go it alone?

Philip

Guest
Had planned to trip down to Algarve in may, taking the ferry to Santander rather than going through France. Unfortunately the 2 guys i was set to go with have had to cancel. I am keen to go but am apprehensive about traveling alone. I know its only a couple of days ride each way in Spain /portugal but you never know what might happen. Its also nice to have the company.
Am I being a bit soft?
phil
 
Maybe you are being a bit soft Phil. After all it's only Europe! I've done most of my touring solo, it's nice to have someone to chat to in the evenings but solo riding is a great experience, IMHO.
 
I'm with wraithrider

it's nice to have someone to chat to, but i much prefer riding at my own pace, not having to worry about losing someone/playing catchup/looking a tit when i get lost!!
 
Philip said:
I am keen to go but am apprehensive about traveling alone. Am I being a bit soft?
phil
Click to expand...

Funnily enough Phil, I may almost be in the same position as you, and had the same flutters.

I'm going to see the venerable Flash! with some mates in June and, to make the most of the ferry ticket and have some fun, want to extend the trip to include a few lumpy bits. The others can't hang about. Looks like I may have to do the extended adventure solo, and I felt a bit ... ummm ... vulnerable with the plan.

Odd that I'll happily ride hundreds of miles on me todd in the UK.

Blx! Reckon I'll just go for it, and see what happens. Phil; have fun matey!
Thanks for the prompt guys.

Penf
 
Just Do It

Phil

You'll have a much better experience if you go alone. With travelling companions you tend to stay with the group and the natives find it intimidating. Alone you'll find that you're a magnet for all sorts of interesting people.

"You never know what might go wrong?" Nothing that can't happen here.

Go for it.

Mick :thumb
 
Well Phil I’ve done most of my long trips in company, as I do all the planning and organising it’s very tempting to go it alone and just do as I please, its would be infinitely simpler.
You can change your plans, go at your own pace, stop wherever you like for as long as you like.
It’s just that you don’t get that shared experience, and that’s all that puts me off.
 
Maybe a solution is is to do your own thing during the day and meet up in the evenings?
 
I much prefer travelling alone, although alot of my riding is done two up, I don't especially like riding in in groups. As others have said above you can ride at your own pace and stop whenever you want. You should feel secure in the knowledge that the dealer network in Europe is fairly good. I'm travelling to Southern Morocco with five other riders but, only due to the fact that not to do so, especially on a 1200;) could be dodgy.
 
Phil, go for it. Its a different experience. I've only been riding a year and did a trip down to the Alps in a group and a solo tour on a hired Transalp around Crete (which I woulkd recommend, btw). I did long days solo and it was great fun, and if you are on a bike people always want to talk to you and as likely as not you will run into other bikers in the evenings. Sometimes biking alone has a different and enjoyable feel.
 
Phil,

- You'll never know unless you try

- If you don't like it, you can come home

- You won't want to

- You'll meet people

- You'll have to talk to people you wouldn't normally

- You can still sit in a bar on your own if you want

- You won't want to

- The hardest part is deciding to do it

- You'll never really be on your own..............

Like everyone, I like to have someone to talk to about the day, after a days run. That's the only thing that stopped me initially. Once you've done it you'll be fine.

You can always find an internet cafe and post up where you've been, knowing there'll be replies the next day for you to read........... kinda virtual travelling pub like the beakchat & bolloxs
 
Originally posted by Jon

You can always find an internet cafe and post up where you've been, knowing there'll be replies the next day for you to read........... kinda virtual travelling pub like the beakchat & bolloxs [/B]
Click to expand...

:thumb very good point. If ever you are in a town where there's not much interest in the bars they are great places to spend a bit of time with a drink and occupy yourself. I find non-biking friends and family at home are always keen to know what your up to. To the non-biker any solo trip abroad is a real adventure. Useful for route planning, weather etc as well. And often proper bars have computers with free use so its not a scanky computer room. We need to catch up on that over here.
 
I had a fairly minor prang in Germany a few years back whilst touring alone.

I was heading back home early as sad as a sad person can be when I met a German BM rider in a service station.

His tales of soloing India on a Enfield had me realising that there's always someone around to cheer you up when you need it. It put my minor problems into perspective.

I bought some gaffer tape, repaired the fairing/mirror/indicator and carried on with my holiday - had a great time too.

Memorable time!

Go for it.
 
Touring abroad

I've travelled in a group (which can be a pain and also enjoyable) and also alone.
As previously posted........you can meet more people when you're on your own and have a better travelling experience.

One day in 2001, I was travelling through Slovakia (from Praha) towards the Tatra's.
There was a Police roadblock and I travelled up to the head of the queue and got talking to a Polish biker, riding a Bandit 600.

After the roadblock.......we pulled into a petrol station to refuel the bikes and ourselves.
He asked where I was heading and I replied that the only committment was that I was meeting a Hungarian girl in Budapest the next day.
He offered to show the mountains and recommended a good hotel in his home town and that night I met up with him and his friends for a meal and some beers.
Had I been in a group I would never have got to know him and we still email now.

The next day I set off to Budapest and got into the city around 6-7pm, rang my Hungarian friend who I was staying with and going off for a tour of Croatia/Slovenia with.
So whilst waiting for her to finish work, I parked outside a McDonalds and went in for some refreshments.
In the queue, a young girl and her boyfriend who'd seen the bike and asked if I was from the USA, I replied that I was British and we got talking and they asked if I had seen any news today, to which I replied 'not travelling on a motorbike'........

The date .................Sept 11th 2001 !!

Naturally the rest of the evening's discussions were a blur now.

So travelling solo, people will engage you more and welcome you into their world.............you experience more of local life.....
 
I agree with the above...

...I would not hesitate to go solo for the reasons mentioned above that you meet more people. Go into any bar at night and you will soon strike up a conversation. The other aspect is purely selfish in that you can go exactly where you want when you want, change the itenary and stop whenever you fancy. Try doing that in a group ...!! You would not be popular.

What ever you decide have fun and tell us all about it.

AndyT;)
 
Don't forget your mobile and charger and make sure you get the international call bar lifted before you go!

Cheers

Dick
 
thats 14:0 in favour then. will start the prep. Thanks for the responses and the encouragement.
regards
phil
 
Alone???

Oooooooooo noooo........


hmm, well as long as you take your blanky ;) ;)

blanky.jpg
 
Alone

I was a little daunted going alone for a trip to Morocco a few years ago, but then swallowed a"brave pill" and shot over there for two weeks of fun on my own.

It was a fantastic experience and one that I have never regretted. The going alone, IMHO, means that you are more likely to meet other riders, locals etc and be outgoing. Travelling in groups uuslly means that you stick tohether more often than not and become "insular".

Go it alone, and make the most of it.

bornagainbiker
 
i undertook a 28 day trip last year on my r850r roadster - i departed rosyth, scotland on the overnight ferry to zeebrugge,belgium - excellent ship and service - i had never driven abroad on a motorcycle before - covering approx 5000 miles including the alps, pyrenees, bmw rally in garmisch and most other countries i can say it was a great experience - on many an occasion i wished i could have had someone to share this - in a strange way i felt kind of selfish - mishaps included my digital camera theft in barcelona - be warned of opportunist theifs in large towns - always be on your guard - i plan to undertake another trip this year perhaps being more adventurous and taking in places like hungary, poland, romania - and yes i am off on my own once again - no satnav or anything fancy - remember the five P's proper preperation prevents poor performance
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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