Touring on your own?

[Whysub]

I have ridden a lot with groups in the UK and then on to Europe. Since moving to Spain, I.like riding alone. Its a vast country, full of contrasts. Plus I can stop wherever I like, whenever I like, and ride either 100kms or 1000kms in a day. In the evening. I'll always find someone to chat to.

However, touring Morocco in a few weeks with 3 Polish and 5 Czech friends. Ridden with most of them every year since 2009 in Czechia and Slovakia, so happy that they are all safe and quick riders.

Off to Croatia and the Balkans later in the year, that's 50/50 alone and in a group.

[Whysub]

Back from my 4,100 mile tour around Morocco on my NC750, in the company of 7 BMW GS's.

Beautiful country, so easy (for me) to get to. We only used motorway once to get around Marrakech, otherwise all ridden on A and back roads.

On the first full days riding between Nador and Mergouza we rode through rain, snow and a sandstorm. From the following day, it was sunshine everyday.

The roads are fantastic, well surfaces in the main, although in the south there were lots of roads being repaired, so many stretches of gravel surfaces. The NC coped fine.

Many things I discovered:

You can only get local currency once you are in Morocco. ATMs and money exchanges can be found in all tourist towns )which you are never far from). Anything left, you have to change before you leave, or, like me, keep until your next visit.

Getting your passport stamped and a temporary importation card for your bike is easy, and I did this on the Almeria-Nador ferry.

Petrol is priced within 10ths of a penny a litre between stations, whether in remote towns, or motorway services. Most only accept cash though.

Lots of people speak English (especially the younger generations) or French, so never had a problem. The Berbers around the Sahara were a bit annoying try to flog us stuff, but a firm "no thanks" seemed to work.

The people we encountered, without exception, were very pleasant and always happy to help and give information.

Don't bother camping, as hotels are not much more expensive that a tent pitch. Which my friends, loaded with camping gear, found out, only camping for two nights. Hotels after that!

Although a "dry" country, you can buy alcohol. Most tourist hotels sell beer, and Carrefore stores have an alcohol room. Beer is treble the price it is in Spain, but still inexpensive. Moroccan wine is very good, and under €4 a bottle. Most hotels we stopped at let us put our beer in their fridges to cool.

The "National Security" have lots of road blocks to check documents mainly for immigration purposes. It must have been obvious we were European tourists, as we always got waved through, often with a salute from the uniformed officers.

Their driving is not bad at all, and in town, once you know the colour of the taxis, hassle free. They will stop if someone waves them down, and they have a least one seat free. Taxis are everywhere, even in the remotest parts we rode, driving between towns. Saw lots of people, standing on the roadside, miles from anywhere, waiting for one to pass.

Bikes bigger that 150cc are usually owned by tourists, everyone else seems to ride Chinese copies of Honda Cubs. Odd to see no helmets, no numberplates, and 3 or 4 people on them.

Lots more I can't think of at the moments, but i will be going back, probably on my own now I know a bit more about the country.

[rodbargee]

Started "touring" or more precisely toured, to the ring in 1996-ish( now nearly 28 years continually)
Four of us in total, all from Leeds loosely plus One from south coast. all very good fun and we all played nicely the ring got a bit boring after the third trip I think it was and we carried on going away on bikes at Easter, we're still at it as many of you will Know,
We've done Germany and Belgium,And France extensively, plus Italy+ Croatia and, more often than anywhere else Spain.One chap stopped coming and several replacements were road tested until Reburner took it on. we now "tour" with a vito van, booking a villa and riding out from there. Bikes in a trailer and one in the van with us. it's a very cost effective way of arranging it, especially ferries, not four individual tickets and squared off tyres on arrival. Four is also a manageable number out on the road, we have a plan each day and we generally all get round I broke down post a biblical downpour that soaked the zzr's electrics we also had a blackbird break down in Italy and had to have it repatriated by van, the three remaining bikes divvied up most of the gear and we carried on with one pillion not fun for either.
This year its Spain agin In October I had to bail after a day last year as my mum was in Ill in Hospital. hope this year all will be well. Have been thinking of an american bike tour but what to do that wont break the bank...... wheres Murcan when you need him.
.

[Mr Moofo]

You don't have to ride with the group on a group tour. Provided you can all navigate, just arrange where you'll be at the end of each day and set off when you like and choose your own route.

There are people I'd happily ride in a group with and some I'd rather not. If you book an organised tour you get the companions that you get though. There've been a few on Flash Tours that I didn't particularly enjoy being in the same room with, oddly enough they were also the ones you wouldn't want to ride with. (Very much the minority though).

After last weekends trip, I have to get myself decent navigation. Great roads, great scenery- but they drove so frustratingly slowly that it started giving me IBS. i.e. French motorways are 130 kph. We did 107, A roads 90, we did just under 70.
If I go next time I will go off riding on my own and then meet them at way points

[Count Steer]

You don't have to ride with the group on a group tour. Provided you can all navigate, just arrange where you'll be at the end of each day and set off when you like and choose your own route.

There are people I'd happily ride in a group with and some I'd rather not. If you book an organised tour you get the companions that you get though. There've been a few on Flash Tours that I didn't particularly enjoy being in the same room with, oddly enough they were also the ones you wouldn't want to ride with. (Very much the minority though).

After last weekends trip, I have to get myself decent navigation. Great roads, great scenery- but they drove so frustratingly slowly that it started giving me IBS. i.e. French motorways are 130 kph. We did 107, A roads 90, we did just under 70.
If I go next time I will go off riding on my own and then meet them at way points

I have a currently unused Garmin you can have if you like. It'll need the maps updating and a bike cradle although I've used it in the map pocket on a tank bag.

[Dodgy69]

Yep..on any multi lane fast road I always feel safer getting a move on. Fannying around in the slower lanes is downright dangerous and keep left my arse. Unnecessary lane changing also dangerous, If no one's behind, it don't matter. Imo.

[Mr Moofo]

You don't have to ride with the group on a group tour. Provided you can all navigate, just arrange where you'll be at the end of each day and set off when you like and choose your own route.

There are people I'd happily ride in a group with and some I'd rather not. If you book an organised tour you get the companions that you get though. There've been a few on Flash Tours that I didn't particularly enjoy being in the same room with, oddly enough they were also the ones you wouldn't want to ride with. (Very much the minority though).

After last weekends trip, I have to get myself decent navigation. Great roads, great scenery- but they drove so frustratingly slowly that it started giving me IBS. i.e. French motorways are 130 kph. We did 107, A roads 90, we did just under 70.
If I go next time I will go off riding on my own and then meet them at way points

I have a currently unused Garmin you can have if you like. It'll need the maps updating and a bike cradle although I've used it in the map pocket on a tank bag.

Thanks is very kind of you. I may just take you up on that

[Count Steer]

After last weekends trip, I have to get myself decent navigation. Great roads, great scenery- but they drove so frustratingly slowly that it started giving me IBS. i.e. French motorways are 130 kph. We did 107, A roads 90, we did just under 70.
If I go next time I will go off riding on my own and then meet them at way points

I have a currently unused Garmin you can have if you like. It'll need the maps updating and a bike cradle although I've used it in the map pocket on a tank bag.

Thanks is very kind of you. I may just take you up on that

Righto, I'll dig it out. There's a few bits n' bobs with it (dashboard beanbag/clamp, charging cable etc). Not sure how long it lasts on battery only but suspect it's a fair while.

[Whysub]

After last weekends trip, I have to get myself decent navigation. Great roads, great scenery- but they drove so frustratingly slowly that it started giving me IBS. i.e. French motorways are 130 kph. We did 107, A roads 90, we did just under 70.
If I go next time I will go off riding on my own and then meet them at way points

Lucky for me, my companions on the Moroccan trip rode at, or maybe a little bit over, the posted speed limits*.

I considered taking the 411 Himalayan, which would have been great fun in some areas, but knowing how they ride, I could have held them back on some of the faster, longer sections.

I agree that when a group is riding slower than the limit, it can cause frustration in others, which does no make for an enjoyable ride.

* Moroccan speed cameras are all forward facing.

[Mr Moofo]

I have a currently unused Garmin you can have if you like. It'll need the maps updating and a bike cradle although I've used it in the map pocket on a tank bag.

Thanks is very kind of you. I may just take you up on that

Righto, I'll dig it out. There's a few bits n' bobs with it (dashboard beanbag/clamp, charging cable etc). Not sure how long it lasts on battery only but suspect it's a fair while.

no hurry, CS , as my touring in foriegn places by bike may have been doen for the year.
Next time we meet up

[Nobby]

Thought I'd put virtual pen to paper.
In the past I have travelled in groups of 8 to 12. Lads weekend away sort of thing back in the 80's.
Done a few European trips with 3-4. That is I think a nice number.
As some of you may know, I've recently been in NZ for 2 months with a mate. It has probably helped that we've been friends for 40 years but we had no issues on a personal level and we had a brilliant time.
I'm now in Oz on my own little adventure. Currently chilling out with my "new best friend", planning to set out into the red stuff in late September. Early September I'll be doing a few thousand miles mainly in southern Victoria. The coastal area is well populated by Australian standards, so I'm not really concerned about being on my own. But when I head north towards the middle,well, that's a bit different. I've ventured out a few times on Day trips and the experience has taught me just how vulnerable I will be.
Driving for 4 hours and literally not seeing any signs of habitation (apart from a Roadhouse that seems to have been closed for a couple of years,) makes you realise you are , on your own. Ok, apart from maybe 10 oncoming vehicles.
I'm good with dealing with the loneliness and am content in myself , but I'm fully aware of any what ifs , so making plans on taking extra provisions and a Rucksack so that if it all goes Tits, can say goodbye to my home on wheels and take any offer out of the wilderness.
I'm hoping that I'll meet up with like minded people en route but it's not a problem if I don't, but given the choice, I'd rather have a Beer with Gronk at Walkabout Creek than bump in to Bradley Murdoch.

[Dodgy69]

I was always told about the " great ocean road" unfortunately I never got to do it but it's supposed to be a bit special, great on a bike I would imagine.

If it was me I'd definitely avoid riding in the dark hours and plan your next bed the day before if possible. Sounds ace.

[Bustaspoke]

This bloke's done some big tours around Oz,have a look at some of his YT uploads.I never realised they had so much flooding out there until I started watching his video's.



Lots of information about outback riding in his video's

[Cousin Jack]

Just been on an (organized) tour of Ireland. I was quote often on my own all day, we all had the same basic route, but most of us wandered off piste too. Some of the off piste bits I did were 2 hours on a goat track, with a few houses at either end and nothing in the middle, apart from 2 other bikers on GSs coming the other way. Not quite as isolated as the Aus desert, but you knew if you dropped the bike you were going to have to pick it up without any help.

[Nobby]

I was always told about the " great ocean road" unfortunately I never got to do it but it's supposed to be a bit special, great on a bike I would imagine.

If it was me I'd definitely avoid riding in the dark hours and plan your next bed the day before if possible. Sounds ace.

Ah, the Great Ocean Road. Been there done that. Twice in fact. It's nothing special. Probably not even that.
Too busy. Full of Tourists like me. Coaches at the head of each queue of traffic, photo opportunities obscured by the same Coaches with their Oriental passengers each trying to get the best shot.
Only daylight riding for me. Have you seen the size of the roadkill, and yes, I do like to call ahead to book my pitch.

[Dodgy69]

Ye...it was 1994 when I was out there and maybe getting less attention then. Unfortunately, many of the world's greatest roads are getting crowded these days and do make the biking experience less fun.