The concept of choosing an individual tour or riding solo will immediately raise the obvious comments from others in the motorcycling fraternity "haven't they got any mates", "they must be boring", "obviously they must ride really slow" etc., but has anyone other than the individual concerned ever wondered why so many riders prefer to ride solo, and what the benefits are?
Social Distancing
The coronavirus pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to the world, including loss of life, illness, and economic hardship, but one of the most simplest ways to help protect from the virus is social or physical distancing. We all know that riding probably provides the most fun way of social distancing but also motorcyclists are generally very social people and it may cause concern for some, so therefore when stopping for lunch or coffee the risk is minimised to just yourself and the guide.
You don't need others to plan your trip
How many times have you planned a trip after discussing it over a few drinks and getting all excited only for friends to let you down at the last minute? There is always this one person who will back out which will usually have a domino effect and more people will back out. Well forget relying on others. If you are feeling adventurous, start right now just because you can.
Rider ability
You may be conscious that you ride at a slower speed than others in the group and feel guilty about holding the group up, or alternatively you may wish to ride quicker than the rest of the group.
Peace of mind
It’s a good time for peace and meditation, away from the mindless chatter and banter of friends. Solo riding can be a cleansing experience where you “blow out the cobwebs”, cleanse the mind of the week’s built-up stresses and think about nothing else but the manual task in hand – clutch, throttle, brake, steering.
Mental freedom
Not worrying about the needs or expectations of other riders may be the ultimate feeling of freedom. Go where you want, when you want.
Independence
From a purely selfish standpoint, a big benefit to riding solo is that you only have to answer to yourself. There is no meeting time, other schedules to accommodate or having to wait for others. You are not dependent on those around you to dictate the speed, you get to choose the route and if you feel good you can extend it.
Schedule Flexibility
You may wish to spend extra time at a picturesque location, roadside attraction, or some other point of interest, but, in order to stay within the group’s schedule you can't linger and indulge in something interesting. When travelling solo, a rider has complete flexibility to change the itinerary.
Time for reflection
One of the great pleasures in motorcycle touring is the immersion a rider gets in their surroundings and environment, but this is not so easy when your riding companions are anxious to get back on the road.
Opportunities for self indulgence
Travelling solo means the trip is exclusively about the rider’s interests, desires and pleasures, there’s no pressure to compromise in order to meet the needs or expectations of anyone else in the group.
Time for photography and other personal pursuits
Not being rushed once you've found something interesting to photograph. A rider may want to quit riding early on a particular day and relax in the Jacuzzi, play golf, or indulge in some other activity. The point is that motorcycle travel doesn’t have to be just about riding from sun-up to sunset. Riders have other interests that can be combined with a motorcycle trip, and those travelling solo have full discretion to do so.
Here at GSmotorcycletours we understand the benefits of riding solo and we specialise in offering individual or one-to-one motorcycle tours in order to provide the added benefits of a tour guide. We have created exclusive tours that focus on the individual rider and their requirements rather than those of a group. They will have the undivided attention of the tour guide and a full guarantee that no other riders will be present on the tour. All we ask in return is a supplement of 50% on the standard price of any tour.
For more details and pricing see www.gsmotorcycletours.com/individual-tour
