In 2025, an email from Ducati introduced me to Expedition Masters tours in northern and southern Italy, Iceland and the western United States. With no previous overseas riding experience, I applied for them all, but northern Italy and Iceland appealed most—one for its iconic roads and the other for its adventure riding.
After months of silence and a second round of applications, Luca Bono contacted me in May to discuss the expeditions. When the proposed call never happened, he messaged me on WhatsApp a week later, and I rang him the next morning to make it clear just how keen I was.
This came to be fairly typical of the Italian experience – everything happens eventually, it’s just super casual, always done with a laugh and little bit of flair! So the next thing I knew, I was booked for the double-header: the Ducati Expedition Masters trips to northern Italy and Iceland!
All I had to do was pay the money and order my Dainese riding gear, which was required for the tours and part of the package. It turns out I was the first New Zealander to attend a Ducati Expedition Masters tour, and I think one of the first people to do two of them in a single season. I felt very privileged and excited. I was on my way to Misano for the centenary edition of World Ducati Week, which was happening the weekend before the northern Italy tour began. . In Cattolica we assembled the crew – 10 guests (9 riders and 1 pillion), and 4 staff – the notorious Luca Bono (ride director and tour leader), Ricki and Marco (photo/videography and 2 wheeled fly bys) and Settimio (“7” mechanic and support driver). I was the only one from the Southern Hemisphere.
Trip 1 - Italy
Our eight-day, 1,800 km ride through northern Italy began at Misano after the World Ducati Week celebrations. We crossed the hills and plains to Venice, where we wandered the streets and watched the city at sunset, before climbing into the Dolomites. The Giau, Falzarego, Valparola, Gardena and Pordoi passes brought sharp hairpins, sweeping views and mountains that seemed close enough to touch.
After stopping at Lake Fedaia beneath the Marmolada, we descended through Lake Carezza and the Adige Valley to Merano, then tackled Stelvio and Gavia—the passes we had all been waiting for.
We continued past Lakes Como and Garda, through Verona and Mantova, before finishing with dinner at the Ducati Museum in Borgo Panigale. By then, it felt less like an organised tour and more like a group of mates who had shared a remarkable week of great roads, plenty of laughs and unforgettable moments.
The highlight of the tour for me had to be riding through the Alps, particularly the Dolomites and the infamous Stelvio Pass. There were allegedly 10,000 turns on this tour – I’m not sure if that was folklore or the truth, but it was absolutely epic to ride, even when the mercury was into the high 30’s! Equally, though, Italy’s culture, the camaraderie, the organisation and the genuine warmth of the people made this a truly memorable experience that I will cherish for life.
Trip 2 - Iceland
After a four-day hiatus in the Modena region, where I spent time looking at Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Italian architecture, I was back on a plane and heading for Reykjavík, Iceland. There, I met the next crew: this time 13 riders, many from Italy, with a few from other parts of the world, including an Australian. Reunited with Luca, Ricki and Marco, I was suddenly the experienced one on the tour.
Over eight days, we covered around 1,300 km on Ducati DesertXs. As expected, Iceland was completely different from Italy: active volcanoes, glaciers, river crossings, black desert, moss covered lava rock everywhere, and weather that could change without warning (think 4 seasons in 1 hour).
We spent much of the trip off-road, riding through Landmannalaugar, following lava fields towards Hekla and crossing the black desert of Fjallabak. The contrast between the dark volcanic sand, bright green moss, snowfields and rushing streams was beautiful and unique, yet there was certain familiarity with home (Tongariro, West Coast and Southern Alps). Along the way, we visited the black beach at Vík, the waterfalls at Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Gullfoss, and the geysers at Geysir. Our crew helped us build confidence on the rougher sections, while the support vehicle carried our luggage and the photo crew captured the journey. There was still time to stop, look around and take it all in. Iceland felt raw, remote and sometimes challenging—a genuine adventure on two wheels.
I can thoroughly recommend the Ducati Expedition Masters experience to anyone who loves motorcycle travel. The care and attention were outstanding; everything had been thought of. I didn’t have to look at a map or get my wallet out once during the tours, and there were plenty of espresso and gelato stops along the way. I felt truly welcomed into the Ducati family, and have made some wonderful new friendships.
Although this was my first time riding motorcycles overseas, I would have to say that northern Italy, in particular, is a bucket-list experience—and possibly the mecca of motorcycling. Bring on the next one!
✍🏽 Duncan White
📸 Ducati
