are visiting. We advise you to obtain an International Driving Permit/License; this can be obtained from most major post offices.
We only accept motorcycles that are insured, road legal and with visible/legal registration plates. Bikes should be in good condition with a current MOT. Each participant is responsible for their motorcycle in regards to care and use and for the conformity of it with the laws in force for each country visited on your specific tour. In the case of mechanical breakdown whilst riding your own Motorcycle you are responsible for recovery/repatriation and or repair of the motorcycle. All riders with pillion are responsible for their pillions safety.
Motorcycle Insurance: Each participant must be in possession of valid insurance for their vehicle, for themselves (and their pillion), including valid repatriation insurance for the vehicle and for themselves (and their pillion), where applicable. Any incident or accident that involves a participant (or their pillion) will not be accepted as the responsibility of Columbus Motorcycle Tours unless a Columbus Motorcycle Tours employee is directly involved and responsible for the incident.
When booking a tour we assume that the participant (and pillion if applicable) will have read the Tour Itinerary and will be fully aware of the route, destinations and the approximate mileages for each day. It is the responsibility of the customer to access their own ability and stamina for the tour and to have made the judgement that it is an appropriate tour for them to undertake. We cannot be held responsible if the customer is out of their comfort zone in regards to the difficulty of the tour.
7. On Tour Conduct
You are expected to hold a level of competency and an ability to fully control your motorcycle at all times. You are expected to ride in a courteous and safe manner in respect to your fellow riders and road users. If we feel you are not riding in a safe and courteous manner and putting other members of the group or yourself at risk we reserve the right to ask you to leave the tour group and ride alone.
Columbus Motorcycle Tours operate a zero tolerance policy regarding any type of abuse. Any form of threatening behaviour, verbal or physical abuse to another member of the group or towards any of our staff, contractors or tour leaders will result in you being expelled from the tour and your tour terminated with no refund. No claim for Consequential Loss will be accepted by Columbus Motorcycle Tours for any other costs incurred in completion of the trip by you under this circumstance. No refund or compensation will be given in anyway shape or form i.e. money – credit or towards another event or tour.
If for any reason you choose to leave or exclude yourself from a tour before the end location, you will not receive any refund or compensation.
8. Financial Protection
In accordance with the Package Holiday and Package Tour Regulations 1992 and EC Directive 90/314EC we have full tour operator insolvency insurance.
9. Our Responsibilities
We Are Responsible for any part of the program booked by us, where it is within our control, to ensure that it meets the standards as described in the brochure or publicity. You will be provided with comprehensive GPS data and full hotel addresses. The guiding of the tour is done purely at our discretion, in the event that your tour guide becomes incapacitated by accident or illness, or otherwise unavailable Columbus Motorcycle Tours will endeavour to provide a replacement guide. However, if in exceptional circumstances this is not possible you agree to continue the tour without a guide using the tour notes, itinerary and hotel bookings provided. Occasionally routes will differ depending on weather or timescales, in such instances, we will not be held liable for these changes as they are done so in the best interests of the tour as a whole.
Columbus Motorcycle Tours are not responsible for amenities being out of order due to service requirements, weather conditions or lack of demand due to low client numbers in the hotel or other amenities such as parking space fees that you may have cause to require the use of.
Columbus Motorcycle Tours accept no responsibility for the loss of belongs or vehicles while on tour, you are advised to bring suitable security device/s to secure your vehicle while unattended and/or overnight.
Columbus Motorcycle Tours will not be liable for any personal injury, illness or death resulting from the use of amenities/hotel facilities or consumption of food, drink or alcohol outside of those provided by Columbus Motorcycle Tours. Please also note that some hotels will require a credit card or cash deposit at check-in for incidental charges on your room.
10. Your Responsibilities
To disclose any criminal convictions. Not doing so may render the contract invalid between you the customer and Columbus Motorcycle Tours and may result in the termination of your tour with the loss of any monies paid. Any losses to Columbus Motorcycle Tours as a result or consequence of non-disclosure will be charged to you.
We request that you inform us of any pre-existing medical conditions, special dietary requirements or other allergies and any treatment/medication that you may need or carry for these conditions so that in the event of an unfortunate recurrence or episode we are able to obtain appropriate medical assistance for you as soon as possible. Any such information will be treated with the utmost sensitivity. Non-disclosure may result in termination of our contract/trip with us you without redress or compensation or refund being paid
When in the EU you must carry a EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) (available free from Post Offices or Online) This gives you basic medical cover free within the EU but in the event of a serious illness or accident does not cover repatriation costs. Most hospitals outside the UK will not treat you if you don’t have an EHIC Card
You the customer agree to have suitable personal, medical, cancellation, travel and breakdown insurance in effect for the duration of your trip, which covers repatriation for you and your motorcycle as detailed on your confirmation booking form. If you cancel or divert from any motorcycle / event / tour before the end date you are liable for your own claim against your own insurance in any circumstance including but not limited to illness, accident or death.
To ensure you settle any additional hotel costs not included in the tour price before you depart the hotel. If you don’t settle your hotel bill for additional services, Columbus Motorcycle Tours will charge £50.00 (plus VAT) admin fee in addition to any unsettled costs. If any unsettled costs are not paid within 30 days of our invoice the debt will be passed to our debt collectors and any further costs will be borne by you.
11. Photography
We may take photographs and film footage of any participant (and/or pillion) and your motorcycle whilst on tour. We reserve the right to use such material for any advertising, brochure, video production or for any other marketing uses without obtaining further consent.
12. Documents
For all tours you MUST have the following documents:
Valid passport with appropriate visas if a non EU resident for the countries to be visited during your tour Passport must have at least 6 months remaining by the time you return
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
Insurance cover for your bike – must include repatriation in the event of an accident or serious breakdown
Personal Travel Insurance for yourself and pillion (if appropriate). This must include medical cover including any possible repatriation in the event of serious illness or accident. We also recommend you include cancellation cover.
Full motorcycle license or a license that entitles you to ride the same bike you will be riding in your home country
Original V5 Registration Document
MOT document if required
Breakdown and Personal Insurance are compulsory on our European tours and we may require evidence of policies before departure. Ensure you have adequate insurance for your holiday.
13. Complaints Procedure
In the event of a complaint, in the first instance you should approach the tour representative. If you still consider that your complaint has not been properly addressed, you should put your comments in writing and send them to: [email protected] Columbus Motorcycle Tours, Unit 5 Coleman Business Park, Kimpton, SG4 8HY. A complaint must be lodged within five days of the tour finishing and will be dealt with within 28 days of our receiving your letter.
14. Legal Agreement
These terms and conditions, together with our privacy policy, constitute the entire agreement between you the end user / customer and us Columbus Motorcycle Tours in relation to your use of our website, and supersede all previous agreements in respect of your use of this website.
Debt Recovery: Any debt’s or money owed to Columbus Motorcycle Tours by you for none payment of goods or services are handed over to our debt recovery service to recover any money you owe. You will be liable for the recovery charges imposed by our agency from the original action date.
You hereby indemnify us and undertake to keep us indemnified against any losses, damages, costs, liabilities and expenses, including without limitation legal expenses and any amounts paid by us to a third party in settlement of a claim or dispute incurred or suffered by us arising out of any breach by you of any provision of these terms and conditions, or arising out of any claim that you have breached any provision of these terms and conditions.
Where Columbus Motorcycle Tours is required to pay you compensation, whether as provided in these Agency Terms or otherwise, Columbus Motorcycle Tours liability to pay compensation shall be limited in all circumstances to an absolute aggregate maximum liability of the total price paid by you for the specific bookings related to any given complaint.
These terms and conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with English Law, any disputes relating to the event program offered to these terms and conditions will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.