By akademiotoelektronik, 14/07/2022

Choose the right travel agency motorcycle

What precautions to take before taking a motorcycle trip

Do you want to go to the end of the world, to visit a country, but on a motorcycle? How to do ? How to choose the right agency? What criteria and what points to check so that everything goes well?

What type of motorcycle trip?

Choosing the specialized motorcycle tour operator that suits you first requires knowing the type of trip you are looking for:

These three types of vision of motorcycle travel will determine the potential service provider but will also condition the pace of the trip.

Visiting a country takes time: the time to stop for the landscapes, the monuments, the people. It is then necessary to review its ambitions to see everything and to be satisfied with an often reduced number of kilometers travelled.

Motorcycling in a country allows you to cover kilometers and cover great distances. Some journeys offer high rolling rhythms, sometimes 8 hours a day or even more, without practically getting out of the saddle. This is then done to the detriment of the discovery of the country and the people.

Take a motorbike holiday: this is essentially about relaxing in beautiful surroundings, enjoying the weather and having a motorbike available to get around, avoiding the often very expensive local excursions. The total number of kilometers will be quite low, with the possible exception of the United States where the long straight roads still allow you to do the kilometer without fatigue, while taking into account the speed limits to be respected.

Check the number of daily driving hours

The number of kilometers indicated in a brochure is almost useless. It is better to speak in driving hours per day. Indeed, depending on the country, the average speed can vary from single to quadruple, depending on the type of road/track and the local driving style.

We have thus already experienced an official mileage of 150 kilometers for one day (mileage which has been transformed after detours into 200 kilometers, which remains very reasonable according to our French criteria) which, despite an early start and without any tourist break and with a simple quick snack, lunch ended with two hours of night driving! Not great when you think you've set off on a relaxing/walking trip relying only on the very small number of only 150 kilometers!

Average daily mileage varying from simple to quadruple

While in Western countries, one can easily count on averages of 90-100 km/h over a day (or more), in countries more exotic, the average can drop to less than 30 km/h. Track, sand, mountain roads, width of the road, state of the bitumen, stones, traffic conditions... these are all elements that will influence the average, and this, almost regardless of the level of riding.

You say to yourself then? On track ok, but no problem if it is paved roads! Nay! Driving on a track may be faster than driving on bitumen, if on the track there is no one and if on the road there is heavy traffic, which can be further accentuated by the local driving style. We drove much faster on the tracks of Argentina than on the paved roads of India.

Check the level of difficulty

Each country and each motorcycle trip includes different difficulties, related to the state of the roads, the number of kilometers to be covered each day, the quality of the assistance (equipment and mechanic) but also to the competence of the guide (knowledge of the state of the roads which can vary according to the season, the rains, the temperature). Some roads can be easy in one season and challenging in another season (especially when the rain can make some sections impassable and you have to take huge detours to pass).

The tracks in Argentina are easy, even for someone who has never ridden off-road. If you choose an agency like Andes Motos / Mandes Travel which offers more of a discovery of the country by motorbike, it is even an ideal warm-up before a country like Bolivia whose technical difficulty is higher. And yet, no one from the group had any problem in Bolivia, even in the case of almost beginners, and despite the sand, the stones, the crossings of fords. It must be said that the Moto-Andina guide was excellent and made the difference so that everything went well.

The service provider

Travel agent

Legally, any sale in France of a tourist service must be carried out by a service provider with a travel license, obtained on the basis of skills multiple and a file with the APS (Professional Association of Solidarity of Tourism) which guarantees the defaults of payment and a professional civil responsibility insurance of the travel agents.

Thus, booking via an official French service provider offers many guarantees, of quality, commitment and responsibility. A registered agency must be able to provide a nine-digit license number (required). To check if an agency is legal, always consult the register of travel operators.

Most specialist tour operators offer only one country or region of the globe. On the other hand, they know the country well and have the essential experience for the success of your project.

Intermediary

Some tour operators are only intermediaries, having often "just" selected a local agency in the country; local agency that you will easily find in the list of travel agencies listed on Le Repaire. In this case, you pay an intermediary in addition (between 5% and 10% in general), but with the insurance provided by a service provider with a license as described above.

In the event of a problem during the trip, you can easily turn against him (even if he goes through a local intermediary) since you have booked your trip with a licensed French service provider. It is he who is responsible.

Advantage, an intermediary often offers a much wider choice of countries and different circuits and can therefore advise you on the trip that best meets your expectations.

Foreign company or French abroad

Some "French" tour operators prospect from abroad or with only a representative office in France but in reality have no license in France; it is indeed a good vein to avoid taxes and French legal constraints. In this case, you will have little or no recourse in the event of a problem. It becomes almost impossible to turn against them, unless you take a lawyer specializing in international law with a cost that can be expensive and a low probability of being reimbursed. So be careful and knowingly.

Some even exercise without any cover. There are many advantages for them, both in terms of taxes and commitments in the event of a problem. Be careful once again. Always remember to ask for the license number.

Association

There are also associations, operating under the 1901 law, which annually organize a certain number of trips for their members, without therefore renting a motorbike. Becoming a member then allows you to benefit from organized trips and to have a voice at their annual GA to express any grievances.

Check, however, that these Associations are well recognized, that their experience is effective and that they have compulsory civil liability insurance. The number of trips that can be organized by an association is legally limited. This has advantages, particularly in terms of the number of participants (and the ability to meet them) and circuits, often on the sidelines of the major traditional tourist circuits.

Warning! If the Association is required to have Civil Liability insurance, it will be YOUR own insurance that will cover you during these trips.

Note that clubs and other associations will soon no longer be able to organize trips with an obligation to comply with the new legislation. Some associations were indeed more travel agencies in disguise.

The price

As everywhere, the price may be a decisive criterion in the choice between several agencies apparently offering the same thing. The good circuits are copied and the official descriptions are often almost identical in terms of routes and cities crossed.

Assistance

The price of a motorcycle trip abroad depends: on the country and its standard of living, on the quality of the accommodation and catering services but also and above all on the assistance.Car in many non-Western countries, it is essential to have, in addition to a guide, an assistance vehicle with spare parts. Who says vehicle says a driver and a mechanic, knowing that most of the time, these two functions are separated. And if your agency has bad equipment and/or mechanics, you may end up spending part of your day immobilized in the middle of the "desert", at best, followed by an unpleasant night road. And in the worst case, you can be immobilized for one or more days without riding, thus shortening your trip.

Some agencies systematically include an assistance vehicle with mechanics and parts, others do not. Some vary the service depending on the number of participants. Thus, for 2 participants, no assistance vehicle. On the other hand, from 3 people, there is an assistance vehicle. This affects the price, since the cost of the assistance is distributed among the number of people.

The main thing is of course to be aware beforehand. This allows you to plan the amount of luggage you will take with you. Without an assistance vehicle, you can only take the minimum with you, luggage does not follow.

Deposit/deductible

Include the amount of the deposit/deductible requested in the price of the trip and check carefully what is meant by deposit and deductible.

A motorcycle trip always involves risks and therefore a risk of breakage. For some agencies, the deposit is an advance on the full repair costs! For others, it is a maximum deductible remaining at your expense in the event of an accident, the rest being covered by specific insurance taken out by the tour operator. The difference can be huge and represent several hundred euros remaining at your expense at the end of the trip. What make the trip much less pleasant.

Warning! Some tour operators indicate a deposit amount in their general conditions of sale, but change this amount along the way, especially when confirming the trip or worse on the spot by signing the last papers! So ask well in advance for the definition of the deposit/excess and take a written/printed record with you. We have already seen an unscrupulous tour operator write 200 euros in its general conditions of sale and then speak of 1500 euros, to be paid in cash! (not always easy to shoot abroad). In the event of a problem, the trip could then be very expensive.

Deposit by credit card imprint

Some tour operators will ask you for a Visa Credit Card imprint as a deposit. You should only accept this from a well-established agency that has given you proof of confidence. You should know that in the event of a glitch, you will not be able to oppose the amount that will be debited to you. This print should only be issued in any event in exchange for a rental contract specifying the maximum sum allocated to the deposit. When you return the equipment, you will recover the print (two tickets, that of the organizer and double for you) and you will make it clear on the double of the contract that everything was OK or the details of the sum deducted, taking care to have this return signed by both parties (yourself and the organizer).

Accommodation

Accommodation offered as part of motorcycle trips, in the same country, can naturally range from the most basic to the most luxurious. Do not hesitate to ask questions before, knowing that the definitions of the possible number of stars can be very different between France and a foreign country. Some have few or no star definitions.

Even without the need for luxury, clean accommodation with a shower and running water is always a plus for resting in good conditions, especially after a long day of hard and dusty driving.

Also remember to ask if it is local hosting or European standards and the differences. It seems more interesting to us to discover a country to seek even more basic local accommodation in order to be more out of place.

The accommodation offered by Mandès Travel was always in a local style, with a real search for originality and comfort. In Bolivia, the hotel infrastructure is much more basic, but Moto Andina has always managed to offer charming and quality accommodation. Without falling into luxury, accommodation with charm always adds an additional pleasant note to the trip.

Accommodation can be B&B (room with breakfast), half board or full board. In any case, make it clear whether drinks are included or not. If alcohol is never included, water is often included but not always, even in the case of full board. In some countries, this can represent a nice sum and sacred - bad - surprises.

Full board is a practical solution, which will save you from looking for a restaurant, but also avoid you having to take out money all the time. And the less money you take out during the trip, the more vacation it will be. Remember to confirm in writing that it is full board, even if it is indicated in the official brochure. I have already seen a tour operator in India declare on our arrival that it was half board, whereas we had read full board on departure (supporting proof). The whole group had to contest in order not to have to pay (have a written document (email/contract) in your possession for proof).

Formulas

Formulas can range from simple B&B to full board. Other services may be included up to the all-inclusive formula: accommodation, meals with or without drinks, fuel and insurance. This can be very interesting in certain conditions such as for example in the case of snowmobiling where the fuel + oil budget can be very expensive.

Some countries require you to have a guide, a government guide, specific license plates if you are with your own vehicle and specific intra-territory insurance (Libya, Algeria, Egypt...). Check all these points beforehand because the additional cost can be substantial. In any case, make sure that ALL the details of the proposed formula appear on the registration form at the head of the organization.

Check that the confirmations provided by the company agree with the registration. We have already seen surprises also at this level.

Airplane flights

Motorcycle tour operators and local agencies rarely, if ever, include airplane flights. On the other hand, they often have a contact or an agency to advise/suggest. Moto Andina had advised us of a local agency which allowed us to have a cheaper round trip on Air France than going through internet comparators with flights with more stopovers.

Warning! The price of the plane ticket can represent up to 30% of the total price of your trip. The price depends on the departure and arrival dates, the season, and the number of months in advance during which the ticket is taken. Changing the departure or arrival date by 1 or 2 days (avoiding the weekend for example) can vary the price by 25% or more. Doing it well in advance sometimes allows you to benefit from much lower prices, even at last minute promotions.

The Guide

Some tour operators clearly announce the color: the "guide" is a road guide and not a cultural guide. So don't expect any cultural discovery of the country. Personally, I strongly advise against it. As long as you travel with an agency, you might as well discover the country and its traditions in a lively way. This should not prevent you from having a Backpacker or a Lonely Planet, always interesting in addition.

The quality of the guide and their ability to love and talk about the country can make a difference to the whole trip. Again, it all depends on what you want from a trip: a discovery of a country or just a motorcycle tour.

How to pay for your trip

The ideal is to pay by credit card, and even more so by Premier/Gold card if you have one. The insurance included with this type of card allows you not only to cancel at the last minute, but to take into account certain problems on the spot. In fact, the annual fee for a Gold card is often amortized by a single trip.

Be careful though! The issuance of a Premier Card is conditional on a certain level of income. The Carte Bleue Visa offers less attractive insurance conditions but which have the merit of existing. The conditions vary from one bank to another, so consider contacting yours.

Beware of tour operators who ask to be paid in cash on site. You lose a possibility of insurance and you take a risk by carrying a large sum of money on you (to be declared normally to customs).

What insurance to take

Home insurance often includes repatriation insurance. Check with your insurer before departure, depending on the country. Attention ! This insurance will not cover the motorcycle risk itself, but possibly only medical repatriation. Normally, the tour operator includes insurance in its price. Check if this insurance only covers the motorcycle or also the pilot and his eventual passage.

In principle, your motorcycle insurance, provided you have additional driver and passenger insurance, can cover your trip. Some companies cover you even if you don't ride your own motorcycle. It is therefore necessary to read the conditions of YOUR own contract carefully.

Some of our insurance works in duplicate (House RC insurance and Assistance for your car or motorcycle contract, for example) and we are often insured several times for the same risk (therefore in duplicate).

Make sure, however, that the country you are going to is covered by your company and is listed on the back of your green card and is not crossed out. For those who find themselves in this alternative, know that Mondial Assistance is expensive, but it's the best.

Documents: passport, visa and international permit

A valid passport is of course mandatory, but rarely sufficient. In many cases, the validity date must be effective up to 6 months after the planned return. So, pay attention to the validity dates and the time required for a renewal of an existing passport.

Some countries also require visas (often chargeable) which can sometimes take several weeks to issue.

The international permit is not always mandatory but highly recommended. It is free and carried out in the prefecture very quickly.

Conclusion

We have spoken here exclusively of motorcycle travel agencies with guides. There is of course the possibility of renting a motorcycle on site, or going through an agency that will find a local rental company. This is what we have done for paved circuits with low risk of adventure such as Canada or Mexico. In this case, no guide, no companion, but just the rental price. Then remember to check that the rental agency is known (eg Eagle Rider) and can help you in the event of a problem, if only through contacts on the course that you will indicate to it. Make sure you have a mobile number of a manager who can help you in case of trouble. All the rental agencies tried have always left us a number that can be reached 24 hours a day.

Some agencies now offer free motorcycle trips but provide a GPS with a roadbook. This can also be the solution, allowing you to ride at your own pace, but at least have quality roadbooks. Others also take care of all the reservations on the way; a service that is paid for but which can be a real guarantee if you are going during a busy tourist period.

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