WAIRARAPA, JULY 2026  —  From 1 July 2026, ACC is changing the way motorcycle levies are calculated, and for Wairarapa's motorcycling community, the headline news is a good one: riders who complete an approved Ride Forever Gold course can now earn themselves a 25% discount on their ACC motorcycle levy through the new ACC Rider Reward scheme.

The Wairarapa Road Safety Council (WRSC) is welcoming the change as a genuine opportunity for local riders — and their whānau — to turn proven safety training into real savings, while helping keep our roads safer for everyone who shares them.

What's changing

ACC is refining how motorcycle risk groups are set, moving from two engine-size bands to three, and gradually increasing the share of injury costs that riders themselves contribute to — from 28% currently, to 33% from 1 July 2026, and 37% from 1 July 2027. The remaining cost continues to be shared across all motor vehicle owners through the Motor Vehicle Account, so motorcyclists still only pay part of the true cost of motorcycle injuries.

For many riders, especially those on smaller and mid-range machines, levy changes will vary — some engine bands are actually decreasing, while others are increasing to better reflect risk. But the real opportunity sits with ACC Rider Reward: a decade of ACC data shows that riders who complete Ride Forever Gold training are 26% less likely to be involved in a crash — and now that skill and care on the road comes with a direct, tangible reward.

To qualify, riders need to complete an approved Ride Forever Gold course on or after 1 July 2025, hold a current New Zealand driver licence, and purchase their motorcycle licence for a period starting on or after 1 July 2026. The discount then applies automatically, to every motorcycle registered in that rider's name, for two years.

Understanding the concerns — and looking at the bigger picture

WRSC acknowledges that not everyone in the riding community sees these changes the same way. A small number of rider groups have voiced concerns about rising costs for larger-capacity machines, and it's a fair conversation to have — motorcycling is a passion, a lifestyle, and for many, a connection to whānau and community, so cost changes are felt personally.

What's encouraging is that ACC has built a genuine off-ramp into this system. Rather than a straight cost increase with nothing in return, riders are being handed a clear, achievable way to reduce their own levy — by investing a day in building the very skills that keep them safer on our roads. That's a conversation worth having with an open mind, and WRSC is here to help riders make the most of it.

Bring Ride Forever to your doorstep — and save the drive over the hill

Here's where Wairarapa riders can get ahead of the curve. Ride Forever courses are run by approved providers across the region, but for many local riders, getting to a course means a trip over the Remutaka Hill — not exactly the most appealing prospect on a wet weekday morning.

WRSC is encouraging riders to do what Wairarapa communities do best: get organised, get together, and bring the course to us.

If you can gather a group of at least six riders, you can approach a Ride Forever provider directly and ask them to bring a course to Wairarapa. It's a simple, practical way to save the trip over the hill, train alongside people you already ride with, and turn a training day into a genuine community event.

This is exactly the kind of rider-led, community-powered approach WRSC wants to champion — not safety being done to riders, but riders taking ownership of safety together.

Quotes from Holly Hullena, WRSC Projects Coordinator

“This isn't just a levy change — it's an invitation. ACC is essentially saying, ‘show us you're investing in your skills, and we'll invest back in you.’ For Wairarapa riders, the smartest response isn't to grumble about the drive over the hill, it's to grab five mates, pick up the phone, and get a Ride Forever course brought right here to our own roads.”

“We know our riding community — from the weekend tourers on the Remutaka, to the young riders just getting their licence, to the parents and partners who worry every time someone heads out the door. Ride Forever training isn't about ticking a box, it's about coming home. If you've got whānau who ride, encourage them to get amongst a group and get trained — it's one of the most loving things you can do for the people who wait for them to walk back through the door.”

A message for our whole riding whānau

Whether you're the rider heading out the gate on a Sunday morning, the partner or parent hoping they come home safe, or a young rider just starting out — this change affects you. WRSC encourages:

•       Riders to look at Ride Forever Gold not as an extra cost, but as training that pays for itself — in skill, confidence, and levy savings.

•       Whānau of riders to have the conversation, and encourage the riders they love to get trained.

•       Experienced riders and clubs to bring younger and newer motorcyclists into their group rides, mentor them, and help them find their way to a Ride Forever course.

•       Groups of six or more to take the initiative and approach a Ride Forever provider about running a course locally in Wairarapa.

Safer riding is a community effort — and Wairarapa has always been a region that looks out for its own.

Find out more

For full details on the ACC levy changes and ACC Rider Reward, visit: acc.co.nz — Motorcycle levy changes

For local Wairarapa motorcycle safety information, Ride Forever links, and rider group contacts, visit: wairsc.org.nz — Motorcycle Rider Safety

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Media contact:

Holly Hullena, Projects Coordinator

Wairarapa Road Safety Council

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