Good Company or Going Solo?

Should you start a motorcycle adventure solo, or with others? That depends on your route, personality, budget, courage, willingness to take risks, and most importantly, your determination. The truth is there are both pros and cons to riding around the world alone or with another. Having done it solo, with mates, and as a couple, I’d like to share my experiences with you.

• My Solo journey from Europe to Mongolia

Let’s start with an anecdote: Back in June 2012, I was halfway through a motorcycle journey from Spain to Japan. At the time, I was alone in the middle of Russia, on my way to the Mongolian border. I knew that Mongolia was going to be challenging. It’s a country more than twice the size of Texas with less than 10 percent of its population… and barely any roads!

Entering Mongolia on my own was a daunting decision. Complete freedom for sure, but also some stress of riding a country that is 2.3 times the size of Texas… but with a population of only 3 million.

Considering the possibility of a breakdown or injury in the middle of the endless barren steppes, I decided, out of a concern for safety, to team up with another European rider. We met in Novosibirsk, a Russian city 12 hours from the border. My new companion swiftly suggested we take a detour to explore the breathtaking Altai region, nestled between Kazakhstan and Mongolia. However, the detour would have to be quick as we had to reach the border crossing before it closed for the weekend. That left us three days.

In the beginning, I was enjoying my time with a fellow rider. The gravel and mud roads were a bit challenging, but the thought of having someone around to assist if there was an issue allowed me to relax and enjoy the moment rather than focusing on the “What if…?” After all, the detour was worth it; the mix of mountains and steps with wild horses running around was truly awe-inspiring. However, about 500 km in, my motorcycle suddenly stopped. The battery died; the battering of the corrugated Altai roads caused a short circuit. I was glad to have a companion at that moment as he helped tow the bike to the nearest village about 10 km away. We spent the night there.

The next morning, he told me while packing, “You know the border is going to close.” While he was speaking, I thought he was getting ready to ride to the closest city to find some fuses and a battery. But then, after putting his helmet on and starting the engine, he looked at me and said, “Good luck… and remember it’s all part of the adventure, mate!” before riding away. I was alone again, stuck in a remote village where I couldn’t speak the language. At that moment, I thought, “Perhaps I should have just stuck to being on my own and taken the easy road.” 

During the next three days, while making my way to the nearest city in old post-Soviet buses to find a replacement battery, I had plenty of time to weigh the pros and cons of traveling with someone vs. alone.

• The Freedom and its Cost

Let’s start with the obvious: To me, traveling alone has one big advantage—Freedom! You can choose where you want to go, how fast, for how long, when, and where to stop, however, with another there will be compromises, count on it. For example, in Japan I was mostly riding alone. On an impulse, I had decided to ride near Mt. Fuji in the middle of winter. Yes, it was very cold. Yes, the roads were snowy with icy patches here and there. But the atmosphere was truly out of this world; it felt like I was in a traditional Japanese painting. I can easily imagine that if I’d been with another, they would have pushed back or wanted to turn around because the riding conditions were sketchy. But alone you make your own decisions and rules. If you want to experience the true freedom that comes with motorcycle travel, go on a solo journey at least once.

Back on the road alone, freedom to make foolish decisions and go where you want, like riding in the middle of winter around Mount Fuji, Japan.

That said, this kind of freedom can be a double-edged sword. Sooner or later it’s likely that you’ll face the consequences of your risky choices. There was a time in South Korea when I decided to explore a small forest path. Long story short, I got stuck in a particularly narrow passage with a steep fall on one side and a dead-end full of deep mud ahead. That day, during two hours of constant swearing and struggling, I really wished there was someone to help lift and push my 220 kg Africa Twin out of the mess.

• Connecting with Others

Another big advantage of traveling alone is that it allows you to meet others more easily. People will approach you more often when you’re a solo traveler, especially when on a motorcycle. Many are attracted to the romance of this mode of travel and will be curious about what you’re doing and why. For instance, I was frequently woken up and approached by herders in Central Asia. Although I couldn’t understand what they were asking, their smiles made it clear that they were intrigued by my presence. Later, when traveling in a group in the same area, I wasn’t approached as much. People are generally a bit intimidated by larger groups of foreign travelers.

One of the advantages of traveling alone, it’s so much easier to meet locals. Here in South Korea, I was invited in quite often by local riders who just saw me passing by!

It also goes the other way, when you’re alone you also gain more confidence in the need to meet others. With a travel companion, you don’t feel this need as much. Oddly enough, the need to seek company when alone is how I met my long-time partner who is now riding around the world with me. One day in Korea, I decided to stop at a camping spot near the coast. That’s when I spotted a car with a European license plate. After waiting next to it for a while, I met Aga who was traveling with her family from Poland to Japan via China. From that day, almost 10 years ago, we have been together through many countries. If I had of been riding with another at that time, it’s doubtful that would have happened.

As we’ve seen, traveling alone has its advantages and challenges, but what about overlanding by motorcycle with another?

• When Companions Keep You Out of Trouble

One of the most important advantages of traveling with another is the sense of security. Especially in difficult conditions and remote areas, it’s reassuring to have there to help pick up a bike, fix it, or in the worst case, call for help. Shortly after my unfortunate adventure with the dead battery in Russia, I finally crossed into Mongolia. This country was everything I expected it to be and more. It was a pure off-road experience in its barren endless steppes. The Mongolian landscapes and atmosphere are truly unique. Who needs to go on Mars when we have a place like that right here on Earth?

At the time, there weren’t that many “roads” in Mongolia, so sooner or later you were bound to meet other travelers sharing the same general route or direction. In addition, in remote areas, the points where you can restock and refuel are limited, which further increases the chance of bumping into other overlanders. That’s how I met Bertus. Thinking about the empty landscapes and bumpy roads ahead, I teamed up with him. It was a good call, and a few days later my rear rack snapped due to the pounding it took on the extreme terrain. Bertus helped to carry some of my stuff to the next village. It also turned out he was a welder, so once we found a welding station, he helped build a new very strong rack that I still have on my bike today. Without his assistance, I would surely have had to leave some of my gear behind.

After a long day of riding, setting up the camp with the two mates you just made a few days ago is the best part of the day. Time to exchange some stories and relax with a beer.

The extra sense of security that comes with a travel companion means you can take more risks and ride more challenging roads than you’d dare alone. This is especially true in remote and scarcely populated regions like the Australian Outback or the Mongolian steppes. When Aga and I traveled around Australia in 2021, we also shared equipment and therefore shared the weight of our gear. This allowed tackling difficult and a bit more technical terrain with more confidence. That said, if you decide to travel alone to isolated regions, always carry a GPS beacon or an EPIRB on you. Just know that even if you activate the SOS, the search and rescue may not make it in time. When going to secluded places, it’s always better to travel with someone.

Gibb River Road, Western Australia. Another advantage of riding with someone else is that you have someone to take pictures of you doing stupid things!

• Sharing Your Experience with Others

 Safety and security aren’t the only advantages of traveling in a group. While it may sound cheesy, I think Christopher McCandless’s quote, “Happiness is only real when shared,” has a lot of truth in it. I believe you can only fully appreciate this after experiencing both—traveling alone and in a group. When alone, you are stuck with your own thoughts. You stop in a remote area, you are by yourself, with no one to discuss the events of the day, your plans, and concerns. When you meet a fellow traveler, you realize how much you’ve missed exchanging stories and points of view with like-minded folk to relate to. After a few weeks in Mongolia, Bertus and I met another motorcycle overlander, Uwe. After a few drinks he decided to accompany us and we happily agreed. Funny enough, we all had started our journeys alone. Yet, because of our need for an extra sense of security in remote Mongolia as well as the joy that sharing an adventure brought to us, we decided to team up. It may sound glamourous and epic to ride through the remote steppes on your own and camp in the middle of nowhere with only stars and wild horses around. But the truth is that after a while, you look forward to the next camp and a friendly chat with your mates.

Just made it to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, after a 6,000 mile ride… sharing the moment with friends who made the same journey; only they understand what you went through.

• Final Thoughts: What to Consider when Planning to Travel Alone or in a Group

There is no definite answer as to what is best—traveling alone or with another. It depends on a person and on the circumstances. Perhaps, the best solution is a mix of both options. For example, going solo when the road is easy and teaming up when you know the conditions ahead will be tough. Just remember that not every companion will be the right fit. It may take a while to find the right one and to become accustomed to each other. Don’t be afraid to ride with a friend; a trusted and reliable traveling companion can really enhance your experience, while another may spoil it. You also shouldn’t be afraid to start your journey alone. Eventually, you’re bound to meet other adventurers along the way. Some will be only short-term acquaintances, while others will become your life-long friends or even partners!

South of Western Australia. If you ride as a couple, you’ll have memories for a lifetime.

• The Pros and Cons 

Traveling Solo:

• Sense of freedom
• Traveling on your own terms
• You’re easily approached by others
• Easiness and need of reaching out to people
• Need to deal with the consequences of your decisions on your own!
• Less security

Traveling Together:

• Able to take more risks and more challenging roads
• The extra sense of security and assistance
• Sharing the equipment to reduce the weight you carry on your bike
• Sharing the adventure and talking about your traveling experience
• Need to compromise with others
• Additional sense of responsibility for others who accompany you

Yan Giovannoni and Aga Macura are a Swiss-Polish couple traveling the world on their two Suzuki DR650s. Yan made his first overland journey in 2012 at the age of 25, three months after obtaining his riding licence. He rode his second-hand Honda Africa Twin from Spain to Japan through the Siberian forests and Mongolian steps. After one year of living in Japan, he continued his trip and rode around South Korea, where he met Aga. In 2021, they rode over 33,0000 km around Australia. You can follow their past, current and future adventures on their website on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube (@farwayout), and FarWayOut.com.