Good Company or GOING SOLO?

THE PROS & CONS OF RIDING THE WORLD WITH (OR WITHOUT) A FRIEND

- Yan Giovannoni

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 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! 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.