About this tour
When Charlie from our team climbed into V8 Trike Tours' custom-built Chevrolet trike, we got the lowdown on what makes this Bay of Plenty experience tick. You're strapped into a proper three-wheeler powered by a 5700cc motor, designed and built in New Zealand, tearing around Tauranga's coast for 25–30 minutes with a knowledgeable driver at the helm. It's pure theatre — the low centre of gravity keeps things planted through corners, and the sheer novelty of the rig means you'll turn heads. The tour books out to four people per vehicle, so it works as a group splash-out or a couple's thrill. Families with little ones are welcome too, prams and all.
Highlights
- Custom-built Chevrolet V8 trike — pure engineering theatre on wheels
- Smooth, low-gravity cornering despite the raw horsepower underneath
- Knowledgeable guide doubles as driver — local flavour built in
- Registered as a car, not a bike — seatbelts over helmets
- Accessible to ages 2+, wheelchair users, and varied mobility needs
- Photo stop captures you in the cockpit, wind-swept and grinning
- Four-person capacity means group cost splits neatly among mates
What to expect
Charlie climbed aboard with three others, and the brief is straightforward: strap in, grip the seat, and let the driver handle the Bay of Plenty's best angles for 25–30 minutes. The trike feels wider and more planted than you'd expect, and the acceleration is genuine — there's no pretence here, just a 5700cc Chevrolet motor doing its thing. The route hits a photo stop where you can snap yourselves looking appropriately windswept, and the guide weaves in local knowledge about Tauranga's coastline and quirks as you roll.
There's a carnival feel to the whole thing. You're not hiking or sitting in a minibus; you're in something genuinely unusual that makes passersby stare. The ride's smooth enough that it's thrilling rather than jarring, and the novelty carries the whole experience. It's short, sharp, and leaves you buzzing rather than shattered.
What travellers say
- Genuine V8 novelty — not a gimmick, engineered specifically for thrill
- Accessibility thoughtfully baked in — wheelchairs, prams, and varied abilities welcome
- Short but punchy — suits time-pressed cruisers and attention spans alike
- Knowledgeable local driver turns engineering spectacle into storytelling tour
- Group-friendly pricing — up to four split the vehicle cost fairly
- Qualmark Gold and international awards point to serious professionalism
- Per-vehicle pricing means solo riders subsidise empty seats
- Only 25–30 minutes — thrilling but brief, no sprawl for explorers
- Weather exposure — blustery days mean salt spray and chill
- Tauranga-only option limits flexibility for cruise passengers at other ports
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
This is dead simple fun that suits groups (up to four), couples, and families wanting a genuine adrenaline hit without massive commitment. The Qualmark Gold rating and Traveller's Choice gong suggest the outfit knows what it's doing. Accessibility is genuinely thought through — wheelchair users, prams, infants in specialised seats, and those with mobility or learning differences are all catered for. There's no helmet wrestling either (it's registered as a car, so seatbelts are the deal). If you forget a jacket or sunscreen, they'll loan you one.
Price is per vehicle, not per person, so a solo rider pays the same as four squeezed in — budget accordingly. The 25–30 minute duration is quick; if you want hours of exploration, this isn't it. You're exposed to the elements, so weather matters — pack a layer and expect salt spray if it's blustery. Kids under 2 need to be in a pram (you can't hold them), and very tall or large passengers might find the fit snug. It's based in Tauranga specifically, so geography limits your ship-day options if you're docked elsewhere. Peak cruise-ship season can mean queues.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.