Category: Tourism & Travel

1. 7 Of The World's Best Motorcycle Rides

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 14th Apr 2020

   If you love motorcycling, then you know that there's no better way to enjoy your weekend than taking out that trusty old bike on a road trip. The feeling of the breeze hitting your face and the exhalation of your speeding motorcycle allows you to enjoy incredible views in the way you enjoy best. Here's a list of the top seven motorcycle rides you may want to try on your next expedition.

   1. Ceuta To Marrakesh Loop In Morocco

   Covering over 2500 kilometer, the Ceuta to Marakesh loop journeys through the exotic realm of ancient souks (bazaars), kasbahs (citadels), and desert cultures.  After getting off the Ceuta ferry, bikers can ride to Fez through the wild Rif Mountains, before traversing the Atlas mountains and getting to the Sahara at Erfoud.

   2. The Australian Great Ocean Road

   As a well-seasoned cyclist who's looking for a place to have fun, this famous Australian road should be among your top three picks. The Great Ocean Road is not only renowned for its great bends, but also lots of beautiful wildlife and straight paths for you to run wild. Expert bikers can take the trip in a single, though it's recommendable to take two days to enjoy the experience fully. 

   3. The Amalfi Coast

   For those looking for a quiet holiday destination filled with picturesque sceneries, Italy has got your back. When riding, the tarmac nirvana located on the achingly beautiful Amalfi Coast on the Sorrentine Peninsula offers you a great biking adventure, despite being only 60 kilometers long. However, what it lacks in the distance is well compensated in the gorgeous scenery it offers.

   4. Pyrenees Loop in Spain and France

   When it comes to breathtaking sceneries, both Spain and France boast of some of the most stunning expanses ever known to man. As such, it shouldn't come as a surprise to see that the two countries share one of the favorite loops for bike lovers. The 1500 mile loop extends from the gorgeous Bilbao city to the Biarritz beachside, though you can ride through the French Mediterranean coast and Andorra. 

   5. Hanna Highway, Maui

   The stunning Maui island in Hawaii is a gorgeous scenery for both the locals and tourists, though hurtling down the 100Km road on your motorbike makes the experience even more incredible. The area is sweltering even during the cold seasons, so it's best to pack light. However, you needn't forget your protective gear.

   6. Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam

   Located in the historical country of Vietnam, the Ho Chi Minh trail is highly popular with motorcyclists. The 1000 mile road from north Saigon (Hanoi) to the South is steeped deep in beauty and history, allowing riders to enjoy the stunning Vietnamese mountains, hinterland, and rice terrace. Even better, the locals are friendly and highly welcoming to the visitors.

   7. Pacific Coast, USA 

   If you're an adventurous motorcyclist in the US, the entire west coast will make a fantastic road trip. You can enjoy a drive through the iconic scenes of Los Angeles and San Francisco, or travel through the backwood of highway 1 & 101 that takes you to Portland, Oregon.

2. A UK Motorbike Road Trip for Football Fans

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 27th Nov 2019

   Road trips give you the freedom to travel for whatever reason you want, visit many places along the way, and take in the scenery as you are going. It’s awesome to combine a motorbike trip with other hobbies and interests. 

   Here is a simple UK road trip for football fans. It takes you through some of the UK’s major cities, with each offering a solid dose of football madness. You can adjust the trip as you see fit, adding stops and destinations. If you support a specific team, then you will want to add their hometown to the route, so that you can visit their stadium and catch a home game.

   Main Destinations

   The main destinations for this motorbike road trip are London, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow. Here’s why:

   London – London has more football clubs than any other city in the UK. There’s Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Crystal Palace and more. London is also home to Wembley Stadium, the largest stadium in the UK and the second-largest in Europe. You can take tours of the stadium for £19 per person, exploring the stands, tunnels, press conference rooms, and ending with the ‘Exhibition of Champions’, showcasing 56 years of European football. 

   Liverpool – Liverpool FC overcame expectations to beat Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup last year, making them the reigning champions of Europe in just about every way.

   Liverpool FC are top of domestic and European  football at the moment, making the city one of the best destinations for your motorbike road trip.

    

   Fans can take a full tour of Anfield Stadium, including the Liverpool FC and Steven Gerrard Collection museum at the end. If you’re really into it, then you can even stay at the Bill Shankly Hotel, a dedication to the team’s former manager. Liverpool city is also home to Everton, who have just as much history though not as many honours. 

   Manchester – Manchester is home to two very successful football teams: City and United. As such, this is a city that is full of football pride. You could visit the Old Trafford Stadium (or Etihad if you prefer Man City), check out the National Football Museum, and even stay in the Hotel Football. If you can get to Manchester for derby day, then you’re in for a real buzz! You don’t have to get tickets to enjoy the game; the bars and pubs will be rammed. 
   

   Glasgow – You could skip out Glasgow to keep your road trip short, but keeping it in lets you see much more of the UK’s finest scenery. The drive up from Manchester to Glasgow is, for the most part, spectacular. Detour through the Lake District, where you can find plenty of biker friendly accommodation to stop off, and then head up into the wilds of Scotland. Glasgow is home to one of the fiercest football rivalries in the UK: Rangers Vs Celtic. You can also visit the Scottish Football Museum.

   The Route - See here

   The beauty of any road trip is that you can plan your own route, so don’t be afraid to tamper and go where you went to go. You can also take on this trip in either direction, starting in London or Glasgow. Starting in London and ending in Glasgow will leave the best scenery till last, but true football fans may want to finish off with the Wembley Stadium tour.

   From London, you can take the M40 up towards Birmingham, then the M56 North, turning off on the M62 to Liverpool. The same motorway, the M62, will take you from Liverpool to Manchester. You can then take the M61 and M6 North to Lancaster.

   Around Lancaster, you have the opportunity to change up the route and see the nicest National Parks the country has to offer. I recommend the Lake District, turning off near Kendal to take the stunning A591 straight through the Cumbrian Mountains, rejoining the route at Carlisle. From there, it’s the A74 and M74 to Glasgow, again through beautiful scenery. 

3. Big Tour Savings Riding NEW Yamahas

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 24th May 2019

   Tenere, Tracer 900 GT and Bolt motorcycles now available for our September 2019 Wild Wild West guided tours. They offer great value for money with savings of £600 per bike on our 2 week tour and £450 on the one week tours.
   
   For those of you who've ever asked about lighter bikes then these Yamahas make an ideal alternative to our fleet of Harleys.  And, combined with the opportunity to ride all the best bits of the American West and the golden state of California, what's not to like!

   On the Wild Wild West tour it's difficult to pick the top highlights.... Grand Canyon Monument Valley and Navajo lands Death Valley Yosemite Bryce Canyon Zion National Park Historic Route 66 Las Vegas glitz and glamour San Francisco (Golden Gate Bridge, Napa wine valley, Alcatraz) Pacific Coast Highway and Big Sur

   Call Linda NOW on 01256 771770 to take advantage of the Yamaha Wild Wild West tours offer.  And for all other fabulous Silver Jubilee offers CLICK HERE Orange & Black can also arrange flights, accommodation, specialist travel insurance and any other travel requests you have. Ride Safe David Grist

4. Fantastic Deal on Route 66

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 17th Mar 2019

   Join our 11-25 July 2019 Route 66 Original tour and get a FREE pre-tour night in Chicago and a FREE day's motorcycle hire! We can escort you up to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee or you can take your own ride in the Chicago area.

   Come with Orange & Black on a ride that will take you across a slice of America like no other! Follow the route of the early motorists of the 1920s and 30s where every mile is steeped in automotive history. Experience the genesis of popular culture and enjoy breathtaking scenery along the way. If you've still not planned your 2019 ride this could be for you! 

   Orange & Black...... for your ride of a lifetime, every time!

5. Breathtaking Winter Riding In New Zealand

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 8th Mar 2019

   For many years New Zealand has been a really popular riding destination for clients of H-C Travel, particularly in the UK winter.
   
   Now there is a little piece of New Zealand into the office in the form of NZ Manager Sarah Jamieson. She'll be delighted to talk to you about tours in her homeland and knows some great sightseeing activities you might like to bolt on.
   
   Your H-C Travel New Zealand motorcycle tour options:

   • Southern moonlight self-guided - fabulous 2 week ride absorbing pretty much the whole of South island 
   • Two island Grand self-guided - 21 day extravaganza with stops all around the country
   • Tailormade self-guided - Let Sarah design a tour just for you
   • Two Island guided - 14 days visiting the key sites of both islands and led by our expert local guides

   H-C Travel offers you fabulous self-guided routes, hand-picked accommodation and guided tours, small group sizes with experienced, professional, local guides. All backed by a team of travel specialists. 
   
   www.hctravel.com

   Ride Safe