What does a normal ride day consist of? We'll meet together for breakfast to discuss the day's ride (150-200 miles), sights and potential stops.  There will also be opportunity for skills practice, warmup and riding techniques for any interested riders.  After breakfast we will set out on our route.  We encourage riding  with an emphasis on safe rider positioning (we also like to practice "The Pace"). We will have a  lunch stop and for dinner always be close to our lodging for that evening.  After dinner there will be an opportunity to continue to socialize and reflect on the day's activities.

I like to explore on my own when I tour; do I need to stay with the group? On our tours you are always free to travel on your own and at your own pace. The group ride leaves together each morning and you may join it for all day, part of the day or not at all. In any case, you'll benefit from our knowledge of the area, custom ride maps, route sheets and ride suggestions. Dinner and excellent accommodations will be waiting for you at the end of the day so you won't use valuable riding time searching for places to eat and stay. There is a maximum of ten motorcycles allowed on any tour.

What will I need to pay for while on tour? Lunch meals are not included in the tour prices because riders may end up in several different places at lunch time, depending on whether they decide to ride with the group or explore on their own. Alcoholic beverages are also not included in the tour price. Other than that, gas, incidentals and spending money should be the only other general costs. Rental contracts, which are separate from the tour package, will always include insurance and unlimited mileage while on tour.

How much riding experience should I have before I take a tour? While our only formal requirement is a valid motorcycle license, we strongly recommend that riders have several thousand miles riding experience and, preferably, have participated in a formal rider education program such as the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's basic and/or experienced rider courses before coming on tour.  The roads we use are paved and generally in very good condition but they include some challenging mountain curves. Our group riding pace is relaxed and several stops are built into each day's schedule. We average about 200 miles of daily riding so riders and passengers should have experience with riding that distance comfortably. If you are relatively new to motorcycle touring, we strongly recommend that all riders call us at 832-434-9681 if they have any questions about the match between their riding experience and our tours.

My co-rider is not as enthusiastic about riding as I am - any solutions? Take a look at our Custom Tours or on tours of 5 or more riders our support vehicle will follow the group during the tours. If your partner prefers, he or she is free to join our driver in our 2006 Chevy HHR or Dodge Quad Cab for all or part of the tour. There is no charge for this service. Up to three passengers can be accommodated at any given time. This option is as enjoyable as touring by car and allows both the rider and his or her partner to enjoy the tour and absorb the scenery in comfort. In addition to the great riding on these tours, there are many things to do and places to enjoy  hiking, rafting and shopping one of the largest Outlet Malls in the country all sorts of options are possible, have a look at our Custom Tours.

I'd prefer to ride my own motorcycle on tour, do I need to rent a bike to tour? Many of our riders come on their own motorcycles, feel free to go with whatever option works best for you. You can ride to the tour base, trailer your bike, have it shipped or Rent a bike from Austin Harley-Davidson/Buell. Make sure you let Steve know that you are with Austin Motorcycle Tours.

I'd like to do a full tour, but I can't fit it all into my schedule. Any options? Our tours range from two to three days in length. Although we highly recommend doing the full tour whenever possible, we can, under some circumstances, make special arrangements for you to do part of a tour.

Are custom tours available? We provide private tours for groups of 5 riders or more. This is great get away time from whatever.  With Austin as home base there is San Marcos home of  Tangers Outlet Center and Prime Outlet Center making them one of the largest shopping centers in the country, Schlitterbahn and San Antonio all within a one hour drive. We can design a custom tour so that you and all of your guests can enjoy all Central Texas has to offer. Since Texas is bigger than some countries, there is something for everyone in your tour to experience here in Texas. Please contact us to discuss a custom tour you'd like us to design for you.

Who takes your tours? Riders on our tours come from all walks of life and many parts of the world. All of our riders  welcome a chance to relax and let someone else deal with the hassles and details. They enjoy meeting people and making new friends while on tour. They ride all sorts of motorcycles, with the most popular being touring and sport touring models from  Harley-Davidson, Honda and BMW.