With so many to choose from, how do you select which tour company is best for you? To decide if a motorcycle tour operator is worth it, you must consider three important factors: The Value, The Guides, and The Hat.
This three-part article is meant to help educate you on those three important things before signing any contract.
You can find the other parts at:
Choosing the Right Motorcycle Tour Company – The Guides – Part #2
Choosing the Right Motorcycle Tour Company – The Guides – Part #3
Part 1: The Value
Regardless of the number of zeros at the end of your bank account balance, there are some factors that almost everyone takes into consideration when making a purchase. Those factors are cost, price, and value. If you’re one of the few that don’t consider those factors, I have this ultra-high class, baller-status motorcycle tour that I want to run past you. For everyone else, however, read on. Regardless of your budget, you still want something that is worth it to you. Regardless of your price point, product value is what you’re looking for.
Make sure that when you compare pricing, you compare apples to apples. Every tour operator works differently when it comes to additional expense such as meals, gas, tickets for local attractions, etc. You have to include the price of not only the included items but also the items that aren’t included, and how they might affect the overall price of the trip. Additional expenses such as daily fuel, airport pickup / drop off, and other items can quickly raise the low price of that bare-bones tour to within reach of the higher-end motorcycle tour with all the options included. What might seem like a huge price difference in tour packages might not be the same after you compare apples to apples.
In addition to considering your expenses, you also need to consider the tour operator’s expenses. Let’s pretend you found your next tour operator, Moneybag Tours. The owner of Moneybag Tours has a 2018 Porsche 911, his 3rd wife (the secretary) has a Lexus, and the secretary’s son has that new Street Glide you’ve been dreaming about. Moneybag’s offices are located on prime real estate in the nice part of town, and Moneybag Tours dozens of branches, across the nation, with dozens of gigantic offices and numerous employees spread across the US. In fact, as you enter, Moneybag’s virgin biker maidens shovel-feed you exotic imported fruit while you watch via virtual reality what you can experience with a Moneybag Tour.
Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Actually, it sounds pretty damn fantastic but have you ever considered how much of your tour package cost (and it’s accompanying retail markup) is going towards that delicious exotic fruit you keep eating by the shovel-load? As a tour operator myself, I can tell you that part of your tour package price goes toward covering office expenses. Wouldn’t you rather that money be spent on the motorcycle tour you’re taking? Things like nicer hotels and better meals (that include exotic and imported fruit). And more qualified staff (BTW anybody know where I can hire some exotic, imported fruit shoveling, virgin biker maidens).
As Part 1 ends, I hope you will find this information to be useful while starting to narrow down your choice of tour operators for your next dream road trip.
Look forward to Part 2: The Guides next week!
You can find the other parts at:
Choosing the Right Motorcycle Tour Company – The Guides – Part #2
Choosing the Right Motorcycle Tour Company – The Guides – Part #3