2hr Retro Motorcycle Sidecar Oslo Highlights Tour

A two-hour highlights tour by retro motorcycle sidecar.

Overview

Two hours, one vintage motorcycle with a sidecar, and a route that runs from the parliament building up to Holmenkollen and back down through the sculpture park and the museum peninsula. Retro Tours Norway runs this as a private ride, so the stops in the published itinerary are more a menu than a fixed script. Riders meet on the corner of Karl Johans gate and Rosenkrantz gate, next to the Stortinget, and the tour ends at the same spot.

The default loop touches the Stortinget and the Royal Palace for about ten minutes each, pauses at Holmenkollen, spends fifteen minutes in Vigelandsparken, and gives the Bygdoy Peninsula the longest single stretch at twenty minutes. Because only your group takes part, several travellers report the guide asking at the start what they want to see and then reshaping the route around those answers.

It suits people who want to cover ground quickly without a bus. A maximum of two passengers ride per bike, and children must sit in the sidecar. Reviewers who had tried hop-on hop-off buses in Oslo generally preferred this, saying they saw far more of the city than they would have on another type of tour. Anyone with back problems should think twice, though, as the listing advises against the tour in that case.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Grand HotelThe meeting point is on the corner of Karl Johans gate and Rosenkrantz gate, beside the parliament building. The tour ends back here.
2. StortingetA roughly 10 minute stop at the Norwegian parliament. Free admission, no entry needed.
3. The Royal PalaceAnother 10 minute stop, again with free admission.
4. Holmenkollen Ski MuseumA 10 minute stop. Museum entry is not included if you want to go inside.
5. VigelandsparkenA 15 minute stop among the sculptures.
6. Bygdoy Peninsula20 minutes at the museum peninsula. Museum entrance fees are not included, and the optional ferry ride back to Aker Brygge from here costs extra.
7. Return to the meeting pointThe ride finishes back at the Grand Hotel corner.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical things shape how this tour goes.

• Weather gear. Helmets are mandatory and provided, along with gloves and cagoules if needed. Reviewers rode through heavy rain more than once and still enjoyed it. Suitable clothing is strongly recommended.
• Private and flexible. Only your group participates, and multiple reviewers said the driver asked what they wanted to see before setting off. If there are sights you have already visited, say so at the start and the route can be reshaped.
• Seating rules. Maximum two passengers per bike. Children must sit in the sidecar, and the minimum age to ride on the motorbike itself is 16.
• Photo stops. Travellers repeatedly mention stopping for photos whenever they wanted, including at overlooks and major sights. One reviewer also praised the guide as a great photographer at the points of interest.
• Back problems. The listing says the tour is not recommended for travellers with back problems, and one reviewer who rode it agreed, describing the Ural motorcycle as not a smooth ride. Wheelchair users are noted as able to participate, as transportation and surfaces are listed as wheelchair accessible.
• Extra costs. Museum entrance fees and other excursions are not included. The optional ferry from Bygdoy back to Aker Brygge also costs extra if you choose it.

Common issues. The ride depends on good weather, and if it is cancelled for poor conditions you are offered a different date or a full refund. Several reviewers rode in steady rain and enjoyed it anyway, but that is worth expecting in Oslo. One rider noted the Ural does not give a smooth ride, which matters if you have back problems, and the listing advises against the tour in that case. Museum entries and the optional Bygdoy ferry are extra.

Common Questions