FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

At Snowmoto New Zealand, we prioritize the safety of our customers and take every precaution to minimize risks associated with snowbikes. Although snowbiking is a thrilling and adventurous activity, it's important to acknowledge potential risks, such as icy terrain, unstable snow conditions, and the possibility of collisions or falls. To address these risks, we provide comprehensive safety briefings before each tour, ensuring that all participants are familiar with the proper operation of their snowbike, safety protocols, and guidelines for navigating challenging terrain. Additionally, our experienced guides are trained to assess and mitigate potential hazards throughout the tour. We strongly advise all participants to wear appropriate safety gear, including helmets, gloves, and goggles, and to adhere to the instructions provided by our guides. By prioritizing safety measures and thorough preparation, we strive to provide a safe and enjoyable snowbike experience for all our customers. Key risks which require assessment in our operations include, but are not limited to: Avalanche Weather conditions Lack of training Damaged or unmaintained equipment Deep snow Ice Lack of emergency planning and equipment Insufficient fuel Drugs and Alcohol

The requirements to participate in a tour and ride are as follows: Some prior motorcycle experience is required (Clutch, Gears and Brakes) A reasonable level of riding fitness 13 years of age minimum (WE NOW HAVE A 230cc and 300cc SNOBIKE FOR LEARNERS) Any person 18 years and under can only ride with Parental Consent The bikes are all 450cc so you will need confidence although we now have a 230 and a 300 ( prior booking recommended) Ability to use the throttle, clutch, gear lever, and brakes on a motorcycle Experience consectutive hours in cold weather, the weather can change within minutes Able to follow complex directions (Avalanche awareness, starting and stopping procedures, stay with your guide, tips on control) You must inform us of any pre-existing medical injuries or conditions prior

Snowmoto NZ operates on the mountains surrounding Picturesque Kingston, near Queenstown and also in a brand new location on Robrosa Station in the Cardrona Valley, near Wanaka, both being in the South Island of New Zealand. We pickup from New World Frankton (near Queenstown) and ride near Kingston and Cardrona Valley depending on your tour. Travel time from Frankton to the riding area is a bit over an hour depending on conditions

We operate our Full Day and Overnight Trips near Kingston, The 3000ha riding area offers stunning views of the Central Otago mountains, Southern Alps and lakes, and you’ll be on Epic Snowmoto Bikes to see some pristine backcountry! We Operate our 2 hr thrillers near the SnowFarm on Robrosa station which is located in the Cardrona Valley

We highly recommend having some motorcycle experience, either on the road, dirt, or snow. You need to be comfortable using the clutch and gears, as well as the throttle and brake. Snowmoto Bikes are different than a motorcycle or snowmobile and have handling characteristics unique to themselves. Any rider will find some of their biggest challenges on Icy Snow or deep powder. Turning and starting can be challenging until you get the hang of it.

No, we only allow one rider per bike. Snowmoto Bikes are designed for single user operation.

Our permits allow us to offer guiding for snowmoto bikes only, and combining our group with snow mobiles or other snowbikes would violate our terms.

We provide a backpack with the necessary backcountry avalanche gear. The backpack includes a shovel, probe, and avalanche beacon that we are required to ride with. The rider wears the beacon on their body, and fills the backpack with whatever other supplies they may need for the day. On the bikes we include extra fuel. The guide carries some basic tools, small first aid kit, and spare snack bars. The goal is to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. Show up dressed warm, with some food and water (generally stop on route to riding area) and the rest should be all covered. We have Rental Gear available: Alpine Star Drystar Boots $40 Alpine Star Helmets $40 100% Goggles $20 Jackets $30 Snowboard pants $30 Gloves 100% Brisker $20 Alpine Star Neck Warmers to buy $40 Please let us know after your ride if there is anything else we could include to make the experience smoother.

If you have a helmet already, great. If not, we do have some available you can hire on the day for $40.00 NZD. Helmets must meet current NZ Safety standards and be full face Motor Cycle/ Motocross spec Ski and Snowboard Helmets are NOT allowed.

We recommend waterproof moto boots, with wool socks. Try to find some waterproof socks if you are going to wear standard moto boots. Tip from the team Two pairs of goggles is standard protocol on a snowy day as you can switch them out for a dry pair. Bring at least two pairs of warm winter gloves to switch between as the day goes on, moto gloves won’t cut it. In our bags we typically carry an extra layer to put on under our Jacket in case the temps are cold for the tour.

When you book a Snowmoto Tour, we will send you a confirmation email that details what you will need to bring to make your day successful. We have a good range of Rental Gear! Gear you need to bring includes: Helmet, Moto style, no snowboarding/ski helmets. Winter Boots (Snowmobile Boots, Snowboard Boots, or Goretex Moto boots with waterproof socks) Goggles - 2 pairs (Low Light Lenses, and Sunny lens) Gloves - 2 pairs (thinner pair for riding in, thick/warm pair for when you need them most) Warm under-layers / wool socks Waterproof jacket / Ski jacket Waterproof pants / ski pants Water Bottle Lunch/Snacks We inspect each clients gear upon arrival. You can rent gloves and goggles and any other gear if we feel what you bring is not adequate. Our goal is for you to have a enjoyable experience which is why we offer key pieces of gear to make your day warm and amazing.

Our Full Day tours cater for groups of 2 - 10 Riders Overnight tours are better suited to a max of 2- 8 Half Day Tours are best suited to groups of 2-5 For Larger parties please contact us and we will customise your tour. Minimum 2 people per tour

We understand that accidents happen and sometimes things don't go as planned. Here we outline some of the parts repair costs in case of an accident. Please note: We do not currently offer insurance options. Some of the parts you could break if you have an accident: Brake Lever – $50 Plastics (Fenders, Radiator Shrouds, Sidepanels) $45 -$165 Torn Seat – $350 Ski Spindle – $950 Ski – $1050 Hand guards $175 Radiator – $750 per side Handlebars – $490 Heated Grips – $180 Headlight – $195 Exhaust Header – $850 Track Rails – $490ea Snowbike track – $1500 Broken front forks – $2500 ea Shovel or probe $180ea Beacon $850 Muffler $950 Track bent frame or broken frame/chassis - From $2600 Track Side Panel $550ea Damage costs and repair labour will be determined on a case by case basis. Repair labour is based on $120 NZD/hour shop rate. We are fair and honest, and expect you to be as well.

Weather Policy In the Event of bad weather and not being able to ride at all, we will contact you to reschedule your ride day. If this is not possible, you will have booking credit in the form of a Gift Voucher. Customers will receive a full refund if cancelling over 90 Days away from the tour. 75% - 60-90 Days, 50% - 30-60 Days, and 0% - 30 Days or Less. Customers will not receive a full refund in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. We will apply a credit to your account to be used again. Contact us to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. If we are riding and part way through the day we have to abort the ride due to bad weather we will give you a credit on a pro rata system: $100 refund per hour not ridden

You’ve seen the machines out there, they look like a cross between a dirtbike, and a snowmobile. Often they will be referred to as a snow bike, timbersled, snowmoto, or snow mx bike. These conversion motorcycles with a track appeal to folks for many reason. A rider may be interested in having a dual purpose summer / winter riding machine, increased handling performance over snowmobiles, or trying something new. While a snowbike retains some dirtbike handling characteristics there are a few things to be acquainted with before riding these machines. Snow conditions are an important factor that play into how the bike will handle terrain, and affect any learning curve you may experience. To begin, a snowbike sits a few inches higher than a motorcycle with wheels. What this means, is you typically start with both feet on the pegs as it is further to reach the ground. Compared to a motorcycle where you leave one foot down to balance the bike so you don’t tip over, a snowbike balances itself fairly well when just sitting in place. This allows you to put both feet on the pegs for starting. The next step is taking off, and this may be the most challenging one until you get some practice. On a wheeled motorcycle, you can leave one foot down and ‘walk’ the bike until you get enough momentum to get your balance. However, this technique doesn’t translate so well to the snow bike, as you may barely be able to reach the snow with your tippy toes. So how do you do take off on a snowbike, and not tip over? Many times a slow speed start is too slow to reach the balance point and the rider will tip over. Trust, confidence, and a smooth burst of throttle! You must trust in your throttle control and clutching ability to smoothly and quickly get the machine moving to reach it’s balance point where you feel confident in it’s handling. A new rider will often try to feather the clutch and gain their initial speed slowly as they get a feel for the machine. Many times a slow speed start is too slow to reach the balance point and the rider will tip over. If the machine is moving too slowly, it will be more difficult to balance. The track creates more drag on the system than a typical rear wheel, so using slightly more throttle than you would on a dirtbike will compensate for this difference. The quicker you can get the snowbike moving, the more balance you will have. OK! you’re off and cruising over the snow, nice work! Now comes time for some handling technique. Similar to taking off, the snow bike handles significantly better with some forward inertia. At a slower speed, steering & balance is more difficult, so using your body weight to lean the bike will help keep your balance. As your speed increases, you can steer with the handlebars more, but you will still lean towards the direction you want to travel. Practice with the hand brake to see how much force is needed to slow the bike. Shift through some gears, and let off the throttle to see how much speed is lost through engine braking, snow conditions, and track drag while free coasting. Remember to plan your stopping areas where it will be easy to start up again Now comes time to stop, and you go to jam down the rear brake with your foot, and you frantically step down again because it feels like you missed! Well you didn’t, your brake is on your right handlebar. Snow Bikes, only have one brake, compared to two on motorcycles, so you must train yourself to use the handbrake in all stopping situations. While it may be tempting to follow your guide or riding partner and stop in their tracks, choose to stop beside your riding partners, rather than directly behind them. As you are rolling to a stop, right before you loose all momentum, grab the hand brake firmly to ‘seat’ the track into the snow. Minor steering inputs, keeping your core centered over the machine, and keeping both feet on the pegs will help you maintain your stop and keep you upright. Stopping: Right before you loose all momentum, grab the hand brake firmly to ‘seat’ the track into the snow. Once you nail the rolling stop with feet on the pegs, you’re doing pretty good. Practice your snow bike start and stop technique as much as possible. Remember to plan your stopping areas where it will be easy to start up again. Learning this fundamental is very important, and will make your entire day of backcountry riding more enjoyable. Key riding take aways: Start with feet on pegs Quick acceleration to find balance point Lean and steer in combination to navigate Plan your stop where it will be easy to start up again Brake is located on right handlebar, NO foot brake! Slow to a stop with both feet on foot pegs Stop next to riding partners, never directly behind Learning and practicing these fundamentals will shorten your learning curve, and will enable you to navigate more technical terrain with more ease and less fatigue. We hope these riding tips are helpful and help you have an enjoyable snow bike tour.

SNOWMOTO NZ Full Day Experience: All times are estimates and can change at any time 7:40am: Pick up New World Supermarket Frankton (near QT airport) 9:30am: Arrive at location. Begin safety briefing, Induction and avalanche safety talk 10:00am: Lets ride! 12:00pm: Lunch time. Catch up on the day so far. Check gear and refuel. We have a BBQ available 2:00pm: Smoko, catch up, gear check and refuel. 3:00pm: Finish for the day, pack up gear and head back to Queenstown. 5.30pm: Drop off at pick up location. What we wear: (Rental Gear Available Onsite) - Alpine Star Drystar boots with thermal socks or Snowboard boots - Moto x Helmet (must be valid to NZ standards) - Ski Google's - Thermal underwear - Winter Gloves - Ski pants and Jacket or warm waterproof outer wear Optional (highly recommended) items: - Beanie / Balaclava - Spare gloves - Spare goggles - Spare warm layer We supply a backpack with avalanche equipment (we avoid avalanche terrain although it is safe practice to be prepared for the unlikely in the back country). If you require rental gear to ride with we are able to supply: - Helmet $40 - Goggles $15 - Jacket $30 - Gloves $10 - Pants $30 - Boots $40 - Full Gear Bundle $120 Please bring along Water and High Energy Food to place in your backpack for the day. We can't wait to rip it up in the snow with you! Lets Ride!

SNOWMOTO NZ Robrosa 2 hr Thriller - Morning All times are estimates and can change at any time 7:40am: Pick up New World Supermarket Frankton (near QT airport) 9:30am: Arrive at location. Begin safety briefing, Induction and avalanche safety talk 10:00am: Lets ride! 12:00pm: Finish for the day, pack up gear and head back to Queenstown. 2:00pm: Drop off at pick up location. What we wear: (Rental Gear Available Onsite) - Alpine Star Drystar boots with thermal socks or Snowboard boots - Moto x Helmet (must be valid to NZ standards) - Ski Google's - Thermal underwear - Winter Gloves - Ski pants and Jacket or warm waterproof outer wear Optional (highly recommended) items: - Beanie / Balaclava - Spare gloves - Spare warm layer We supply a backpack with avalanche equipment (we avoid avalanche terrain although it is safe practice to be prepared for the unlikely in the back country). If you require rental gear to ride with we are able to supply: - Helmet $40 - Goggles $15 - Jacket $30 - Gloves $10 - Pants $30 - Boots $40 - Full Gear Bundle $120 Please bring along Water and High Energy Food to place in your backpack for the day. We can't wait to rip it up in the snow with you! Lets Ride!

SNOWMOTO NZ Half Day Teaser - Afternoon All times are estimates and can change at any time 11:00am: Pick up New World Supermarket Frankton (near QT airport) 12:30pm: Arrive at location. Begin safety briefing, Induction and avalanche safety talk 1:00pm: Lets ride! 3:30pm: Finish for the day, pack up gear and head back to Queenstown. 5:30pm: Drop off at pick up location. What we wear: (Rental Gear Available Onsite) - Alpine Star Drystar boots with thermal socks or Snowboard boots - Moto x Helmet (must be valid to NZ standards) - Ski Google's - Thermal underwear - Winter Gloves - Ski pants and Jacket or warm waterproof outer wear Optional (highly recommended) items: - Beanie / Balaclava - Spare gloves - Spare goggles - Spare warm layer We supply a backpack with avalanche equipment (we avoid avalanche terrain although it is safe practice to be prepared for the unlikely in the back country). If you require rental gear to ride with we are able to supply: - Helmet $40 - Goggles $15 - Jacket $30 - Gloves $10 - Pants $30 - Boots $40 - Full Gear Bundle $120 Please bring along Water and High Energy Food to place in your backpack for the day. We can't wait to rip it up in the snow with you! Lets Ride!

SNOWMOTO NZ Overnight Expedition: All times are estimates and can change at any time Day one: 7:40am: Pick up New World Supermarket Frankton (near QT airport) 9:30am: Arrive at location. Begin safety briefing, Induction and avalanche safety talk 10:00am: Lets ride! 12:00pm: Lunch time. Catch up on the day so far. Check gear and refuel. We have a BBQ available 2:00pm: Smoko, catch up, gear check and refuel. 3:30pm: Debrief and Snacks, refreshments etc Day two: 08:00am: Breakfast, packs lunches and clean up hut. Get ready for day. 09:00am: Brief of the days plan. Check gear and get riding for the day. 11:00am: Morning tea break. Gear check, refuel and see how everyone is feeling. 12:00pm: Lunch break and catch up. Refuel. 2:00pm: Finish up the trip. Start packing up the gear and heading down. 4:30pm: Drop back at accommodation What you will need to bring for overnight: (Food and Refreshments Provided) 1 Backpack Per Person Change of socks and undies Dry t-shirt Spare layer Phone charger Toiletry Bag Beanie Warm Jacket / Riding Jacket (No shower available) **Please note times are all based on estimations. We will endeavour to follow this planner as much as we are able. Riding conditions are always weather dependent and are out of our control. What we wear: (Rental Gear Available Onsite) - Alpine Star Drystar boots with thermal socks or Snowboard boots - Moto x Helmet (must be valid to NZ standards) - Ski Google's - Thermal underwear - Winter Gloves - Ski pants and Jacket or warm waterproof outer wear Optional (highly recommended) items: - Beanie / Balaclava - Spare gloves - Spare goggles - Spare warm layer We supply a backpack with avalanche equipment (we avoid avalanche terrain although it is safe practice to be prepared for the unlikely in the back country). If you require rental gear to ride with we are able to supply: - Helmet $40 - Goggles $15 - Jacket $30 - Gloves $10 - Pants $30 - Boots $40 - Full Gear Bundle $120 Please bring along Water and High Energy Food to place in your backpack for the day. We can't wait to rip it up in the snow with you! Lets Ride!

SNOWMOTO NZ Full day experience plus 1 Epic night: All times are estimates and can change at any time Day one: 7:40am: Pick up New World Supermarket Frankton (near QT airport) 9:30am: Arrive at location. Begin safety briefing, Induction and avalanche safety talk 10:00am: Lets ride! 12:00pm: Lunch time. Catch up on the day so far. Check gear and refuel. We have a BBQ available 2:00pm: Smoko, catch up, gear check and refuel. 3:30pm: Debrief and Snacks, refreshments etc Day two: 07:30am: Breakfast, and clean up hut. Get ready for Ride out. 08:45am: Check gear and get riding out. 09:15am: Finish up the trip. Pack up the gear and head out. 11:30am: Drop back at accommodation What you will need to bring for overnight: (Food and Refreshments Provided) 1 Backpack Per Person Change of socks and undies Dry t-shirt Spare layer Phone charger Toiletry Bag Beanie Warm Jacket / Riding Jacket (No shower available) **Please note times are all based on estimations. We will endeavour to follow this planner as much as we are able. Riding conditions are always weather dependent and are out of our control. What we wear: (Rental Gear Available Onsite) - Alpine Star Drystar boots with thermal socks or Snowboard boots - Moto x Helmet (must be valid to NZ standards) - Ski Google's - Thermal underwear - Winter Gloves - Ski pants and Jacket or warm waterproof outer wear Optional (highly recommended) items: - Beanie / Balaclava - Spare gloves - Spare goggles - Spare warm layer We supply a backpack with avalanche equipment (we avoid avalanche terrain although it is safe practice to be prepared for the unlikely in the back country). If you require rental gear to ride with we are able to supply: - Helmet $40 - Goggles $15 - Jacket $30 - Gloves $10 - Pants $30 - Boots $40 - Full Gear Bundle $120 Please bring along Water and High Energy Food to place in your backpack for the day. We can't wait to rip it up in the snow with you! Lets Ride!