Someone enlightened to adventure motorcycling advised that before setting off on a journey with your significant other, the practicalities of riding as a couple should be considered, not to mention both the pros AND the cons. To my mind, when you both love to travel, it goes hand in hand that two wheels—as do four, perhaps—facilitate that shared agenda. Whether you’re “two up” or astride your own motorcycles, you’re both enjoying the same open-air experience in a manner four wheels can’t quite deliver. Through an unobscured view, you’re living out an adventure next to one another. Enraptured by two-wheeled transport you may already be. How you’ll fare with your partner on a prolonged motorcycle journey is another matter entirely.

Planning a motorcycle adventure with your partner isn’t always a cushy ride. What if it’s the instant gratification of rural rideouts over long weekends you love? A sustained two-wheeled stretch is a complete lifestyle change and a reality one of you may not relish. Your lady might not be a pampered princess but what if she’s unable to find certain items some gals need in remote places? Enthusiasm could outweigh skill at some point and one of you could lose control down a steep hill. Or, you may be riding alongside a partner whose off-road prowess leaves you lost in their dust—you could become as crestfallen about holding them back as you are about your inability to keep up. So many whats, scary ifs and buts. At some point, a conscious decision must be made to shelve the excuses and ruminate on those reservations no longer. How hard can it be?

I won’t deny it, from personal experiences riding throughout the U.K., Europe and, for the next 12 months, the Americas, there may be challenges to riding as a motorcycle couple. In co-motorcycle travel over an extended period, your relationship will be tested as will your forbearance levels. When you’ve both endured a longer-than-anticipated day in the saddle, feeling beastly tired isn’t always conducive to being amiable. Assigning roles such as tent-pitching while the other cracks on with the dinner, can prevent a cacophony of conflict in petty arguments. Having a solid relationship built on tolerance and throwing in a big pinch of humour from the outset will stand you both in good stead.

It can be tricky if one person assumes a grossly different pace from the other, especially if one has considerably greater riding stamina. Therefore, not biting off more than the lesser experienced can chew will result in their having enough energy left over at the end of the day to stay sweet-natured, ensuring you both remain happy! Moreover, agreeing to keep the off-road riding well within daylight hours will prevent many a day from turning sour. If one of you prefers to spend every daylight hour in the saddle while the other is inclined towards a shorter stint in order to be able to relax and sight see, establishing a mutual agenda each day will ensure greater long-term harmony. It will give rise to fewer unforeseen compromises as opposed to engaging in a constant battle of negotiation, which will be as frustrating as it will be unsustainably wearing.

Despite the potential tribulations of the trails, with motorcycling as a couple comes constant companionship -- sharing all the firsts, soaking up jaw-dropping scenery that will make your souls sing, hand-holding on a beach, star-gazing under spectacular skies and being there for one another during all those moments of accomplishment. When riding in partnership, technologies like a two-way intercom can provide a convenient way to point out a family of five astride a moped, or a soaring eagle, help each other over the trickier terrain, and above all serve as a means to further enjoy the experience on two wheels together. For example, whoever overtakes in busy traffic first acts as the other’s eyes—forewarning the other to something potentially perilous on the road is paramount. Some may find it nigh on impossible not to communicate for hours on end; being able to chat away on a beautiful road could facilitate the perfect way to ride with your loved one.

Admittedly, riding as a couple through unfamiliar territory in sometimes difficult and unforeseeable circumstances, tensions can rise when your biking abilities, personal needs and wants differ. It’s good to take the time and address those situations early on. Acknowledging different strengths will help make the trip sustainable. One of you may be more apt at maintaining the motorcycles in tip-top condition, while the other is happier to execute the agreed route that day. Above all, taking extra effort to recognize each other’s tolerance levels and sources of irritation, even if you become one, is key!

As for any grave misgivings you may hold before setting off—mechanically or otherwise—there are no basic needs that can’t be met. If you’re on a road, chances are someone will pass by with an offer of help. As far as sourcing specialty items is concerned, women that reside in the middle of nowhere still require the same basic things all women do. The motorcycle is highly unlikely to somersault out of control, and if one of you has less riding experience than the other, thank them in advance for exhibiting unfaltering patience in allowing you to keep pace—it’s a recipe for shared motorcycling success.

As for faring on two wheels alongside your partner—in the saddle, you’re as free to let your minds wander as your wheels are to roam, side by side. Motorcycle overlanding as a couple draws on a joint freedom to live a life dictated only by the two of you. You’ll maneuver into a happier you: “Getting puckish, yet—what’s that man selling by the road?” or “Fancy heading that way on the map today?” are the light-touch mutual exchanges that will get you there. Ultimately pursuing your shared passion as a couple—wanting the same thing in the spirit of self-governed adventure, travelling by the same means and wishing to see the same countries—no one can remove the exultation on your soul which that will bring.

From two pairs of flippers to a set of wheels each, British adventurers Lisa Morris and Jason Spafford spent the last 14 years scuba diving the globe together. They are currently motorcycling from Argentina to Alaska, having had mini moto-adventures throughout the U.K. and Europe. They are documenting their 18-month journey of the Americas through a travelogue of freelance writing, photography and film making en route. FourWheeledNomad.com