ABOUT us
At Passmasters Rider Training, we believe learning to ride should be as enjoyable as the ride itself. Our story began with founder Chris Smith, who first qualified as a motorcycle instructor in London more than 25 years ago. Since then, Chris has clocked up decades of riding experience across 19 countries, collecting not just miles, but a wealth of riding knowledge and real-world skills.
In 2008, Chris made the move to Aotearoa, where he’s been sharing his passion for motorcycling ever since—helping riders of all levels gain their motorbike licence in Auckland, Hamilton, and across New Zealand, improve their skills, and enjoy our country’s incredible roads with confidence. His philosophy? Learn well, ride safe, and always have fun.
At Passmasters, we offer friendly, professional motorcycle lessons tailored to your needs—whether you’re starting out on your learner licence, brushing up with a refresher course, or taking advantage of ACC Ride Forever courses (often starting from just $20, and sometimes completely free). From motorcycle training in Auckland to licence test preparation in Hamilton, our goal is to help you upskill, ride with confidence, and keep the shiny side up.
Whether you’re new to two wheels or a seasoned rider, we make your riding journey safe, rewarding, and unforgettable—on the city streets, open highways, or the twisting scenic routes New Zealand is famous for.
MEET THE TEAM
Chris – Founder & Head Instructor
Speciality: Road, Track & Slow Skills
Rides: Kawasaki ZH2, XSR900 GP, Ninja 400 race bike
Chris is the boss, the big cheese, and the bloke who started Passmasters after qualifying as a motorcycle instructor in London more than 25 years ago. He’s ridden in 19 countries, survived the British weather, and now enjoys teaching riders across Auckland, Hamilton, and beyond how to get their motorbike licence without losing their marbles. Since landing in NZ in 2008, he’s been sharing his “learn well, ride safe, and have fun” mantra—though he still hates cleaning bikes.
Andy A – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road & Track
Rides: KTM 990, Kawasaki Z400, Ninja 400 race bike
Andy’s a bike nut—if it’s got two wheels, he’s into it. Splits his time between road coaching and racing, plus he’s into LEGO… because apparently building tiny bikes counts as training. Andy is also single-handedly responsible for saving more crash-damaged Ninja 400s from the wrecking yard than most mechanics see in a lifetime. He rebuilds them into fully prepped race machines for the Carl Cox Motorsport Cup, proving he’s as handy with a spanner as he is with a set of handlebars.
Alex – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road & Track
Rides: BMW S1000R, Ninja 400 race bike
Alex is big on road and track training and loves pushing riders to up their game—while secretly plotting revenge on anyone who beats him in a race (especially lighter people). Also partial to cheese and dogs, though not at the same time.
Andy E – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road
Rides: BMW GS, Yamaha MT09
Andy’s the big jolly fellow with the permanent smile and a heart the size of his fuel tank. Specialises in road skills training and getting the best out of any bike—or rider—without breaking a sweat. Loves 90’s sports bikes and, apparently, almost everything else.
Mikayla – Admin & Marketing
Speciality: Offroad, Moto, Enduro
Rides: Husqvarna TX300, Trident 660
Mikayla is the glue that holds this circus together—especially after Chris has been in the office breaking things. She is often the voice behind our emails, social posts and all things marketing. What most people don’t realise is she’s a six-time New Zealand Motorcycle Title holder—probably more than the rest of the team combined. Handy on any dirtbike, Mikayla has no problem working all the boys off-road, and she’s proof that admin staff can be just as fast (and sometimes faster) than the coaches.
Rob – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road
Rides: Kawasaki Z1000SX
Rob’s a smooth operator on the road and off it. Comes from a trucking background, which means he’s seen some things… and probably can’t repeat them. Loves learning new skills and teaching riders how to make cornering look like art.
Spot – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road
Rides: Kawasaki Z900RS
Spot’s our “organic mechanic”—basically a human service manual with a sense of humour. Happy customers make him happy too. He also has a “real” job, which apparently involves picking up pieces (don’t ask).
Steve – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road
Rides: Triumphs. Lots of Triumphs.
Steve’s been riding since before mono-shocks were a thing, which is code for “he’s seen it all.” A boat builder on the side, Steve brings steady hands, decades of road riding knowledge, and a healthy disdain for oil on the carpet.
Paul P – Motorcycle Insturctor
Speciality: Road & Track
Rides: V-Strom, Yamaha FZR1000 race bike, KX450F
Paul’s a racer at heart who also loves the open road—basically living proof you can be fast and still enjoy a Sunday cruise. Dislikes falling off, whether it’s on the track or in the dirt (fair enough).
Ben – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road, Gravel & Slow Skills
Rides: Yamaha T7, Suzuki V-Strom
Ben is the team’s Swiss Army knife—versatile, reliable, and probably over-prepared. He can coach you through gravel riding, slow skills, or a tricky corner you’ve been avoiding for months. Likes adventures and dislikes meat.
Kedar – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road & Gravel
Rides: KTM 890
Kedar’s the adventure guy—if there’s gravel, he’s on it. Loves meeting people, riding hard, and KTM’s so much he might start a fan club. Dislikes bad drivers, so don’t be one.
Callan – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road
Rides: Yamaha MT09
Callan had his BHST with Chris over a decade ago—clearly he wasn’t scared off, because now he’s one of our coaches. Loves racing cars and tattoos, dislikes messy gear containers.
Brian – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road
Rides: BMW GS
Brian’s an import who brought plenty of riding and training knowledge with him—plus a side hustle training truck drivers. Loves teaching, dislikes the price of fuel, and will happily help you ride smarter so you use less of it.
Erik – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Road
Rides: Yamaha MT09, Yamaha Tracer
Erik has two jobs and both involve motorcycles—he’s living the dream. Known for winding Chris up, getting his bike stuck in the sand, and making riders laugh while they learn.
Josh – Motorcycle Instructor
Speciality: Learner & Intermediate Riders
Rides: KTM 390
Josh is so keen he probably sleeps in his riding gear. He’s the go-to guy for Basic Handling Skills Test coaching and helping new riders start their journey without too many “oops” moments. Dislikes picking up dropped bikes… but will do it anyway.
See us on Facebook
Today was the last instalment of Motomed for a few months. 20 riders gave up their day to learn cool stuff like how tourniquets work and how much they hurt, how to cut motorcycle gear off and refresh old skills like DRABCD and CPR for 6 mins! 🥵
The simulations were great, everyone worked as a team to manage the scene and make it as safe as possible, assessed the level of injury and treat whilst the ambo was enroute.
This has to be my favourite course to be part of, Spot is a wealth of knowledge and his way of sharing is easy on the ear. Thanks for letting me be part of it.
A big thanks to the wāhine from AT for looking after us and letting us fill the shower with fake blood🩸
Laters C 🏍️🤙🏻
📸Rachael/Chris
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
All prepped for our MotoMed motorcycle rider first aid course here in Auckland.
Get ready to learn some stuff under the guidance of our very own organic mechanic @spottydog701
#motorcycle
#FirstAid
#MOTOmed
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
This would be a good course to do.
What a beautiful course.
Smooth throttle = smoother riding 👌
Just one quick tip to help stop jerky throttle inputs, especially while practising slow-speed skills.
Small adjustment, big difference in control. 🏍️
#motorcycle #MotorcycleTips #motorcycletraining #PassMasters #slowspeed
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
Nice one Chris. 😎
Good advice thanks for sharing
These tidbit posts are elite
Street Triple 765RX dialled in 👌
Always set your bike up for you. The right suspension and lever setup helps make the bike feel more predictable, controlled, and safer on the road.
Big thanks to @triumphmotorcyclesnz for letting us have a run on the 765 RX!
5 CommentsComment on Facebook
Great video thanks learnt alot as I have on your amazing previous courses at dx
Thats a very rough way to sort suspension, really should only be done that way if you have no time or its a loan bike in my opinion. First thing I would do after setting the rebound & compression to factory recommended settings is set the suspension sag with all my riding gear on so the forks & shock operate in the middle of stroke. Then I'd annalyse the leading & trailing edge tire wear & adjust rebound & compression accordingly. The tire wear will tell you everything if you know what to look for. I recommend looking up Dave Moss. Its a bit of a dark art but I found it increased my knowledge of my bike & made it act like a physical extension to my body, definitely a more euphoric ride having that level of handling mastery & prowess. When ya throw a leg over.
Calvin Stevens