October 6 to October 12
Everyone loves Italy. It’s more than just the food, the culture, the people and the bikes, it’s a whole package. If you are an intermediate or better skilled rider then no way in hell should you see the magic of Tuscany by car or bus. Italy is not that hard and we are going to show you how. The back roads of Tuscany unfold the real life of Italy before you. On a motorcycle in Italy you are not an observer, you become part of the story. The little plazas, the generations old shops, the delicious food made with love.Everything is rich in character because Italy is blessed and cursed with an over abundance of passion. The best way to see the world is on two wheels and the hills of Tuscany are a superb example. We show you why and more importantly HOW.
How much and what’s included?
6 Nights in 3 and 4 Star hotels that are all about clean comfort in the right location with included breakfast as well and you should take advantage of it. Base bikes are F750GS, F900R, and Ducati Scrambler, but there’s a wide range of Ducati, BMW and even a few Moto Guzzi upgrades. Leod Escapes will provide you with a Chatterbox X2 Slim Radio. Our preferred method of group rider communication. Prices start at $2650. This tour was created with our friends on the Motorcycles & Misfits podcast and Emma herself will be joining us on the tour as one of our instructors.
How does this work?
We arrive in Rome. We encourage you to come a day or two early to let your luggage catch up. Explore the “Eternal City”. We have loads of tips on what to do in Rome. From how to do the must see sites rights but more importantly learn how this modern city integrates it’s epic past with modern life. Then we are off to Tuscany. You’ll be placed in a group of 4 or 5 riders according to your desired pace. Everyone has com units and a GPS. No one will get left behind. Your squadron supports each other. Your instructors will keep track of everyone on What’sApp and we are ready to lend of hand if you need it… but you’ll learn, you can do this. Our hotel in Tuscany is in a small resort town, not a tourist trap. You’ll navigate Italian life and find the tasty spots. Each day in Tuscany there will be an array of routes for you to choose from. Will you dodge the tourists around the famous towers of San Gimignano? Don’t worry we know where the hidden motorcycle only parking is located. Maybe you are a MotoGP fan and always wanted to visit Valentino Rossi’s home town of Tavulia? We know where you can look down on his ranch and VR46 training ground. Chase the curves of the Chianti region and walk the circuit of the Palio in Sienna. Grab an ice cream in the little plaza in Vinci and sit at the feet of one of Leonardo’s greatest sculptures. We encourage you to create your own routes before we go. You’ll have instruction and homework before you go that will allow you to create your own dream day. The hill towns of Anghari, Pienza, Volterra and Montalcino call, which ones will you go to? Leod has been doing tours in Italy since 2015, so we have some favorite spots. Our hidden lunch stop in Radicofani where no tourist bus can go. The local rider gathering spots like Passo del Muraglione or Lo Scoiattolo (The Squirrel) bar and gelato spot high above lake Trasimeno. When ever we do tours in Italy people often come to “see” but they return home with memories of places, people and experiences they didn’t expect. What will be yours? At the end of the week we till return to Rome on another fun route before you fly home. You’ll return with not only great memories of Italy but probably some new traveling skills and greater confidence in your own motorcycle travel abilities.
Why we created the Travel Training Tour format
Leod Escapes runs motorcycle tours. Mostly for track riders. They are expensive, we know, we pay the bills and they are not getting cheaper. We know the motorcycle tour market. The general tourism motorcycle tours don’t have our “track” expenses but still they are NOT cheap. Guides, luggage trucks, bland banquette menu dinners, expensive hotels, these features give you a pleasant tourist experience at a high sticker price. At Leod Escapes we are quite aware that not everyone has been so fortunate. For many riders these great experiences are out of reach. Often however the high price is just used an excuse. The real reason in the USA is fear of travel. Fear of the unknown prevents more riders from going than any high price. We’ve removed the excuse. You can do this. Furthermore, many full service motorcycle tours reduce your freedom of pace. Being forced to go really really slow on gorgeous twisty roads will frustrate you to the point of insanity. Conversely being forced to ride beyond your abilities is stressful and dangerous. After decades of tours all over the globe, the issue of pace is one we know well. Just as important is authenticity. We say a tourist goes to see but a traveler goes to understand. A carefully curated tour escorts you at a slow pace on a tourist trail. It can be fun and pleasant but as experienced travel providers, we know you are missing out. We want you to ride your fun pace and go experience a destination up close. We want you to ride, eat, and stay where a local rider would take their friends. We want you to engage with your destination and savor real experiences, not fake manufactured ones. Finally, what if you are already an experienced traveler and just want the freedom and the lower cost? Great, we welcome you. You can teach your squadron what you know, while enjoying the company of fellow riders on your own daily adventure. As our instructor Emma from Motorcycles & Misfits says, “The best thing in the world, is riding with your friends”. On a shared adventure like this, fellow motorcycle riders become fast friends. It’s important to note that YOU are the secret sauce of a tours success. Your spirit, your wisdom, your sense of adventure, your humor is a key part of what makes a tour great. Your fellow riders will appreciate you. So come ride the dream.