Explore Canada by Motorcycle

Canada offers motorcycle touring on a scale that’s hard to comprehend until you’re out there riding it. From the vast wilderness of the Yukon to the towering peaks of the Canadian Rockies, this is a country where the roads stretch endlessly through some of the most dramatic and unspoilt landscapes on earth. If you’ve ever dreamed of riding through true frontier country, Canada is where that dream comes to life.

Big Country, Bigger Riding

Canada is the second largest country in the world, and much of it remains genuinely wild. For motorcyclists, that means long days in the saddle through landscapes that shift from dense boreal forest and glacier-carved valleys to alpine meadows and vast open plains. The roads are quiet, the horizons are enormous, and the sense of space and freedom is unlike anything you’ll find in Europe.

The Canadian Rockies are the headline act. Riding the Icefields Parkway through Jasper and Banff National Parks is consistently ranked among the greatest motorcycle roads on the planet, with glaciers, waterfalls, and turquoise lakes around every bend. Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, provides a stunning backdrop, while Lake Louise and the Athabasca Waterfalls are the kind of stops where you find yourself reaching for the camera every few minutes.

Further north, the Yukon and British Columbia offer a completely different experience — remote, rugged, and exhilarating. The Stewart-Cassiar Highway winds through the jade-rich Cassiar Mountains, an area heavily populated with bears and largely empty of other traffic. Frontier towns like Dawson City, with its dirt roads and clapboard sidewalks, feel like stepping back in time to the gold rush era.

What to Expect on the Road

Canada’s main highways are well-maintained and a pleasure to ride. In the more remote northern regions, you’ll encounter some gravel and dirt road sections — these are public roads used by everyday traffic rather than off-road trails, but a degree of confidence on loose surfaces is helpful. Fuel stops can be spread far apart in the Yukon and northern British Columbia, which is all part of the adventure when you’re on a guided tour with the logistics taken care of.

The wildlife is a genuine highlight. Bears, moose, elk, and deer are common sights along the roadside, particularly in the national parks and along northern routes. Riding through Glacier National Park on the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road, crossing the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, is one of those experiences that reminds you why you ride a motorcycle rather than sit in a car.

Beyond the Bike

Canada’s culture is as varied as its landscape. In the north, you’ll encounter First Nations history at sites like Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage site where indigenous tribes hunted bison for over a thousand years. The frontier towns offer a warm, no-frills hospitality — expect log cabin accommodation, local diners, and evenings spent swapping stories over cold beers. In the Rockies, towns like Jasper provide a more polished experience with excellent restaurants and outdoor activities including hiking, fishing, and white water rafting.

Accommodation on Canadian tours reflects the remote nature of the riding. Some nights are spent in comfortable log cabins in spectacular settings, others in characterful small-town motels — all with private rooms and en suite facilities, but with a focus on location and experience rather than luxury.

Best Time to Ride

The Canadian riding season is relatively short. June to September offers the best conditions, with July and August providing the warmest weather and longest days. Mountain passes are generally clear by mid-June, though snow can linger at higher elevations. September brings cooler temperatures but stunning autumn colours, particularly in British Columbia and the Rockies.

Ride Canada with Motorrad Tours

Our Canadian tours combine the raw wilderness of the north with the breathtaking scenery of the Rockies, taking in glaciers, national parks, frontier towns, and some of the most spectacular riding roads in the world. With experienced guides, carefully planned routes, and accommodation arranged in remote locations you’d never find on your own, this is touring at its most adventurous. Browse our upcoming Canada departures below.