“Make sure you plan your route.”
“Tell people where you’re going.”
“Eat well and stay hydrated.”
Blah, blah, blah!
If you’re looking for solo motorcycle touring tips right now, I’m pretty certain you’ve had enough of the cliche information such as the above.
Don’t get me wrong, the practical stuff forms the basis of touring. And if this is your first solo motorcycle ride, you need to understand it.
But when you’re going on a proper solo motorcycle trip, it needs to be treated as a quest for self-indulgence.
And whilst you do need to plan your route and tell people where you’re going, what you’re really looking for when you Google ‘solo motorcycle touring tips’ is permission to do what you want.
Well, it’s your lucky day. Because that’s exactly what I’m encouraging you to do.
Furthermore, I’ve given you 7 solo motorcycle touring tips to get you on your way.
1. How Do You Plan A Solo Motorcycle Ride?
Here’s what you do.
When you know your significant other is out for dinner with work, make sure you plan for the kids to sleep at Grandma and Grandad’s.
Then when you have the house to yourself, open a bottle of wine, and take some time to selfishly think about all the places you’d love to go on your bike.
In fact, write them down.
Open a new note on your iPad. Pour yourself another glass of vino, and let your imagination take you on a rollercoaster ride of self-indulgence and desire.
Do A Little Daydreaming
Think about those solo motorcycle trip destinations that dreams are made of. Contemplate the vistas that would take your breath away.
YouTube it. Take in the visuals.
Additionally, imagine the people you would meet and the feelings that would flood your body as you stood triumphantly at the summit of that mountain.
Envisage the trials and tribulations of things going wrong. And the victory in conquering them.
And then when you wake up in the morning feeling slightly worse for wear, dare to read the notes you wrote last night.
Then, crucially, have the backbone to follow through with it.
2. Solo Motorcycle Touring Tips: Revel In The Mental Freedom
I don’t know you, but I would imagine you’re a perfectly good person who leads a perfectly normal life.
But a normal life (for most) means worrying about keeping your partner happy, keeping the kids happy, keeping your boss happy, and keeping your bank happy.
Indeed, everything else falls into one of those categories.
If you’ve never toured solo before, I’m here to tell you that when you’re away, none of that matters.
Of course, you’ll want to know your partner and kids are okay – and vice versa. But other than that, your boss doesn’t exist.
Your work emails auto-reply with a satisfying “out of office” message. Your phone diverts to voicemail. And your colleagues will have to deal with whatever shit work dregs up without you.
Similarly, there are no other riders to worry about as there would be on a group ride. So there are no simmering arguments or disagreements to contend with.
You do what you want when you want to do it.
3. Schedule Flexibility
Like everybody else, I have a busy life. I have way too many things to do and nowhere near enough time to do it all.
Consequently, my iPhone is pre-set to wake me up at the optimum time on any given day to ensure I can cram as much in as I can.
As a result, I’m constantly chasing results. Always driving forwards at a million miles per hour. Always striving and reaching for more.
And I bet you are too.
Plan Shorter Days
So use these solo motorcycle touring tips and make sure you schedule flexibility this year. Accordingly, don’t plan 10-hour riding days!
Plan 4-6 hour riding days so you can extend them if you feel like it – not because you have to in order to cover the 650 miles you’ve set yourself that day.
And try to spend multiple nights in a single hotel. Because that way, you don’t even have to go out on your bike if you fancy a day off.
Yes, it’s a motorcycle tour.
But you’ll be surprised at just how good a day off is for you.
4. Solo Motorcycle Touring Tips: Schedule Time For Reflection
I have a long-awaited motorcycle tour coming up this summer. In fact, this post has been scheduled to post itself – so I’m on said tour even as you read this post.
But I’ve purposefully blocked out two segments where I have absolutely nothing planned.
Subsequently, I can, if I want, go on a few unscheduled rides.
But more likely, I can take myself off for a hike up a mountain. Or I can sit in my cabin on the water’s edge. Either way, I can reflect on my life.
For once, I will have time to think about my life and the direction in which it’s going.
Contemplate Happiness & Direction
Am I happy? Or am I dissatisfied?
I don’t know yet. But whilst you’re reading this, I can guarantee I’ll be sat somewhere peaceful, contemplating my life and dreaming up ways to make it better.
In the same way, so can you.
As mentioned above, a solo motorcycle tour isn’t all about riding. Schedule time in to truly be off – to truly have nothing to do and nowhere to go.
Bask in it.
And take the time to cleanse yourself of all the shit that gets you down. Take the time to think about you.
5. Solo Motorcycle Touring Tips: Schedule Time For Your Hobbies
I don’t know what your hobbies are, but my other passion outside of riding motorcycles is photography.
For me, there’s no better way to spend a day than by spending it in nature with a camera in my hand.
I’m not bothered if it’s up a mountain or by the ocean. I can lose myself for hours in the natural wonderment of nature as she does her thing.
For you, it might be reading. Or writing a book. It could be history or visiting art galleries.
Whatever it is, schedule some days off during your tour where you have nothing to do but enjoy those passions.
6. Solo Motorcycle Touring Tips: Schedule Time To Be Self-Indulgent
Okay, so we’ve already established that you like a glass of wine or two. Or else you wouldn’t be reading this post and planning a deliciously selfish trip to somewhere wild and wonderful!
And I bet you don’t often get time to do that – to eat a little bit too much of the good stuff or drink a glass of wine too many.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you should spend a week eating donuts and drinking Pinot Noir out of a pint glass.
But if you have a day off from riding, then why not have some extra ice cream with that dessert? Wash it down with one more glass of wine.
7. Interact With Strangers (If That’s Your Thing)
Usually, we travel with family. And that can often mean spending a week away and not speaking to anyone outside of your party.
Somebody always wants something. Someone needs entertaining. The baby needs this and the mother-in-law needs that.
So the entirety of your trip is normally spent in the company of all the people you live with!
But when you travel solo, all of that is removed. And for once, you get to choose your own company.
Choose Your Own Company
Now, as a solo traveller, you will stand out. And as a solo biker, everybody will notice you. People will say hello, and ask where you’re from.
They’ll strike up a conversation at the bar, and before you know it, you’ll be joining them for dinner.
There’ll want to know where you’re from, where you’re going, and what you’re doing when you get there. And they’ll want to tell you their story, too.
On the flip side, you might choose to forego interactions with strangers and keep yourself to yourself.
And that’s fine!
I’m very socially confident. But more often than not, I choose to slip into the shadows when touring. I’m perfectly content to be left alone to do my own thing.
Whichever you choose, you have the option to do it when solo motorcycle riding.
Solo Motorcycle Touring Tips: Conclusion
There’ll be a section of people reading this who couldn’t think of a worse way to spend a week than by themselves!
And that’s fine.
Some people are happiest when they’re around the people they love the most – and I get that.
But there’ll also be a section of people reading this who are getting butterflies.
They’ll be feeling tingles of excitement in their belly as they think of all the places they’ve always wanted to go on their bikes.
To those people – I say do it.
And don’t feel at all guilty for enjoying it. Because the person who comes back from the trip will be a better version of the one who left.
Did you enjoy this post? If so, you might like these:
- Solo Motorcycle Touring: Tips For The Brave
- The Best Motorcycles To Tour Around The World
- Motorcycle Travel Is Good For You: 10 Scientifically Proven Benefits
- Motorcycle Touring For Beginners: Welcome To The Club!
Top image via David Gabric / Unsplash
