Dominicans are moto-crazy. Of the 2.5 million registered vehicles, 1.8 million are two-wheelers, mostly 125cc or less. (Photo: Eric Putter)

We celebrated New Year’s with yet another beachside lunch stop. This time, it was at Los Gringos which features a restaurant, bar and three thatch-roofed cabanas for $80 per night in paradise. The owner and head chef, Patrick, an ex-pat, from Belgium, adds European flair and flags to the mellow vibe.

Fresh asphalt, lunch on the beach and a hike down to a crazy blue lake were all well and good, but the most entertaining sight of the day was of a totally different nature. While moving along at a good clip on the road to El Limon, we were literally stopped in our tracks by two guys engaged in a rollicking scuffle along the yellow centerline, surrounded by a small, noisy crowd.

Although MotoCaribe doesn’t pick up the alcohol tab, it offers comprehensive all-inclusive packages. Hotel accommodations, bike gas, meals, beverages, snacks, admission to attractions as well as fees for beach chairs, towels and umbrellas are on the house.

These American-led tours cover the entire country with four-, eight-, nine- and 11-day rides from December into the first week of May, including two during Dominicans’ boisterous Carnival celebration. Prices range from $1395 to $3445. Go to MotoCaribe.com to find out more than you can imagine about riding in the Dominican Republic. It’s replete with videos, a vast archive of photos and customer reviews.

Offering up American standards of quality, piloting like-new motorcycles in an exotic, developing nation, MotoCaribe tours are a tremendous bargain. The operation has attracted a loyal fraternity of riders, many of who are repeat customers. During this six-day adventure we covered 745 miles, each from 50 to just over 200 clicks; 32 miles of autopista being the longest distance traveled on straight road.

Jetting off to the DR is a breeze from the east coast. Direct flights from Miami to Santiago take just two hours; three-and-a-half from New York. This makes it easy and relatively inexpensive to slip in a few days of R&R on either side of a tour with friends, family or that special someone, such as the lovely lady friend who jetted down from Jersey to join me in decompression mode at a super-inexpensive, all-inclusive, 4-star resort near La Romana.

Robert promised that his tours are just like riding with friends. Check. He also said that I’d fall in love with the place just as he did more than 20 years ago. Yes, I’ll be back to this beautiful, diverse country of contrasts. Check mate.

RESOURCES
MotoCaribe Adventure Tours
Toll-free U.S. phone number: 813-751-0551
Website: MotoCaribe.com
Price range: $1395 to $3445

2012-2013 Tour Dates:
December 2-9: 8-Day Southwest Tour
January 6-13: 8-Day North Coast Tour
January 15-18: 4-Day North Coast Tour
January 20-27: 8-Day Southwest Tour
February 10-18: 9-Day North Coast Carnival Tour
February 23-March 3: 9-Day Southwest Carnival Tour
March 10-17: 8-Day North Coast Tour
March 19-23: 5-Day Southwest Tour
March 24-April 4: 12-Day Combination North Coast & Southwest Tour
April 7-14: 8-Day North Coast Tour
April 21-28: 8-Day Southwest Tour
May 5-12: 8-Day North Coast Tour

About Eric Putter
A veteran motojournalist and marketing professional, Eric’s editorial work has been published in a wide variety of more than 50 American media outlets specializing in powersports, travel, electronics, mountain biking and men's entertainment. Stories and pictures from other motorcycling adventures can be found at PutterPowerMedia.com and MotoStockPhoto.com.