Frequently Asked Questions

We are located in Santa Rosa, CA - approximately 60 miles north of San Francisco. You can fly directly into Santa Rosa (Airport Code - STS) and we can arrange a transfer to your hotel. Alternately, you can fly into San Francisco (SFO) or Oakland (OAK) airports and we can work with you on your transfer arrangements.

All of our tour guides are experienced riders (20+ years minimum) who live and ride in the area. Each one has ridden the areas you will be riding and has extensive local knowledge. In addition, all guides are trained by the Red Cross in first aid and have taken and passed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Experienced Rider Course. Most importantly - they are passionate about riding and adventure touring and do this because they enjoy it!

We spend very little time on highways, most roads we ride are county, local and fire roads and are 99% paved except for the desert tour. Approximately 25% of the Desert Tour riding is non-paved, but otherwise fairly smooth dirt roads with occasional sand and mud. Desert Tour participants should have previous off-road riding experience on the motorcycle they are going to ride. Off-road riding by request can be accommodated on other tours.

The roads will range from relatively straight, open roads with occasional sweeping turns to very tight, twisty mountain passes with rapid elevation changes. The riding is demanding on the standard tours and you should be in good physical condition and be comfortable riding 6 to 8 hours a day. We are happy to accommodate customers that would like a less demanding riding experience – just inquire about our Custom Tours and we will help you design a tour that is just right for you!

In general you will only need the following:

  • Riding gear – due to the nature of the riding and our concern over customer safety, we REQUIRE all tour participants (including passengers) to wear the following gear at all times while on the motorcycle:
    • Motorcycle specific jacket (rentals are available) and pants
    • Motorcycle specific boots 
    • Motorcycle specific gloves (rentals are available)
    • Motorcycle full-face helmet (free rentals are available)
    • If you are unable to travel with your riding gear and would like to ship it to us, we would be happy to receive the gear and then ship it back to you after the tour for a nominal fee.
    • If you would prefer to rent appropriate riding gear, please let us know at least 30 days before your tour starts and we will contact you for sizing, etc.
    • Electric jackets or vests are HIGHLY recommended for all summer tours. You can expect to experience temperatures ranging from the mid 50s (F) to the low 100s (F) on all summer tours due to the variety of terrain and elevation. Rentals are available.
    • Electric jackets or vests are REQUIRED for all winter desert tours. You can expect to experience temperatures ranging from the mid 30s (F) to the low 80s (F) on all winter tours due to the variety of terrain and elevation. Rentals are available.
    • Please, please, please do not show up for a scheduled tour without proper gear – we may not be able to accommodate rental requests for gear on short notice and will not allow you or your passenger on the motorcycle if you do not have the proper gear. Safety is our primary concern at Adventure Touring and our experience has shown us that the proper gear can often make the difference between a minor mishap and a major tragedy.
  • Casual off-bike clothing (synthetic travel clothes pack light and can be washed and dried overnight)
  • Wallet, cell phone, camera, iPod, etc.
  • Toiletries
  • Light jacket / fleece as evenings can be cool at higher elevations
  • Remember to pack light - due to the nature of these trips and the roads we will be traveling, there is no chase truck to haul luggage!
  • You will receive the saddlebag liners the evening before the trip begins so you will be able to be packed and ready to go in the morning. The saddlebags hold approximately 100 liters (approximately 3 ½ cubic feet) and all bikes are available with a top box for the items you will be accessing frequently during the day. If you need additional storage space, a duffel bag (waterproof recommended on winter tours) no longer than 36” is recommended.

Plan on arriving in Santa Rosa prior to 6:00pm the evening before the tour starts. We will have an introductory dinner at 7:30pm followed by a safety briefing and motorcycle checkout at the Adventure Touring facility.

We will arrive back at the Adventure Touring facility at approximately 6:00pm on the last day of the tour followed by a final dinner as a group at 7:30pm. Breakfast will be available at the hotel the next morning and guests will depart throughout the day.

The tour includes your lodging from the night before the first day of the tour through the night of the last day of the tour. If you would like to arrive early or leave later, we would be happy to assist you with your arrangements but you would be responsible for the cost of the extra nights.

The tour includes your breakfasts and dinners from the evening before the tour begins to the morning after the tour ends. All lunches and alcoholic beverages during dinner will be the rider's responsibility. Please note there are no alcoholic beverages to be consumed before kickstands are down for the night!

Your tour will include mid-grade hotels that have been selected for location, service and amenities. Many are unique and are in out of the way places that will add to your touring experience. The restaurants are selected based on food and service quality and are all located within walking distance to the hotels so everyone can enjoy their favorite beverage with dinner!

Due to the nature of our tours, maximum group size is 6 riders plus the tour guide. However, if you have a group larger than 6 people and would all like to tour together, we can accommodate you by adding additional tour guides.

You can certainly ride separately as long as you are paired with at least one other rider, but we intentionally keep our groups small to ensure you have the best possible riding experience. All bikes are equipped with GPS navigation with all routes pre- programmed (should you elect to travel separately from the guide).

You are welcome to bring your own motorcycle as long as it is well maintained and suitable for the trip you are taking. However, for the safety of all our tour participants, we reserve the right to cancel a tour reservation if a motorcycle is poorly maintained or inappropriate for the tour. We do not provide a spare motorcycle or breakdown service for owner supplied motorcycles. For safety and liability reasons, we do not allow rentals from other motorcycle rental companies on our tours.

We rent only late model BMW motorcycles that are expertly maintained by an authorized BMW dealer and rarely have significant problems. Should the guide be unable to resolve the problem with your motorcycle immediately, we have spare motorcycles ready to deploy.

Riders need to be at least 25 years old to participate in a tour or rent an Adventure Touring motorcycle. Passengers must be at least 18 but there is no maximum age.

On the Home, Tour or Rental pages, you will find a section on the right side of the screen for Getting Started - pick the option for Motorcycle Tour Reservation or Motorcycle Rental Reservation, fill out the information, press Submit, and we will contact you shortly!